Entries from Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

2011-02-23T20:29:00.000-08:00

Somebody just pointed out to me that I haven't blogged in ages, so I thought I'd have a go. I had a tremendous first semester and interim. So much has happened! First off, for fall break, John and I took a trip to Chicago. I had driven through Chicago a number of times but never actually stayed to experience the city. John has a very kind aunt, who lives in a condo, right on State St. in the middle of downtown Chicago. She was extremely hospitable and allowed us to stay in her home. Being avid fans of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, John and I had researched and concluded that CSO was not performing this weekend; however, due to illness, Ricardo Muti, had been out of commission, and Boulez has stepped in to do an alternate programme. It just so happens that the weekend we were there, Pierre Boulez was conducting Webern's Passacaglia, op.1 and Mahler 7. When we called symphony hall to find out this was indeed happening, we promptly shat bricks. The concert was everything you'd expect from one of the world premiere orchestras under one of my favourite conductors. We also visited the Art Institute, Millennium Park, Fourth Presbyterian Church, and the Lincoln Park Zoo. The highlight of the trip was our last night there. We decided weeks ahead where we were going to be dining while in Chicago. Thanks to John's vast knowledge of restaurants around the world, he recommended Tru. Words cannot describe. Nine course Chef's Collection. Jackets required. Andy Warhol original. Waiters ready and willing to fellate you at the snap of a finger. The website itself is a work of art: trurestaurant.com. Best dining experience of my life (yes, even better than Syrena in Tokyo). And I can't think of anybody I would have rather gone with than John. We laughed hysterically all the way back to his Aunt's condo.

I received two fantastic premieres last semester: the first was of my Wind Quintet that I wrote last May. I think it represents my best writing and I got an incredible performance. The second was of a solo trumpet piece I wrote for my good friend Garret Klein. We spoke about a year ago about having me write a piece for his senior recital. He spent the summer studying trumpet performance at the Aspen Music Festival with world-renowned trumpeter, Kevin Cobb. While he was studying there, I sent him drafts of my piece. The performance was in early December, and as my friend Jesse put it, "Garret played the snot out of it." Both of them can be heard here: http://ericchoate.com/music.html

Over interim break, I went on tour with the St. Olaf Band to Florida and Georgia. It was incredibly refreshing to feel some nice weather. In fact, I went swimming in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The tour was fantastic. We had tremendous audiences, and lovely home-stays. It was even more exciting this year because I am finally a part of my favourite St. Olaf Band tradition: the Honeysweets, the official barbershop quartet of the St. Olaf Band. Band tour is probably my favorite time of the school year and this one was nothing short of incredible!

Equally exciting are three pretty substantial commissions I've got coming up: The first is for the Theatre Department's spring production of Arabian Nights. Garry Gisselman approached me last year about writing and directing the music for it. When Gary Gisselman asks you to do something, you do it. I've been working hard on that, learning how to write in a Middle-eastern idiom. Performances are to take place 27th April--1st May. The next one is a commission to write a piece for the St. Olaf Band. I get to conduct it on tour next year. I'm working on a piece based off of a text and eponymous sculpture by a mentor of mine, Mac Gimse, called "Bearing the Burden of Peace." Lastly, I get to write a piece for the St. Olaf Orchestra to perform on their Senior Soloist concert in May of 2012. All of my dreams of coming to St. Olaf have come true in this paragraph. I am truly blessed and couldn't ask for more.

I have a lot to look forward to. In a couple weeks, I'm heading to Chicago again for Cantorei tour. We're singing in Rockefeller Chapel at the ACDA convention. Not a bad gig. I'm hoping to spend the summer in Paris studying at the European American Musical Alliance. It is run by Philip Lasser, who is a last generation student of Nadia Boulanger. Cross your fingers for me!

Well, that's all that's happening with me.

Pax vobiscum,

Eric

Summer, 2010

2010-08-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

I should try to blog more than twice a year.

One Friday afternoon in mid-March comes to mind first when thinking back on what has happened since I went to Japan in January. I finished my largest work to date, "Thin," back in December. This piece is a narrative about my experience as a volunteer to the Iona Community. Writing this piece absolutely ripped my soul apart. I've never poured out anything so personal, so sensitive, so passionate onto manuscript paper. I talked to Mr. Amundson, conductor of the St. Olaf Orchestra about getting a read-through of my piece. He obliged. The week leading up to the read-through was terribly frightening. This was my first appearance in front of the orchestra. Most of them didn't know me, most of them were older than me. And by that Friday, all of them would have had an uncomfortably close glimpse at both my level of writing, and at a very troubled part of my soul. It got to the scheduled read-through. Dr. Mahr, my composition professor showed up for the read through and stood next to me following the score the whole time. Mr. Amundson did a masterful job coaching the orchestra through it, and at the end, I had never seen a prouder smile from Dr. Mahr. The orchestra waved their bows and applauded at the conclusion of the rehearsal and all was right with the world. I suppose that's the feeling I live for. Exposing a new piece is terribly frightening for me, but receiving public acclamation is a thrill unmatched.

A good friend of mine, Laura Sancken, works for Tanglewood, which is the summer festival of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She began encouraging me to apply to work there for this summer nearly a year ago. I spent six months building up this opportunity in my head to be the greatest thing in the world. I applied and interviewed. Laura talked to her managers for me. I was convinced I had a job working for Tanglewood. I was fixing to be on a first-name-basis with James Levine, and to network with world famous performers and composers. In early May, my rejection letter came. I hadn't given a bit of thought to what else I might do for my summer. I was left jobless. Somehow though, I was not upset. Something told me I was supposed to be somewhere else for the summer. And indeed I was. After spending days and weeks on Craigslist, classifieds, temporary agencies, you name it, I was about ready to give up looking for a job. Just then, I received a call from a chap named Jim. Jim is the partner of a friend of my mother, who somehow got word that I was unemployed. Jim works for Singh Farms and needed another pair of hands working on a project the Singh's had recently undertaken: to rebuild the farm that supplies the steakhouse at Rawhide. And this is where I was supposed to be. I begin each day with the sunrise and my bare hands in the Good Earth. It is truly a spiritual experience. I spend time with crops. They remind me of new life, and their dependency on the weather- a force so much more powerful than I am. It is humbling and liberating.

Because I came back to Phoenix for the summer, I was also able to start up an orchestra. Last summer Sean and I founded the Camerata Signers. This year, it was time for me to take on a new project: the Phoenician Chamber Soloists, a Phoenix-based chamber orchestra of fifteen players of high-school and collegiate levels. I got loads of conducting experience and arts management experience. There is no better way to better conducting skills than to simply conduct. This project was a means to that end. I also met many new people and built a small community. We put on a concert on 2nd August and pleased a healthy crowd that filled the sanctuary of First Congregational UCC, Phoenix.

Well, John and I return to St. Olaf on 28th August to begin our year as junior counsellors. For one year, we will live in a freshman dorm, and teach them the ins and outs of life at Uni. Pray for them because it is likely that once surviving a year with John and myself, they will no longer have the capacity to form sentences without profanity and their lives will be severely corrupted. In all seriousness, we are thrilled to have been granted this leadership opportunity. I'm excited to meet the little buggers.

Yours Aye,

Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Journal Entries from Japan

2010-02-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

22 January (Morning)
4:00, 19 January, was our departure time from The Hill. John and I decided that it would be more profitable to exhaust ourselves by denying ourselves sleep the night before in hopes that we could sleep sufficiently on the plane. The draw back is that I was too tired to think when I accidentally frustrated Dr. Mahr by telling him my habit of being detained in customs. Molly Shull and I shared a row on the plane from O’Hare to Tokyo, accompanied by several rounds of Boggle and the enjoyment of the film 500 Days of Summer featuring Zooey Deschannel. Jesse Brault and I shared a seat on the coach from the airport to our hotel, jaws dropped in wonder at the Tokyo night-lights. We settled into our digs at 20:30 on Wednesday, 20 January, nearly 48 hours since I had experienced any kind of worthy sleep. My first priority was to empty my colon, and I was severely dismayed to find myself ill equip to function the toilet/bidet/courtesynoisemaker. This machine had a regular flush handle, and a panel of a gazillion buttons for operating the bidet. I decided to ignore the engine and just go for it, but at ass-contact to the seat, the toilet snarled at me and I jumped in fear. Luckily, John, my room-mate, had the capacity to figure out this mysterious contraption and instruct me how to turn off the bidet function and just take a shit. 21 January came with a warm American breakfast in the highly-rated restaurant of the highly-rated hotel, Keio Plaza, followed by a practice session at the local Lutheran Church. The Kabuki Theatre performance which followed was an unmatched theatrical experience, with Mie poses and applause, actors flying by cables, and a giant waterfall which gave the audience a nice bath. Don’t ask me what the play was about; despite the fact that I had an English translator in my ear, I could not keep track of the characters and the characters pretending to be other characters. Instead, I just enjoyed the visual aesthetic of the performance. The evening was open to our personal enjoyment. John, Anne, Mike, and I found a beef-bowl place and ordered only Japanese-people-know-what. I pointed to something on the menu and hoped to Dear Buddha that I was not ordering sea-food (I have a severe allergy to sea-food and have had a number of near-death experiences due to consumption). We enjoyed the city a bit more from the top of the City Hall building and settled back down in our hotel.

