I Wonder As I Wander - Bass Flute Solo

 This will be my last post of the year, unless something nuts happens between now and then. I have a bass flute on loan for the next month, and decided to write a Christmas solo for it (It will work for C Flute too). You can view a video of me wielding the beast and order the sheet music here: http://www.nikkinotes.com/IWonderAsIWander.html

We Three Kings Flute Duet

Listen

Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the Christmas Carol "We Three Kings of Orient Are". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Piece remains in 3/4. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Chatter, Hopewell, and Rabbit Tales

It's been an amazing month to say the least. The premiere of "Rabbit Tales" had over 400 people in attendance. "Rabbit Tales" is expected to be performed over 50 times by the end of the 2011-2012 season.

"Chatter" has also been performed twice this month by two different duos. Another big thanks to the Dahlia Flute Duo who have really championed this piece for me, and performed it again at the Rochester Flute Fair. I would also like to thank Danielle Spaeth and Caylee Wells who performed "Chatter" for Danielle's graduate recital at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Anxiously waiting the recording :)

"Hopewell" will be performed on Tuesday at Winthrop University by the University's Symphonic Band under the direction of Catharine Bushman in Rock Hill, SC. This is Catharine's first concert as assistant band director at Winthrop University. Her doctorate is "in the mail". I am so excited to be a part of this concert!

That's it for now. I have three future commissions on the table in negotiations. We'll see if any of them shake down. It's been an exciting year, and it looks like next year I will continue in furiously composing (God willing).

Christmas Music for Flute Duo

 It's that time of year again. I currently have 6 different Christmas Carols arranged for flute duo:

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Silent Night
Coventry Carol
What Child Is This?
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Pat-A-Pan

You can buy them individually or you can buy them all at once here: http://www.nikkinotes.com/ChristmasDuets.html

Rabbit Tales!

So I composed this little children's opera for the Atlanta Opera called "Rabbit Tales" based on the Br'er Rabbit stories. What an incredibly fun project and creative team of people. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  The premiere is on October 29, and the event is already "sold out". The opera is not taking any more reservations for the free event. How exciting!

Here's a photo of me with the cast as well as the librettist, Madeleine St. Romain, and stage director, Park Cofield.

World Premiere of "Nautica"

First, Athens Flute Choir had to postpone the performance of "Tamar". They hope to have it on the Oct 27 concert. I'll post details as I get them.

"Nautica", however, will be premiered on Tuesday (Oct 4) at 7:30pm at Georgia State University's Kopleff Recital Hall on their neoPhonia concert. ArtsCriticATL.com did an article about it here: http://www.artscriticatl.com/2011/09/neophonia-returns-with-atlanta-composers-world-premieres-for-red-clay-connections/

Yesterday was a pretty good day which included being a guest speaker at GSU composition seminar. I got a lot of fabulous questions, and I am glad I got the opportunity to talk to the grad and undergrad students.

Even more stuff is in the works. Can't wait until I can share it all!

IAWM World Congress 2011 Wrap Up

What a wonderful time in Flagstaff, AZ. I really couldn't ask for a better experience. First of all I think I was really fortunate to have found a pair of fabulous flutists who enjoy playing my music. I have nothing but fabulous things to say about the Dahlia Flute Duo. Wonderful flutists and equally wonderful people. I could easily see myself writing for them in the very near future. Here's a video of them performing "Chatter" at the Congress, and you can see why I am eager to write another piece for them:



You can buy the sheet music here: http://www.nikkinotes.com/Chatter.html

We definitely bonded on this trip which even included some wrong turns on the dirt roads of remote Arizona. Ooops. But we survived!

The concerts that I was able to go to were fabulous and I am glad I had the opportunity to go. Dr. Judith Cloud coordinated the event, and cheers to her on a job well done! The selected music and performances were fantastic and I am glad to be included in such a group.

