A Day in the Life of Midwest
7:00 AM - wake up to the Thomas Newman soundtrack to "Unstrung Heroes". Shower. Feed dog. Walk dog.
8:15 AM - catch a taxi downtown. Ask the driver to pull into the drive-thru at Burger King. I buy him coffee and breakfast (a little good karma never hurt anybody), and we talk about growing up in Nigeria. He knows a lot more about it than I do, so I mostly listen and ask questions.
9:00 AM - arrive at the convention hall to get my badge. They won't let me in -- someone has to vouch for who I am (humbling experience of the day #1). I call Eric, who shows up immediately and without even showing any I.D., is able to vouch for me (humbling experience of the day #2).
9:15 AM - arrive at the booth. It looks AWESOME. Immediately the whirlwind begins: shaking hands, signing CD's and posters, talking about music. Meet with John Darling about the music festival in North Dakota this Spring... talk to Chris Teichler and Matt Schoendorff (a.k.a. Nevsky) about what's new... talk to Dennis Fisher about the UNT performance of Chaos Theory, and play him TranZendental Danse of Joi. Briefly listen to rival publisher offer us the moon and stars before walking away... talk to Eric Beltran about plans for a performance of Chaos Theory with his band in a Catholic church (complete with a nunnery next door!), and talk to Jim Kull about my new piece, STICKS & STONES. See the UNLV boys (Tom Leslie and Tony LaBounty) very briefly... see Pete Toews and a few of the Mt. View students even more briefly... see Sam Hazo, David Holsinger, Johan De Meij, and Steve Melillo, but don't get a chance to talk to any of them at all.
11:00 AM - look at my watch for the first time, then dive back into the fray...
11:45 AM - hook up with the Texas Consortium that's commissioning WATERCOLORS for lunch. Using dramatic hand gestures and a lot of awkward-and-stilted-but-hopefully-descriptive phrases, I attempt to describe my plans for the other 4 pieces that will go with Reflections in a Tidal Pool. Enjoy getting to know them all very much, and look forward to seeing them this Spring for the premiere.
(l-r) Dominic Talanca, Kathy Johnson, me, Asa Burk, Stacey Helmbrecht
1:00 PM - Catch a taxi to head back to Midway -- it's time for more MORTAL KOMBAT!
8:15 AM - catch a taxi downtown. Ask the driver to pull into the drive-thru at Burger King. I buy him coffee and breakfast (a little good karma never hurt anybody), and we talk about growing up in Nigeria. He knows a lot more about it than I do, so I mostly listen and ask questions.
9:00 AM - arrive at the convention hall to get my badge. They won't let me in -- someone has to vouch for who I am (humbling experience of the day #1). I call Eric, who shows up immediately and without even showing any I.D., is able to vouch for me (humbling experience of the day #2).
9:15 AM - arrive at the booth. It looks AWESOME. Immediately the whirlwind begins: shaking hands, signing CD's and posters, talking about music. Meet with John Darling about the music festival in North Dakota this Spring... talk to Chris Teichler and Matt Schoendorff (a.k.a. Nevsky) about what's new... talk to Dennis Fisher about the UNT performance of Chaos Theory, and play him TranZendental Danse of Joi. Briefly listen to rival publisher offer us the moon and stars before walking away... talk to Eric Beltran about plans for a performance of Chaos Theory with his band in a Catholic church (complete with a nunnery next door!), and talk to Jim Kull about my new piece, STICKS & STONES. See the UNLV boys (Tom Leslie and Tony LaBounty) very briefly... see Pete Toews and a few of the Mt. View students even more briefly... see Sam Hazo, David Holsinger, Johan De Meij, and Steve Melillo, but don't get a chance to talk to any of them at all.
11:00 AM - look at my watch for the first time, then dive back into the fray...
11:45 AM - hook up with the Texas Consortium that's commissioning WATERCOLORS for lunch. Using dramatic hand gestures and a lot of awkward-and-stilted-but-hopefully-descriptive phrases, I attempt to describe my plans for the other 4 pieces that will go with Reflections in a Tidal Pool. Enjoy getting to know them all very much, and look forward to seeing them this Spring for the premiere.
(l-r) Dominic Talanca, Kathy Johnson, me, Asa Burk, Stacey Helmbrecht
1:00 PM - Catch a taxi to head back to Midway -- it's time for more MORTAL KOMBAT!
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