Clibber Jones Ensemble Commission!

I am one of 9 composers who are being commissioned by the Clibber Jones Ensemble. I will write a 7 minute piece for the band, but they ensemble is in the process of raising money so we can all get a little bit of money for our efforts. Clibber Jones is a fabulous group of musicians that I have had the pleasure of working with in the past. Please donate a few bucks to our cause!
Yes, that's me jamming out on tambourine with the Clibber Jones Ensemble :)

Debut at the National Flute Association Convention

On Thursday I make the journey with my flute quartet, Perimeter Flutes, to New Orleans for the National Flute Association Convention. I have a small confession, I've only been to one flute convention and that was 2 years ago. I am was never interested in going until I decided the convention 2 years ago in Charlotte, NC was too close to miss out on. Now I'm hooked. There's so much good stuff going on and you get to see all your long lost flute friends, and meet the ones you've been stalking online. This year I'm not just an audience member, I am performing and two of my compositions will be performed.

On Thursday, August 8, at 12:30pm,"Tamar" will be performed by a group who all met on Twitter, myself included. The musicians are Tammy Evans Yonce, Meerenai Shim, Alexis del Palazzo, and Kathy Farmer (who was gracious enough to fill in for me!) It was a last minute addition to the program, so unfortunately I might not be in attendance. I'm gonna try my best to get there in time, but I don't know if it will be physically possible. I think this will be the 5th ensemble to sink their teeth into "Tamar".


On Saturday, August 10, at 2:45pm, "French Quarter" will be premiered by Perimeter Flutes. This is where I make my debut performing at the NFA Convention. Nothing like performing your own flute composition for a bunch of flutists to really add an interesting sense of pressure. I'll let you know how it goes. Hopefully it will interest other flutists who might want to perform it or commission me to compose something for them.

Another big part of what I am looking forward to is seeing all the people. Mainly, I'm looking forward to old friends, commissioners (new and old), and fast friends I've made with like minded flutists. The four days I'm at NFA will be crammed with performances, sight seeing, and most of all good times with friends. Let's just hope I can stay awake for all of it to enjoy it all.

I wish I could say when I get back home from convention I could rest up, but that doesn't look like it will happen. I will cram all my students into a short 3 day work week and head back up to Connecticut to hear Cuatro Puntos premiere "Elasticity". Seriously, its Christmas in August for me.

Remembering the Fearless Whistler

By the time I arrived in Athens, GA to audition for admittance into the University of Georgia's School of Music, I already had my heart set to attend the University of Central Florida. Then I met Dr. Ronald Waln, and I knew instantly he was the teacher for me. My audition was a lesson, not a tryout unlike the rest of my auditions. I walked into his studio ready to begin my audition, but he excused himself to run to the restroom. He was missing for 20 minutes when he popped back in and asked me to run my scales. When I was done he asked, "Could you play those again? You played them much better when I wasn't in the room." He got it. His teaching style was about encouragement and growth, not about testing or pressure. When my audition was over he walked me back to my mom who was frantically driving loops around the gigantic campus since she didn't know were to park. He waited with me until my mom drove up dodging the mob of students crossing the street during the change of classes. Once I got back into the car I said to my mom "I thought I wanted to go to UCF, but now I'm not so sure."

 Dr. Waln was coming to a close of his teaching career when I started my freshman year. I was going to be the last graduating class he taught, but he still obviously enjoyed teaching and performing. I'll never forget his first faculty recital my freshman year. He played "The Fearless Whistler" for solo piccolo by Michael Isaacson. When this 70 year old man picked up his music stand and ran across the stage for the sake of performing the piece up to full theatrics, I knew I made the right decision to go to UGA. He understood the balance technique, work, and fun. Its something that has stuck with me through the way I work and how I teach.

 UGA's School of Music was tough. The freshman class was 95 people, and by junior year I think we were maybe 30. The rumor was that the School of Music had the highest drop out rate. It wasn't uncommon to see someone breaking down in the student lounge. I was struggling. In fact, at the end of my sophmore year I dropped by Dr. Waln's office to tell him I was dropping my music major and going to be a single major in Graphic Design if I could get in. I thought Dr. Waln would say something like, "I understand, and that's probably a more stable career anyways." But instead he said, "That would be a big mistake, and I think you should keep at it another year." Somehow I came out of that studio still as a music major, and from that time on I had a different attitude. Everything indicated I should pack it on out, but someone from the inside believed in me even when I didn't. Everybody was telling me no, but this person who listened to me for at least an hour a week was telling me that I had what it took to get through this. At first I thought he was nuts. But when someone had been teaching as long as Dr. Waln you have to believe him. It got easier from there.