I couldn't miss the opportunity, however, to visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon. I had been to the north rim a few years ago, but I wanted to see the difference. I am so glad I went:

Certainly a trip and performance I will never forget! Now I get to play it Saturday with flutist Jessica Sherer at Classical Revolution event at Tah Cha Teahouse at 8pm :)

Decatur Book Festival Wrap-up

I hadn't anticipated such a huge turn out for the "Rabbit Tales" panel discussion put on by the Atlanta Opera at the Decatur Book Festival. The Decatur High School Auditorium was pretty full. To be honest I only expected 10 people to show up, boy was I wrong! It was incredibly disarming, and I'm out of practice with speaking in front of such a large group of people. I hope I was coherent and understandable.

Another thing I didn't expect was the mega screen that my scores was projected on. I really didn't expect anything larger than a chalkboard. The screen at the panel discussion resembled more of an IMAX movie screen, and I feel like we all should have been handed 3D glasses at the door. You can get a real sense of scale by seeing Madeleine St. Romain sitting next to the screen. Lesson learned: Be prepared for the unimaginable. It was all something!

It was a rockstar kind of weekend. I got a badge for the festival that read "Nicole Chamberlain-author", a slight misrepresentation which I'm sure my sister will get a kick out of. (See how I ended my sentence with a preposition - I believe its dangling) I also got the hook up in gift certificates. The hubs and I used them all the the Brick Store Pub. We also got to hang in the "Authors and VIP Lounge". I kind of felt out of place, but it was nice to get a free bottled water and out of the scorching heat.

Anywho, it was a good time and I could only hope that all festivals and conferences I went to were like the Decatur Book Festival.

Let Concert Season Begin!

The past couple weeks have been full of good news, and the next couple months are going to be jam packed with events:

September 4 at 2pm
Decatur Book Festival
Decatur High School Auditorium
I will be on a panel discussing the process of composing my opera "Rabbit Tales"

September 16 at 3pm
IAWM World Congress 2011
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona
Dahlia Flute Duo will premiere my composition "Chatter"

September 29 at 1pm
Georgia State University
Composition Seminar
I will be discussing making a living as a composer not affiliated with an academic institution to the undergraduate and graduate composition students at Georgia State University (not to be confused with my alma mater University of Georgia)

October 3 at 3pm
Kopleff Recital Hall
Georgia State University
World Premiere of piano work "Nautica" (fingers crossed pianist can be found)

October 29 at 1pm
Wren's Nest
Atlanta Opera premieres my opera "Rabbit Tales" with questions to myself and the librettist, Madeleine St. Romain after performance.

NPR's radio station 90.1 WABE will also feature and interview with the "Rabbit Tales" team at the end of this month and Atlanta Magazine will have an article about us in the October issue. There's also another commission in the works for orchestra in January 2013! Its gonna be a fun and crazy couple of months! I'll keep you posted as I find out more details.

Yankee Doodle Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 1 1/2 Minute
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the American Folk Song, "Yankee Doodle". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd A above the staff. Lowest note is Eb on bottom of the staff. Piece is approximately 1 1/2 minute long. Great for those Patriotic and Athletic Gigs! Suitable for piccolos and violins as well. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Rainbows and Fireworks

Sometimes  you are pretty certain you know how a concert is going to play out, but you can never be too certain when you decide to play outside. Some musicians will actually rather lose a paying gig than to play outside and risk the uncertainty that is called Mother Nature. Since I'm always up for an adventure and I usually don't turn down a gig if I have a free night, I got to play with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra last night at their Fireworks Spectacular. I just assumed it would be like any other night this week, hot and humid. So I braced myself for a night of sticky playing. Boy, was I wrong!

The principal flutist and I pulled in the parking lot (with our matching convertible beetles) at the same time. The skies looked ominous, so we scurried into the nearest hall to the greens at Kennesaw State. No sooner had we walked in the door, but the heavens opened up and musicians poured into the hall. We all pulled out our phones to see what the weather radar was showing. We were all positive the show would be cancelled. After 10 minutes of sideways rain, the weather let up and all the musicians were curious to see how the sound engineers and stage outside were faring.

