Alexandra Gardner | Building Noises » fun http://alexandragardner.net/blog Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:21:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Let the games begin! http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/12/16/let-the-games-begin/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/12/16/let-the-games-begin/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:13:37 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=403 This holiday season I am feeling positively festive! Hmmmm, I wonder why. Do you think this sort of thing could be the cause?

Maybe compounded by this joyful event?

Oh wait! I know what else it is! I CAN GET HITCHED NOW!!! Okay, almost. Still exciting!

Whatever the reason, it’s kinda nice to revel in one’s baking urges. As 2009 draws to a close, I have been enjoying the presence of many different types of family; the family into which I was born, an astoundingly cool family of friends, and a rapidly expanding “musical family”. It is amazing to be working with people who not only believe in, and bring their own voices to music that is happening right now, but who are also “in for the long haul”. A composer really can’t ask for better than that!

Happy Holidays everyone! Grab your hot chocolate, or your hot toddy, or whatever your pleasure, and enjoy. I can’t wait to share all the exciting things coming up in 2010 with you. Stay tuned for all sorts of exciting newness at the beginning of January!

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/12/16/let-the-games-begin/feed/ 0 Street socks and other tidbits http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/12/08/street-socks-and-other-tidbits/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/12/08/street-socks-and-other-tidbits/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:24:15 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=372 On a recent trip to New York I had one of those anxiety-dream-meets-real-life moments, when I realized on the morning of day 2 that I had forgotten to pack socks! Genius at work. Happily, one of the good things about NYC (especially in the winter) is that wherever you go, you are only about 3 blocks away from being able to purchase a perfectly decent and inexpensive hat/scarf/gloves/umbrella and yes, socks, on the street. In the end my feet were warm and dry for Neil’s superb concert, and if this footwear gets through the laundry without shrinking to the size of postage stamps, I may purchase all of my future socks streetside.

Another composer participating in that show was Annie Gosfield, who, in addition to writing exciting and original works of music, also writes clear, insightful words about music. Her “Advice to Young Composers” is traveling like wildfire across the internet, and I’m sure it will be quoted extensively for a long time to come. She has also written an essay that describes my life with frightening accuracy, towards which I direct those who want to know (or, ahem, NEED to understand) what it’s like to be a composer.

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An addendum to that recent post about becoming more interested in video:

Cellist Joshua Roman has a fine new project with photographer Chase Jarvis, which you can watch here. Chase has also made a very fun iPhone app called Best Camera, which makes the iPhone camera way more entertaining!

Also – I help manage a website called livingroommusic.org, which was created to honor the memory of Randy Hostetler, a super-talented young composer who left us much too early. A few months ago a friend of Randy’s gave us some wonderful video of Randy performing his own composition “8″ for piano and eight ball.

Having never properly met Randy (although we did attend the same high school and graduate school, at different times), this video is a lovely window into his personality.

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Listening:

  • Roger Kleier, The Night Has Many Hours (Innova)

Reading:

  • Amy Bloom, Come to Me
]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/12/08/street-socks-and-other-tidbits/feed/ 0 Converts are the worst http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/10/28/converts-are-the-worst/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/10/28/converts-are-the-worst/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:41:36 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=349 This is so true, don’t you think?! “Most intense” is probably a more diplomatic phrase. Whether it is religious, dietary, technology-related, or name-that-topic, you will hear all about it from the converted. Often, and in great detail. So make yourself comfy.

However, this can be a completely good thing! For example, friends joining the Forces of Good by switching from Blackberry to iPhone have, in their extreme and ambitious enthusiasm, turned me on to fantastic apps I didn’t know about, such as Byline and Things. My own tortoise-like conversion has to do with video. I’ve never been a video person – it just doesn’t float my boat in the same way that photography does. I try and try to get psyched about art that incorporates video, and most of the time I end up running back to the comfort of the still image. That is starting to change though – more and more often I climb aboard YouTube or Vimeo to watch assorted musical performances or to check out the latest bit of satire. Molly has a talent for finding really good videos, and she has now gotten me completely hooked on Pomplamoose. This duo makes brilliant video cover songs as well as their own wonderful original music. Their work is such a good example of the best possible cover song scenario – the integral parts of the original song which make that song special are left intact, while the music is also changed up in a very personal way that makes it their own. Although I am a long time past the group house experience, I think these two would be ideal housemates, because who wouldn’t want to come downstairs in the morning for breakfast in the midst of this much joy?

Have fun everyone!