I lost touch with Dr. Waln when I graduated, something I regret. I did exchange some emails with him within the last couple years and he seemed his usual upbeat self, carrying on about his wife, the house, playing bassoon again and traveling. I doubt he remembered me out of the sea of flute students he taught over his life, but I'll remember him always and hope to keep his upbeat disposition when I perform and teach.

Reliving "Rabbit Tales"

I was commissioned in 2011 to compose a children's opera for the Atlanta Opera's first ever commission. I spent the summer of 2011 composing all day most every day and had the best time. It was one of those projects that I was glad I finished because that meant I was closer to hearing a performance, but I was sad that I would no longer work on the opera. It was just too much fun composing that hour long opera for children.

The past couple days I got to relive that feel by making clips from the DVD of the final dress rehearsal in October 2011. The opera was performed over 70 times, and hearing the dress rehearsal was a reminder of how a performance ensemble can evolve in that time. Don't get me wrong, I was more than happy with the dress rehearsal, but I caught some of the last performances in 2012 and it was amazing to see/hear how comfortable the singers got with the complicated text and 7/8 time signatures that some were skeptical the singers would ever get comfortable with. They just made it seem easy. I wish I had a video of the later performances to show how the opera evolved.

Madeleine St. Romain was the librettist who had the overwhelming task of finding a way to make a 45-50 minute story out of thousands of B'rer Rabbit stories. We had quite and enjoyable time working together, and I think we both agree that this section of the opera is our favorite text-wise and musically. We knew this song did not progress the story, but it was a part we fell in love with. We even made a pact that we would make compromises on any other section, but we would fight to the death for this song to stay in. Luckily, it never was an issue:



I love the next section mainly because of what the stage director Park Cofield and music director Michael Spassov did to make this section hang together. This song could have easily gotten tedious because of the repetition, but the added "camp choreography" and the added accelerando really made me happy. This collaboration was much appreciated!



What can I say about the cast? They were fabulous and an incredible fit for each role. I didn't necessarily know who was going to be performing these parts when I was composing, but I had seen Baritone Wade Thomas performing in Atlanta Opera's production of "The Ugly Duckling" as the Big Bad Wolf, and that always stuck with me when I was composing "Rabbit Tales" and I hoped that the Atlanta Opera would be able to cast Wade as King Lion. You can see why below:



I think the cast did really well with the ensemble singing, and I especially love the last segment because of their interaction, the stage props, and that I could legitimize eating pie while I was composing the "Pie" song.



I have some serious admiration for the singers and pianist for this production. This was a high energy opera with lost of text, music, and stage direction to remember. Sometimes they performed the opera 3 times or more in one day after traveling a couple hours all before noon wearing crazy costumes. This was an amazing collaboration. I don't really collaborate because the opportunity like this rarely comes along for me, but if all collaborations went like this I would do it everyday. And of course none of this wouldn't have happened if the Atlanta Opera's Education Director Emmalee Iden hadn't had the story idea and been an advocate for me to be the composer. It's really an experience that I will look back on as a pivotal moment in my career and life.

Busy...an understatement

To say that I've been busy would be a huge understatement, but let's see if I can fill ya in on what I've been doin since my last post in JANUARY!

1. Doin a little performing with Mercury Season as always.

2. "Chatter" has been performed a few times by 4 different ensembles. (Including a group in Slovenia). Love this performance by Matt and Mary at the Hartt School:



3. "Tamar" has also gotten quite a few performances by different ensembles (including my own Perimeter Flutes)

4. Performed at the Atlanta Flute Festival and Jacksonville State University Flute Festival with Perimeter Flutes. Including trying out a contrabass flute for the first time (see video below)!

5. World premiere of "Trajectory" at the Women Composers Festival in Hartford, CT by Dahlia Flute Duo and Pablo Issa Skaric. Which included a snow delay (picture below)

6. Performed some killer new flute music by Tim Jansa and John Anthony Lennon at Terminus Ensemble concert.

7. Commissioned and completed: "Whitsun" for clarinet and organ, "Byzantium" for Wesleyan School Middle School Concert Band, "Elasticity" for Cuatro Puntos, and "French Quarter" for Perimeter Flutes.

8. Won the 2013 Areon Flutes International Composition Competition and now get to write a 12 minute flute trio to be premiered by Areon Flutes in their 2013-2014 season!

