I was just to post another update to this thread, when I realised you left me a new post,
Woodrow Wilson, and I never read it!
I would love to see you play if you have videos available, and I am impressed that you've arranged music for a 20-piece orchestra! I went back to college last October, and am currently reading for a Bachelor of Music degree, but I have never even thought about arranging for orchestra, probably because the thought alone intimidates me! (However, I intend to learn. I will be doing composition and orchestration in the second year of my degree programme.)
Anyway, forgive me all for never following up my first post with any new videos. However, I am in the process of uploading new (unlisted) videos of a live performance of mine at the Sala Isouard - part of the historic Manoel Theatre in Valletta.
In short, last November I was told a special awards event organised by the University of Malta was in need of a musician, and I jumped at the opportunity. The brief was "film music," but otherwise I had carte blanche. The downside is that it was very short notice. I had just a week to perform! However, I set to work, and in two days I created arrangements for a medley from
Bedknobs and Broomsticks, for the Main Theme from
Jurassic Park, as well as the suite from
Independence Day. I spent the week furiously practising, memorising, and tinkering with the arrangements till the last moment - a full 17 minutes of complex music, which was a very difficult task to do in a week. And then the big day came, and everything unravelled. For reasons I will not get into here, I could not perform. I was devastated.
However, my piano tutor at university listened to the pieces and told me to perform them at a Christmas concert that was to be held on 2nd January 2024. I was thrilled, and even had the opportunity to bolster the programme, as the concert required 30 minutes of music.
I performed the following pieces yesterday. They are all arranged by me except were noted.
1. IRWIN KOSTAL Oh, What a Merry Christmas Day (from Mickey's Christmas Carol, 1983),
2. NOBUO UEMATSU One-Winged Angel - Arranged by Shiro Hamaguchi (from Final Fantasy VII, 1997)
3. DARIO MARIANELLI Dawn - Arranged by the composer (from Pride & Prejudice, 2005)
4. DAVID ARNOLD Independence Day Suite (from Independence Day, 1996)
5. NOBUO UEMATSU Tifa's Theme - Arranged by Shiro Hamaguchi (from Final Fantasy VII, 1997)
6. RICHARD M SHERMAN A Medley of Music from Bedknobs and Broomsticks (from Bednknobs and Broomsticks, 1971)
7. JOHN WILLIAMS Main Theme (from Jurassic Park, 1993)
While I did get an attack of nerves at the keyboard, and the resulting performances were far from my best, the concert was a resounding success. It seems the music was greatly appreciated by the audience, and I am very happy. I should write here that this was my first public performance in over 12 years, and my first one of note.
Thankfully, my brother captured my performances on his phone. The videos are shot at an awkward angle, but the audio is quite clear. I performed on a magnificent Bosendorfer grand piano, and my only regret is that with the nerves I was battling, I did not bring out the contrasts in the music adequately. I need a greater dynamic range in my playing, and more delicate, pianissimo passages.
I will be uploading some of the pieces to Youtube and posting the links here. I hope you enjoy them.