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/10/28/converts-are-the-worst/feed/ 0 My cover is blown! http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/06/22/my-cover-is-blown/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/06/22/my-cover-is-blown/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:55:36 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=280 One of the things I adore about the Baltimore Contemporary Museum’s Mobtown Modern concert series is how much thought and creativity directors Brian Sacawa and Erik Spangler put into the themes of the concerts. Of course there is a thread weaving the pieces on the program together, but what makes the concerts extra special are the way that everything fits together – lights, decor, video, the music played during set changes, even the snacks play a role in whatever the theme of the night happens to be. I think this is a brilliant way to present contemporary music!

Two weeks ago they outdid themselves with their benefit Future Party, and in my opinion have raised the bar for everyone as far as concert season announcements go. Behold!

See what I’m saying?? How can I possibly ever deal with a paper press release again?!

When I was little I used to freak out my younger brother by telling him that I really came from another planet. Turns out I wasn’t kidding!

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/06/22/my-cover-is-blown/feed/ 0 Nose to the Grindstone http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/03/08/nose-to-the-grindstone/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/03/08/nose-to-the-grindstone/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:12:30 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=226 Okay, whew! Lifting my head up for a quick gulp of air between finishing one musical project and continuing to another in progress….too fried to write much at the moment, but I promise there will be details after This Next Thing and taxes!

First of all, Thank You to those of you who have been commenting! Much appreciated. Now that there are more than 3 actual regular (*gasp*) readers, I do feel some responsibility to post more regularly, even just wee tidbits like this.

Has anyone else noticed the Twitter explosion of late?? So many new organizations and people. I am conflicted about Twitter; so much so that I have joined and left, then decided to give it another shot and joined up again. My issues with it are many – personally speaking, I’m not sure I really feel comfortable sharing that much/often, nor am I sure I can keep the tweets sufficiently witty and creative to make it interesting for anyone else. Taking a broader view, imho no depth or subtlety can be effectively conveyed using 140 characters. Reports of future news and serious information being communicated in tweets is plain scary. There are definitely people and organizations who make it work, and I appreciate their presence, but most of it seems, er, self-indulgent. Do we really need to know that you are cooking an omelet? Really??

Anyway. Color me skeptical.

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A sentence that I am glad to write: There have been more interesting new music events happening between DC and Baltimore than I have had time to attend.

Another sentence that makes me happy: With the recent addition of musical friends like Brian and Molly and Steve and David to the DC-B’more area, I realize that I no longer feel lonely for regular new music bonding like I used to!

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Something else to amuse you until the return from Composer Lockdown:

If you have even the slightest interest in baked goods, you must must must check out this blog right this minute.

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2009/03/08/nose-to-the-grindstone/feed/ 0 Big Apples http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/11/02/big-apples/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/11/02/big-apples/#comments Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:22:31 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=127 It’s totally 150% cliche, but… I love New York! Honestly. When I’m there I buy into the frenzy and run around from meeting to meeting to friend visit to concert to meeting to another friend visit to whatever else comes up to….! I always return to DC completely exhausted and oversensitized and inspired and buzzing and tossing about armfuls of projects, plans, ideas, and all that. Highlights from this week’s visit include picking organic vegetables from a rooftop garden (thanks to my Two Supreme Inspirations in Queens), a wonderful String Orchestra of New York City concert (who needs a conductor?! They certainly don’t!), visits with composers, designers and artsy internet people who have excellent taste in food and wine, a touch of business meeting, and a fab recording session with an insanely talented cellist. Oh! Never before have I been to Fairway – the cheese section alone is staggering!

I am tempted to quell my Election Anxiety with chocolate, but have been just barely keeping it together. All fingers and toes crossed, people!!!

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/11/02/big-apples/feed/ 0 Olympic Talk and Strangers on Elevators http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/08/25/olympic-talk-and-strangers-on-elevators/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/08/25/olympic-talk-and-strangers-on-elevators/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:35:10 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=48 Now that evenings are no longer accompanied by the background noise of otherworldy feats of athleticism, can we please talk about the hideous torture that was the commentary throughout the Olympic Games?? Assuming that the commentators were required to be so… active throughout the broadcasts, could they not at least have touched upon some more interesting tidbits?? What Michael Phelps was listening to on his iPod? How much can Dara Torres bench press? Do all the teams bring a chef along? How on earth the female beach volleyball players keep their bikinis in place while they fling themselves around the court? Honestly, how many times must we hear that Kerri Walsh is going to start breeding the moment she gets home?!

Brian has a very good idea about a drinking game in which a shot must be done every time a commentator says “Michael Phelps”. I hope someone writes this down for 2012! As for the bikini situation, I can only suppose that there is super glue and duct tape involved.

