One School Day Done, Many Left To Go

Today was my first day of 10th grade. I've got to say, I was actually pretty happy to be back. I love the way our school has A days and B days instead of 7 periods every day. This way we only have 4 classes a day and we get an extra elective class. Also, we have twice as long to do all of our homework.

My schedule is like this.

On A days:

1. Concert Choir
2. Advanced Theater
***Lunch***
3. Advanced US History
4. Algebra 2


On B days:

1. Spanish
2. Advanced Chemistry
***Lunch***
3. Intro to Business
4. Advanced English


As you may have noticed, all of my core classes are advanced as well as 2 of my electives (theater and choir). What have I gotten myself into!? I think I can handle it though.

I'm so lucky. I got to begin the school year with my 2 favorite classes! I think this year is going to rock.

The only not-so-fun thing about the start to my school year was the bus. You see, last year we had a really great bus driver. Her name was Karen and she was super cool. Our bus was large enough to fit all of us and she modified the route so it wasn't all loopy and we got home sooner. Everyone was happy.

But not this year.

This year we have a new bus driver and let me tell you. This guy is a stickler. He got upset at us because last year my bus stop was on one corner, but this year apparently it's across the street at the other corner. We were all waiting where we had last year and the guy totally stopped at the other corner and then chewed us out for standing at the wrong corner! And the bus we have this year is smaller too. On the way home most of us were 3 to a seat. And did I mention it was unreasonably hot out? I know, you who live south of here will probably laugh at me (Jamie...) but it was a shocking 90 degrees at least! And we were all squashed together on a too small bus with an irate bus driver!

I certainly hope they do something about our bus. If not, one of my neighbors says there's another bus that passes our neighborhood and is (hopefully) less crowded.

In choir this morning we played with overtones (post on those coming). Overtones are basically notes that you hear but aren't really there. I'll explain it better in another post. The concert choir is a large group. I've always been in smaller, treble choirs. I've never really sung songs with tenor, baritone, etc. parts. My director originally had a list of 75 students in this particular choir, but now there are 101 of us. To be honest, it's sort of intimidating. I'm not so much of a large group person. And I'm one of only 5 sophomores. But I think I'll get used to it and I'll really enjoy it. Actually I already do enjoy it.

In theater class we got going by playing improv games such as "Freeze Tag" and "Add and Subtract". In these games, you have a few people acting out an unscripted scene (that's why they're called improv games- we improvise) and people in the audience can call "Freeze" and go up and change the scene. I think these games are a lot of fun.

I am fortunate to have a very laid back math teacher. Her thing is that if it helps us learn and it doesn't distract the other students, then it's okay for us to do.

And tomorrow I get to have another sort of first day with the other half of my classes.

I'm excited to see what God has in store for me this year!

Soundtrack Saturday

My apologies... I thought I had it set to post this morning, but apparently it didn't.

This week's soundtrack is "The Pirates" from Finding Neverland. This track was composed in such a way that I can easily create a story of what might be happening. I can practically hear the pirates. What about you?

Soundtrack Saturday

This week I present to you The Buffalo Hunt from Dances With Wolves by John Barry. This track is especially fun. I love it when horns are given the melody, so this made me very happy. It's neat also because it gives a different take on the theme.

I Want This Cake For My Birthday!

You Know You're a Composer When...

• You have had to ask a family member to kindly stop whistling so you can compose
• The first thing you ask when someone mentions a new movie is “Who wrote the score?”
• You have more than one keyboard in the house
• You collect exotic instruments
• You can play many instruments just a bit
• Your iPod is filled with soundtracks
• You can watch a movie you don’t know anything about and correctly name the composer just by listening to it
• You save every scrap of paper in case it has music ideas written on it
• You write music ideas on library receipts and gum wrappers
• There is staff paper in your schoolbag
• You have created a brilliant song only to discover that it sounds a lot like something John Williams would compose
• You ask your choir director which instruments sound the best with piano, violin, tin whistle and marimba (in which case the answer is- nothing really)
• You have a song stuck in your head but you don’t know if it already exists or if you composed it subconsciously
• You talk your friends into playing your songs
• You want an orchestra for your birthday

And this is where I challenge you, my lovely followers, to to create your own list. What's your thing? Please share! And if you do, why don't you link back to this post?

Soundtrack Saturday

For today's soundtrack, I have selected the track "Carl Goes Up" from the movie Up by Michael Giacchino. This creative composition has the ability to paint a picture in one's mind whether they've seen the movie or not. For example, in the beginning of the piece, when the balloons are released in the movie, Giacchino used high strings and woodwind to make the listener feel like they are leaving the ground as well. The music helps the audience to feel like they are a part of the story.

Please Help Me Decide!

I ask that you hop on over to my photography blog to help me decide which photos to enter in a contest. Thanks!

Sometimes I Wish I Lived On a Private Island...

It's been an interesting day. I felt like composing something, but the world seemed to feel otherwise. First of all, my neighbor was blasting music from his open window (again), my dad wanted to play his guitar, and my headphones wouldn't drown out the noise. So I rode my bike down to the park and it was so peaceful and quiet that I was (finally) able to compose. So I jotted it down in my notebook and rode home.

And then I had to actually get it off the page. The second I sat down at my keyboard the man who lives across the street turned on his leaf blower. It was an E flat. My song was in D. Not a good combination.

Then my dad's phone rang.

Sigh...


But I finally got it into Garage Band! I recorded it once, then saved it multiple times. For one, I kept all the instruments as piano, for another I changed some of them to strings and such, and the last one I made techno. I shoved them all together. Enjoy, and please, please, please tell me what you think of it. I am anxious to hear read your thoughts.  After all- I can't get better unless I know what I need to improve on. And for the record, you guys have been really, really quiet. When I posted my last composition, I only got like 3 comments. That was super discouraging. Just saying.

Come on!!! I shouldn't have to beg for comments!


Anyway, here it is...

Adventure/Western- Orchestra, Piano, and Techno by composer4christ

Soundtrack Saturday

This wee's selection is from Transformers by Steve Jablonsky. This track is one of my favorites because of the way it builds throughout the first half, then lets it all out. It has multiple instrument parts that aren't particularly intricate on their own, but blend together to give the song texture.

Letter Tag

To participate in this tag, one must simply leave a comment asking for a letter of the alphabet. I shall then assign each commenter a letter. After receiving their letter, they shall list ten things that they love beginning with their letter and post it on their blog.

My letter, given to me by the fantastic Director, is J. My list is as follows.

• Judges- my favorite book in the Bible. Not sure why. It's sort of gruesome.
• Jumping on trampolines- Except they have to be clean and they must have a net.

• Joan Aiken books- simply charming, in a strange sort of way

•  Jokes- but not the groaners like my dad tells. I mean actual funny ones.
• Jam- homemade raspberry jam. Not blueberry.
• Jeremy Camp- great music, people!
• Jolly Joe's- the song from Veggie Tales. You know, this one:

(Umm... Happy Soundtrack Saturday, people! I didn't forget... really...)


As I was saying...

• James Newton Howard- need I say any more?
• Jello popsicles- they're soft and they don't drip! What more could you want?
• Jugglers- they're fun to watch. Especially the crazy ones who can do like 40 at a time.