Doing it!

So this was probably the first week where I finally felt like a professional musician and not someone who was taking a break from an office job. I had a jam packed week of performing, teaching, music engraving, networking and positive feedback from the whole thing. I really feel like I am actually working as a musician, not hoping to one day get more work. Its definitely here and I am working hard, but still having a blast doing it.

Because I've had 2 performances and 6 rehearsals in the past 5 days I had to reschedule most of my students, so needless to say I haven't seen my husband much. Its been a crammed week for sure. And I am looking forward to having tomorrow off, and having a break this morning is certainly refreshing.

Let's start with the orchestra gig I had this weekend with the concert on Monday. I was hired to play 2nd flute with an orchestra put together by a conducting grad student for his graduate recital. I wasn't expecting much, mainly I was expecting alot of students. That was not the case. Who walks in to play piccolo? Only a flute professor of UGA from when I was at UGA. Although it was fabulous to see him again and to finally get to play with him, it was nerve wracking. This is someone whom I respect as a player and think highly of, and although I had played many a jury with him sitting on the panel I really wanted to play my best this time as a professional. Lucky for me and anyone who has met him, he's so positive, encouraging, and laid back it made it easy to relax, have a good time, and in fact play well. It turned out to be a great experience, and another reminder to always be prepared, you never know who's gonna show up to play piccolo.

Now preparing for Tuesday's concert was a different ball game all together. I was premiering a work of my own for solo flute "Smorgasbord" as well as music by Boston composer Karl Henning. Karl and I were even performing a duet of his, but would only get two rehearsals to put it together. Lucky for me, he as gracious enough to send a midi of the clarinet track with and without a click track for me to rehearse with. I knew it would be a difficult piece to put together ensemble wise with only two days, I felt it was a good request to ask for and see if he could provide. He was more than happy to do so, whew! The rehearsals went well and we really didn't need as much rehearsal time as we had planned. I certainly hope to be able to perform with Karl in the future. We certainly clicked, maybe I'll get to go to Boston next time, a place I've always wanted to visit.

Enjoy a little clip of Karl Henning and I rehearsing his duet Heedless Watermelon:


I was incredibly surprised by the reaction to "Smorgasbord". It went over well, and many people, aka composers, asked about the techniques I used. It certainly raised people's curiosity and the audience found it amusing. I've recently been pushing myself to write more positive and humuorus music, since that is how I have been feeling recently. My life has changed for the better, I am happy, my music should reflect that. I am surprised at how easy that has been for me. "Mangosteen" and "Smorgasbord" are great examples of my upbeat disposition. "Nautica" reflects the intensity and spirit in which I've been tackling my life during this transition into being a wife and full-time musician. This has all been a good thing, and I am glad I took that leap from an intense, stressful office job as a single graphic designer, to a married full-time musician with new experiences every day and plenty of love and support.

Being able to quit my job, makes it easier to practice and write. I feel better prepared for everything, and I am certainly performing better. I am even more productive as a composer. The future is just as exciting, if not more so. "Mangosteen" has been accepted into the 2010 Festival of Women Composers at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. So in March, I will make the journey to Indiana, PA to perform it and hopefully check out the Jimmy Stewart Museum. I am also going on my first tour in January. Its only 5 days traveling throughout the south playing in the pit of a musical, but its a new exciting adventure. Playing music and traveling are my two favorite things, and I am gonna get paid to do both....wow. I have certainly been blessed, and I have lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Festival of Women Composers Here I Come!

I found out a score of mine, details to come, will be performed at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Festival of Women Composers March 17-20, 2010! I'll get more details later this week, including which of the three scores they selected and if I might be performing. Looking forward to a fun adventure and possibly meeting composer Katherine Hoover :)

Irreplaceable Doodles and Other Flights of Musical Fancy

An evening of meaningfully unaccompanied musical modernisms

featuring the irrationally exuberant music of
Karl Henning

and the tastefully delicious world premiere of Smorgasbord by
Nicole Randall-Chamberlain

as performed by the composers themselves

Karl Henning, clarinet & Nicole Randall-Chamberlain, flute

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Emory Presbyterian Church
1886 North Decatur Rd, NE, Atlanta, GA 30307


$10 general admission
$5 students with I.D.

Smorgasbord

Today I finished a new work for solo flute/piccolo. The piece is made up of 4 short movements:

I. Crunchy - Aggressive and punchy attacks on the extreme registers of the flute give this movement the characteristics of the title.

II. Gelatinous - Jazz influenced, like a lot of my music I suppose, but with a bit of humor. The thick and slow moving quality is credited to the use of quarter-sometimes half tone slides.