22 January (Evening)
I train-dated Sara Baumbauer on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Hiroshima. These magic mobiles hovered on the tracks and carried us at 186mph, leaving one’s brain spinning well into the night. Hiroshima is a happy city, despite its history and contrary to my expectations. We practiced and had class at a local Lutheran church. I decided it was too warm for a jacket in the afternoon, so I left it at the hotel. After class, as we waited for the cable-car to take us back to the hotel, Nature’s chill breath shook my bones. The cable-car arrived already full, so John and I, amongst others, decided to run back in winter’s bite. We left a trail of dust reminiscent of a mushroom déjà-vu. Our mouths watered at the sound of food. By sheer mistake, we ended up on the eleventh floor of a department store sniffing around the food court for a nice evening meal. We passed an okonomiyaki restaurant and found ourselves salivating over the scents that filled the room. Lost in translation with the waitress, we pointed to something on the menu, eager to see what we had just ordered. This dim, hole-in-the-wall restaurant seated twenty people around a bar-like counter. This counter was actually a grill on which the chef prepared the okonomiyaki dinner. He began with a batter that turned into a pancake/corn chip base, on top of which he put grilled cabbage, sprouts, noodles, pork, egg, and every kind of seasoning you could imagine, creating a symphony of colours that exploded in our ravenous mouths. The atmosphere was full of onomatopoeia- sizzle, sizzle, scrape, crash, chefs yelling in Japanese, cutlery flying, and food satisfying every taste bud in the room. Not only was the food good, but the cooks showed us warm hospitality. They treated us like royalty and made small conversation that used up every English word they knew. On our way out, they all shouted in Japanese something to the effect of “Thanks for coming! Good health to you!” to which we responded with a grin, bow, and arigatou gozaimasu! This was by far our happiest Japanese experience- a feast of culture!

23 January
The applause was thunderous- no, the audience cheered in an un-restrained explosion of joy. Concert no. 1 was a huge success. We joined with high-school bands on stage with two encores with singing. After the performance, John and I had a mission: There was a giant poster advertizing our concert back-stage, and we decided it would look better in our room. Waiting for the rest of the band to clear out, we stealthily stole the poster and put it in its rightful spot: my wardrobe bag. A reception followed with speech after speech. Dr. Mahr spoke beautifully, centered between an American and Japanese flag: “Not long ago, these countries weren’t friends. I’m glad that now we are friends and I hope it will stay that way for a long, long time.” More applause and more speeches. I couldn’t believe the simple, yet steadfast appreciation and gratitude from our hosts that we shared our gift with them. I’ve had few humbler moments. There was food and drink. The room shook from hundreds of students excited to exchange culture. Photographs and peace signs from our Japanese friends. They jumped and screamed with laughter when I agreed to take a photograph with them. After the reception, our host students followed us to our coaches. There was laughter and cheer. We opened the coach windows and reached out our hands to high-five our fellow musicians. We left in a roar of excitement and sheer gratitude. In all seriousness, I’ve never felt so appreciated and welcomed and am very grateful for their kind hospitality.

24 January
Erin and I bus dated today. We began by penning poetry about philosophy, religion, love, loss of innocence, death. Then I wrote one about willows, and as she read it, I produced a document: A score published by Oxford University Press with a “To Erin” at the top. All was right with the world. Here’s how it really happened. Me: “Lets write some poetry.” Erin: “No.” Me: “Erin, just say the first thing that comes to mind.” She does, and I promptly write down everything she says, indenting the paragraph at artistic looking points to that it appears to be a poem on the page. We wrote poems on writing poems, on being poked, on Baja, on whistling, and willows. I presented her with a rough draft home-produced document with a non-registered copyright indication on it. She cried, and I was very touched by that. The band performed in the finest hall in Japan today, along with a high-school band that could pass for professional. They opened the concert, and I waited in advent of the downbeat. From the sounds of high-schoolers warming up emerged a tremendous fanfare of low brass, announcing the conductor’s presence, which he took over upon his ascension to the podium. I’m pretty sure I stopped breathing, along with the rest of the hall. We played our bit quite well. Then both bands played encores, ending with a sung version of Amazing Grace. What a touching moment it was when the Japanese students, in our language began singing Amazing Grace in a beautiful unification of language-distinct souls. Many photographs and shouts followed the concert. And the coach-ride home, lead by Maestro Joe Sferra: “Blue Sky and Sunshine!” (to the tune of Beyond).

25 January
We visited the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima today. We shall overcome.

28 January
I can’t stop thinking about two meals I just had. First off, it is important to note that John and I resolved before leaving for Japan that we would eat some Kobe Beef during our stay. We began research before our departure in hopes that we would find a decently affordable dining experience. In our preliminary research, we stumbled upon a restaurant called “Seryna.” The website was classy with photographs of the interior which looks out over Tokyo’s night. Upon looking at the menu and prices, we laughed and deemed it way too expensive and sumptuous for our collegiate budget; however, upon a generous monetary donation from my parents and grandparents, and by local recommendation, John and I found ourselves on the 52nd floor of a skyscraper at Seryna, seated at a grill, perceiving the food in all five senses. Our experience began with a serving of bamboo, broccoli, and asparagus in a sesame sauce. Next was a Super Prime Beef Sashimi (raw beef). While eating that, the chef, in front of us, grilled some Foie Gras so that it was a membrane on the outside, and when broken, the meat inside would melt in our desire. Next, he prepared the main course: a tenderloin steak made from Japanese Beef (massaged daily and fed beer and sake) served with a couple varieties of soy sauce and some garlic chips grilled in olive oil. This was the most tender, most flavourful hunk of animal flesh I’ve ever masticated. This was followed by a rice-bowl. In utter contentment, we were asked to follow the host to a bar overlooking Tokyo. We sat down, and they served us a strawberry mousse and almond ice cream over a short-bread biscuit and teas to follow. John and I sat and observed the night in a perfect fill- full, not stuffed. I just can’t begin to describe this dining experience in justifiable words. I’ve never spent so much on a meal, and it was worth it! And the service was prompt and polite. Part of me wanted to drop my chopstick to see the servers pick it up and replace it for me before I would be able to blink. Instead, I drank water, watching them re-fill my water glass after every sip I took. Well, if one life-changing culinary experience isn’t enough, John and I decided to go for two. There is a classy French restaurant on the 44th floor of our hotel. Tonight upon our return, we headed upstairs. First they served us Lamb stew and Burdock Mousse and some bread. The Burdock Mousse was so good that I didn’t even realize I was eating seafood. Then I had a Ham Terrine with a Dijon mustard. This was followed by Lamb Chops- a juicy experience which pleasured my oral crevice in a tender, unrestrained release of odor and flavour. We finished up with vanilla ice cream with apples sautéed in some sort of liquor (brandy or rum, if I had to guess). Everything was in perfect balance: salty to contrast the sweet, crunchy and creamy, comforting and exotic, etc. This closed our two life-changing dining experience, returning the two of us to poverty, but in utter contentment.

29 January
“ufkudyugum,” says Dr. Mahr as I begin today’s journal. I’ve let a lot of things happen without documenting them, so I’ve got a bit of catching up to do. I feel like I can objectively talk about my experience at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial now that time has elapsed. I was taken by how constructively the Japanese responded to the tragedy. The Peace Memorial was completely uplifting. There was no resent against the United States, nor was there anger. There was remembrance and commitment to peace. There is a monument that looked like a giant rectangular pool. On one end is a flame that will flicker until all nuclear bombs are put away, never to use again. On the other side there is Stupa with flowers and plaques in every language of their commitment to peace. The museum didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t need to see the wax figures of people whose skin was burning off or the relics of the civilians to understand the gravity of the situation. It only put a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the day; however, the museum did a tremendous job of explaining the history in a completely un-biased fashion. I found it honourable that the city began its rebirth promptly after the attack. Japan did not waste any time pointing fingers or making more violent threats. They rebuilt Hiroshima to be a city committing to peace. I was struck by a wall of letters from the successive mayors of Hiroshima since the A-bomb: protest letters, calling for peace commitments from countries who had threatened the use of bombs. Their response to the tragedy displays character that is rare in America. The entire Japanese army is paralleled to the United States Coast Guard: it is very small and only defensive. It seems that we could learn quite a lot from that. Since the visit to the memorial, we’ve visited a number of Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples. I’m finding it difficult to differentiate between the mass of religious erections. But each visit has cast spells of calm, surrender, and humbleness upon the crowd of loud bandies. It is humbling to see a Buddha whose nostril is larger than a human body. And the influence of nature on these buildings is great. The colours and shapes of the buildings seem perfectly fitting in its natural environment. We had a tea ceremony yesterday morning. The room was perfectly symmetrical with earthy tones. We removed our shoes outside and ducked inside lest we hit our heads on the low beams. The chairs were low to the ground as was the table which offered us food and drink. The ritual was calming and delicious.

