5.01.2011. —

VIOS

— This was the first ensemble concert which was the culmination of my year-long hymn arrangement project. The music was mostly old church hymns such as Amazing Grace or Be Thou My Vision all arranged in a modern fusion of classical and electronica genres. It also included one original song written and sung by my good friend, Amy Streiter. I also snuck in one original piece of my own which wasn't a hymn, but one of my favorite compositions, Belief. Most of the arrangements were purely instrumental, with a few vocal songs. All together VIOS was a 12-piece ensemble comprised of the following friends:

• Mingli Sun: Piano
• Robert Nicholson: Cello
• Ian Konopinksi: Guitar
• Micah Ringham: Violin
• Timothy Miller: Drums
• Armin: Synthesizer
• Luke Bixler: Bass
• Rachel Harkentt: Vocals
• Mindy Bowman: Vocals
• Ashley Close: Vocals
• Amy Streiter: Vocals / Songwriter
• Julian Taylor (Me!): Violin / Keyboard / Composer

This was a large and fun collaboration project, with a lot of practice and participation on everyone's part. Each piece had a different instrumentation and feel to it, and everyone played (or sung) their part beautifully. We performed at the B-Side lounge in Cleveland Heights as a part of the Lighthouse church's summer concert series. We had a great turnout as well; there were about 40+ people who showed up for the concert.

Our set list included the following repertoire:

• Belief — One of the favorite and most popular (so far) original looping pieces; solo performance with a combination of violin, keyboard, and even some snapping!    -Listen-


• Holy! Holy! Holy! — My first large ensemble hymn arrangement; for piano, cello, bass, violin, synth, and drums.


• Be Thou My Vision — A classic and well-known hymn and one of my top ten hymns; solo looping performance with violin.


• Lullaby Prayer — This was Amy Streiter's original composition which was really lovely; for piano, bass, cello, and vocals.


The VIOS ensemble performing How Great Thou Art.
Left to Right:L Luke—Bass, Bobby—Cello, Ian—Guitar, Micah—Violin, Mindy—Vocals, Me—Violin, Tim—Drums.
• O the Deep, Deep Love — Probably the second favorite song, based on the response we got; another looping piece for guitar, violin, bass, and drums.


• When I Survey — I arranged this hymn as a duet for me and my fiancé, Ashley Close; for vocals and piano.


• Amazing Grace — This was both my first electronic / acoustic piece as well as my first arranged hymn. Also one of the most well-known hymns and a superb one at that; solo performance with pre-recorded tracks and violin.


• I Cannot Breathe Enough of Thee — This is a lesser-known, but really great hymn. It's a shame that more don't know this hymn; for guitar, cello, and violin.


A very pensive-looking Bobby Nicholson on cello and Luke Bixler on bass in behind.
• OLove That Wilt Not Let Me Go — Being a vocal piece, this was a minority among the mainly instrumental works that we did. However, Rachel Harknett gave a gorgeous and heart-felt performance of it; for vocals, bass, cello, two violins, piano, and synth.


• How Great Thou Art — As our closing selection, this was a much more boisterous and energetic version from the normally pastoral and grand interpretation of this popular hymn. Mindy Bowman, on vocals, did a bang-up job of ending the night! for vocals, piano, two violins, cello, guitar, bass, and drums.

More recordings coming soon!

04.22.2011 - 04.23.2011 —

Wooster Jam Session

—

This was my first solo performance of all original music. My main focus of this music was in looping — a new electronic medium which is becoming more prominent amoung contemporary artists. The technique involves playing a small melody or musical phrase and simultaneously recording it into the computer, or an audio foot pedal such as a Jam Man. Once the phrase has been completed and recorded, it immediately starts playback of that clip. You can then record many other clips on top of that, or layers, thus creating your own quasi-band or orchestra. All the recording, stopping, and playback of all the clips I control with a Voodoo® Ground Lab midi foot controller.

I was given the opportunity to play at this event through the meeting of James Levin, the founder of Cleveland's Ingenuity Festival — an event devoted to the fusion of technology and the arts. I was given the great opportunity to play for James and thankfully, he invited me to play not only at the Ingenuity Festival in September, but to also participate in another event that he had founded, the Wooster Jam Session. It was a pretty exciting opportunity, a lot due to the fact that I had never done a concert of entirely my own music, let alone incorporating the performance with looping and electronic components.

The event was held at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, which, believe it or not, is where auctions and shows of livestock take place. It was an unusual but very fresh and inventive venue. There were 5 large barns and a grand stand, which were filled with artists, bands, galleries, magicians, food vendors, and more. James is on faculty at The College of Wooster and teaches entrepreneurship classes there. I got to set up and play in the "Grand Stand" section of the fairgrounds.

For sure it wasn't my greatest performance ever, but I was so thankful for the opportunity to explore the possibilities of modern performance techniques. There will definitely be more solo 'experimentations' in the future, building upon the looping and synth elements of electronic audio.