What Are Your Major Accomplishments of 2008?

[Garritan]

This first week of the New Year is a good time to look back and reflect over the past year. With so much bad news, it's better to focus on the good things that happened.

What went well for you? What did you accomplish that you are proud of? Did you complete an important music project? Have a premiere of your work? A personal goal achieved? Tell us about it.

[Tony Monaghan]

Despite the major economic problems here in Europe (and elsewhere), I paid the bills, made some music, did a few gigs and made friends virtual and in real life.

If that's as good as it gets for this new year I'll be happy. *()

[Hippie]

1. Finished a CD project for a songwriter that took forever but we are very happy with it.

2. Got a clean bill of health from cancer....second year I got this...going for 3. LOL

3. After 40+ years started working on MY music.

4. But the BEST thing I did in 2008 was buy GPO!!!!!!..........................



..................and it works great with Rock n Roll. :D

[Hippie]

Oh let's see

1. finally finished the music for a DVD project with Canadian photographer Dave Dandell.
2. met a shload of awesome people from all over the world as a result of my Sibelius sound set project. Have had some great discussions and debates with these folks.
3. quit lurking and joined the forum :)
4. ended the year with more money than I started it with :p
5. moved the coffee pot within arms reach of the computer chair ~|

Jon


Ding - Ding - Ding....WE HAVE A WINNER! ;)

[Haydn]

I finally finished recording the tracks for a CD of original prog rock music. Still waiting for another person to finish his vocals and some acoustic guitar. Then I can finally get the CD totally finished and for sale.

I made it through my oldest son's first season of marching band. That was quite a bit of work with all the volunteering with working the pit crew and doing the website.

Jim

[Ranger]

worked up the courage to install exactly 120 dvd updates multiple software companies did it in 3 days

[Ranger]

1.) I healed 2 broken ribs, and then had my sister-in-law's 90 lb. yellow lab break a THIRD rib! The orthopedic doctor "released" me to start exercising again soon, thank God!

2.) Completed 500 days of sobriety, and then relapsed after taking down a 1000 pound tree off our cabin roof and tearing up my leg.

3.) Told my neighbor that "If you EVER touch my wife, I'll kill you!" (Seems to have worked --- haven't heard a peep from him since!). It was extremely surprising that the LAPD didn't take me away in handcuffs. Now, THAT'S a major accomplishment, talking my way out of getting arrested by telling the officers that my neighbor actually DID try to kill my wife! They said "Thanks for being honest, see ya later!" :eek:

4.) Wrote some good classical music, and even started a rock album for the first time in 15 years after dragging my '63 Stratocaster out of the closet.

5.) Survived a terrible brush fire with my wife and cats, luckily getting a hotel room that "only" charged us $200 for letting our cats into the room.

BUT, if it sounds like I'm bitter about 2008, I'll have to admit it wasn't the best year for me, but that's life! I've always liked the balance between Lennon and McCartney:

"I've got to admit it's getting better, a little better all the time!" (McCartney)

"It can't get much worse!" (Lennon)

Have A Great New Year, and great times in 2009!

Best Regards,

Ern :|: *() %- :)

on No. 3
thats what I always thought people respond to what they give out in other words eye for and eye, same thing happened here , I'm a little more hot headed so i deal with this kind of thing on the spot, I guess this year I'll have to be more diplomate (getting older you know)

[bmdaustin]

1) Sold enough music at the last convention to break even. It might not sound like much, but for a relatively new company in a very crowded market, we're pretty happy about that. We might even be profitable this year for the first time.
2) Along those lines, we roughly tripled our annual sales from the previous year. Again, these are still small numbers, but we're encouraged by the potential. Our geographic distribution is much wider now, too - all across Texas, out to California, and even up to Canada.
3) I placed a chart ("Strollin' With Sammy" - Middle School Jazz Band) with Alfred Publishing/Belwin Jazz that will be appearing in their materials this Spring/Summer.
4) I started my own big band - Baker's Dozen - that plays once a month at the local jazz club, and we're getting strong reviews, especially from the players themselves which is rare indeed.
5) I was asked to produce a demo tune for a new soprano sax library. I won't mention the company's name here since that would be bad manners, but you can read about it on the Northernsounds Sample Discussion Forum. If you go to the company's website, my tune is called "Funky Smooth"

It was a good year, and 2009 looks to be even brighter, no matter what the papers say.

[rbowser-]

"...it's better to focus on the good things that happened..." AMEN to that, Gary. In fact, I believe that if everyone in the world could (magically) be able to actually do that - >Poof!< the world's ills would instantly vanish. - says the aging flower child. :|:

For regular Forum members, it's no secret that for me personally, 2008 was a very rewarding year. I had my local community theatre produce my musical, "Dorian-The Remarkable Mister Gray," and the show was signed up by legendary producer Michael Butler who masterminded the original "HAIR" on Broadway.