1 February
Yesterday we traveled from our hotel in Tokyo to a Ryokan in the mountains. The road produced several magnificent shots of Mount Fuji. We rode on a rope line up a mountain, exposing a beautiful view of mountains and water; however, by the time we reached the top of the mountain, the air was so thick with fog that we could not see a hundred feet in front of us. The wind was so strong that it took me back to a Pentecostal experience (as it were) I had in Scotland: I hiked up Dun I on a windy summer’s night and felt wind so strong that it held me over the cliff, as if I were being held by the Everlasting. It was such a reminder of how divine and large nature is and how small I am: a humbling moment of surrender, really. This wind I experienced in Japan was of equal significance to me. After coming back down, with a splitting headache and wind-burned skin, we transferred to our Ryokan: a Japanese resort-like sleeping place, exhibiting extreme symmetry and Zen-like simplicity. Our room was a perfect rectangle with huge windows, a don’t-wear-your-shoes floor, and no beds. Later, they lay pads down for sleeping. This facility was built around a natural hot-spring, which became the highlight of the evening: I had never been to a public bath before. A bunch of us wandered dubiously into the undressing room where we tentatively de-robed. We cleaned ourselves, and as awkwardness subsided, eased into the natural, sulfur-smelling hot-spring. This was a new kind of relax for me. Like a lark, I enjoyed carefree public nudity, the gentle caress of hot water over my body, and the ability to release flatulent into the air and blame it on the sulfur.
I learned quite a lot about my actual cultural tolerance rather than the tolerance I claim to have. It is easy for me to say that true unity happens when people of different cultures can embrace their differences rather than compromise their differences to a happy medium in which it is easy for both cultures to get along. I feel like the latter is too easy and that a more meaningful and stronger relationship happens when people of two cultures can co-exist completely comfortably in the cultural dissonances that might occur. Yesterday I was tested by my own words when we sat down to dinner. I should mention that I hate seafood. The scent of it makes me gag; yes, I’ve tried it on a number of occasions, each resulting in the same intensified dislike of seafood. I would even venture to say that it is more of a phobia than a dislike. In the banquet hall of the Ryokan, dinner awaited the band. To my dismay, an extensive sample of many traditional Japanese appetizers sat in front of me, each containing some sort of sea animal. There was raw tuna, salmon, sea-cucumbers, shrimp, and a lot of only Buddha-knows-what, ruminating in mucus sauce, dressed with vomit, and garnished with shit. But this was just the appetizer, so surely the main-course would be something edible. Each successive course the staff brought out was some fashion of sea-food including a hollowed-out orange filled with octopus and cheese, fish soup, and chocolate covered fish for pudding. Here was my test: Can I put away my fear and just try the food. My result: Fail. I tried to man-up and just eat it. I cut up mice portions and started trying things, albeit I hardly think that counts, as I gave up after having tried three different things. I sat in my comfort zone and went hungry for the rest of the meal; however, it was troubling to me as I was reminded of my own brilliant words of wisdom: revel in the cultural dissonances.

Auld lang syne

2009-12-31T22:54:00.000-08:00

Accomplished this year:
Founded and conducted a choir, The Camerata Singers.
Completed Latin, Translated Cicero and Catullus into English.
Learned to dance.
Stuck with a shitty job.
Got a better job at Uni.
Wrote a film score.
Received first commission for concert band.
Finished another orchestral piece entitled "Thin."
Accepted a commission for another orchestral piece/soprano solo.
Got to the gym off and on.

Goal for next year, open to the possibility of these goals rolling over to future years:
Learn Gaelic.
Drive Ferg's Corvette.
Backpack the British Isles.
Practice piano more than the required amount.
Write more atonal music/widen my comfort zone beyond composing major triads in first inversion with added 4ths.
Become more social/stop eating breakfast alone.
Learn how to love someone.
Think about what I say before saying it.
Write one philosophical treatise concerning beauty.
Write one philosophical treatise concerning morality/duty ethics.
Get to the gym at least once a week, regularly.
Teach others how to dance.
Get in front of at least one band, one orchestra, and one choir.

Programme notes on a newly completed piece, "Thin".

2009-12-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! I've just recently finished a new piece- my largest work yet for 2+2+2+2 4+3+2+1, Percussion, harp, piano, 12-10-8-6-4. I began this piece in May of 2009. It's so good to have it off my chest. It was challenging to write and it took a lot out of me, but now I can put it away.

I don't have a recording yet- hoping to get one in the spring, but I thought I'd at least share the programme notes. Have a read!

The Celts, in their Pagan roots, had a strong connection with nature, guided by creation stories, mythology, and their dependency upon the weather, their crops, cattle, et cetera. Their life was very elemental, and they understood God and creation to be inextricably connected. This theme was heavily romanticized in the late nineteenth century, fashioning the Celts to be a deeply romantic, earthy people; a word arose from this movement to describe places of presence, wholeness, and connectedness; places to be touched; places where the spiritual and the natural worlds intersect. The word 'thin' describes a place where the veil which separates Heaven and Earth is thin or lifted, allowing one to feel the most perfect and utmost presence of the Divine.

I learned this word when I was a pilgrim to the Isle of Iona, a wee island in the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. I spent six weeks as a volunteer to the Iona Community, living on the very sacred space where St. Columba and his followers erected an Abbey and created a monastic order. Life on the isle is simple and elemental, with a close connection to nature-a work ethic inspired by the Celts. Upon my arrival, I fell under Iona's spell. Iona has been described as a thin space. One feels this when he stands on the White Strand of the Monks, climbs Dun I, or stands in the Abbey. It is an overwhelming sense- knowing that you are on the very sacred grounds where thousands have passed before you, looking for God.

The Celts were also tribal, and their communities were very much centered on kinship, another practice that the Iona Community models after the Celts. God is said to be present where two or more are gathered in God's name. An isle of overwhelming beauty, home to a community of people who gather in God's name, is the purest manifestation of God's presence. Iona is a thin space because of her natural aesthetics, and because of the unshakable sense of community. This piece is about my experience on Iona.

Thin is in four parts. In the first part, I have set familiar sounds and images of the Isle- the gloamin', fog, gales, and waves. This is my attribution to the elemental nature of the Celts. The second section is a cèilidh, which illustrates the communal facet of the Iona Community. Part three is of remembrance. I am constantly reminded of the tender intermittences, of images of the Isle that have been engraved in my head, of people I met, and of the community and kinship I was shown. The fourth part is a reminder of the closeness of God who is not only close to thin spaces such as Iona, but as close as our lips, our breathing, and the community and kinship we create. Iona has been described as a passing place- one passes through her vallum not to find God within her shores, but to learn the importance of community and God's closeness between two or more. Thin concludes with the tune “St. Columba”, and divine breaths- a reminder of God's nearness.

I guess it's time, eh?

2009-08-26T22:40:00.001-07:00

I've not written for a while and I don't want to go to bed yet, so I guess I should blog. The most recent event worth writing is the Camerata Singers' Season Concert. As you know, Sean and I co-founded and co-directed an a cappella choir this summer. We recently had our concert on 2nd August. The concert was just lovely. The sanctuary of First Congregational UCC of Phoenix hosted a healthy audience of over 100 people. I had family in from Ohio and California, and my Sister, Brother-in-law, and my wee niece from Tucson. I conducted the concert solo as Sean was in New York visiting family. The concert was the best the choir has ever sounded. I didn't need to work hard to get them to follow at all. They were right with me the whole time. They gave a very thoughtful, mature, and heart-felt performance. I was so proud that I got to work with such talented and friendly people. Our programme included a Swedish folk tune called "Domaredansen", Gasparini's "Adoramus Te, Christe", Palestrina's "Sicut Cervus", Vaughan Williams' "Rest", Victoria's "O Magnum Mysterium", Morley's "Now Is The Month Of Maying", des Prez's "El Grillo" and Rachmaninoff's "Rejoice, O Virgin". At the end of the programme, the audience was in tears, but they rose to their feet instantaneously with a roaring standing ovation. I now look back to this experience with utter amazement. I really witnessed a miracle: twenty-five people of different associations and circles in Phoenix came together to spend time and make music once weekly, and we shared this love with over 100 people. The dedication and integrity of my singers was something I could never even imagine. We gave each other a tremendous gift by offering joy and friendship, and we showed the world that joy and friendship through music. It was a tremendous pleasure for me to have been given the opportunity that these fine musicians provided. I am greatly indebted to each of them. I've posted below the 'about the choir' that was typed in the programme, and listed the singers:

We are avid music lovers, and we are in a perpetual search for ways to share this passion with others. This choir is a means to that end, as well as a way to bring back the communal bonding of the amateur choirs that used to fill the world before the advent of electronic media and other technologies that have unfortunately eroded this great musical tradition. We use 'amateur' here in the real sense of the word as it is derived from the Latin word 'amare' meaning 'to love.' This is a community experience and a choir. We firmly believe that a strong sense of community fosters a more blended sound and a deeper musical communication amongst each other.

We inherit our name from the Florentine Camerata. This was a community of humanists, musicians, poets and intellectuals of the Renaissance. They gathered regularly to discuss trends in the arts, and its influences and reflections on sciences and humanities. They gathered under the belief that music had become corrupt, and by returning to the forms and style of the ancient Greeks, the art of music could be improved, and thereby society could be improved as well. Thus is our reason for gathering. In sharing music with each other and with the community, we bring people together and forge relationships, while, most importantly of all, allowing ourselves and others to experience the edification of great music.

Lastly, we need to express our greatest debt to First Congregational United Church of Christ. We held rehearsals here every Sunday evening, and First Church has most graciously opened their doors to us. Thanks to Reverends Dr. Steve Wayles and Jeffrey Dirrim, Gail Vincent, Randall Barnes, Manuel and Yolanda Ruiz, and Marcos Amparan.

The Singers: Katheryn Baber, Lauren Carroll, Sydney Freedman, Sydney Island, Amanda MacQueen, Kelly Montoya, Brittany Yarbrough, Alix Dewald, Dinah Dewald, Hillary Fischer, Nicole Fischer, Katie Ann Franklyn, Kara van Schilfgaarde, Reid Delahunt, Jon Lang, Ian Jamison, Nate Long, Jordan Tompkins, Jayson Coppo, Chris Gurtcheff, Edward Jensen, Jared Neufer, Kincaid Rabb.

