Everybody's Gone to the Rapture by Jessica Curry - the future of video game music, or just another soundtrack?

Is this score a revolutionary view into the future of video game scores, or is it just another soundtrack?

Is Jurassic World the Indominus Rex of film scores?

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First and foremost: no spoilers in this post. I haven't even seen the movie yet, despite my enthusiasm, reckless abandon, and borderline embarrassing desperation. We decided to wait until this weekend when the movie theatres wouldn't be stuffed to the brim with dinosaur fans. As much as I've always loved the Jurassic franchise, even this superfan can't stomach sitting in front of a kid who kicks me seat the entire movie, or a few seats down from giggling teenagers who are constantly texting. Dinosaurs must be viewed with reverence, like the first cheeseburger after a 30 day vegan detox.

Heavenly Holst - What "The Planets" Means to Me as a Composer and as a Performer

Image Credit: Nasa.gov

An enjoyable and accessible piece of music, The Planets is a 7-movement suite that every composer wishes they'd written. But what about the performers - do they enjoy performing the work as much as audiences like to hear it?

"Thou Knowest, Lord" by Chris Hutchings

It's been a week of research, writing, and getting ready for the BBC Proms season (and the rehearsals that come along with it)! In my musical explorations this week, this piece by Chris Hutchings caught my ear, with the ethereal vocal harmonies, tight and excellently executed.

Home Recording 101, Kind Of

Trying to learn the basics of home recording is like learning to speak Greek from a Latin translation when you only speak English. (caution: animated images!)

Help. 
Image credit: HellYeahBriane.Tumblr.com

"Lux Aeterna" by Eric Honour

This week, I was feeling the need for some zen. With construction going on across the parking lot and in the apartment below me, the noise alone is starting to make me go bananas. Eric Honour's "Lux Aeterna" is definitely the remedy for a frazzled mind.

May the Fourth be With You: Jedis, Jawa, and John Williams

Star Wars! Because who hasn't blasted the soundtrack while preparing for an audition or interview? (Just me, then?) This music is the definition of iconic, and even people who hate Star Wars know the music. With John Williams at the helm, who would expect anything different?

"Raise Your Voice" by Chip Michael

Written for the victims of the tragic Newtown massacre, "Raise Your Voice" is a beacon of light in the darkness, calling for an end to the violence that has plagued our schools for far too long. Take a listen to this piece and check out the interview with composer Chip Michael.

The Death of a Legacy - the von Trapp Family Singers, who Inspired "The Sound of Music"

Maria Franziska von Trapp: Petition for USA naturalization, 1948

Many of us awoke to sad news today - Maria Franziska von Trapp, the last remaining member of this world-renowned singing group, died on February 18th at age 99. At first glance, many will think the mother was the final member, but Maria was in fact the second eldest daughter, played by Louisa in the stage musical and the film. There are several key differences between this real-life family and the fictional family of Broadway and Hollywood. Many people don't even realize that "The Sound of Music" was based on reality!

So, who were the von Trapps, really?

"Chanukah Suite" by Jason Robert Brown

In celebration of Chanukah (or Hanukkah, depending on how you spell it), which begins tonight and lasts until December 5th, I wanted to feature some really lovely music which nearly always gets overlooked during the holiday season. Christmas kind of takes over everything, and other holidays (like Chanukah, Yule, and Kwanzaa, to name a very few) are forgotten and glossed over, much to the chagrin of those who celebrate them. Winter festivals are not unique to any culture or religion, and can be traced back incredibly far - the earliest festivals and celebrations can be attributed to the Pagan communities with their celebration of the Winter solstice (also called Yule).

That said - I went in search of one of the embarrassingly few Chanukah songs I know, which is called S'vivon, and ended up discovering a really wonderful medley called "Chanukah Suite," by Jewish composer, Jason Robert Brown (who also wrote music for Parade, The Last Five Years, and Urban Cowboy). 

Jason Robert Brown, photo courtesy News.Harvard.Edu

Arvo Pärt's Berliner Messe - Credo

Hello from London, readers! Many, many apologies for the very (very) long absence - getting married and moving to a new country can certainly reduce your time for music blogging! But never fear, posting will resume as normal, complete with the usual flair!

All silliness aside, today's post focuses on one movement of a larger work by Arvo Pärt, an Estonian composer who created his own genre of 'Holy Minimalism."

Arvo Pärt, photo courtesy of TheAfterword.co.uk

Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal - Alice Parker: Choral

Apologies, followers - the holiday season brought a great deal of work and not very much spare time. Now that things are back to normal, postings will resume on a weekly basis. Also, I lied about this being a metal post. That will be coming up, to be sure, but this post is about one of my favorite choral anthems to sing and listen to, by the esteemed Alice Parker.

Alice Parker, photo courtesy of gothic-catalogue.com