Show Biz Craziness has been a big part of the year, with plans often changing drastically in the course of a week, possibilities coming and going and coming again at new angles. It's been almost too much at times, to be back in That world - the one I was closer to when I lived in L.A.

Part of that Show Biz Craziness has been to shift the "Dorian" plan so that the first production under Michael's guidance is coming in Moscow, Russia, instead of L.A. What will happen next with the show, - who knows? I've helping to promote the show myself, as seen in the video trailer I posted recently.

So it was a "Dorian" kind of year for me, and that show will continue to be a major force for me in 2009, but I'm also starting the year out with the birth of a new musical theatre idea, with the exciting prospect of me composing new music, stretching in new ways - more on that as it develops.

I think I can speak for all of us here when I say we had our successes with music in 2008, large and small, public and private, and no matter what, we're richer for having been involved in our musical projects.

I wish for everyone the gift we can keep giving to ourselves - to write more music in 2009!

Randy B.

[rwayland]

Well, I passed the average life expectancy in better than good health.

Clear of cancer for nearly 12 years after surgery for an assortment of tumors.

Wrote lots of music.

Had my first performance in years.

Finished the year in better financial condition than the start of the year.

Richard

[Larry G. Alexander]

2008:

Avoided the clutches of the Grim Reaper for another year. Defeated prostate cancer and various other maladies, including a paper cut and a life-threatening hang-nail. :p Suffered the agonies of a computer that went "belly up". Enjoyed the "virtual friendships" of the fine people on this forum.

Larry

[Raymond62]

I admired Randy's success both in the USA and the Russian setup.
I felt good seeing that Larry got better all the way.
I admired etLux for his compositions, in particular the latest.
And for me personally, I just went on and on trying to enjoy good music in writing, copying and listening.

Raymond

[HongKongCV]

First and foremost, helped my wife record her second CD.

Second, I buckled down and started learning how to render and compose, and (imho) have improved at least a bit. Not enough, though, so the efforts continue into 2009.

Third, I finally got cast as the lead in a play. It was a comedy-farce called Flaming Idiots, and I played the lead idiot. The show got very good reviews.

[Andrea Maria Ottavin]

The 2008 wasn't an easy year for me and my family, but there are some things which must be remembered. Are small moments of joy, yeah, but they bringed us light in dark periods:

1) I survived an heart illness and lost 37 kg of weight.

2) I released my first official album of original compositions helped by my new vocal ensemble and started to work on a new project.

3) I won my first composition competition.

4) I became part of a rock band, the "Feast of Friends", which I'm proud of and of which I'm the keyboard player/bassist (with a keyboard like my Yamaha MO8 it's easy!:)), 2nd voice, arranger/composer and lyricist.

5) I spent another fantastic year here in the forum!

6) I finally found friends who I can really trust.

In the final balance, this was an exciting year, yeah, but not the happiest I had. Principally, it was a year for learning things that I think helped me to improve myself as musician and as a person. Hope the 2009 could be a great year for everyone!

Regards,

Andrea.

[nikolas]

Met Gary Garritan and Tom Hopkins in person!
Had a string orchestra piece performed in Seattle and flew there to attend the premier.
Had a solo piano piece performed in Arizona and didn't fly there, but got a brilliant recording of it.
Composed quite a few musical pieces and got into the last few hundred meters to submitting my PhD portfolio.
Moved to Greece after living for 4 years with my wife and 2 kids in London.
Dispite various difficulties, I'm generally feeling happy, content and quite sure of myself, which is a really major accomplishment I think! )(~
Started a diet (to finish in 6 months or so).

[noldar12]

Completed my first major work in far too long at the end of December: a double-bass concerto in classical period style.

Had a couple original church related pieces peformed (choral and hymn related).

Gave my first advertised-open-to-the-general-public recital (solo double-bass) in many years, as part of an Anglican Evensong.

[Pingu]

I managed to acheive nothing in a whole year...but then isn't that everyone's dream?

[rwayland]

I managed to acheive nothing in a whole year...but then isn't that everyone's dream?

Well, it seems to me that you and your family overcame a serious problem with Zoe's health. That is a meritorious achievement.

Richard

[Sam Ples]

Got married
Composed the Processional and Recessional for the wedding ceremony
Composed my first feature film score
Co-produced an EP for a new band, Skyfall
(Tie)Created a MySpace profile. Remodeled the bathroom.