So what's next?
Well lots of things. I get to attend four premieres, which is the most exciting about composing. I get to work with the ensembles and sometimes (lately most of the time) I just get to show up and hear someone do the heavy lifting of making the piece happen. I also get to travel! 3 out of the 4 premieres coming up will require me to leave Hotlanta if I want to hear it live and hang with the performers. Any excuse to travel! I am even in the middle of having my passport renewed just in case I might get the opportunity to hear "Elasticity" in Bolivia, but that's another can of worms.

Right now I have one main mission, and that is to roll up my sleeves and get to work on the Areon Flutes commission. I suppose I also need to has out the details of performing "French Quarter" at the National Flute Association Convention in August in New Orleans! It's been busy, the good kind of busy and I hope the next 6 months keep the momentum going!

Two Commissions at the Same Time!

I hope everyone's 2013 is off to a great start! This year is showing some promise, and I have the first ever two commissions due about the same time.

One commission is from the Wesleyan Middle School Band in Norcross, GA under the direction of Dr. Ruthie Colegrove. Ironically, across the street where I spent 5 years working as a web designer. The piece will premiere on May 9th.

Another commission is from a high school/college friend, Helen Saile, who premiered many of my clarinet "pieces" when I was in studying composition at UGA. She will be performing with the fabulous organist Brad Hughley on an incredible organ at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA. I'm

getting a lesson on that organ next week, and I am excited to hear what it can do. This piece will premiere on May 19th.

Now, how to juggle two very different things at once? That is a new challenge. I typically do one thing at a time, but it looks like I will need to find balance. So here it goes I suppose.

There's some more possibilities lined up for the year, but won't get confirmation until Feb/March on those. I'll be sure to keep you posted!

2013 Resolutions

Why is this the only 2012 picture of us together? Not this year!

Ok, so maybe I didn't accomplish any of my goals from last year, but priorities changed. We are going to make my husband's work the scapegoat here. His shifts changed and so our lives had to change, thus our goals changed. I ended up having to do some things without him, but that's ok. We were still able to collaborate on some things even if they were on an incredible small scale. At the very least I got a wonderful flute quartet that he composed for an ensemble I play in, Perimeter Flutes. I can't wait to premiere it! This year had its challenges though and we've had to roll with the punches.

Sam, world's best cuddler -  Miss you buddy!

This year we had to say goodbye to an incredible dog who I bonded with immediately and he even won over my husband. I really don't know who took Sam's death harder, me or my hubs. I'm glad Sam was a part of our lives, and I hope at some point we get another opportunity to share our home with another deaf dog. It's a totally different mind set in communication and relationship (especially for musicians), but a rewarding one. For now, we'll have to be happy with spoiling our little orphan Annie and I suppose the hub's 15 year old cat, Mikey (or tons of fun).

GSO rehearsing

Don't get me wrong 2012 wasn't a total washout. 2012 was the year for repeat performances and revisiting people and projects I have enjoyed in the past. I was commissioned to compose for the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, something I've wanted for a long time. Not only do I love writing for orchestra but the GSO is packed with friends who have a special place in my heart.  I also got to travel to hear some repeat performances of pieces that premiered in 2011, AND I got to compose for the Dahlia Flute Duo again. Looking forward to that premiere in March. If anything it was the year of repeat performances. Something I haven't really experienced in such magnitude, the main repeaters being "Rabbit Tales", "Tamar", "Chatter", and "Hopewell".

Fisticuffs rehearsal with Chamber Cartel

 2012 was also the year of participating with new ensembles: Perimeter Flutes, Chamber Cartel, and Terminus Ensemble. All three of these groups show promise and some fabulous talented people, most of whom I met this year and I hope its the continuation of some fabulous friendships and collaborations. However, I wish to NOT repeat the 5 hour performance of "For Philip Guston" by Morton Feldman. That, my friends, is a once in a lifetime experience for many reasons. Let's move onto new and exciting projects and experiences!

First photo of 2013!

So what about 2013? Well, there's already two commissions in the queue that I need to begin and one contract for a commission where the terms are agreed on, but just waiting for the administration to sign the contract. There are also 3 definite premieres on the calendar for 2013. I better get to work! I plan to compose a flute quartet, clarinet and organ duo, and hopefully more band music. There are also some personal things I would like to compose, but I'm going to keep those up in the air and see what the year brings. 2013 could end up like 2012 and my plans were not what God had in mind.

Christmas Music for flute and more!

Need some sheet music for this Christmas season?  I've arranged some!

