Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

This may be a feeling unique in my experience so far: a kind of "victory lap" at having completed so much this year, and having no "unfinished business" in the sense of works-in-progress. It's undeniably a good feeling. Opus 181? Not sure yet. You know, I may have misspoken. I do recall an unfinished project which I would like to complete: a jazzy brass quintet adaptation of Bach's Wachet auf Chorale Prelude. It's a worthwhile notion and should be "marketable."

[Karl Henning]

Yesterday I had a go at throwing some notes at the staff of the projected tone-poem score. Maybe they're good notes, generally, but they aren't the right notes for this piece. I feel that I was making an attempt to do some composing for the day. Not a genuinely empty exercise, but I realize that for this piece I want to step away from the paper and do me some thinking first.

Bigger, weirder story soon.

[Karl Henning]

Today was the wildest experience I've had in a while:
A. In the late 80's I lived in Rochester, often shuttling to Buffalo.
B. 31 July (last month), I create a Sibelius file using the stock Sibelius Chamber Orchestra template for an Opus 179, with the idea of writing a piece dedicated to my mother.
C. About the second week of August, a little down over the non-performance of two (soon to be three) symphonies, I entertain the idea of not writing for orchestra for a while.
D. As I complete August Haze, I feel that the chamber orchestra piece will spring from the solo flute piece.
E. Work proceeds smoothly with For You, Fuchsia and Fuchsia Minor.
F. Pleased with the latter, and still hopeful that bassist Dave Zox will participate, I arrange Nun of the Above for what we hope is the new lineup.
G. Buoyed by the steady productivity of this summer, and by  Mark Gresham getting to serious work publishing the Opus 169 organ pieces, I do what I have not done in a few years, I begin reaching out again to musicians in the area, especially conductors.
H. Today—again, something I haven't done in a while—I checked opportunities at the American Composers Forum website.
I. What should I find but a call for scores from the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra:

"The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra invites composers with a connection to Rochester, NY** to submit a score for performance consideration. Up to four composers will be selected to have their work performed on the orchestra's Sunday Matinee Series in the 2023/2024 Centennial Season."
J. I note the following items:
1. For You, Fuchsia fits the scoring requirements precisely.
2. Its duration suits.
3. I found this call today, and the application deadline is 25 August.

[Cato]

Today was the wildest experience I've had in a while:

J.   I note the following items:

1. For You, Fuchsia fits the scoring requirements precisely.
2. Its duration suits.
3. I found this call today, and the application deadline is 25 August.

All we need now is Letter K: The Rochester Philharmonic accepts your work, then slaps and kicks itself for not programming one of your works years ago!  😇

[Karl Henning]

Today was the wildest experience I've had in a while:
A. In the late 80's I lived in Rochester, often shuttling to Buffalo.
B. 31 July (last month), I create a Sibelius file using the stock Sibelius Chamber Orchestra template for an Opus 179, with the idea of writing a piece dedicated to my mother.
C. About the second week of August, a little down over the non-performance of two (soon to be three) symphonies, I entertain the idea of not writing for orchestra for a while.
D. As I complete August Haze, I feel that the chamber orchestra piece will spring from the solo flute piece.
E. Work proceeds smoothly with For You, Fuchsia and Fuchsia Minor.
F. Pleased with the latter, and still hopeful that bassist Dave Zox will participate, I arrange Nun of the Above for what we hope is the new lineup.
G. Buoyed by the steady productivity of this summer, and by  Mark Gresham getting to serious work publishing the Opus 169 organ pieces, I do what I have not done in a few years, I begin reaching out again to musicians in the area, especially conductors.
H. Today—again, something I haven't done in a while—I checked opportunities at the American Composers Forum website.
I. What should I find but a call for scores from the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra:

"The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra invites composers with a connection to Rochester, NY** to submit a score for performance consideration. Up to four composers will be selected to have their work performed on the orchestra's Sunday Matinee Series in the 2023/2024 Centennial Season."
J. I note the following items:
1. For You, Fuchsia fits the scoring requirements precisely.
2. Its duration suits.
3. I found this call today, and the application deadline is 25 August.

I've got the email confirming receipt of my application.

[Karl Henning]

I begin reaching out again to musicians in the area, especially conductors.

As might be expected, a mixed bag. After the Memorial Service for Geo. Epple, I sent some music to both the organist and M.D. of First Parish Church in Bedford. I hadn't heard back from them, so I followed up yesterday. Unfortunately, the organist replied, Thank you for sending the pieces.  I read through them quickly and sadly, am not going to be able to use them. I'm following up with I could benefit from your enlarging on why the pieces are unusable, if you might be so kind. Thank you!

The M.D. returned with FP now has a new minister and so, as opposed to other years, I'm still waiting to see how the minister wants to structure the year.  Once I know that, I'll be able to better explore what music I'll be doing based on what he wants to do.  I hope that makes sense.