III. Carbonated - I use the pizzacato technique quite a bit in my writing for flute. I love exploring the different techniques at the flute's disposal. Unlike other instruments, we don't get to use mutes or other devices to change our sound. Its all in the face :) This movement exercises the flexibility of a player to not only play straight up pizzacato, but to use other syllables to produces different types of sounds. End is result is a poppy, fun, and incredibly humorous piece. Sometimes, music is taken to seriously. It can be fun without being ridiculous.

IV. Fluffy - I took a chance and gave this movement to the piccolo. I don't play the piccolo enough and it has a certain tone quality that a flute just can't produced. My gripe with most composers is that they tend to think of the piccolo as an extension of the flute's register. But there's so much more to this tiny wooded beast. It has its only personality, and in this movement I explore it's toy march persona.

I am looking forward to performing this piece in November. I rather have someone else play my music, so I can relax and hear what I've written with some distance. But I feel I actually wrote within my capabilities with a little bit of challenge. It should go pretty well, its short and sweet and to the point. Hopefully it will add some contrast to the program in November.

duoATL Concert

On Sunday, October 25 at 3pm at MacLean Auditorium in Presser Hall at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA I will be performing with Dr. Brian Luckett in concert. We will be performing a new program. All works are by composers who's lifetime overlapped ours:

Lost Hollow Road by Brian Chamberlain (That's right the hubby)
Sonatina Mexicana by Carlo Domeniconi
New Castle Parade by Brian Luckett
Acrobats by David Leisner
Serenata al Alba del Dia by Joaquin Rodrigo
Six Pieces for Flute and Guitar by Annette Kruisbrink
Suite Buenos Aires by Maximo Deigo Pujol

We took off my work "Mangosteen". We've played it about 3 times for Agnes Scott College related events, I thought it was just time to swap it out for something else at least for this concert.

We found some new pieces and this seems to be a less intense concert than the ones we've done in the past. Hopefully I won't be completely exhausted at the end of this concert. That is if I make an appropriate shoe choice.

I was glad to make a new connection with Annette Kruisbrink via Brian Luckett's love of her guitar duet. We actually adapted her guitar duet for ourselves, but wanted to find a piece she had written specifically for flute and guitar. Low and behold she had written two. I dropped her an email and she was kind enough to send us the scores to read. Wouldn't you know it? The first two movements of "Six Pieces" was from the guitar duet we had adapted. So we just had to put it in our program.

Hope you all can come. Admission is free. Be sure to visit our new website for more concerts and information: http://www.duoatl.com

Mercury Season!

September has turned into the month of rehearsals, and I have to make a few leaps between genres. I love late night rehearsals when I don't have to be in at work the next day at nine. That was killer, I never had time to do any individual practice. Now I feel prepared when I go to rehearsals. Its fabulous!

Last night we kicked off Mercury Season rehearsal. Its a small chamber ensemble made up of flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and cello. We're currently in residence at Georgia Perimeter College, so for the past 2 years we've had to come up with a unique program each concert based on a theme. This time we are doing music that was inspired by Autumn.

It was great to get back together with everyone and make some music. We're playing a little bit of everything, like always. Some Piazzolla, Joplin, Vivaldi, Schubert, and even some Neil Young. Last night we just touched on a little bit of everything so we all know where we stand and can adjust our individual practice time accordingly.

We did, however, get some bad news right before rehearsal. Bill got a text that Fred Mills had died. Fred Mills as the trumpet professor at UGA, my alma mater, and a former member of the Canadian Brass. It was shocking news, and not expected from anyone in the room. Hopefully we'll get more information on what happened, and hope the best for his family. I'm sure UGA School of Music will have a fantastic Memorial Concert for him. He did good things for the trumpet studio.

Well today's another day, and I better get to practicing. I have duoATL rehearsal tonight and jazz rehearsal with a new group tommorrow night. Its definately all keeping me on my toes.

Summer Shade in the Rain

duoATL performed at the Summer Shade Festival yesterday. Turned out to be a very rainy one. Luckily we did have a tent, but by the end of the concert I was standing in a good sized puddle. Right before we started the Pujol, Brian says "Don't touch the microphone." Great. Nothing like a bit of fear of death to put some life into the music. I was glad to be done with that gig. It went well, and I appreciate all the folks that stopped in the rain and listened. Next time I just hope its sunny. At least there was no wind turning my pages.

Concerts and Auditions

Its been a busy week for me and I am sure it has been for anyone else who is in the teaching field or has kids. The students have really poured in the past couple weeks, and I am adjusting to the new schedule.

I also had an audition for a substitute flute job in Augusta in Tuesday (no results yet but I'll keep you posted as soon as I do). It went ok, well pretty well for me. I regret the tempo I took for "Daphnis and Chloe" and I know my sound is a little "course" or "raw" in comparison to alot of flutist. We'll see, but I did have a good time.

