Composition

OK, someone requested that I write about this piece I've been commissioned to write, so I'll do that.

As an aside, I've been thinking what it'd be like to have a Twitter account (but not actually considering getting one - heaven forfend!)... through the day, I often come up with phrases, or a concept, or a thought I want to share. The problem I have with Tweeter is that if you're in the mindset of posting often, there's the potential for more trash to seep through. I guess it's okay for people who are perpetually inventive. (Don't know whether I'm in that category.)

In any case I like blogging because it (theoretically) allows for more considered writing. Although stupidly, I don't really plan that much at all... I just go 'oh, I haven't blogged in a while' and I get on here and write something down quick and post it. But I guess there's a difference between blogging and writing a book, as well.

They're all points on the spectrum. In the end, the kind of blogging I do is like today's news. Here today, and gone tomorrow. Except if I post something more meaningful.

Which I may do now.

Christmas 2006, Geelong.
Doug: Gawain, I want to get you to write a piece for my company, Professional Wealth. It'll be the Professional Wealth Symphony.
Gawain: (laughing, not entirely serious) Well, I don't know. I'm more kind of writing songs at the moment.

Doug's 40th Birthday.
Gawain: I wrote a song for your birthday, Doug. It's not finished but I can play you what I have.
Doug: Sure.
G: (sings) Doug, you are forty, and now you're a man. Well maybe you were before. What age can't destroy, your hot water bill can, and nothing is new anymore.
G: uh... that's all I have at this stage.
D: (laughs) well that's great Gawain. But what I really want to hear is that Professional Wealth symphony.
G: (nervous laugh) Yeah.

Christmas 2010, Geelong.
Gawain is working part-time at Melbourne University Library and teaching a few students, but generally has a low income and lots of free time.
D: I don't think this Professional Wealth piece is ever going to be finished, is it Gawain? What's it going to take for you to finish it?
G: (thinking as a jobless musician) Well..... you could pay my rent for a month.
D: ...Okay then. How much is that?
G: (paying more attention) Wait what? You'd do that?
D: Well sure, I want this piece finished.
G: Wow! Okay then. Sure thing!
D: Now I was thinking of doing a piece based on the Global Financial Crisis. It could be in three movements....

*Discussions ensue. It is decided that Doug will pay Gawain half of the money upfront and another half on completion of the project, plus a $100 bonus. Additionally, he will cover all recording costs including musicians and studio time should it be necessary.*
*The piece will be (ostensibly) about the global financial crisis (the GFC). Three movements are planned. The first movement will depict the conditions that led to the crisis. The second movement will deal with the actual crash and its immediate aftermath. The third movement will be a representation of the bitter results for many, mixed with a sense of cautious hope for the future.*

To begin with, progress on the GFC Symphony was slow, but steady. As I could have predicted, I didn't devote as much time to it as I should have, and therefore didn't meet my initial deadline of a month. However I still had time, so I kept writing. Doug has a radio spot every month, which was a motivation - imagine my piece being played on his show!
 

Later in the year, I got a full-time job, which I wasn't expecting. After working for a couple of weeks, giving myself initial time to settle in to the routine of full-time work, it became apparent that my spare time was extremely limited and I wasn't devoting enough time to finishing the composition. So time passed, with me working full-time, not writing music, and not staying in contact with my beneficiary.... what must he have thought? I was scared to be in touch again, and admit my failure. "Hi Doug... it's still not finished." Fear of my failings is perhaps one of my failings.

At the end of the standard 6 month probation period, my job told me I hadn't met enough of my weekly sales targets, and they would have to terminate my employment. Yes: it was the first time I've ever been fired. And it was hard to accept. But being let go from my job had many successful outcomes. Suddenly, I had all of 2012 before me - free, available, and there for the taking. And into the 2012 void stepped Wayfarers Australia. Which I wrote about a little bit in my travel blog (see below).

Well, I had to make a quick decision if I wanted to join the choir, because they were finalising numbers. So after a stressful decision-making process, I decided to leave my home and tour Australia and the world for a year with this choir. But before I left, there was family Christmas - which meant seeing Doug.

Christmas 2011, Geelong.
Doug: Well Gawain, how's my symphony going?
Gawain: (sweats) I can play you some of the key themes I've come up with?
D: (laughs) Okay.
G: (plays through the main themes from each movement on piano)
D: Wow Gawain, that's really cool! It's not exactly what I had in mind, but it's very good.
G: Thanks Doug. I'll keep working on it, but as I'm going away next year, I don't know how much I can get done...
D: Oh, there'll be time! On a plane... waiting for a bus... Email me your expenses.
G: (happily surprised) Thanks Doug! I'll do my best!

I took the GFC Symphony drafts with me to Canberra, where the Wayfarers met. As I looked over what I'd done of the GFC, however, I realised that I didn't want to write out ideas any more - I already had them. I wanted to start to pull ideas together. I wanted to make it into a symphony, rather than a collection of ideas. Sadly I figured I needed a computer for that. So I put off writing the GFC symphony - again. Instead, I spent the year writing choral music. Some exciting things happened. Singers liked my music. A world premiere of my choir piece 'Night Walk' in England, alongside some smaller pieces I was writing about everyone in the choir, was a huge success. People have urged me to continue composing.

Now, I'm back in Australia. I've taken a few months off to compose the GFC Symphony, and the rest of my pieces about people in the Wayfarers, and clean my room. I'm ready to go. Nothing can stop me.

But first, Christmas 2012 looms...