Hi everyone! I want to start off by saying thank you for following my music and my newsletters. I want to apologize for not being consistent with my newsletters and updates, but I assure you that I am remaining busy and productive! I have a lot of plans I am working on, and I’m super excited to share them with you in the coming days! To make up for the missed newsletters, I have written one longer blog to discuss everything I have been doing since my last post on August 2nd and some important life updates and announcements.
across the dales
It has been a long and exhausting journey with my epic fantasy story: “Across the Dales.” I have been working on the music since 2021 and the script since 2017. This story has gone through so many revisions and overhauls that, according to my friends and family who have followed the progression of this story, it is nearly unrecognizable compared to the very first draft. This is okay, though, as the story has improved, and I can proudly say that I have finally completed the final draft (or at least the closest thing to it until someone finds another flaw I have to fix). If you’re interested in reading the script, I have updated the download link to include the most recent version of the story. I’ve also provided the script here!
As far as music goes, I am happy to say that I am making significant progress in completing the soundtrack. I only have less than a handful left to write, and I’m working on them diligently.
Storyboarding Across the Dales:
This Fall Semester marks my last semester in college as I work towards earning my Bachelor’s Degree. I’ve decided to push myself to the highest degree by creating a 2-hour story-boarded video featuring the script and the (soon to be) completed soundtrack. My goal is to truly convey the vision I’ve been striving to bring to life to my peers, friends, family, and followers! This storyboard video will also serve as a powerful anchor presentation for when I go to pitch my story to investors, studios, artists, and directors, with the hopes of turning “Across the Dales” into a feature-length animated film. I am thrilled with all the progress I’ve made and can genuinely see the completion of this story on the horizon.
Vanity’s Tomb:
The piece I am currently working on right now is called “Vanity’s Tomb.” I have uploaded a temporary concept onto my mostly dormant SoundCloud account since my web builder won’t let me post audio natively in this blog. Below is another document showcasing the poem that the choir will sing to. It’s coming along nicely, and I’m super excited about it!
Wrap Up:
To wrap up my news on the progress of Across the Dales, I am working with wonderful illustrators to help make concepts for my characters and bring them to life! I have nothing to show at the moment but hopefully they will be ready in time for the storyboard!
Village After Homebound:
The most recent piece I’ve completed is titled “Village after Homebound” (title subject to change). This serves as the ending credits theme and plays a crucial role in helping me achieve my goal of finishing the soundtrack and establishing a foundation for writing the climax piece, which I have yet to compose. In this piece, we follow the main character, Phoenix, as he finally escapes from Hell and makes his way back home.
The pieces I have yet to write are :
– Village Calamity
– Lanterns (Rewrite)
– Theostru Calamity
– The Gate of Dalefell
– Stringing background music that connects these pieces
Recent Chamber Composition:
Songbirds:
As is the case with many of my music compositions, “Vanity’s Tomb” spent about 5 years in my composing trash bin. Initially, I had intended it to be the credits theme for the “Across the Dales” story, but the motifs didn’t align with the evolving script and other pieces in the OST. Therefore, I made the decision to discard the orchestration and instead transformed it into a beautiful chamber work for a Woodwind Quartet.
Friends over the Horizon:
I had written an arrangement of the 80’s pop song famously performed by Dionne Warwick called “That’s What Friends Are For.” I composed this arrangement on MuseScore3 back in 2014 when I was a sophomore in high school. I had the arrangement up for a while, but I received warnings from professionals that I might be at risk of facing copyright claims on my site and YouTube channel. Additionally, I realized that it could affect my brand image of creating wholly original musical works. Therefore, I made the decision to remove the music from my listings, but it can still be found in my archives on YouTube. I didn’t want to discard the work I had put into the arrangement, so I channeled my inner John Williams and creatively repurposed the material, making it my own.
A New Complex Toy
For my birthday (which was at the end of August), my mother gifted me the Introductory Artist version of Studio One, which is a music Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software for those who are unfamiliar. This is a powerful software capable of creating everything you hear in professional movies, but I have no idea how to use it yet. Perhaps someday I’ll be able to master this software and provide you all with new and exciting digital soundscapes created in this behemoth of a software.
StaffPad Competition:
For those who remember from my last newsletter back in July, I hosted the first competition for StaffPad within the Facebook Group: StaffPad User Group. This competition was a success, and I selected a winner. If you’re interested in hearing the winning music, you can check out their video.
