Roger Bourland
writes about music and life

“Shame” from FLASHPOINT/STONEWALL (1994)
Music: Roger Bourland
Lyrics: John Hall
Chorus: Gay Men’s Chorus of LA, Jon Bailey, director
Video: Kim Paulsen
Published by Yelton Rhodes Music/Los Angeles
Alex Theatre, Glendale CA: 1994
Shame
As a a boy I was hated and called names
for being something different.
I did not understand.
I recognized the difference but could not comprehend
what that difference was.
I felt shame.
Later, [...]

“Stephen Hawking Came to Dinner” from HOMER IN CYBERSPACE
Music: Roger Bourland
Lyrics: Mel Shapiro
Bernie and La Belle Klops: Adam Carr, Julie Morgantaler
Computers sing:
Stephen Hawking came to dinner
“Boy, oh boy, he’s a winner
That boy of yours you call Sy”
So he said over pastrami and rye.
“He’s just a little mega now
But when he’s gets bigger
Whatta bigger little [...]

Over the next few months I will be phasing out my website — the fancy and beautiful site designed by Pete Connoly and Daniel Shiplacoff — and expanding my blog so that one can find the same information without having to go to the website. At this point, being alive, I prefer having a dynamic [...]

Ozma of Oz
OZMA for orchestra (1996)
Program notes for the premiere:

Ozma was commissioned by the Topeka Symphony Orchestra to commemorate their 50th anniversary as an orchestra. The tie-in to Oz and Kansas seemed a good starting point for this concert overture. I read several of the sequels to Frank L. Baum’s Wizard of Oz and was [...]

“We Mustered Out” from HOMER IN CYBERSPACE
Music by Roger Bourland
Lyrics by Mel Shapiro
We Mustered Out

Sung by all the soldiers
We mustered out
With a roar and a shout
“Get outta my way,
I got ten years back pay”
I’m practically rich
With the dough and the loot
Stuck in an old boot
A few treasures in there
For my sweetie to wear.
We mustered out
With [...]

“DreamDrag” from FLASHPOINT STONEWALL (1994)
Music: Roger Bourland
Lyrics: John Hall
Bass: Craig Wheeler
Chorus: Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles
Conductor: Jon Bailey
FLASHPOINT/STONEWALL celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, and was co-commissioned and performed by GMCLA, the Seattle Men’s Chorus, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Wash. DC, and the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus. The [...]

THREE ARIAS FOR CELLO AND PIANO
1. Cl’Airea (for Paul Reale and Claire Rydell)

2. Mount Shasta (For Mark Carlson and Charlie Swigart)

3. In Paris (for John Hall)

Ronald Leonard, cello
Antoinette Perry, piano
David Cloud, recording engineer
Schoenberg Auditorium
Music: © 1989 Yelton Rhodes Music (BMI)
Photo: © 2005 Roger Bourland “J 196″

Last night we helped Howard pack up Mike’s stuff. You saw a slide show (below) of his stuff, well, the time has come to pack it up and move it out. I was assigned the books. With Mike’s collection, there is an impressive number of metaphysical books, and specifically books on gnosticism. It seemed appropriate [...]

Penelope is exasperated by suitors urging her to remarry and forget O. She is frustrated at her husband’s complete disappearance and wishes that he would just come home.

Click to play
“Come Home” from HOMER IN CYBERSPACE
Music: Roger Bourland
Lyrics: Mel Shapiro
Soprano: Grace Wall
Trumpet: Jens Lindemann
© 2008 Roger Bourland and Mel Shapiro
Image: PENELOPE WAITING FOR ULYSSES
The patient [...]

Tellemachus and Penelope
–
In this scene, Telemachus, “Telly” is at his computer desperately trying to find his father, Odysseus (”O”).

“Finding Poppa”
–
Athena appears on one of his screens who, masquerading as a cyber-hooker on hotgodesses.com only to offer tips on where his father might be. Telly promises her to stay off the porn sites and stay true [...]