Thanks to all- I really can't take much credit at all for this because I rely so heavily on the help of everybody else. And of course, working with Sean was a tremendous pleasure, as always. Stay tuned for "Camerata Christmas". Oh, and next year, we're doing an orchestra! Look out! Should probably think of a new name though... the Florentine Camerata had no conception what-so-ever of an orchestra, so the "Camerata Orchestra" might not work to well...

I'm almost done with the U-Haul gig. One week left. I am ever grateful for my job. It has paid for my Japan trip, and will hopefully take care of the rest of my student work award that I will not be able to fulfill this year. There's a lot to which to look forward these coming weeks. I'm zealous to get back to The Hill and see John again and pull up my sleeves for year number two! It's becoming quite depressing here in Phoenix, as I've watched all of my mates return to their respective universities, and I'm... waiting...

Peace and blessings to all,

Eric

I wanna go too...

2009-07-10T22:45:00.000-07:00

'Ello, 'ello. I am a terrible blogger, and should really do this more often. I have been withering here in Phoenix for the summer. I've not spent a summer in Arizona in years... I've forgotten how it feels. This is most jarring, biting my teeth through the Minnesota winter, and returning to Inferno! Anyhow, I suppose this is all leading up to the fact that I'd much rather be in a more temperate zone right about now, and you can guess where. Just about everybody is returning to Iona, except for me. I wanna go too...

But, work and an empty wallet is keeping me here for the summer. I've got a job working at the Uhaul headquarters. It sounds important. It's actually not. I sit at a cubical all evening, answering the phone for when people call in 1.800.GO.UHAUL. It's pretty boring- same conversation over and over. I get a lot of irate customers who don't like their pick-up location, and it's my fault because I answered the telephone. Oh well. My biggest beef is that I only work evenings. This means that I sit at home all day, and in the evenings, rather than bonding with my mates, I sit at a desk. I've kissed good-bye my social life. But I have a job, and given the economy, I am truly blessed. As much as I complain, I am thankful deep down.

To balance that out, I am zealous for my choir concert. Sean Colonna and I co-founded and are the co-conductors of a Phoenix-based a cappella choir called The Camerata Singers. We've pulled together singers of high school and university levels, and rehearse once a week at the First Congregational United Church of Christ of Phoenix. Our repertoire consists of motets from the Renaissance to Modern eras. I am learning so much about managing and conducting choirs. It's great to be in front of an ensemble. I look forward to it every week, and everything seems right when I am in front of an ensemble. We look forward to our season concert on 2 August at 15:30. We would love to see you there!

Well, I composed a piece of music last spring after finding a competition held at the University of Aberdeen. This competition called for scores for any variation on a clarinet quintet. They would choose five scores, and those five composers are invited to a workshop with esteemed composer, James MacMillan, and receive performances by members of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, at which point, James MacMillan would choose one composer for an orchestral commission by the BBC SSO. I could not think of a more perfect competition, so I wrote a piece of music just for this. I rarely write music just for competitions. I find competitions that call for an instrumentation for which I have already written, and send in completed material. I had the audacity to start a brand new piece. I wrote it for Clarinet, Violin, Viola, and Cello, and based it off of the well-known proverb, "The world will end, but love and music endureth." The piece is entitled "A Gaelic Proverb". I received a hell-of-a performance by St. Olaf students, and submitted my piece. I got a wee bit carried away, and started fantasizing about what would happen if I won- I would meet James MacMillan(!), get to go back to Scotland since I am missing out this summer(!), network with musicians in the UK, start talking to folks at Royal College of Music- based on winning, I had my life planned out. That would be my entrance ticket into RCM, and I'd be set to go. I even began working on the piece that they were going to commission from the winner. I anticipated the post every day in June. My life was a Brahms symphony- he teased me with a tonic triad, and kept me hanging through a series of tonicizations, modulations, deceptive cadences, and chromaticisms... and when he finally gives me a big authentic cadence, after having left me hanging for two months, cadences to "i" instead of "I". Sometimes life takes a dump on you, and it did when I received my rejection letter the other day. I wanna go too...

So now I'm a poor lonely alcoholic (not really), who sits on my butt all day anticipating work, and then goes and gets flogged by irate customers who can't drive an extra mile to pick up their truck.

I'm not really depressed, it's just fun to write as if I were. I have been reading quite a bit, now that I've had time. I just finished a remarkable book that I commend, and recommend to all who are interested. It's called "Celtic Christianity: Making Myths and Chasing Dreams" by Ian Bradley. This is indeed the best book I've read on the history and beliefs of Celtic Christians. He completely dismisses this romantic revival of Celtic Christianity that is polluting the liturgy of wannabe churches, and outlines the true history and practices of the Celts, as they were 1500 years ago. Fantastic book.

Well, I think I'm off now. I wish you all my very best.

Peace and Love,

Sir.

Feel Like Makin' Loooovvvvveeeeeeeeeeee

2009-03-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

Actually, that's just the title of a song I'm listening to right now! Epic recording with Queen and Paul Rodgers. Oh man oh man, so much has happened in the past few weeks and I apologize for slacking off in my writing!

Band tour! During the J-term break, St. Olaf Band went to California! We arrived in sunny San Francisco. After an afternoon of taking too many free samples at Ghiradelli, bad luck in getting wine samples, watching the bush-guy, and walking along the esplanade, I met up with a great friend, Nick Burdick. It was so fantastic to catch up with him. St. Olaf Band played in every major city from San Fran down to Oceaside. We had an epic programme, ending with the finale from David Maslanka's 8th Symphony. In LA, I had a group of 17 friends and family come to the concert, including my mum and Mormor, who drove out from Phoenix with Baja and Lord MacDuff! That was sooo special to get to see everybody. Upon our return to Olaf, the entire band got sick (except me)... so our home concert was interesting. Oh well. The tour was fantastic. I met some awesome people and solidified some friendships.

On the pretour, I got a call from Mum saying Lieschen, my sister, was in labour! That night, she gave birth to Elise. It was so exciting for me. I had been dreading it since her conception. I hate kids. All they do is whine and poop, so I thought this whole thing to be a joke. But then she was born and I will forever remember that moment! I still have not yet met her and am very anxious to get to do so! When I got the call, I was just so nervous. And I stood up and announced to the band what was happening, so the whole entire band was cheering my sister on through the process, albeit 2000 miles away. I rather imagine she punched out the wee yin just as we were playing Maslanka- what an honour, to be born to such an epic piece of music!

Second semester has been hectic! It seems like the beginning of second semester has been as busy as finals week of first semester. My schedule is so packed, and one would think that after I nearly drowned in classes, hw, and ensembles from last semester, I would drop things. Instead, I did the opposite. I've got more classes, more lessons, and two more ensembles. I'm not terribly smart. I received a commission to write a piece for the St. Olaf Valhalla band. I wrote a really cool passacaglia on one of my Scottish tunes. We just had our first rehearsal with it today, and I am so excited to pull things together. It's also really good to be in front of an ensemble again. I've missed conducting- who'd have thought I'd get more conducting opportunities in highschool than at Uni?

Other than that, I'm just keeping busy with school work. Lots of composing, and lots of writing for my FYW class. I've just thought of a summer project, and if you read this and are interested, by all means, shoot me a message. I want to pull together a choir over the summer and rehearse music, including an unfinished piece of mine and at the end of the summer, put on a concert and have a recording session. I do this because most choirs are inactive during the summer, and that is when I have all of my free time to make music! I want to get more conducting experience, and it would be such great fun. I'm going to be looking for university/high school level singers willing to put in one rehearsal a week for the duration of my summer holiday. I've just been so excited about this possibility since I thought of it a couple weeks ago, and I can't wait to start fabricating plans! Let me know if you're interested.

Anyhow, I'm off! Peace and love to each and every one of you!

Yours Aye,
Eric

The Bonnie Bonnie Banks

2009-01-26T09:21:00.001-08:00

I have come to the conclusion that there is not a single decent choral arrangement of the Scottish folk song, Loch Lomond. In this blog, I shall be criticizing the following choral arrangements: Jonathan Quick, Michael Hanawalt, Joseph Flummerfelt, and Vaughan Williams.

First, I shall outline a wee history of the song. Scotland has had a long history of oppression by the English- it has been going on since the dawn of time. In 1707, the Treaty of Union was signed by King James II, which dissolved the Scottish Parliament and unified Scotland and England. James' son, Bonnie Prince Charlie, believed that the Scottish throne belonged to the Stuart Family, so he led the Jacobite movement. The Jacobites were a group of Scots who wanted Scottish independence and the Stuart family to be crowned. In 1745, he led a rising against the English. This was another failed attempt to restore the Stuart throne. Several battles followed this rising, concluding with the Battle at Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie fled "Over the Sea to Skye" to hide under the protection of Flora MacDonald. Sometime between the 1745 Rising and the Battle at Culloden, a young Jacobite soldier was captured by the English and sentenced to death. It was then that the song Loch Lomond was penned, in the voice of this young Jacobite. According to the song, he parted from his true love on the Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond, promising her that they would soon meet again, on the Bonnie Bonnie Banks. Those bloody English got in the way though, and stole him from his true love. This is, albiet abridged and very brief, the history behind the song. Let's have a wee look at the lyrics.

By yon bonnie banks an’ by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Where me an’ my true love were ever wont to gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.

‘Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen
On the steep, steep side o’ Ben Lomond
Where deep in purple hue, the Hieland hills we view
An’ the moon comin’ out in the gloamin’.

