So yeah, the orchestra concerts in Langley and Oak Harbor this weekend were superb. What a wonderful orchestra this is here on Whidbey Island!
And, I get to have an amazing opportunity with this wonderful orchestra. If you've kept up with my blog posts in the last year, you will remember that I have done some arranging work for the orchestra. During that time I familiarized the orchestra director, Anna Edwards, with some of my original compositions as well. In addition, after a couple concerts with the orchestra I had mentioned in passing that should the opportunity arise that the orchestra play a horn concerto, I would be interested in being the soloist.
...See where I'm going here?
That's right. You guessed it.
So yeah, as part of the first concert of the Saratoga Orchestra of Whidbey Island's 2017-2018 season, I will be a featured soloist...and they want my to write the concerto that I will play. HOW AMAZING IS THAT!!!?? I mean, I've had some great composition opportunities and performances before, but this could be the greatest! I get to finally write a horn concerto, something I've always wanted to do. I just hadn't done it yet because I wasn't sure if it would ever get performed. Now I get perform it. And one thing's for sure: It has to be good.
So by September, I need to compose a new horn concerto, my first of what I hope to be multiple horn concerti composed over my lifetime. I just need to make to good enough for other horn players to want to perform it. That will be more motivation to write another.
So, stay tuned to this blog and I'll be updating you on how this concerto goes.
Take care and value music.