I got a very warm reply from the Choir Director at Gordon College, welcoming me to send samples. I shall report as I may.

Separately, back to the ACF opportunities. I saw a call to which I applied some years ago (August of '22, as I check my email.) I may try again. What the hell.

[Karl Henning]

Separately, back to the ACF opportunities. I saw a call to which I applied some years ago (August of '22, as I check my email.) I may try again. What the hell.

I do not now recall what scores I sent, then, which the judges (I think they may be the same three people this time around) passed on, though I suspect that I sent a movement of the First Symphony. No matter. I'll send the strings version of Misapprehension and a Scene from White Nights. Whatever else, I think well of the music.

[Karl Henning]

I do not now recall what scores I sent, then, which the judges (I think they may be the same three people this time around) passed on, though I suspect that I sent a movement of the First Symphony. No matter. I'll send the strings version of Misapprehension and a Scene from White Nights. Whatever else, I think well of the music.

Submitted! Notification to come at the end of December.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Submitted! Notification to come at the end of December.

What's the judging about at ACF?

What were the stipulations regarding what they wanted?

And how did you end up in Rochester?

And good luck!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

PD

[Karl Henning]

On one hand, I have not forgotten that sending a score in is one thing, and the chips falling your way (and they are wayward chips) is quite another. On t'other, if I've already got a score ready and there's no cash outlay, why not? So I went back to consider the ACF opportunities. One thing that caught my eye was a call for choral pieces, however, they specify Seeks 15-30 minute choral pieces which have never been performed professionally and never received more than one performance, from any composers, and I have nothing ready to hand that fits. However, I thought almost immediately of the Exaudi me by our @Cato

There was another choral music call for which I have entrants at the ready. Done.

A call for band pieces also caught my eye: Composition must be at least 3 minutes in length, not to exceed 6 minutes. Ear Buds is too long, and the Saltmarsh Stomp is a quarter of a minute shy. However, thinks I, I could add a repeat for a brief passage in the middle, and that should nudge the piece into qualifying, so that was my work today.

Notwithstanding today's being Sunday, I got a reply from one of my "cold" reach-outs, a band director at U Mass Amherst, who told me she is already familiar with Out in the Sun, which was very pleasant, indeed.

[Karl Henning]

What's the judging about at ACF?

ACF is just the messenger, we might say, the judging varies according to the particular call. In the case of the Rochester Philharmonic, I forget just who was named in the call, and since the deadline was Friday, that call was pulled from the ACF site. My girlfriend at the time went to the University of Rochester to study AI (the department was ahead-ish of its time. I was trying a second time to apply to the Eastman School, and wound up enrolling at SUNY Buffalo. 

[Cato]

One thing that caught my eye was a call for choral pieces, however, they specify Seeks 15-30 minute choral pieces which have never been performed professionally and never received more than one performance, from any composers, and I have nothing ready to hand that fits. However, I thought almost immediately of the Exaudi me by our @Cato

Many thanks for the tip!  A few years ago I tried hawking the piece to a few European choirs, but was turned down.

I think the work is an acquired taste: a German friend, a very nice lady, said she found the work so spiritually disturbing ("So geistlich stoerend ist deine Kantate...") that she could not finish listening to the MIDI realization.

I understand her reaction: I also find it spiritually disturbing!

Nevertheless, yes, I will submit the work! 😇  Many thanks to Karl, who spent time creating a two-piano reduction of the work for rehearsal purposes and who has written that the cantata is a wonderful addition to the choral canon.

[Karl Henning]

Notwithstanding today's being Sunday, I got a reply from one of my "cold" reach-outs, a band director at U Mass Amherst, who told me she is already familiar with Out in the Sun, which was very pleasant, indeed.

With the school year just starting, she'll perforce be too busy to look at them for a while, but it's a good feeling just knowing that another musician is looking at the Opp. 107 & 135.

[Karl Henning]

The Henning Ensemble Rises

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The Henning Ensemble Rises

Yippee!  I'm so happy for you!

[Cato]

The Henning Ensemble Rises

Great to read this!

Maybe the new members have contacts who will spread the news about the concert?

[relm1]

The Henning Ensemble Rises

Great news! Congrats!

[Karl Henning]

I've found another call for which the string Misapprehension is suited. There won't be a conflict, as for the call I mentioned earlier, the pieces are examples of my work, it isn't that they would perform  Misapprehension.

[Karl Henning]

And this morning I submitted both The Nerves and In the Artist's Studio (there's a wide world in there) for a 2024 Festival in the Buckeye State.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

And this morning I submitted both The Nerves and In the Artist's Studio (there's a wide world in there) for a 2024 Festival in the Buckeye State.

You go Karl!