O Ye’ll tak’ the high road an’ I’ll tak’ the low road
An’ I’ll be in Scotland afore ye
But me an’ my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.

The wee birdies sing an’ the wild flowers spring
An’ in sunshine the waters are sleeping
But the broken heart, it kens nae second spring again
Tho’ the waefu’ may cease from their greeting.

O ye’ll tak’ the high road an’ I’ll tak’ the low road
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.

Just to clear up some of the uses of Scots: braes= hills; "were ever wont to gae": we often went; glen= valley; Ben= mountain; Hieland= Highland; gloamin'= dusk; "kens nae second spring again"= will never know love again; waefu'= woeful; greeting= crying;

As for the line "Ye'll tak' the high road an' I'll tak' the low road"- it is a common Celtic belief that after one dies, his soul will return to Scotland. He is telling his true love to take the "high road"- the road of life- he wants her to keep living and singing through life, alive, as she would were he with her, whilst he takes the "low road"- the road the soul travels after death.

"I'll be in Scotland 'afore ye"- perhaps my favourite line. I'll be waiting for you. Keep on living while I wait for you. This gives the song a sense of hope without making it sound happy. A lot of composers really draw on the "hope" aspect that this song has, but they make it sound way too happy.

Here is why, musically Loch Lomond is the most brilliant folk song ever written. With this in mind, we will be able to say why all choral arrangements do not do it justice. The song has got a range, in the key of C, from G below middle C to A above middle C. The line goes up to the A in just a few places. The sixth degree, A, is a very unique sounding pitch in the scale. When played by itself, it suggests a vi triad, which sounds sad. All of the other pitches will remind of us a major triad when played by themselves- we will just hear them as their function in either a I, IV, or V triad. But for some reason, that sixth degree, although it should sound like the third of a IV triad, implies a vi chord. So the sixth degree has a very unique tone to it. Whoever penned this folk song took advantage of that and used it to emphasize the following phrases: "The sun shines bright on Loch LOmond"; "where me an' my true love"; "where deep in purple hue"; "I'll be in Scotland afore ye"; "but me an' my true love"; "But the broken heart, it kens". All of these are the most important lines in the folk song, and they sound important because the composer placed them in parts in which the melody goes up to the sixth degree. It also helps that the sixth degree is the highest that the melody goes, so it sounds climactic as well. In addition, the A is always approached via the fifth, G. It is always an upward motion, giving it weight and importance. These different elements bring importance to these key phrases.

Here's another reason why this is the most brilliant folk song of all time: most Scottish music uses either the pentatonic scale or the mixolydian mode. Loch Lomond makes use of the pentatonic scale. In C major, it would be: C-D-E-G-A. Notice we have left out "F" and "B", the fourth and seventh scale degrees. The song Loch Lomond is almost exclusively pentatonic, except for one place where it uses the fourth degree, F. Here's where it uses the pitch F. "Where me an' my true love will never meet again". This is the key phrase in the song- it is the moral and point to the song. It sounds important because it makes use of the A on "me and my" and it is the only place in which it uses the F. It helps that the F is apprached in a downward motion- downward motion loses energy, sounds darker, and sad. The F also happens on a strong beat, giving it importance.

In addition to these, if one were to just play the melody, it sounds quite sad. Even though it is in a major key, it still sounds very sad, and it is SUPPOSED to.

Here's why those arrangements I've listed are horrible.

Jonathan Quicks arrangement is too happy. It begins nicely, but one it gets in to the "die die" section, it has WAY too much energy and it takes away from the melancholy nature of the tune. When the harmony comes in on the chorus, he uses the tonic chord way too frequently which makes the song sound too stable and conclusive. It is not at all conclusive. Again, once the "die die" section happens, it is way too lively. He does the third verse pretty well until the line "But the broken heart, it kens nae second spring again". He leads up to this harmonically pretty well, but then the harmony goes away, and it is a single voice singing that VERY important line and there it no harmonic support, so it looses importance. The ending is just too happy. It is not a happy ending. Hopeful, aye, but his arrangement makes the ending sound naively happy. The line "I'll be in Scotland 'afore ye" does imply a hopefulness and at a stretch, happiness, but it is not the happiness that Jonathan Quick writes in his innocently happy arrangement of this monumental folk song.

The Michael Hanawalt is the version sung by the mens choral ensemble, Cantus. He does not stay faithful to the original melody at all, especially in the chorus. He tries to pass the melody between the voices and it doesn't work at all. The melody is completly lost. The second verse is especially awful, and this is because he is trying to look smart and use Lowland Scots. The problem is he uses it incorrectly. First of all, he Americanizes the first part: "We'll meet where we parted"- instead of "Twas there where we parted". Second, where he tries to use Scots, he says "The moon looks out frae the gloamin". He did that just so he could use the word "frae". The moon doesn't come out "frae" the gloamin, the moon comes out "in" the gloamin. In addition, the harmonies are not at all Scottish. He makes it too fancy. It is a very simple tune. He tries to colour it with added non-chord tones and appoggitoras, which is totally out of context. All of this gives the song much too much movement, when it should sound very still. Overall, the arrangement, is again, too bright and happy.

The Joseph Flummerfelt arrangement is by far the worst I've ever heard. The first error is the first note. The second error is he says "Were ever wont to go"- taking out the Lowland Scots, which would be fine, except for the fact that it screws up the rhyming scheme. It's supposed to rhyme with braes, so he should have left in the word gae rather than go. The tempo is way fast and march like. In the third verse, he says "the broken heart, it knows no second spring again"- again, he takes out the Scots, which would be fine, except, it screws up the internal rhyme. It should be "Kens" instead of "Knows"- ken is supposed to rhyme with "again". Again, the arrangement is too happy, and it goes so fast that the audience does not pick up on exactly what it is the choir is singing about!

The Vaughan Williams version is by far the best. I've only got one beef with it. He alters the melody slightly and makes it sound too English. The tune begins G-A-C, or V-vi-I. Vaughan Williams changes it to G-B-C, or V-vii-I. That's my only beef with it. Other than that, this is an absolutely brilliant arrangement. He makes it sound melancholy, as it should, and he still makes it sound hopeful, but not happy. He keeps the harmonies simple, as they would be for a simple Scottish folk tune. Nothing is out of context. I really fancy this arrangement a lot. The slight alteration bugs me a little though. Something Vaughan Willimas does well- he does pass the melody around the voices, like Michael Hanawalt does. But he does it in a way that the melody is not lost.

Things to keep in mind- the folk song should also be reflective of the actual place, Loch Lomond. The story, after all, was inspired by this loch. If one has ever been to Loch Lomond, he will know that it is an incredibly still, vast, and undisturbed loch. It is the second largest loch in Scotland, next to Loch Ness, so it's pretty huge! But at the same time, it is incredibly calm. It is surrounded by hills, and the great Ben Lomond, so the whole picture is very stately. The song sholud sound as the loch looks- hopeful, but not happy, perhaps even haunting. Melancholy. Still. Vast. and Undisturbed.

J-term

2009-01-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! I've been so busy lately I've forgotten to write! I am have a lovely lovely January Interim. I'm taking a political science class called "The Problem of War". It is such a fantastic course. We have studied a bunch of just war theories from Augustine to Kant to Ghandi and everyone in between! I am learning so much about myself and why I'm a conscientious objector. Plus, its a good history lesson as well. In addition to this class, I have had band every day to prepare for our California Tour coming up next week! I'm so excited. I am hoping to see Nick Burdick whilst we're in San Fransisco and I will see a bunch of family in LA. We are playing some GREAT repertoire. It will be an epic performance, concluding with the finale from Maslanka Symphony no. 8, which on the epic scale, stands right by Mahler 3.

I am currently working on two major composition projects. A wee lass approached me asking me to write a film score for a film she's doing for an interim film contest. I've been working hard on that. I plan to record next week. I've also been commissioned to write a piece for the Valhalla Band here at St. Olaf (Yes, I'M GETTING PAID!). So I've began work on that.

I wrote a piece two years ago called "Trois Chansons des Roses" for soprano solo and organ. I decided to make a choral transcription of the second movement, Une Rose Seule. My buddy Stan and I have pulled together a volunteer choir to do my piece and one of his. We have been rehearsing and will record next week. Here's the cool part: Stan is in St. Olaf Choir- so all of his connections are with the St. Olaf Choir. We've pulled together a choir of about 27 and 25 of the 27 are St. Olaf Choir members. When I showed up to the first rehearsal, I nearly fainted! I am absolutely spoiled. At the first rehearsal, all the notes and rhythms were there and in place, so automatically, I could begin working on stylistic things and interpretation. I've never had that luxury before. They are sounding absolutely incredible! I cannot wait to record next week.

One more bit of news- Enough people have told me I need to start working out that I finally got my butt to the gym. The other night, my roomie was going to the gym and he invited me along. I tried it... and I liked it (embarrassed face). I've gone every night since then and I feel great! Horribly sore, but great! I think I'll try to get there as often as possible now because it is a lot of fun and I need to start getting healthy so I don't die of heart failure at the age of 35.

Well I've got to get some reading done before class today. I wish all of you my very best!

