What's Your "Someday Project?"

[raweber]

We probably all have a "Someday Project." This is a work that you have thought about, fantasized about, for a long time, but have never gotten to. Maybe it's a bit overwhelming, or you just haven't found a "round tuit" yet.

I have two, sort of. One I started ten years agos and have meant to get back to ever since. The other I've not started yet.

The first is a one-act musical in swing style intended for churches to perform at Christmas. I started it ten years ago with one of my best friends who was writing the book. We quit when the church we were writing it for split and neither of the resultant churches had any musical that Christmas. We just never got back to it, and have lost some of the original material. I also wasn't sure how I would create the performance tracks, having never heard of JABB at that time (I don't think it existed yet). Anyway, I intend to get back to it with a vengeance once I finish my current CD project.

My real "Someday Project" is something I just conceived of last year. I want to take my favorite piece of music, Holst's The Planets Suite (I know, not a very original favorite piece, but I can't help what I like) and arrange it for Jazz Big Band.

This project has occupied my thoughts much, lately. As I listen to the work, I can hear the various sections of the band playing the different parts. The harmonies would remain similar, but with jazz extensions and substitutions. The rhythm would definitely be funkier, and I can hear much of the rhythm section.

That being said, this project is somewhat overwhelming to me. The amount of work that this will take is huge, and I have so many things I want to do. But, someday I will do this.

So, what's your "Someday Project?"

[danpowers]

1. Someday I will finish my choral setting of Whitman's "Death Carol."

2. Someday I will write a symphony with 8 horns in the orchestra.

3. Someday I will write a string quartet (unbelievable that I haven't done so yet!)

4. Someday I will finish the Concerto Project...

[serenitymusician]

Funny you should post this. I just finished one of those "someday projects." I had dreamed for years of transcribing Symphony No. 3 by Howard Hanson to wind ensemble. Over a year ago I finally contacted Carl Fischer Publishing who owns the copyrights and they granted me permission to do the transcription. I received the rental score last August and have been plucking away at it in my off hours ever since, many times staying up until 1:00 AM (or later) to finish a particular section. Well, it's finally finished as of Wednesday this week. I have posted a recording of the 1st movement in the Listening Room. I've been in contact with a local university and hope to have it performed sometime in the coming year and then hopefully onto publication. I love this symphony and so much want to re-introduce it to as many people as I can. As for my next "someday project," that's yet to be determined, but I have a lot of ideas!

By the way, I like your idea of a one-act musical in a swing style for Christmas. That would be fun. But I really love your idea of Holst's The Planets for Jazz Band. That would be outstanding! I say go for it, even if it's just a little bit every week. After transcribing four movements of a symphony, churning out 133 pages at 1010 measures, yep I believe anyone can do their "someday project!" :)

Gary

[Pingu]

Mine is complete pie-in-the-sky, but it would be cool nonetheless. I want to write a requiem, for a synthesis of orchestra and electronics, which would be binaurally recorded, and would be experienced in an installation, where each seat has a set of headphones. I want to use the ability to suddenly place sounds on the listeners shoulder to frighten the living crap out of them. Possibly it would have a visual element too.

The Dies Irae sequence in particular is going to be different. Instead of the normal powerhouse of brimstone and pomp, it's going to place the listener in a dreary wasteland, where they are utterly alone except for sinister whispers that constantly recount their sins.

At the moment, though, my one-day project is to have five minutes to myself.

[DPDAN]

my "someday project" would be to produce Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin with the new GPO and the Garritan Steinway.....



I want to use the ability to suddenly place sounds on the listeners shoulder to frighten the living crap out of them. Possibly it would have a visual element too.

that is an awesome idea David.... :)
if you have not heard the virtual haircut, it is a blast...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA

Dan

[sakari.lindhen]

symphonic metal project, using GPO, Symphonic Choirs (well, I would use Garritan Choirs if and when it arrives!) and Reason....

also, using GPO, a concerto for english horn....

[SeanHannifin]

my "someday project" would be to produce Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin with the new GPO and the Garritan Steinway.....

*() I look forward to it!! You will make it sound awesome. :)


that is an awesome idea David.... :)
if you have not heard the virtual haircut, it is a blast...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA

)(~ Hahaha... that's hilarious... really sounds great... and near the end, binaural whispering is pretty creepy. :D Really cool!

My "someday projects" mainly consist of writing books/screenplays/musicals... the planning and plotting are pure delight, I've got plenty of plots, but the actual labor of writing... eh... someday. It gets dull. :(

[sunbird]

my "someday project" would be to produce Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin with the new GPO and the Garritan Steinway.....
Dan

I would be delighted to http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad184/yoodit/1979_listening_to_music_at_a_party.gif that… especially the slow part…
It has always been for me one of the most influential sources of inspiration.

As to my ‘someday project(s)’… I have a notebook full of those
and new ones are added regularly as I discover yet another great piece. :p

Most are very short ‘projects’, so they will be realized and released one by one in due time…


http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad184/yoodit/balloons_floating_away.gif


~Yudit~

[trentpmcd]

I have had a “some day” project on the back burner for years. I don’t want to go into specifics (it will be completed some day and I want it to be a surprise), but it will be series of orchestrated songs based on one of the world’s great pieces of literature. The songs will all be from the point of view of one of the characters as the story moves along.