I did stop in Madison, GA before the audition to walk the small town's historic district and have the best fried green tomato sandwich on the planet at Madison Chophouse Grille. I hope I get the sub job just so I have an excuse to get the sandwich on my way down. I always try to squeeze in a mini vacation on these auditions, because usually I am in places I have never been before.

Now that audition mania is over with for the time being, I need to focus on concerts, duoATL will be performing this Sunday(8/30) at 2pm at the Summer Shade Festival here in Atlanta at Grant Park. We will be at the Milledge Fountain stage. We'll be performing some Piazzolla, Pujol, Krusbrink, and a new piece by Brian Luckett, finally. :) So come down (pray the weather will be nice) and have a beer while we play. Admission is free, unfortunately not the beer.

I'll also post some new dates soon for Mercury Season (arranging more Piazzolla!), Agnes Scott College, some other venues, and I will start playing with the jazz group After Hours Quintet starting on September 18 at Trilogy in Marietta.

With each day I feel more like a musician and making a decent living doing it. I just regret not taking the leap earlier. But we all know I wasn't really ready to take that leap until I did this May. I'm glad I did.

Busy, Busy, Busy...Finally!

Things are really starting to pick up around here. This month I have two concerts, an audition and students are starting to sign up for lessons, not to mention I've got some engraving work and submitting works for competition. I hope to have a new choral work done by next week and start something new for a composers concert later this fall. I am so glad things are starting to break loose. I am definately adjusting to this new life style and am a lot happier than I was at a 9-6 job.

Last week I went to my old office to have lunch with my old office mate and got to say hi to my old co-workers. I kept getting the same response, "You look so happy and relaxed." Boy am I ever!

Next step, is to get Brian over to this side of music. I know he wants the stability of his 8-5 job while he's finishing grad school. Once grad school is over I'm sure he'll feel more flexible in taking students and working on music. I can't wait, it'll be nice to get our schedules in synch since now I work in the evenings and he works during the day.

Lessons and Competitions

Well this week has been a week of "getting out there". I've submitted some scores to some competitions, and taken out some ads to get more flute students. I really do enjoy being able to write, teach, practice, and not feel rushed about anything. I can really take my time and enjoy being in the moment.

There's only two things that do stink about it all. You know me, I always have to complain about something. I am alone a good part of the day and that has taken alot to get use to. I use to share an office with someone everyday for the past 5 years, and people were always coming and going. I do miss seeing my friends everyday and now that our work schedules are flipped flopped since I work alot in the evenings its been hard scheduling to get together with them.

There's also that monetary guilt. Right now I am not making what I was while I was a web designer. Hourly I make more, weekly...well let's say I don't have the hours yet. Sometimes I feel bad that Brian is having to carry me some until I get the students I hope to get once school starts up and peopel get back from vacation. He's totally for it, especially since we hope he'll get to do what I am doing once he's done with his masters and feels confident he is ready to take the plunge. It'll be an adventure and I can't wait until both of us are living it together!

New Solo Piano Work, Nautica

Since I've had some free time I've never had before, I've been busily writing in the hopes to make up for my lack of music writing in the past. So I managed to squeeze out this four movement piano work over the past two weeks. Now I just have to get someone to perform or record it so I can get rid of this mediocre MIDI rendering:

http://www.nikkinotes.com/music/Nautica/Index.html

I am going to try and run this by some very talented pianists friends and see if they have time to work it up and put it on a concert, as well as try to submit it to some competitions. Wish me luck!

Wedding Music

Brian and I agreed as a wedding present to each other we would write our wedding music for each other. I wrote the processional (so I knew when to come in and to keep the wedding coordinator from jumping the gun and sending people out during the prelude music *sigh*).

So here it is (Along with other music in the ceremony)!

http://www.briannikki.com/Ceremony.html

Welcome to Happy Land!

This summer has seen a lot of changes in my life. I got married, and its wonderful! I am sure I wouldn't have had the strength to make all of the other changes without his support and encouragement.

We bought a newer and bigger house. Both of us have our own studios and the dogs have a nice fenced in yard. A yard that they have pretty much destroyed, but as long as it keeps them from destroying the house I'm happy.

And if that wasn't enough change I quit my day job. I did it, I'm a full time musician. I spend my time doing some music engraving, teaching flute students, writing music for concert and multimedia. I've pretty much let web design go to the wayside. I just couldn't take the endless meetings, numerous bosses, and being trapped in an office where you were monitored all the time. Music is my deal, and I had to go for it.

Its been a little tough, but things are finally start to roll. By August things should be more comfortable with an influx of students at the music school. I've had quite a bit of free time to work out, cook, write music, practice, and it looks like I might actually get to have a hobby. No more working 9-6 and then coming home to do music. I do music full time and now have time to hang out with my husband.