Your Aye,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Holiday break part 1

2008-12-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

This has been my holiday break thus far:
First thing, I got to see Ava! Yus!!! I went into ASA on Wednesday morning and visited with Lydia for a bit. After dining and visiting, I went to a piano recital. Blimey, since I've left, everybody has gotten so good! Since last year, the level of excellence has just skyrocketed! I spoke to Ms. Carmi, and apparently, that morning Michael Christie, director of the Phoenix Symphony, visited ASA for some promotional stuff. Matt Cordon got to perform for him and shake his hand. This is not cool. I'm supposed to be Michael Christie's favourite ASA student (albeit, he does run away every time he sees me). On top of this, the ASA piano students get to attend the Boesendorfer competition in January just a few days after I head back to St. Olaf. One more rant... The Phoenix Symphony 2008-09 season is the best I've seen thus far, just as I move away. All this cool stuff is happening just when I leave. K... apart from that. I went to band, and they read through a student composition- better than "Appalachian Waterfall". That just shut me down. But after they read that, Adam Roberts put me on the box in front of the band with a baton and told me to conduct a piece they were working on. That was great fun. The wind ensemble is sounding great too!! After that, I went to chamber choir... the real reason I went to visit ASA. I got to borrow them for the whole hour to do a read-through of one of my pieces. I got to conduct them for the whole hour- they are really sounding quite good! I've missed conducting too- haven't gotten to do any at Olaf yet. I've lost all of my technique this year, so I'll have to start practicing again. But gosh, they sounded so strong!

After that, went to choir and bell choir- nothing has changed. It was interesting- everybody is getting stressed about Christmas and what not, and it ended with everybody wanting to kill each other. Nothing abnormal or anything.

Yesterday I got to visit my chiropractor! Yus! I've been needing an adjustment since August. Then I got a haircut! He took nigh two inches off! I also got Dr. Niemisto's great highland bagpipes working, sae ah gae'd tae people's huses an' serenaded them!

Tonight I'm going to spend the night at Ian's and listen to music all night! And party at the Langs' tomorrow! woohoo! It's been such a lovely break thus far! I'll keep you posted, now that I actually have time to blog!

I love you,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

2008-12-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

We had just finished night two of Christmas Fest. I was listening to some St. Vincent, when the melodious tune called Ryan into my room with his guitar. He wanted to share some music with me. We spent an hour or so just playing music for eachother and talking. As the hours progressed our conversation became more and more ridiculous, until he looked at me with cunning eyes and inquired: "Eric, someone told me there is a canoe in the basement of the Old Science Building. Do you want to go steal it and sled down the hill behind Old Main?" With no response, I was already up, lacing up my shoes and putting on my coat. We sneaked so stealthily into Old Science, down into the depths of the dark basement. After a few minutes of searching, we rounded a corner, and there she was. An old, beat up canoe with holes in the side. We picked her up, and made a run for it. We ran outside, rounded the corner, and started up a hill, when we heard a car coming. Out of fear that Public Safety was going to stop us, we dropped the canoe and booked it into the woods, covering our clothes with stickies! It was a false alarm. Just a wee VW bug drove by. We gathered ourselfs and continued our treck to Old Main. Upon arrival, we received a standing ovation from all of the other sleaders atop the Old Main hill. We prepared the canoe and hopped in. The moon was shining bright in the gloamin, there was no din, all is quiet. Until... HOLY *#&&#@$%*#$%!(*$&$(@#^$?7!@$*(@&#$*(!@&%)(!@$#*!@*(#&%!@**(&&!@#$!#$%@$%^%&$%#$%@$$!$@#$^%$$!#@$%@$%^#&$%^&$$^@#$%. We tore down that hill like Seabiscuit. It actually worked. Next, we decided to go to Thorson hill, a steeper more dangerous hill. WE hauled the canoe a 1/4 mile to Thorson hill. Our first flight down was destructive. We crashed into a tree and had to jump ship. But we were men, and we did not fear death; we said bring it on! After several more crashes and injuries, we found a board and a log. Ryan put together a ramp near the bottom of the hill. "Two more times," he said. The first time, we shaved the very edge of the ramp, and tipped over. More like it sent us flying thirty feet. We tried again, and properly hit the ramp, square! And we flew! higher than the heavens, higher than rockets, we dwelt with the stars! One wee yin saw us fly across the moon and shouted SANTY CLAUSE! And we will surely do it again tonight. Watch a video of it here: http://www.facebook.com/video/?upload#/video/video.php?v=38257736177

I love you,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Sine Nomine

2008-10-26T20:21:00.001-07:00

26 October

Hey folks. It's been a while, so I thought I'd write a wee bit. St. Olaf has been a fulfilling experience. My classes are going fairly well. I don't know how I do it all- four classes, three ensembles, two private lessons, and a job. Life never stops. Latin is probably the hardest class I have ever taken. I feel like I am barely hanging on, but I plan to keep pushing through for three semesters of it! Bible and Philosophy are going well. Professors are amazing. Composition is hard. I got here and received a punch in the face, which told me I was not the best composer here. My comp class is extremely hard. We have several comp projects due roughly every three weeks, with extreme limitations on them in terms of instrumentation, number of parts, devices, modes, textures, etc. I'm used to a composition class in which I decide everything. So it has been good for me, methinks, to go back to square one and write very simple, limiting music, and really explore how to create art out of such restrictions- how paralleled is that to life? We live by economic, moral, and legislative restrictions, but it is still our moral duty to be creative, and to be art in such a limiting environment. I feel I am learning much more under these restrictions than I would if I simply had the world at my disposal. One really learns how to cut the edges and be creative when he is given an assignment that "uses only four pitches and two instruments", or yet "uses one note on the piano, and is exactly thirty seconds in duration." I do say though that I miss writing for the sake of writing. I havenae gotten much in at all because my schedule is so full!

Last night was a violent one. The moon, in the gloamin', shone through dark red clouds, and the gales howled and shook the building. In the morrow, I awoke to winds of the same intensity of the mighty draught on Iona. As I left home-sweet-Ellingson to meet with my choreographer, for whom I am writing a piece to be accompanied by dances, Flurries fell, these tears of the gloomy welkin. I was reminded of a quote by the great poet Brad Neely, in the epic poem, "Wizard People, Dear Readers": "The snow of Christmas morn falls like angels’ shit." I am a lad, made a wimp from the inferno that is Phoenix, and snow in October is not the welcome for which I was looking in Minnesota.

I shall try to write more often. I love you.
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

St. Olaf Week One

2008-09-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

3 September, 2008
Well folks, it has been a lovely time here at St. Olaf. I'm all moved in- not really. My stuff is still not yet here. I shipped it forever ago. It is to get here at the end of the week. But this past week, I have been on a very uncomfortable mattress without any sheets. You can imagine I am not sleeping terribly well. I am also without towels- so I have resolved: to dry off, I simply sprint up and down the corridor after my shower whilst I'm still naked to air dry. It's been working alright thus far. I am also without all my school supplies, my library, my Clavinova, speakers, music stand, flugel horn and winter clothes. I know it is early September, but winter is fast upon us. My stuff better come soon!

Other than that, St. Olaf has been nae less than perfect! I feel my Scottish accent fast disintegrating though, underneath a Minnesotan/Norwegian/Canadian influenced accent. I don't know how I feel about that one. Anyhow, I'm getting used to life here. Food is AMAZING. My roommate is amazing. I don't think there could be a more perfect match. His name is John and he is an oboe performance major. We both listen to all of the same music, he's heard of Frederick Fennell, one of the greatest conductors of the twentieth century, and has all of his albums. We're just getting along so well, so I feel very blessed that I enjoy the person with whom I have to spend most of my time! I had a lot of auditions- First, my piano screening. It was cool. I walked into Dr. Hisey's office, and he had heard me play a few times before, so I didn't have to play for him again. I had my vocal audition for the Viking Chorus, and made it in as a baritone. I auditioned for the band- I didn't specify which one, as I was willing to take any I could get into. It turns out, my audition was horrible. I hadn't played trumpet all summer. It was just terrible. So one of the auditioners said "How in love are you with the trumpet?", and with that, he sent me home with a euphonium instructing me to return the following day for an audition. I horsed around on the euphonium for a wee bit that evening, returned the next day, auditioned, and got into the St. Olaf Band, the highest level band. So, right now, you're thinking, bloody hell, Eric, you're a prodigy; however, I must correct you. They were SO desperate for another euphonium player, they were willing to take even the worst. Hah. So I've been playing the euphonium for a whole twenty four hours now, and am in one of the nation's best college wind symphonies. In addition to this, I tested out of theory 1- there was only one other lad who was able to do this, so I don't have to do theory 1, and I can jump right into composition, which is GREAT!

So this semester, I am taking Bible/Culture/Community, Philosophy: Making of the Modern Mind, Intro to Latin, Composition 1, Piano lessons, Euphonium lessons, Band, Choir, and working as a scribe for the chapel. How's that? Can't get much better, huh?

Sae, as ye can tell, I'm having a great time up here!! I can't think of a more perfect university fit.