I was originally going to have my mom write the poems – she has been writing poetry her whole life and has had a dozen or two set to music by H. Leslie Adams – but I ended up writing them. I am not a poet. What happened is that I wanted to explain to her exactly what I wanted her to write. In drawing it up I wrote all of the poems. Weird.

When I do write this I will consider it my first real piece and not just a study. At this point my composition skills are not even close to achieve what I have planned. A lot of what I have done in the last few years has been with this target in mind - even the Hamlet Symphony I recently posted was written with the idea in mind of sustaining a common theme over an hour as practice for the real project.

And of course a couple of songs: Some may remember a silly little song I wrote (poem by my mom) called “Theme Song”. A little over a year ago I posted an orchestrated song called “Black Eyed Susan”. I wrote the poem for that shortly after writing the poems mentioned above.

“Black Eyed Susan” is my favorite piece of music I have ever written. As a near term “some day” project I am going to do a song cycle of wild flowers. I have already written the poems. It will be about flowers, life and death….

I have a couple of other things. So far I have posted over a dozen preludes here. I will finish up all 24….

I also, about a year ago, posted 13 mini-shorts called “Child’s Play Book 1”. These were all in major keys, except the last which was bordering atonal. I want to finish the lat 12 in minor keys.

Some of the previous posts have some excellent ideas. Can't wait to hear them here, including the last 3 movements of Hanson's 3rd symphony transcribed for band (loved the 1st).

[LFO]

Great topic!
I have started (over a year ago and not one song is completed yet) an album who's songs are based on the characters and events from my favorite fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. I expect it will contain 13 - 15 pieces and the music will be a combination of orchestral and synthesizers. I'm a big fan of `Fantasy Rock' or whatever you want to call it and I think it would be great to pay homage to the series through music. There is an independent musician named Bjorn Lynne who did the same thing for a book called The Gods Awaken and his work is inspirational to me. (Check an example at http://www.lynnepublishing.com/mp3/Bjorn%20Lynne%20-%20Jooli%27s%20Song.mp3 ) It will be a looooong time before it gets finished, if it ever does. ~|

I have also been working on a (for me) large arrangement of Carol of the Bells that has a Danny Elfman eerie kind of twist to it. I'm using the Garritan Christmas Album for this year as motivation to get the piece done.

Last of all, I would like to try to record some arrangements of several Alfred Burt Carols. I grew up on Alfred Burt and I believe he is the single largest contributor to Christmas music ever. This would also be synth and orchestra, think kind of like what Mannheim Steamroller did with Christmas Carols. This should be completed around the year 2115. :D

-Kevin

[Saraswati]

An excellent topic--it may help some of us come closer to completing our own by the focus involved in writing about and re-visualizing them.

I have had ideas about a series of albums and more for many years now, though there never seems to be time for my own projects any more, what with doing music for a video and learning Logic 8 (beginning stages) at the same time.

I already know the titles of each of these. One, for instance, would be on the music of the Gaelic faeries (quick to do for me); another of original flamenco, gypsy, and Eastern-European dance music. Several of music to poetry and words, and several utilizing specific frequencies in the music that are known to have therapeutic value. such as octaves of the DNA frequencies or the "ancient solfeggio frequencies." Some of themes in nature such as water or rivers. One of Celtic love songs. One of new music for harpsichord and other early instruments. One for insomniacs of all ages. etc. etc. etc.

Also a series of four multi-media projects with dancers, storytellers, and musicians, which would be performed in schools. To be quite honest, this one would probably take too much work to ever get done, but I'd glad to share the idea with someone who could actually do it! :)

Saraswati

[Saraswati]

1. Someday I will finish my choral setting of Whitman's "Death Carol."

Oh I would love to hear that, Dan.

[Larry G. Alexander]

I am working on finding a cure for ice cream addiction and creating world peace. I am now to the point of injecting Blue Belle ice cream directly into my veins. I have hit rock bottom! :p (Blue Belle ice cream is a brand that is very popular in this part of the South USA. It is so incredibly delicious that it runs a close second to chicks in popularity among dudes.)

Meanwhile, I am considering writing my seventh symphony. I hope that I have enough time left. %- :(

[Pingu]

I am working on finding a cure for ice cream addiction and creating world peace. :p

I'll pay you handsomely for that cure!



In the meanwhile, I am considering writing my seventh symphony. I hope that I have enough time left. %- :(

Just don't get to nine!! Or if you do, call it something else.

[Hippie]

I always wanted to used a Moog and a Melton in my songs. I have worked around them because I couldn't afford the software.....a musician who I have helped with mixing & mastering over the past few years but never met face to face or charged just sent me all of his old software with a note saying, thanks for your help, I hope these help you.

I just loaded the Moog today and put a track into my new song. My someday is here today. :cool::D

[rwayland]

Well, some day, I will finish editing my Pentador string quartet for impossible double stops!!! Not that I don't know or understand them, but I am not familiar enough with strings to spot them easily.