Advanced Christmas Flute Duets that include:
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Silent Night
Coventry Carol
What Child Is This?
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Pat-A-Pan
We Three Kings of Orient Are

Do you want a solo that you can play with your pianist at Christmas? I also have an arrangement of "Away in a Manger" for flute and piano. Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is F above the staff. Lowest note is A on the staff. Piece is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long. Great for Christmas church services!

Did you want to play something for solo flute or even bass flute? I have a solo flute arrangement of "I Wonder as I Wander". (This arrangement works well with other solo instruments as well like violin, oboe, etc) Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Suitable for C flute, alto flute, bass flute, and violin. Piece is approximately 4 minutes long.

All these Christmas Music arrangements can be purchased using Paypal and will be delivered personally by me through email as a PDF within 24 hours! Merry Christmas!

World Premiere of "Ogeechee"

The past few weeks have seemed like some alternate reality of my life. I usually get a taste here and there of what it means to be a composer, but I think the past two weeks have seemed so surreal because that glimpse of a composers life has been a daily "routine". Over he past few weeks I have tried to balance rehearsal, travel, performances, composing, publicity, teaching, and networking. The end result is that the month has flown by and produced an amazing output of work and loads of new connections with musicians and music lovers. The challenge for the future is to keep these opportunities coming and find balance with the Chamberlain home.

I've certainly got enough irons in the fire with Perimeter Flutes, Mercury Season, Terminus Ensemble, and Chamber Cartel, not to mention all those flute students to teach and composing deadlines coming up soon, but last week was monopolized by the "Ogeechee" Premiere. The GSO only had an hour to rehearse "Ogeechee" over two days. It's amazing to see these musicians quickly work a piece over. I was incredibly happy with the performance, and it gave me further encouragement that I am on the right track. That what I love to compose and hear is working out in real life. I know these musicians as colleagues and friends, I knew what they were capable of as musicians, but it is overwhelming when I received the faith, support, and sincere support from the people I respect as people and artists.

At the end of the performance, I was asked to come to the podium to take the usual composer bow and expected the polite applause of the audience. I was unprepared when I turned around to take the bow to see people on their feet. I was unprepared for the emotional response of my parents and husband sitting in the audience. I am blessed with the love and support of a loving family, friends (two of which had commissioned me in the recent past), and a composer husband who understands everything about what I do. To see them be so excited for me and emotional after the performance was worth every note put on the page. It makes me feel that all the leaps of faith they gave me were not in vain.

I will be performing with Perimeter Flutes this week, and we'll be playing some
exciting music. Each concert is roughly an hour or less. Both concerts are free.
I hope to see you there!


September 18 at 8pm
neoPhonia
Red Clay Connections
Kopleff Recital Hall at Georgia State University
Music from the Outer Edge - Charles Knox (World premiere)
Tamar - Nicole Chamberlain
Moment's Notice by Nick Demos will also be performed by Jan Berry and Tania
Maxwell


September 19 at 1pm
Myths and Legends
Overture from Midsummer's Night Dream - Felix Mendelssohn
Legends from the Greenwood - Catherine McMichael
Music from the Outer Edge - Charles Knox
Creatures of the Enchanted Forest - Anze Rozman
Tamar - Nicole Chamberlain

Fine Arts Auditorium at Georgia Perimeter College - Clarkston
Performing full concert with Perimeter Flutes
http://perimeterflutes.com/

"Hopewell" and "Chatter" at 2012 SCI Region VI Conference

I was just notified that "Hopewell" for concert band and "Chatter" for two flutes will be performed at Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas at the Society of Composers 2012 Region VI Conference on October 5-6. You can learn more here: http://www.opsu.edu/Academics/LiberalArts/Music/Conference/

October is looking like another busy month this year!

Georgia Symphony Orchestra Commission

I finally have some exciting news. After a year of making plans, finding funding, and deciding on a concert date, I have a signed contract! I will composing an orchestra work for the Georgia Symphony Orchestra that will premiere on October 13, 2012. So I guess I know what I am doing the summer!

You can check out the Georgia Symphony Orchestra here: http://georgiasymphony.org/

Hope everyone is doing well and have a fabulous Memorial Day weekend!

Holy Week and Easter Flute Duets

Alleluia, Sing to Jesus
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?
What Wonderous Love Is This?

Arranger: Nicole Chamberlain
Instrumentation: 2 C Flutes
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 8 Minutes
Format: PDF
Price: $8.00

Arrangements of "Alleluia, Sing to Jesus", "Were you There When They Crucified My Lord", "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!", and "What Wonderous Love Is This?". Buy all 4 in one click! Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd A above the staff. Lowest note is C below the staff. Each piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.