However, his schedule winds up in August too. He'll start working 10 hour days then going to school on days he's not working. We're working for the day where both of us can be full-time musicians no matter how that may pan out and be parents. But, we'll enjoy this while we can. We're having the times of our lives!

Work and Radio

This past week had some pretty good news that may turn things around.

Because I didn't have enough on my plate, I'm starting work as a music engraver for Clear Note Publications. Fingers crossed that things will go well with this first score and I can do more of it and shake the day job!

On the composer front, my pieces "Mangosteen" and "Discombobulation" will be broadcast on WRSU in New Brunswick, NJ which can be heard locally at 88.7 FM and anywhere with an internet connection at www.wrsu.org. They have a new program that broadcasts new music by living composers. They will air on May 6 at 7pm. You can catch the full season schedule:http://epmusic.wordpress.com/explorations-schedule/

Now back to working, practicing, writing, finish setting up the new house, and healing from the beatings from my weekly personal training sessions.

Moving Right Along

I'm getting married. I'm moving. I'm teaching. I'm still working full time. I'm glad I have no concerts coming up.Its some hectic, happy, and exciting times, and I am ready to get on with it!
First big life change, getting married! June 13 is the big day, we're looking forward to it. We'll finally get both of our families together (outside of the parents) and our friends and have a big happy weddin. It will be good times, if I can get the invitations,veil, website, and music written, which will hopefully be done by April. Those 4 monsters are still looming...and they should be the most fun.

In the meantime, we've been keeping ourselves busy with the new to us house. Thanks, to Brian's dad who completely remodeled the upstairs bathrooms, and helped out with the electrical issues. Brian and I have been spending ALL of our free time painting, which should come to an end tonight. Then moving day on Saturday! Real pro movers this time. Its just too much to ask from friends. I rather have the pros do it and be done with it. No heavy lifting for me!

As in the job front, I'm teaching some students and its been great. I love it. My students seem to enjoy their lessons, even if they have to do scales :) I hope I get to do more of it. But it won't probably pick back up until August. And that's probably for the best.

I'm glad to be taking a break from concerts for a while, and focus on getting my life together. However, I am still practicing and taking lessons every once in a while just nothing public.
The next three months are going to be a little nutty, but will be some good times and I am sure some good stories.

Bring it on 2009!

Here's the 2008 Resolution Results:

1. Finish a composition! This did happen, and it was recorded. Whew! Finally I got something written, performed, and recorded in the same year.

2. Finish my website! Well, this bled into 2009, but its done. So I can stop being embarrassed about my cheesy website. This one is gonna be alot easier to update, and is certainly more representative of who I am. Maybe I should update this blog too?

3. Do new things! I didn't do too much out of the ordinary, but I did climb that rock wall and got addicted to Indian food.(Rose of India is the best!)

4. Take a risk! This is an ongoing process. I started teaching flute, and that's gonna help get me to the end result. I am auditioning, I am taking private lessons, and I am putting myself out there. Although I wouldn't call agreeing to marry Brian a risk, it certainly is exciting. He will be the unconditional, unstoppable, loving support that will help me pull through the tough times and celebrate during the good times. And I hope to be the same for him.

5. Don't forget others! This hasn't happened as much as I would like, I guess it never will, but I see it as I do my physical health. You can always be better. I made some tiny goals, but I'll keep at it.

Here's the 2009 Resolutions:

1. Be an awesome wife! This has to take priority. I got something good, I'm not gonna spoil it. We can really be there for each other, and he makes me happy. I hope his optimism rubs off on me.

2. Just do it already! I'm gonna cut the cord, launch my music career. I'm on the cusp, I've got a growing studio, all of my friends are confident I could do it, I have all the emotional support in the world, I just have to jump already. No one is going to push me.

3. Work on my faith! I've neglected this for a long time. Its important for many reasons. Maybe I feel more worthy enough to take this on than I have before. Its a tough challenge (hey I'm Catholic of course it is), and maybe that's why I've been avoiding it. Baby steps.

4. Get uber fit! I've been on a great health kick. I know the wedding puts a definate deadline on things. I've been working with an awesome trainer. My goal:decrease my body fat to well in the healthy range.

5. Help others! This is on my list again. It will never come off. I just need to find exactly how I should define this.

Coalescence and Accessible Contemporary Music

My string quartet, Coalescence, was recorded by an group in Chicago called Accessible Contemporary Music. ACM plays a piece of music every week by a living composer. I highly recommend subscribing to the weekly newsletter. You'll hear all sorts of fascinating music.

They put together a stellar performance for me here: http://www.acmusic.org/weeklystreaming.html