Lo and behold, the stage was up, sound checks were commencing, and there was a crowd of people patiently waiting on the lawn! So we decided to just go with it and start the concert. There was some light drizzling and we thought we'd never finish the concert, but then it stopped. At the end of  "Salute to Rogers and Hammerstein" we saw a rainbow..even a double rainbow. Some enchanted evening ;)

The weather was downright perfect from then on, and I'm glad we decided to soldier on. It turned out to be a fabulous night...with the exception of the principal flutist's flute malfunctioning, all was remedied when the piccoloist offered her flute. It all worked out in the end!

Premiere of "Valentine"

The hubby (Brian Chamberlain) and I will be premiering my work "Valentine" for flute and guitar that I wrote for Brian this Friday (6/3) at 8pm at the TahCha Teahouse in conjunction with Classical Revolution ATL event
(http://www.facebook.com/cratl)

3352-c Chamblee Tucker Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30341

Brian and I will not be the only ones performing, however. There will be many professional Atlanta classical musicians performing that night. Another composer, Michael Kurth a bassist for the Atlanta Symphony, will also have a piece performed. I've been to another CRATL event and it was wonderful to hear what some of Atlanta's musicians will pick out to perform when they have a
choice to play with friends in public. Should be a wonderful night!

We even got a plug on our local NPR station. You can listen to the interview of the Atlanta founders of Classical Revolution here: http://www.pba.org/programming/programs/citycafe/

Interview and Hopewell

It's been a whirlwind the past couple of weeks, and amongst it all I am furiously writing to meet my first deadline for the opera in June. This past weekend I was featured on the Atlanta Composers Blog, and you can read the interview here: http://atlantacomposers.blogspot.com/2011/05/quick-q-with-nicole-chamberlain.html

This week I also meet with the Atlanta Opera's documentary team who are going to record the progress of the Atlanta Opera's first ever commission. I don't really know what we are going to discuss. I suppose the process up to this point. It's all very exciting, but I hope I can keep focused on the main objective which is writing good music.

I was also surprised by an announcement that my composition "Hopewell" for concert band will be performed by The Walker School Middle Band directed by Erik Kofoed on Friday for their Honors Day ceremonies. I will get to meet and work with the students some tomorrow. It's one thing to get a piece premiered, its another to get a second performance, its a whole different story to get another performance by another ensemble!

The Atlanta Opera Commissions Children Opera

Here is the official press release!

http://www.atlantaopera.org/media/pdf/Childrens_Opera_050411.pdf

Atlanta Opera Commission and NFA Newly Published Work Finalist

What a week! First off "Smorgasbord" has been selected by the National Flute
Association as a Finalist for their Newly Published Music Competition. I will
finally be attending my first National Flute Convention in Charlotte, North
Carolina in August.

In other news, I can finally announce that the Atlanta Opera has commissioned me
to compose a children's opera based on Br'er Rabbit Tales compiled by Joel
Chandler Harris. Madeleine St. Romain has created a wonderful libretto for me to
use and the work will be premiered in October. The press release was sent today,
and as soon as it is posted to the Atlanta Opera site I will send a link as
well. Looks like I have lots of work to do this summer, but what fun it will be!

Crosswalk for solo flute

Level:Advanced

Duration: 1 Minute
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

Program Notes:
Atlanta is not the most pedestrian friendly city. But in the hopes to give relief to the epic traffic problems of the city, Atlanta has recently taken many steps in encouraging people to walk to their destinations. Georgia State University, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, has taken steps to insure the safety of pedestrians by installing crosswalks that beep when it is safe to cross. However, you want to make sure you are out of the street when the beeping stops. Atlanta’s hospitality does have its limits.

Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Now What?

So there is really not much on my calendar until the fall. Does that mean I am slacking off? Does that mean I have given up? Well no, actually.

I will be incredibly busy over the spring and summer. I just signed a contract for a big commission with a professional organization. There were lawyers and everything. Which also means I can't give any more details until they have sent out a press release.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I can't really keep a secret unless someone's life is on the line. But hopefully spilling the beans without spilling the beans will suffice for now. I can't wait until I can release a formal announcement. It's all so exciting! In the meantime I got to get to work!