Peace and love to all of you,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Statement of Conscience

2008-08-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

21 August
Hey folks, I just returned from a session meeting at Palo Cristi Presbyterian where I had my statement of conscience officially registered with my church. I am about to send it off to a few more places for legitimate registry, but I thought I'd share it with you. Basically what it does, is if there is a call for a draft, I have ten days to prove myself a pre-conceived conscience objector and that I have a statement of conscience registered with a number of legitimate organizations. If approved, I would be given status as an honorable conscientious objector. So here's a copy for public viewing. I will occasionally add to this as I receive letters of recommendation/registration letters, and as more events pop up that beg for space on my statement of conscience. Here it is:

Statement of Conscience
17 August 2008
I am a conscientious objector. I believe this war in Iraq and all wars are immoral and unjust. I am a spiritual person of faith. I fully believe in a divine spirit who connects all peoples. Thus, all peoples share a part of Divinity, and Divinity lives in all people. It is for this reason that killing another human is wrong, in warfare or not in warfare. I identify myself as a Christian as laid out in Mathew 25, the parable of the Nations. To briefly outline the scripture, Christ tells us that when we do not give to our brothers and sisters food, water, clothing, hospitality, care, and love, we refuse these elements to our Lord. When one refuses hospitality to his brother or sister, he refuses hospitality to Divinity. When one feeds his brother or sister, he feeds Divinity. When one kills his brother or sister, he is killing Christ. When one tortures his brother or sister, he tortures Christ. When we deny our brothers, we deny Divinity, and thus deny ourselves, for it is Divinity who connects one with his brother. When one limb of humanity suffers, the Divine suffers, thus we all suffer. When one kills another, one kills Divinity, thus one kills all the souls of the universe.
War teaches people to hate. One cannot take the life from another if he has love in his heart. To quote 1 John Ch. 4, “Those who know love know God because God is love. […] Those who love God and hate their neighbor are liars.”
I do not believe in and refuse to follow all tactics of military.
The armed services encourage an “us and them” syndrome. This pollutes the minds of soldiers to belief that we are the light of the world and they are in darkness; therefore, we believe that it is our responsibility to change their ways. There is no “us” and there is no “them”. There is “we”, who includes our brothers and sisters whom we sadly label as “them”.
The armed services teach dehumanization of them. Every healthy person is a person of conscience who knows that killing another human is morally wrong. The military teaches these people of conscience that we are not killing other people, we are killing the enemy, we are killing dogs, we are killing items, and therefore it is morally just. We are taking lives of other human souls, an act that cannot be justified.
The mission of the military is contradictory to all propaganda the government sells to the people. The mission is not to protect America from corruption, terrorism, invasion, et cetera. On the contrary, the mission has become to Americanize the rest of the world, to become and sustain our status as the wealthiest country in the world, to take advantage of foreign resources (i.e. oil), to prevent the spread of contradictory ideals, and to prevent terrorism by lowering ourselves to the very acts “terrorist” groups commit (as if to say it is justified for the United States to bomb foreign countries, but wrong for other countries to bomb the United States).
The government who commands the military supports institutions such as the Western Hemisphere Center for Security and Cooperation, and intelligence bases such as Fort Huachuca. It does not matter how the government defines torture or how the government interprets the Geneva Conventions and the Military Commissions Acts. It does not matter whether or not the use of extraordinary rendition is lawful. Torture, whether legal or not, is immoral. I will never support a military that uses torture as a means of interrogation.
The number of civilian casualties is not acceptable. We are not fighting foreign militaries. We are fighting foreign people.

To serve one’s country is to question and change our own policies, not to change other nation’s policies. I am a patriot who does not fight in defense of the United States Government, but who protects her people by preventing a corrupt government from leading her to unjust wars. This is true patriotism.

To establish myself as a conscientious objector, I will outline significant acts against war of which I have taken part:
On 16 March 2007, I flew to Washington D.C. to participate in the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq. I attended the ecumenical commencement service at National Cathedral. Following this, we marched from the cathedral to La Fayette Park to hold our witness in front of the White House where over two hundred and twenty people were arrested for non-violent civil disobedience.
In the last week of July of 2007, I attended the “Week of Peace”, a conference concerning peacemaking at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. I was also a part of the planning of the daily services for this event.
I served on a committee of conscientious objectors along with Geoff Browning, who developed an “Inventory of Conscience”, a test to help people find out where they fall on a spectrum from war monger to conscientious objector. I distributed over one hundred copies of the first draft. Geoff Browning is currently revising the inventory.
I attended the Southwest Weekend for Witness demonstration at Ft. Huachuca in solidaition with the School of the Americas Watch demonstration at Ft. Benning, Georga on 17 November 2007. This was to protest the use of torture as a means to gain military intelligence and to advocate for closure of the School of the Americas.
I served on the committee who planned all of the services to commence the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq that happened on 7 March 2008.
I led a lecture at my church and spoke of my experience protesting at Ft. Huachuca and explained the work of the School of the Americas.
I led two lectures at my school through Amnesty International. The first session was an information session outlining the following: the Geneva Conventions; the Military Commissions Act; the work of the School of the Americas and of Ft. Huachuca; the tactics used at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and similar prison camps. This information session was followed by a discussion session, which I led.
I attended a conference called “Resist Militarism”, sponsored by the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, over Memorial Day Weekend, 2008. I, along with several other youth, am currently working on the development of a counter-military recruitment team to advocate for conscientious objectors and to offer support/options/outlets for people who have not already been seduced by military recruitment officers.
I spent time from 2 June through 16 July 2008 as a volunteer to the Iona Community, an ecumenical community that occupies the Iona Abbey on the Isle of Iona, Scotland. The primary concern of the Iona Community is peacemaking.
I returned to the “Week of Peace” at Ghost Ranch in 2008 as a leader. I was again a part of the planning for the daily services.

My crystallization of conscience happened when I was thirteen years old. I was standing in a post office with my mother when I saw some registration cards for a potential draft. I asked my mother if I absolutely had to register and she said, “By law, yes you have to register.” I was deeply offended by this and my reaction was “I would rather go to jail than register for a draft.”

I, David Christopher Eric Choate, in good conscience, request to be registered and recognized as an honorable conscientious objector to the current war and to all future wars. I hereby pledge my life and my honor to this document, and am prepared for any and every consequence this will incur.

David Christopher Eric Choate

Approved by Session on 21 August 2008
Rev. Debra Avery
Pastor, Palo Cristi Presbyterian Church

Ginny Schoffelman
Clerk of Session, Palo Cristi Presbyterian Church

Backpacking in the Grand Canyon

2008-08-17T13:22:00.001-07:00

17 August 2008
Hey folks, I just returned from a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon avec my sister, her husband, her husband's brother, her husband's brother's brother's friend, and her friend. It was great fun. We arrived at the Grand Canyon at around 22:00 on Wednesday, where we roughed it on the side of the road until about 04:00 in the morning. At that time, we began our hike down the canyon. Ten miles later, we arrived at our campsite, just two miles out of the Supai Village. It was a nice wee camp site. No tent for us. We slept on the ground. We saw three of the four main falls: Havasupai, Mooney, and Navajo. They were all just gorgeous. There is a lime deposit in the water that turns them a milky, opalescent, teal colour. We stayed for two days, when, at midnight, Friday night, we began our tread out of the canyon. That was rough. I was exhausted and nauseated the whole way. But I have a new profound respect for my sister, a three-month pregnant woman who, despite the nausea and foul smells of dead animals on the trail, hiked roughly twenty-five miles in three days. Go Lieschen. So this hike was even more intense than Ben More. But worry you not, I am keeping my title of Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More. Sir Eric Choate, Prince of Grand Canyon just doesn't ring.

I am home now and reading a news article from which I have copied here: (http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/17/20080817supai0817online.html) An earthen dam weakened by heavy rains broke near the Grand Canyon early Sunday, flooding a tribal town and forcing officials to pluck hundreds of residents and campers from the gorge by helicopter. No injuries were immediately reported. About 300 members of the Havasupai tribe live in Supai Village, located 438 miles northwest of Phoenix, north of Seligman. Saturday night's rain caused the river near the village to swell by about eight feet, washing out hiking trails. As much as 8 inches of rain since Friday caused trouble even before the dam burst. A private boating party of 16 people was stranded on a ledge at the confluence of Havasu Creek and the Colorado River on Saturday night, after floodwaters carried their rafts away, Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge said. Rescuers were also trying to find visitors staying at the Supai Campground and escort them to safety, Oltrogge said. The popular campground is about seven miles past Supai Village, near picturesque Mooney, Havasu and Navajo falls.

So I just missed it. I'm jealous though. They got a free helicopter ride. I had to hike ten miles with a 50lb pack!

I love you,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Another Story from Scotland- Detention in Glasgow Customs

2008-07-23T11:16:00.001-07:00

23 July 2008
I was detained in Glasgow Customs. Sounds like a country song title, eh? I got to customs in the Glasgow Int'l Airport. I had my immigration card filled out to the minutest detail to ensure a smooth process in Customs. I was next in the queue, so I started approaching the interrogation officer. I handed him my immigration card and my passport. This fellow was quite scary looking. To start off, he had a fake eye. The whole time whilst I was talking to him, I couldn't figure out which eye to look into. They were never looking the same direction, so it was confusing the hell out of me! He would ask me a question, and it would take me a second to respond because I was so confused about his eyes. He asked me three questions: Where are you going? What are you doing? How long will you be in the UK? I answered, verbatim: I am going to the Isle of Iona to volunteer for the Iona Community for six weeks. Pretty straight to the point, right? I started collecting my pack as to proceed through customs, but he wasn't finished yet. He started interrogating me, asking me many questions about Iona. I had assumed that Iona was fairly well known throughout Scotland, so I didn't want to speak in great detail as to not "talk down" to the interrogation officer. Apparently, that came off as me not knowing what I was doing in Scotland, and I was only there to horse around. Keep in mind, his eyes were still confusing me. He began speaking of a work permit, as if I had to have one to enter the country to volunteer, and of course, I didn't. He began filling out a detention slip. He handed me the slip, detained my passport, and sent me to a wee isolated corner for an hour. I was being detained. It scared the bloody hell out of me. I had no idea what was going on. I left America a fairly well respected young adult and entered Scotland a suspected terrorist. I was scared, but I figured later on, I would laugh at the experience. I wanted to have a copy of the detention slip just in case they wouldn't let me take it with me. So I pulled out my camera and took a photo of it. Upon the blinding flash, several immigration officers rushed toward me, violently screaming "NO PHOTOGRAPHY! NO PHOTOGRAPHY! NO PHOTOGRAPHY!", as if repeating it three times would be more effective than once. The world was glaring at me. so I put my camera away and shrunk as small as I could. An hour later, the interrogation officer returned with all of my paperwork and told me to go ahead and go. Bastard wasted an hour of my life in Scotland. I missed my train to Oban and had to sit around Queen Street with my heavy luggage for three hours. I guess it's a funny story now. But what a great way to commence my holiday, huh?

