On Further Reflection ...

Since I last posted I was able to get one more awesome recording with my colleague Beverly--we went at night to the SeaPines nature preserve to get the owl and were not rewarded. So we went further into the plantation to where a friend and resident told us she had heard owls regularly. It was 9:14PM just as we pulled into the spot, at the start of the trail leading to the Stoney-Baynard ruins.

Within seconds of hanging my parabolic microphone out of the car window a night bird started its loud, repeating song.  What a strong vocalist! It must have been right overhead!  Jump to the last minute of my symphony draft 20 to listen to our night singer!
(We stay in the car to avoid the insects and creepy-crawlies and prickly bushes along the trail...it's easier to keep quiet and still.)
We thought it was a Whip-poor-will (click here to listen to Cornell's Ornithology recording) but we were wrong. It is a Chuck-Will's-Widow (click here to see and hear it.).

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SYMPHONY WITH THE NEW BIRDSONG ENDING

So that was June 3rd.  Today is July 25th and like most of you, my crayons have gotten dumped out and put back into the box again through a series of big life events (a birthday, a premiere of another new work for Providence Presbyterian, a move to Alabama, a bad fall from a ladder by my husband who broke BOTH wrists, and a new setting and job for me...).

I sent the symphony to four people since I last posted: my performer friends (to check the part writing-strings, timpani, brass), Sam Adler, one of my professors at the Eastman School of Music (to critique my writing), and my son, Ryan Schinder (to put the photos and music together in a video). I'll write more about these later.  I just want to report here that I'm taking some action on the business side of this endeavor!  I'd like to have a finished product that's useful and effective. 


I've had a lot of time to let the work rest and during that time, my mind was not at rest with it...While I like the new ending, I miss the sound of the surf, and most especially, I regret that I didn't use any of the shorebird calls. Their sound is not pleasant, but from the feedback of my listeners, I'm learning that the frogs arent' especially nice, either. So I feel it would represent the lowcountry more accurately to have them included...so next I will begin draft 21 with shorebirds and less frogs. I think it will have more depth and the birding theme will be more prominent.  We'll have songbirds, shorebirds, surf and frogs.

Thanks for all your encouragement and interest!

Here are some of Beverly Gaddy's photos that match the recordings I've made of shore birds. Beverly has some beautiful note cards with these images if you want to transform them into love notes with your friends!

Take care,
-d