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Speaking of iPods, one of my favorite things to do is ask random people on the elevator (if they appear moderately approachable) what they are listening to on their iPods/iPhones. Usually they seem startled, and then look at their feet and say that it’s “Um…..just a mix of stuff I put together….” At which point I must decide whether to nudge them farther (this depends greatly upon the approachable factor, since chatting up strangers isn’t really my style) or let it rest. The nudge is often worth the effort, because the answer usually amounts to the person’s musical guilty pleasure, which is terribly interesting, kind of like one step farther than a choice of ring tone. “Oh! Well, it’s….Kelly Clarkson” or “uh…Michael McDonald.” And then there was the cute-as-a-button gay boy from downstairs who didn’t even flinch and yelled, “Mariah! I love Mariah!!” You go!

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/08/25/olympic-talk-and-strangers-on-elevators/feed/ 2 Inspiration and A Very Long Walk http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/08/15/inspiration-and-a-very-long-walk/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/08/15/inspiration-and-a-very-long-walk/#comments Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:16:00 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=47 The wonderful Steve Smith has written a lovely profile of composer Kaija Saariaho, whose rising success is heartwarming. Her music has been a great inspiration to me for many years; it makes me think of the most finely wrought gold cloth, shimmering in moonlight. As a lefty, I especially like the extra bit Steve included that didn’t make it into the NYT!
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So last weekend N. and I walked nearly the entire length of DC! It was such a ridiculously beautiful day (I am officially willing to reconsider all that previous whining about the month of August) that we visited the Southwest Waterfront just to have a look around, then wandered all up through the fish market, and kept going past the Tidal Basin Paddle Boaters and monuments – fueled by water and Lemon Italian Ice – until suddenly the Georgetown Waterfront appeared! Which of course could only mean finishing up with a whopping dose of crab cakes and beer, hooray!

Recent listening:

Would it be totally scandalous to say that in all honesty my very favorite sound on earth is the one that goes with this picture?

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/08/15/inspiration-and-a-very-long-walk/feed/ 2 Pieces of Summer http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/07/17/pieces-of-summer/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/07/17/pieces-of-summer/#comments Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:45:17 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=45 This is turning into a deliciously summery summer, with plenty of exercise (jogging and tennis are my favorites!), fresh vegetables and fruit, spontaneous friend gatherings, sunsets watched from the roof deck.

I am heading out once more to North Carolina, this time for a little beach romp at Blackbeard’s home. Having spent nearly every summer of my youth in Maine, traveling south to vacation in an even hotter, more humid place than DC seems contrary to reason, but far be it from me to turn down a chance to find the perfect sand dollar.

Among other musical projects, I am writing an orchestra piece. Some days it seems a truly….Don Quixote affair, given the enormity of it, but it’s really fun! This music has been nudging me for a couple of years, and now it is flowing along nicely. I’ve also been pouring over my motley collection of orchestra scores – looking, listening, gently pulling the music apart to rediscover what makes it tick.
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This video is sure to put a smile on your face! And this for a little relief from the heat.

]]> http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/07/17/pieces-of-summer/feed/ 0 This Is Your Brain On The Internet http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/07/03/this-is-your-brain-on-the-internet/ http://alexandragardner.net/blog/2008/07/03/this-is-your-brain-on-the-internet/#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:34:50 +0000 Alex http://alexandragardner.net/blog/?p=44 Has anyone read this article in The Atlantic?? I thought I was just becoming really scattered; turns out my brain is being reformatted, and it is totally catching!

Truthfully, since entering into a more “webby” existence, my book reading habit has slowed to a crawl…measures are being put in place to fix that. After all, I really like books! Same with music listening. Often I crave silence more than anything, but this I blame less on the internet and more on three years of audio over-saturation at the last day job. Not certain yet whether my ears just tire more easily now, or if it’s simply that I am more aware of what that feels like, and have the good sense to hit the “pause” button.

Still, a girl needs to pay the bills. I spent June managing an online job board for a very excellent organization, which was a pretty interesting gig. I am happy that I can now spell Kyrgyzstan without looking. And isn’t Chief of Party a brilliant job title??
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Assorted tidbits for a long weekend:

  • Anyone planning on passing through Barcelona should report directly to this walking tour. Don’t let the Spanish/German website scare you off – they speak perfect English, too.
  • I am so glad that Anne Midgette will be staying at the Washington Post!! Read about it here.
  • Recent listening: Ash by composer, friend, and co-Vassarite Jonathan Elliott.
  • I completely, thoroughly adore The Daily Coyote.

Happy July 4th, everyone! Sparkler time!!

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