"Smorgasbord" at UCM New Music Festival

This year I have had three pieces of mine selected for music festivals. UCM is the second festival of the year and I have to admit I was pretty happy to visit my parents' homeland of Missouri.

Since Brian is not a huge fan of travel and I'd be paying for the trip myself, it seemed better in the larger scheme of things if I traveled there on my own. So with the help of a train, plane and automobile I got to Warrensburg, MO.

There was a decent turn out for the concerts, even for mine which is always surprising for the last day of a festival when most people decide to head home. The performance went well (it should I've been playing it long enough) and it seemed to be well received. I even got to meet flutist Rebecca Ashe who performed Mike McFarren's "Open Circuit". The piece was certainly a workout for the flutist, but well worth all the work. If you want to have the opportunity to feel like a rockstar, this piece is it!

Even though I do love performing "Smorgasbord" I hope at some point someone else will take it on and perform it as well. Then again, when "Tamar" was going to be performed by the UAH Flute Choir in February at UAH's New Music Festival I felt a little left out that I might not get to join in on the fun onstage. But last minute I had to fill in and I even got to play the alto flute!

I will get the opportunity to just sit in the audience for my compositions later this year. I will complete a new commission which I will definitely be unable to perform and the Dahlia Flute Duo will be performing "Chatter" at the IAWM Congress in Arizona in September. I can't wait!

For the time being I'm done with my music travels until late summer and need to get busy writing new works. I am looking forward to a summer of writing and staying home with Brian and the dogs...I guess the cat is alright too.

The Star-Spangled Banner Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 1 Minute
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the American National Anthem, "Star-Spangled Banner". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd Bb above the staff (optional). Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece is approximately 1 minute long. Great for those Patriotic and Athletic Gigs! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Extended Flute Technique

Extended Flute Technique used in Nicole Chamberlain's Compositions. Beatboxing, Pizzacato, singing and playing, and jet whistle.

Smorgasbord for solo flute/piccolo:
http://www.clearnote.net/Smorgasbord.html

Tamar for Flute Choir:
http://www.clearnote.net/Tamar.html

Chatter for Flute Duet:
http://www.nikkinotes.com/Chatter.html

Crosswalk for solo Flute:
http://www.nikkinotes.com/Crosswalk.html

Dancing "Tamar"!

"Hopewell" World Permiere

World Premiere of "Chatter" Announced!

When the Dahlia Flute Duo agreed to premiere my piece "Chatter" this year, I really didn't expect to hear from them for a few months. To my surprise they found an opportunity to premiere the work on a huge stage. They will premiere the work at the International Alliance for Women in Music 2011 Congress at the University of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Arizona in September. Dates and times are not yet solid, but I will keep you informed as they happened.

This week has been out of this world, and there is still more news ahead that is incredibly exciting. I can't wait to finally be able to tell people :) 

Hopewell for Middle School Band

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Level: Advanced
Duration: 4 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $25.00

Program Notes:
"Hopewell" was commissioned by Hopewell Middle School's Concert Band directed by Audrey Murphy located in Milton, Georgia. The connotations of the school's namesake gave an opportunity to convey a realization that a generation of young people is growing up in an age of uncertainty and that hope is often a seed that is rarely planted. Like most developing minds of today’s era, a situation where the possible positive ending to a seemingly dramatic and life changing problem is all but possible to them. Most do not see that hope is a ray of brilliant light that often breaks the most foreboding thundering clouds of life even at the last moments of a crossroads. The movements of rhythm and volume weaved within this piece reflect that the very mindset of those who only see the darkness of a situation can often find the glimmer of hope to hold onto at the very end for to have the hope of peace, the hope of cures, and the hope of a better life is something that all children deserve the right to have.

Score (11x17) and parts (8.5 x 11) will be delivered by email in PDF format.

Instrumentation:
Flutes
Oboe
Bassoon
2 Bb Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Alto Sax
Tenor Sax
Bari Sax
2 Horns
Bb Trumpets
Trombones
Euphonium Tuba
1 Timpani
3 Percussion (snare, marimba, cymbals, suspended cymbals, chimes, and glockenspiel)

Venue Change for Tuesday

There is a correction for the venue for Tuesday night's premiere of my work
"Hopewell". The band will be performing at Alpharetta United Methodist Church on
Main St (Highway 9) in Alpharetta, GA on Tuesday.

