How can it be that it be that I haven’t updated this website in seven months? Wow, we’d better get started.
2017 was an amazing year, both personally and professionally. Let’s start with the personal stuff:
- My son was born on November 4th! He’s just the best.
- I started grad school and am actually doing university right. More on that later.
- I made some of the best beer I’ve ever made in my entire life (A citric IPA, a Cascade SMaSH Pale Ale, and a vanilla bourbon stout, if anyone is interested.)
- My podcast/YouTube show about video game music, Into the Score, is starting to gain some traction. Maybe you’d like to watch it?
And now, the professional stuff:
- I taught a great year at my school, Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School.
- I wrote a three-movement work for band and choir called “Transcendent Light” and it had the most glorious premiere by the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble the Manitoba Music Educators’ Association. It was inspired by Ken Epp, who gave so much strength to music education in our province. I am so grateful that I got to write the piece.
- I wrote a piece for 150 trumpets for a Canada 150 brass concert in Regina, Saskatchewan (that’s in Canada, btw). Also, I got to hang out with Pete Meechan and Michelle Styles, who are two of the most wonderful musicians and composers you’ll ever meet.
- I worked with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on two separate occasions: I did seven of ten arrangements for their “Manitoba, mon amour” show that celebrated Franco-Manitobain musicians in Winnipeg
and I did four pieces for Faouzia and the WSO for the Canada 150 Canada Day show at the Forks. - “The Matters of Kindness” is finally published! It’s going out with Grand Mesa Music in Spring 2018 and I hope that every band in the world plays it.
- I’m still working on Ship Out of Luck by Complex Games. It is really coming along – this game is going to make waves. It’s looking and sounding so amazing.
- I wrote a euphonium concerto, am setting my “Prairie Trombone Suite” for band, and have some new work under my belt for the coming year.
- Published two articles in the Canadian Winds!
There’s a lot coming up on the horizon, so stay tuned!
Let’s have a great year.
-K