The dB Olympics March 2nd, 2010

Forget Vancouver, the real action is at the Institute of Art in Schaumburg where students have been competing every week for great prizes such as microphones or a recording session with our academic director.

Some students put together a great promo radio spot for the event:

During the fierce competition, I went head-to-head against fellow instructor (known as Mr. Black), to see who could be victorious in a microphone set-up and tear-down speed competition.  Here is the nail-biting video:

‘2′ Concert Coming UpOctober 22nd, 2009

We are nearing concert time, and our group concert titled ‘2′ is coming on Thursday, November 5 at 8 PM in the NIU Recital Hall.  From the list of names, it looks to be a packed show.  It is called ‘2′ because each piece is a collaboration.  I will be debuting the first piece that my brother and I have worked on!

Last week, I also joined Cassie on a trip to Minneapolis.  She went to a conference on Crafting and the DIY (Do-it-yourself) art movement, while I took footage around the city for my film, which is in its final stages.
As always, you can check out the trip from Cassie’s perspective on her blog.  We also just got her new website up and running, but it is obviously in the beginning stages, but oh the possibilities!

Seeing Jason Isbell, closer to Graduation!October 8th, 2009

Last week, Cassie and I took a break from our hard work to see Southern-Rock musician Jason Isbell at the House Cafe in Dekalb. Jason used to play with the Drive-by Truckers, a fantastic band that is still playing and touring, and now he has split off into his own band called Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.

I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a bigger crowd at the House.  I was used to seeing the band play for hundreds of fans.  Although Jason probably didn’t play for more than about 60 people, he put his heart into the set and really rocked.  The opening bands were excellent, as well.  I especially enjoyed Tom Schraeder and his Ego. They were a Wilco-esque folk-rock style band.

Despite the small crowd, they were really into the whole show, and it was great for us because we got a front row seat and had the chance to meet and talk with him afterward.

In other school-related news, I am excited to say that I passed my comprehensive exam!  That means that I am one step closer to graduation and am now putting my full effort into the show on November 15.  I designed the poster last night, so here’s a tease:

Cassie has been working hard on a gallery show that will appear at the Bad Dog gallery tonight.  Lots more good stuff to come!

Life in Philip Glass’ HouseSeptember 27th, 2009

For my music research class, I have chosen to write a paper on Philip Glass and how his Minimalist music has impacted 20th-century composition.

This is partially in honor of his compositional contribution to the Qatsi Trilogy, a series of films by Godfrey Reggio, and the inspiration for my thesis project this semester.

My thesis project is also influenced by Ron Fricke, who was the cinematographer for the aforementioned films, and also directed several similarly themed films including Baraka and Chronos.

I have always been drawn to the music of Philip Glass and Minimalist music in general, but not necessarily known why. Some find Glass’ extreme use of repetition in some cases to be incredibly mind-numbing. These people may argue that this compositional technique is void of musical depth or emotional weight.

I am fascinated to discover the reasons behind Glass’ compositional technique and whether my enjoyment of his music is simply aesthetic or morally justifiable. Until I discover these answers, here are some clips in his honor:


You can actually watch the entire koyaanasqatsi film here.

‘Potter Road’ Hits the Streets!September 19th, 2009


I am proud to say that Tony Memmel has finished his album and I finally held the finished product in my hand.  Check out the new tunes on Tony’s Myspace page!

In other school-related news, I’m working hard to prepare everything for my concert on November 15th.
There will also be an Annex concert on November 5th.  The entire show is based on collaborations, so we have named it ‘2′.  We are clever!

New semester under way… new gear in the studio!September 9th, 2009

Everything is back in full gear, and I am excited that there is some great new gear in the Computer Music Studio!  I just took some pictures and updated the annex website to show off our new stuff.

As I mention on the Annex blog, these additions include Intel Mac Pro computers, dual 23″ widescreen cinema displays, 25 and 49-key M-Audio Axiom MIDI controllers, and new software including Logic and Final Cut.

We have also been updated to the latest Pro Tools LE system, which includes the Digi-003 hardware unit with Pro Tools 8 software.  Cool stuff!

The Final Semester ApproachesAugust 21st, 2009


It’s that time again…. time to reflect on the past and look toward the future!
It was an eventful and enjoyable summer, here were some of the highlights:

- Recorded Tony Memmel’s upcoming album ‘Potter Road’ at Ark Studios
- Started my DJ gigging at a friend’s wedding earlier in the summer
- Spent 9 days in Colorado and Utah with Cassie visiting parks and shooting video footage
- Concerts included seeing our friend John Statz perform, as well as Josh Ritter, both in Chicago.
- Played an acoustic show at the Fixx Coffeehouse in Milwaukee, with Tony Memmel.
NOTE:  I posted a new video with improved sound!
- The rest of my time was spent at work, gardening, playing tennis, and spending some much needed time catching up with friends and family.

Here are the goals for my final semester, It’s simple really:

- Create an outstanding thesis video/composition project
- Present a successful concert that demonstrates my skills as a musician and composer
- Do well on my comprehensive exams and finish Grad school with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Here’s to one more semester!!

Live Original Song Posted - ShadowsAugust 15th, 2009

The acoustic show at the Fixx Coffee House was a lot of fun!  Some family and friends showed up and we had a good ‘ol time.  I am planning on posting several videos, but here is a first one from the show.  It also happens to be my first YouTube video uploaded in HD, so I’m glad I figured everything out:

And a great pic that my wife shot:

It’s hard to believe, but my final semester is just over a week away. There will me much more happening with my final video project and other fun stuff, so stay tuned as always!

Acoustic Show in Milwaukee!August 6th, 2009

I’m playing an acoustic show tomorrow with my good friend Tony Memmel at the Fixx Coffee House in St. Francis, Wisconsin.  It is just a little ways south of downtown Milwaukee.  It looks to be a great time!  Here’s the details:

Fixx Coffeehouse
3558 E. Sivyer Ave.
St. Francis, WI 53235

Show starts at 7:30 PM on Friday, August 7th.


My Myspace Page
Tony Memmel’s Myspace Page

Seamus 2009 Blog LinksJuly 31st, 2009


I just saw my link posted in the SEAMUS newsletter along with my classmate Evan Merz!
For those interested, here are the direct links to the posts:

Intro
Tesla Coil Music (Including YouTube vids)
Displaced Resonance
WOUWHI Dance Interface
Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble

And, of course, be sure to check out Evan’s Computer Music Blog.

I also just received the Music from SEAMUS CD volume 18, which features none other than Elainie Lillios’ Veiled Resonance with Steve Duke performing on soprano saxophone!

As far as other summer projects, I am making some initial progress on my multimedia thesis project and am working on some new tracks for the solo album.  Much more is soon to come when school kicks back into gear. (already??!)

Return from the WestJuly 19th, 2009


* These pics are by Cassie from her blog.

We just returned last week from our nine-day trip out west to Colorado and Utah.  Despite about 3,400 miles of driving, it was an incredible vacation that was well worth all of the hours on the road.
Throughout the course of the trip, I shot nearly five hours of HD video, and Cassie took over 1,500 pictures!  Needless to say, the trip was well documented.

Some of the highlights of the vacation included climbing to the top of the sand dunes at Sand Dunes National Park, waking up at sunrise to stand under the arches at Arches National Park, and the beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park near the charming town of Estes Park where we stayed for the final couple of nights.


I am currently editing my video and will be using much of it in my final project.  I am also planning on creating a shorter, more personal video to document the vacation.  I will post any and all new content as it comes along.

For now, check out Cassie’s blog.  She is giving a day-by-day recap and posting some fantastic shots from her Flickr account.  Check back often!