I have had lots of other non-musical "some day" projects, most of which somebody else finished first and made lots of money.

Richard

[danpowers]

Oh I would love to hear that, Dan.

Hopefully you'll get to someday. This has been driving me crazy for years!

[AlanPerkins]

I have two musical someday projects currently in mind.

One is an investigation of merging some quintessential heritage instruments from around the world (think Uillean Pipes, Didgeridoo, Santoor) with an orchestra base to produce some interesting sound tapestries.

The other, which I have started working on, is a theme going through my head that some middle-eastern hints to it. I have an introduction, I have a main theme, but have not yet figured out how to develop the two together. But I know they are related.

I have just bought a midi controller keyboard on ebay - here's hoping it works - it is a CME UF70. It should help me be more productive. Finding the time has been difficult. Our company has been going through some major changes, and as CIO, a lot of the work falls on my direction, so little time for my music!

[AlanPerkins]

Great topic!
I have started (over a year ago and not one song is completed yet) an album who's songs are based on the characters and events from my favorite fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. I expect it will contain 13 - 15 pieces and the music will be a combination of orchestral and synthesizers. I'm a big fan of `Fantasy Rock' or whatever you want to call it and I think it would be great to pay homage to the series through music.
-Kevin

I too am a big fan of that series - I would love to hear your musical interpretation Kevin.

[rbowser-]

Neat topic.

"Dorian" was a "Some day project," since I wrote the first version in the mid 1980's, then let it lay fallow for many years - I kept thinking "some day" I would brush off the dust and dig in to the project of re-writing it. I finally did just that, spending several years in editing, writing new songs, orchestrating the whole thing, and then getting the revised show on the boards.

Here's another "some day project" less likely to ever be completed. I really enjoy the Gilbert and Sullivan shows. Two years ago now, I did an instrumental recording of the entire score to "H.M.S. Pinafore" (posted some clips from it here in The Listening Room). That recording was done just as it appears in the Dover edition of Sir Arthur's original full orchestration - It was done with GPO exclusively.

Previous to that, years ago, I recorded full instrumental soundtracks for both "The Pirates of Penzance" and "The Mikado." Those were done with hardware synths, and I adapted the scores in a slightly irreverent, modernized way.

The "Some day project" would be to record full scores to the other 12 shows Gilbert and Sullivan wrote. The three I've finished have been used by theatre groups and schools all over the world in their productions. It would be fun if I had the entire G&S catalog available for groups wanting to do more than just the 3 most famous of these fun English light operas.

But "Pinafore" took me a full year to record - I really can't afford that kind of time commitment again to this kind of project. Ah well. There's NEW music to create.

EDIT: Some of you may get a kick out of seeing my newest You Tube video which is a promotion for my G&S soundtracks. I used bits of the silent movie footage Ken found for the current movie challenge--you can see it by clicking the title below:

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM7CjCUrz9w)--video demo

Randy

[Raymond62]

Someday, I will look back to all those years of "making music" and thinking: "yes, it was good, enough and satisfying". But then I will be about 90-years old, still 25 years to go.

Raymond

[BenNichols]

Mine is to write the perfect piece of music. For every style and genre....better get cracking...

[snorlax]

Unfortunately, for the last year or so, since the flood wasted the lower part of our house, almost ALL musical projects have become "someday" projects.;)As many of us in our town found out, the effects of these disasters linger on long after the physical damage gets as cured as it can get. Re-adjusting to a "normal" life takes effort that I hadn't imagined...we got so used to being in one another's hair that we can't get used to the freedom & extra room...:wow: Things like floods affect not only buildings, but also how people relate to one another.

It's also still odd when I want to consult a book or score I had owned for 20 years and now find it missing. My loss inventory was quite incomplete!

So...between playing so much with the quintet and brass choir, keeping a day job, being a spouse/parent, and (still) trying to get everything righted after the flood, most all non-essential musical projects have become "someday" projects.

I gotta close by saying it was great to have you ladies and gentlemen of the forum and SUNDAY ROGUE SNORCHAT available while all this flooding, operations, and recovering was going on!! ;)

[C J Pro]

One "Someday Project" I have is a small company I've been planning on starting. It's kind of my way of combining all of my interests into a job I would love to do. The only issue is that, with it being the field of web-based media, it requires a good bit of bandwidth. Unfortunately, Penn State restricts our bandwidth to 4 GB per week which those of us attending the school and are headed for computer science will be worried about due to the need to download and upload course material and assignments. It looks like this project will have to wait until I leave Penn State and have paid back a good chunk of my $100,000 debt before I can start into it.

Another project I have is one I am working on right now. I always found Facebook and MySpace lacking, so I always wanted to make my own social networking site. Recently, I decided to actually go forward with the idea and am aiming to open the site by the time I leave for Penn State in August.

[Pierre Laroche]

Someday I will have a "Someday Project." ;)

[June-Bug-Dan]

I think my 'Someday Project' has always been writing a piece good enough to be played by real musicians:)(Not that Gary's software isnt GREAT which it is;), but live muscians will always win over software in my opinion)

Im working towards this project and hopefuly it will happen someday soon.

~Dan.