Rabbit Tales and Tamar

There are a few more performances of my opera "Rabbit Tales" this week by the
Atlanta Opera
(http://tickets.atlantaopera.org/auxiliary/psDetail.aspx?psn=49084):

Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 10AM & 1PM
Admission: $6
The Atlanta Opera Center
1575 Northside Dr. NW
Bldg. 300, Suite 350
Atlanta, GA 30318

Saturday, March 24, 2012, 11AM
Admission: $6
Fulton County Arts & Culture's Southwest Arts Center
915 New Hope Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30331

I will be making my debut performance with Perimeter Flute on Thursday (3/22) at
6:45pm at Greater Atlanta Christian School. We will be performing my flute
quartet "Tamar". Admission is free and there will be some free nosh as well.

More performances next week!

New "New Music" Ensemble Concerts in Atlanta

This week I will be performing with two new "new music" chamber ensembles here in Atlanta:

Wednesday (2/29) at 8pm
Chamber Cartel
John Adams "songbirdsongs" for two piccolos and percussion
www.chambercartel.com
The Goat Farm Arts Center

Sunday (3/4) at 3pm
Terminus Ensemble
"Between the Walls" by Brent Milam for flute, clarinet, cello, and piano
"Inventio Fortunata" by Drew Dolan for solo flute
www.terminusensemble.org
Central Library Branch, Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library

In between concerts I'll be in Hinesville, GA seeing a performance of my opera "Rabbit Tales" being performed at my nephew's school. And I will also be performing at 9am mass at the Christ the King Cathedral on Sunday.
Busy week! Yay!

Fiscal Sponsorship and Upcoming Performances

Another busy month is on deck! I have plans to perform with the new music ensembles Terminus Ensemble and Chamber Cartel as well as Perimeter Flutes. But, the Chamberlain Duo has secured fiscal sponsorship through Fractured Atlas. You can now make tax deductible contributions to our duo which will help us with operation, travel, recording and hiring other musicians. You can make donations here: https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/5847

A lot of performances are planned over the next couple of weeks, especially with "Rabbit Tales" school tours kicking off today. Below is a list of public performances of "Rabbit Tales" as well as my flute performances:

February 26, 2012 at 3:00pm
Public performance of "Rabbit Tales" a children's opera, commissioned by the Atlanta Opera. at Decatur High School Theater, 310 N. McDonough St., Decatur, GA 30030

February 29, 2012 at 8:00pm
Performing "songbirdsongs" by John Luther Adams with the Chamber Cartel. at The Goat Farm

March 4, 2012 at 3:00pm
Performing works by Brent Milam and Drew Dolan with Terminus Ensemble at Central Library Branch, Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library

March 17, 2012 at 9:30am & 12:30pm
Performance of "Rabbit Tales" a children's opera, commissioned by the Atlanta Opera for Girl Scouts Day. at The Atlanta Opera Center, 1575 Northside Dr. NW, Bldg. 300, Suite 350, Atlanta, GA 30318

March 21, 2012 at 10am & 1pm
Public performance of "Rabbit Tales" a children's opera, commissioned by the Atlanta Opera. at The Atlanta Opera Center, 1575 Northside Dr. NW, Bldg. 300, Suite 350, Atlanta, GA 30318

March 24, 2012 at 11am
Public performance of "Rabbit Tales" a children's opera, commissioned by the Atlanta Opera. at Fulton County Arts and Culture's Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Rd, Atlanta, GA 30331

New Publisher: Spotted Rocket

After years of trying to use other publishers to sell and promote my music, I have decided to take matters into my own hands and create: SpottedRocket.com It only made sense as a trained graphic designer and music engraver that I market my own publishing company. So here we are, my very own publishing company. Right now I only publish my own sheet music via PDF. But, hopefully that will change in the future.

2011!?! That was fun!

So 2011 went better than I could ever imagine! With 6 world premieres, two commissions, multiple performances and traveling about every month that made for a record year! So what does 2012 have in store? Its basically a clean slate. There's a couple of possibilities, but nothing in stone. So again, I'll have to make something work.

This year will kick off getting the hubby more into the mix. We're trying to get a concert of our music in the spring and playing around more. We would also like to get a recording of the concert that we could peddle around. Of course it costs money to hire musicians and record. So we are going to try Fractured Atlas and perhaps Crowd Sourcing or Kickstarter. This is the year for making concrete plans and getting this bird to ave finally fly.

If I could have another year like 2011 I couldn't be happier, but only time and hard work will tell. Tomorrow I sit down and make a business plan for 2012!

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.