If you use StaffPad, I encourage you to join our Facebook Group. With the new update that rolled out, I’ll be hosting the next competition soon. I haven’t decided if I plan to make this a regular section in my newsfeed, considering this blog is about my musical journey, but I wanted to follow up on how that competition went, and you can view the winner’s work on their channel.
Sometime down the line, I intend to gather the footage created during the StaffPad Competition launch and repurpose it, along with edited footage, to create my first YouTube channel introduction video. I’ll get around to this eventually, but expect it to show up on my YouTube Channel and Website before the end of the year, as I’ll need to collaborate with my fellow film peers, given that I have no idea how to use Davinci Resolve.
A New Venture:
I was fortunate to find a Discord channel where I could be paired up with potential indie developers and gain my first experiences in commissioned composing. While I am not at liberty to disclose the details of the project just yet, I can at least share a concept of the main theme. As soon as I have more information, I will be sure to keep you informed!
I’m also working on a commission project for an animated indie TV show in Unreal Engine. Well, I should say that I completed this concept a few weeks ago, and the project has since gone inactive. I hope that it eventually turns into something, but if not, then I’ll repurpose the piece into something else. Since I haven’t signed any agreements yet, I guess we shall see how this venture unfolds.
Senior Recital:
My senior recital is scheduled for December 9th, and I will be livestreaming it on my YouTube channel. I will provide ample notice once the exact time is confirmed, as I’m currently waiting for my time slot to be approved by the music department. I’m working diligently on organizing the performers for this recital, and, of course, I am also working on the “Across the Dales” storyboard, which will be livestreamed separately on the same day. The timing for this is also to be determined.
The following pieces will be performed live this coming December 9th:
A digital only piece currently a work in progress; TBD.
A New Chapter of Life on the Horizon:
I have been living in Idaho for some time now and I have wanted to slow down and make a life here, and I have been more than greatful for the oppertunities and training provided for me at my current company, however I fear for my financial stability and my family are pushing me to return back east to live closer to them.
This Christmas, my present from Santa will be my Bachelor’s Degree, my Certificate in Business Management, and the completion of one of the most challenging periods of my life. While I have not made any decisions yet, I have been considering new ventures in Chicago, Illinois. While I am not entirely sure why I am drawn there, I’m actively weighing options between staying in Idaho and seeking a new life in the historical city. My goal is to pay off my debts and continue pursuing my passion for music in a place where music thrives.
For those of you who may not be familiar, I have numerous ideas, plans, and ventures that I’ve set in motion. Right now, it feels like I’ve thrown them all up in the air, and I’m eagerly waiting for one of them to land so I can wholeheartedly chase after it.
As of right now, my primary goal is to complete school, which ends for me on December 9th, and I plan to move on the morning of December 10th. I know it’s a relatively short timeframe considering I don’t have anything lined up yet. However, once I secure work in Chicago, my next step is to take certification courses in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). After that, I aim to make the leap from Chicago to Japan, where I’ll be teaching English and using the income to fund my sabbatical. During this sabbatical, I intend to deeply immerse myself in studying Japanese culture, language, and, most importantly, their traditional music.
Japan boasts a rich musical history that I believe can greatly contribute to my journey toward becoming a professional industry composer and standing out in the crowded field. While nothing is guaranteed, I have a clear direction I am moving towards and am excited about the possibilities ahead.
Special Thanks:
I want to conclude this newsletter by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has followed me on my journey thus far. As we step into the autumn season, a time when we gather indoors to escape the colder climate, it’s a season of community, building relationships, and giving thanks to each other.
While it may be a bit early for me to say this, I want to convey my sincere thanks for your unwavering support. I share this now because this semester will likely be one of my most demanding yet. I am juggling commissions, preparing for two senior recitals, and facing the uncertainty of employment as I embark on a new chapter in Chicago and prepare for an extended sabbatical in Japan.
I apologize for not being consistent with my newsletters, but I hope this blog has provided some insight into what I’m currently working on. I intend to resume my usual monthly blogs in the new year, as creating these blogs certainly takes time – time that I should be dedicating to ensuring the success of my final days as a student.
I eagerly anticipate seeing you all during my recital, and I will post another blog and make announcements on social media to ensure it is well publicized in advance. I look forward to regular news updates in January of 2024!
*This is a reconstruction and reupload. Original article posted October 3rd, 2023