If anyone should need me I'll practicing my tail off on the Rachmaninov and
Shostakovich. I got the music yesterday for next weekend's concert, and I am
feeling the burn!

Premieres, Performing, & Flute Duets

Again, next week (not to mention the rest of the month and April) is looking like a jammed packed month and I welcome it!

On March 8 at 7pm at Hopewell Middle School in Milton, Georgia, the Hopewell Middle School Symphonic Band under the direction of Audrey Murphy (http://www.hopewellbands.com) will premiere a work they commissioned from me called "Hopewell". This concert is a preview concert of what they will perform at the National Music for All Band Festival in Indianapolis, IN from March 17-19. I've been to a couple rehearsal and they sound great!

On March 12 at 8pm and March 13 at 3pm at Kennesaw State University's Bailey Performing Arts Center I will be performing with the Cobb Symphony Orchestra. We will be performing Shoshtakovich's Symphony No. 1 and Rachmoninoff's Symphony No.2 You can buy your tickets here:http://www.cobbsymphony.org/cso_10-11_season.htm

In other new the Dahlia Flute Duo (http://www.dahliafluteduo.com) has agreed to premiere my flute duet "Chatter" this season. They are champions of contemporary music and are also featured recitalists at this years National Flute Convention. I will let you know more as we nail down dates!

FLUTISTS! Lent starts next week and Easter is around the corner. I arranged some duets appropriate for those services here: http://www.nikkinotes.com/EasterLentDuets.html

Hope everyone has a good week. There are more exciting news by the end of the month! *fingers crossed*

Franz Schubert's Ave Maria for Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 3 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece is approximately 3 minutes long. Great for weddings and church services! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Home from 'Bama

Ok, so I didn't keep my end of the bargain and actually blog while on the trip. Everyday ended up being long and I was pretty exhausted by the time I got back to the hotel room. I was like a kid at the end of a long day at Disney World. All tuckered out from the fun.

I never know anyone when I go to these things. It's like I am from a completely different planet. I thought since this was actually in the south I might run into someone I knew, at least someone that went or taught at UGA. No dice. But even better, right? I can expand my circle of people and bust out of my tiny Atlanta world. I did know one person, Dr. Nick Demos, and one of his pieces was being performed by the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.

I attended the HSO's rehearsal of Nick's piece and it was a good experience for me to watch a professional orchestra perform a piece by an experienced composer. I sat next to him during the rehearsal and listened to his comments and his past experience with working with ensembles. Probably not an opportunities many people get to have, and it was purely by accident. Story of my life!

The rest of the festival was standard as new music festivals go. This music festival, however, had a wide variety of styles and aesthetics. It really kept things fresh to hear in one mini concert microtonality, a-tonality, tonality, electronics, experimental, and even some serialism. Every style of music was embraced, nothing as excluded.

I enjoyed my experience working with the flute choir under the direction of Betty Stone. They were really working out of their comfort zone with the extended beat boxing techniques, and they seemed to be having fun with it once they each had that "ah-ha" moment. They were great sports about everything and made me feel at home.

I hadn't planned on performing with the flute choir. I had mixed feelings about not performing on one of my compositions. If a piece had flute in it I was performing it. One of the alto flutist, however, got sick so I got to play some alto flute. Oh what fun to play alto! I have a special place in my heart for that instrument. So if anyone would like to fund my purchase of an alto I'd be game!

I'm glad to be home, and I look forward to the festival at University of Central Missouri in April. This time performing "Smorgasbord" myself. It will be good to make it back to the "homeland". I'm not sure about a trip to the band conference in Indianapolis. The band is premiering the piece here in Atlanta, so I might not go on the trip to Indiana. More news on that as well as other projects in another post!