Love,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

What's in a name, Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More?

2008-07-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

21 July 2008
It was a questionable day- As if a scale were tottering between sunny and overcast. There were clouds, aye, but I smelled nae rain. The sun disappeared and reappeared often. I caught an early ferry from Iona to Mull. Upon my entry to Mull, I had no plan other than to hike. I didn't know where or for how long. I started hiking along the road with my thumb out, hoping for a chariot to sing me to a foreign, un-explored part of the Isle of Mull. After a mile and a half, a very nice elderly couple picked me up. They were driving to Tobermorry, and passing Ben More on the way. Ben More, the King of Mull. Its magnificence jets from Queen Earth's rock and rules all of the bens of Mull. Aye, Ben More is a mountain, a quite steep climb, soaring through the clouds at 1000 metres. I departed from the car at Ben More's foot, looked this monster into the eye, and snarled "I will destroy you." I began to tackle this beast. Four hours later, after hiking a 45 degree incline, I stood atop Ben More and bellowed, "I am a beautiful animal! I am destroyer of worlds! I am Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More!" (Ben More, that is), and dear reader, at last the world was quiet.

Atop Ben More, I ran out of water. So I began my journey down to earth. As the seconds counted, I became more and more parched. The hike down was rough. The terrain was harsh. The trickling stream teased me, but I feared the bacteria who populate the water. At the bottom of the ben, I found a wee cottage. I tidied myself and approached the door where a kind woman invited me in. She gave me water and refilled my bottle. I was on my way. I began walking back toward Iona. After walking three miles, I was finally picked up and taken to Bunessan. There, I walked five more miles before I was picked up. These kind folks took me a mile to their hus, where I continued my treck. A half a mile later, the same elderly couple who picked me up on my journey to Ben More spotted me on their return trip. They drove me the remaining mile to the ferry, where I arrived five minutes before the last ferry for the day. I made it back, but just barely. But I did it. I destroyed Ben More and assumed the title Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More.

Love,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Adventure in a CD Store in Glasgow

2008-07-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

21 July 2008
Well folks, it's time for a story from my trip to Scotland. It was a warm day for Glasgow (around 20 degrees). I had my Dickies trousers held up with a belt, a polo shirt, my aviators attached to my face, a swiss-army pack around my back and my passport in a sleeve dangling from my neck, and I was trying not to look American. I sniffed around already familiar parts of Glasgow- George Square, Queen Street, Buchanan Street- and lo ho! There, across the street from the magnificent Glasgow Concert Hall was a store. But it was more than a store, it was an entertainment store with CD's and CD's and even more CD's yet. Yaldi! I felt as if there was a magnet, folks. A magnet that attracts not iron, nickel, or cobalt, but a magnet that attracts the very flesh and soul of Sir Eric Choate, prince of More (Ben More, that is). I rushed inside and climbed the endless staircase to floor three where the building houses racks and racks and rows and racks of classical music. I burst through the doors, and headed straight to see what they had in the way of Ralph Vaughan Williams, the greatest English Romantic of all times. And Hark! Where, in The States, there would be surpluses of John Williams, the rip off of Gustav Theodore von Holst, there were rows and rows, shelves, and shelves of Vaughan Williams. I had never seen more CD's of the Great of the 19th and 20th centuries. Blimey, I roared. I sniffed and sighted and ever delighted at the sound of the Lark (ascending) floating through mine ears. I came across a CD that I had wanted for years. The complete, yes, dear readers, the complete Symphonies and orchestral works of Ralph Vaughan Williams in a nine CD collection. Only 16 GBP! I reached into my pocket, and Hark! Pulled out 17 GBP! That's my story. Sorry it ended so abruptly. Time for church.

I love you,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

Iona, a Portrait of three weeks

2008-07-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

21 July 2008
Many of you are asking about my experience on Iona. I feel the best way to reflect on this is not by looking back upon it, but by sharing a letter I penned whilst I was there.

25 June
Palo Cristi and Friends,
I just wanted to write and let all of you know about my experience thus far on Iona. Everything is beyond perfect. I can’t believe I have been here for three weeks already. I am here for three more weeks and am already dreading my leave because time goes by so quickly.

I am living in a centre called the MacLeod Centre, named after the founder of the Iona Community, George MacLeod. The MacLeod Centre is seated right near the Iona Abbey. I live in a very small room with four other folks. The whole centre houses fifteen volunteers and up to fifty weekly guests. I have been working in the kitchen, preparing meals for our guests every day.

I have been spending loads of time in the Abbey. We have two daily services and a prayer service for Justice and Peace daily. I am loving the liturgy here. The texts are always very moving and very true to me. The music is alright. The Abbey hasn’t an organ, and it’s a shame because the space would be perfect for an organ. I’m missing a lot of the traditional “high church” hymns. Although John Bell is nice, we need more Bach. I have also gotten to do a lot of music ministry whilst I have been here. Our resident musician takes Wednesday and half of Saturday off, so I have been filling in for her fairly regularly.

I am really enjoying living in community here. I have never experienced anything quite like this. We have staff and volunteers from all over the world as well as weekly guests who visit from all over the world. It is a miracle to witness and participate in such cooperation and coexistence with folks from so many different traditions. Everybody is so welcoming and open.

I have been doing quite a lot of hiking whilst I’ve been here. I think perhaps the most meaningful part of Iona for me is the scenery. Every time I walk outside the MacLeod Centre in the morning, I feel like I have to rub my eyes as if what I am experiencing is unreal. I am convinced that there is not a more beautiful place on Earth. One special thing is that because of the different times of day and the ever-changing weather patterns, the scenery is never twice the same. It is always a new adventure to go outside because I never know what to expect. With water on all sides, rolling hills, cliffs, mountains, and brilliant clouds, it makes for the most dramatic yet most serene picture one can imagine. I find that when I am on my hikes, experiencing all of this, it is what affects me spiritually the most. There is a proverb from the Upanishads that always comes to mind, and that is, “When you stand atop a mountain, look out to the land, and exclaim ‘Ah!’, you are participating in the Divine.” Gosh, I love that- not witnessing or experiencing the Divine, but participating in the Divine. How rich is that?! And I get to experience that every time I walk outside. George MacLeod once said that Iona has a thin atmosphere; that is to say that the barrier that seems to separate the Divine from the material is non-existent. There is something very sacred about this space. I think I could live the rest of my life here. But, I suppose there is more of the world to see.

Well, I hope things are going well for all of you. I hold all of you in my heart with warm regards.

Peace and Love,
Eric Choate

This is a portrait of three weeks into my experience. As I am taken back to other moments, I will write about them. Lots more happened in the remaining three weeks.

Cheerio,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More

A Death and a Birth

2008-07-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

21 July 2008
Hey folks. I learned the beauty of journaling whilst I spent time on Iona this summer. So rather than journaling for myself, I thought I would start blogging for you. The most recent chapter of my life was my Iona experience; however, I feel I should write a bit about the previous closure. This year has been a good one. I’ve accomplished quite a lot.

To highlight- I was honored with the opportunity to conduct in concert my own adaptation of the Overture from “Jesus Christ Superstar”, scored for wind ensemble. The score featured Josh Lang on the amplified alto saxophone.

Shortly after that, I had my first solo recital. I performed for a wee audience at the Hermon & Sons Concert Hall, with repertoire from Bach to Choate.

I also completed my largest work yet- an elegy for wind symphony in two movements depicting a first person dramatization of the life of Dorothy Kazel, written by Lorie Gates. Dorothy Kazel was an Ursuline Nun from Cleveland, Ohio who was spending time in El Salvador doing mission work. Whilst she was there, she, along with three other religious women (Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and Jean Donovan) were kidnapped by members of the El Salvador Government and tortured, raped, and martyred. Her story has been very inspiring to me, so I wrote a piece of programme music, which directly reflects Lorie Gates’ dramatization. I think it is my best score thus far.

In addition, I performed another solo recital at my church, Palo Cristi Presbyterian, to honour my friends, mentors, church, and family. I think it was my most moving concert thus far. It was mostly original compositions. I had a very healthy audience of over one hundred who were quick to shake the building with a roaring standing ovation accompanied by tears, laughter, and fond memories. This was my farewell concert.

I was also honored at my commencement ceremony. At this commencement, there was not Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March, there was a new piece. I composed a piece of music called “Ricercare” for chamber orchestra in dedication to my fellow graduates of two thousand and eight. I conducted it during the ceremony, and again, was humbled by a standing ovation.

Finally, I was honored with one more performance. Months prior to this, I had pitched some scores to Warren Cohen, the conductor of the MusicaNova Orchestra. He selected one piece of mine, “Die Rosenschale”, and it was premiered on 2 June in concert by the MusicaNova Orchestra. It has been a very successful musical semester, and a beautiful way to close out this life as I start again in the fall at uni.

Love,
Sir Eric Choate, Prince of More