Smorgasbord for Kindle

My publisher emailed me last night to let me know my composition "Smorgasbord" for solo flute and piccolo was just released for Kindle. Now you don't have to worry about all that pesky paper.

http://www.amazon.com/Smorgasbord-solo-flute-piccolo-ebook/dp/B004MPRXJA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1297258218&sr=1-2

It's really a new avenue my publisher (http://www.clearnote.net) has been exploring. How do you feel about paperless music?

On the road to 'Bama

So another road trip to a New Music Festival. This time to the University of Alabama at Huntsville to hear the world premiere of my work "Tamar". Looking forward to meeting all the fantastic flutists who agreed to premiere the work as well as composers from all over the country.

I will be sure to tweet (http://www.twitter.com/nikkinotes) and possible blog while I am at the festival, and hopefully take in some Huntsville sites and cuisine while I am there. What's really special about this concert is that it will be streamed online. So you can catch the premiere of "Tamar" on Friday (2/11) at 1pm CT http://www.uah.edu/music/live-internet-streaming even if you can't travel to Huntsville. I love technology!

Chatter for Flute Duet

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Level: Advanced
Duration: 3 1/2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $4.00

"Chatter" is a flute duet which uses percussive extended technique available to the flutist using beatboxing to mimic chatter and conversation. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Nautica for solo Piano

I. A-Hull
II. Hardtack
III. Oxeye
IV. Overwhelmed

Level: Advanced
Duration: 9 1/2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $7.00

Program Notes:
“Nautica” is four movement work based on the adventures and tragedies of sailing on the open water. Ahull is the downing of the sails and battening down the hatches during a storm. Hardtack is a type of biscuit made of flour, water, and salt commonly found on ships. Ox-eye is a cloud indicating bad weather. Overwhelmed is exactly what is sounds like, being overtaken by the sea.

Score and parts will be delivered by email in PDF format.

Brian Boru's March for Flute, Clarinet, and Cello

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 4 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $8.00

This is an arrangement of the traditional Irish tune "Brian Boru's March". Perfect for intermediate to Advanced players. Piece is approximately 4 minutes long with repeats. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.Includes Flute, Bb Clarinet and cello part as well as score.

Tamar World Premiere and Wedding Flute Duets

I got the date, time, and place of the world premiere of my flute choir piece, "Tamar" (http://www.clearnote.net/Tamar.html). It will be on Feb. 11 at 1pm at UAH Roberts Recital Hall at the University of Alabama of Huntsville in Huntsville, AL. It will be performed by the UAH Flute Choir under the direction of Betty Stone. I will be in attendance. The New Music Festival has a lot of music scheduled including a performance of my husband's composition professor, Dr. Nickitas Demos. Here's the full schedule: http://www.uah.edu/music/nmf-rep

I've also continued with the arrangements, and with wedding season around the corner I thought some wedding duets would be a good idea to get started: http://www.nikkinotes.com/WeddingDuets.html

Maraschino for flute and clarinet duet

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Level: Advanced
Duration: 3 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $5.00

Program Notes:
"Maraschino" refers to the happy and harmless cherry we put in Shirley Temple drinks and banana splits today, not the more menacing indigestible preserved liqueur cherries of ancient times. The light-hearted and cheerful cherry is captured in this duet in which the flute and clarinet exchange teasing banter in a loose fugue interpretation.

Score and parts will be delivered by email in PDF format.

Valentine for flute and guitar

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 3 1/2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $4.00

This piece is dedicated to my husband, Brian Chamberlain, who is a classical guitarist and composer. After years of asking me to write a piece for both of us to play, this is my Valentine's gift to him. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

2010? Wow! That's gonna be a hard act to follow!

First of all I just noticed that I have been blogging since June 2006. How crazy is that? The goals are the same, and I have come a long ways on the journey. I just gotta keep on keeping on and find ways to keep things fresh.

2010 was a very good year. I thought 2009 was incredible, but 2010 certainly did me right as well. It's been exciting to have all the new experiences and find more confidence in myself, thanks to a slew of friends and colleagues who certainly have a lot of confidence in me (not to mention the hubby who seems to believe I could walk on water if I wanted to take on that task). Sure I get a ton of rejections like any other composer, but I learn from those and keep on truckin'.

So what were the highlights of 2010? I got a taste of being a touring musician. Music + travel = happy me. I got to go on a mini tour the the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players, go to a Women Composers Convention to perform my own work, travel to Boston to play some concerts with my hubby and a friend (as well as make new ones) and set wheels in motion to travel more in 2011. And of course my all time favorite concert was playing on my husband's graduate recital here in Atlanta. He got the most incredible performances, which wasn't hard to do with the great music he had written. I can't wait to see what he writes next, he's taken a much needed hiatus ever since. I am starting to hear him tinker around in his studio, the bug is biting him.

I also wrote the most music in 2010 then I ever have. I probably doubled my list of compositions, thanks to the motivation of competitions and requests from friends. The two highlights being the 24 Hour Opera Project put on by Atlanta Opera and a commission from Hopewell Middle School Band which will perform the piece in the Music for All Festival in Indianopolis, IN this March. Without the urging of a few friends, family, and a failed negotiation of another commission I probably would not have found the gumption to take matters in my own hands and find my own opportunities. "No one is going to promote me better than myself" has turned into "No one is going to work harder for me than myself". Its just not enough to put my name out there. I have to make opportunities out of any situation, even if they are ideas I use to poo-poo before. "Ugh, band music and flute choirs just don't interest me" - They do now! Those are the people yearning for new music, and by golly I know those ensembles best! What was I thinking not doing this earlier? Yes mom you are right "Never say never".

So what is the plan of attack for 2011? How can I ride the momentum that got rolling for 2010? Well I need to find another commission. I am hoping the premiere of my band piece at Music for All will spark interest for other commissions but I can't bank on that. I also can't bank on competitions since there are so many people submitting to each competition. I will still submit by I got to rustle up new opportunities. There are a few colleagues I might investigate, but I know its time for the Chamberlains to take things more seriously. Maybe we need to put a recording out there? If we can get a recording project started with concerts lined up for 2012 and I can get another commission, I think 2011 will be spectacular!

Of course there are performances of pieces I wrote in 2010 for 2011, and its nice that I am not the one performing them. Its been a long time since I have had a piece performed that I wasn't performing it and both pieces include flute! My flute quartet "Tamar" will be performed at UAHuntsville New Music festival with prospects of other ensembles performing it in Georgia. My band piece will get a couple of performances in and out of Georgia. I just got to keep on writing more original music with a set ensemble in mind to sell it to.

Everything else will keep on track. Keep up with the students, keep up with the music engraving, keep up with the CraftHope projects and keep up with the hubby. I will also try not to obsess too much with the music career and try to have some non music related fun, don't want to burn out like I did with web design. Well, that's enough for the blog's longest ever post. Stay warm everyone!

Wedding March - Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the traditional wedding tune by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, "Prince of Denmark's March" (Trumpet Voluntary). Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd Bb above the staff. Lowest note is F on the first space of the staff. Piece is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long. Great for Wedding Ceremonies! Could be used for wedding party processional, bride's processional, prelude music, or recessional. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Prince of Denmark's March (Trumpet Voluntary) Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 2 1/2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the traditional wedding tune by Jeremiah Clarke, "Prince of Denmark's March" (Trumpet Voluntary). Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long. Great for Wedding Ceremonies! Could be used for wedding party processional, bride's processional, prelude music, or recessional. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Trumpet Tune and Air - Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the traditional wedding tune by Henry Purcell, "Trumpet Tune and Air". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd B above the staff. Lowest note is C# below the staff. Piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Great for Wedding Ceremonies! Could be used for wedding party processional, bride's processional, prelude music, or recessional. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Alleluia, Sing to Jesus - Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the Traditional Easter Hymn, "Alleluia, Sing to Jesus". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is C below the staff. Piece begins in 3/4, transitions to 3/8, then back to 3/4. Piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Great for Easter church services! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Jesus Christ Is Risen Today! Flute Duet

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Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 2 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $2.00

This is an arrangement of the Traditional Easter Hymn, "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd A above the staff. Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece begins in 4/4, transitions to 6/8, then back to 4/4. Piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Great for Easter church services! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.