I called Martha Stewart a while back and told her that what she really needed to do was to invite Rufus Wainwright onto her show. In fact, why not the whole family. So I was thrilled to find that she followed through on it. Here’s what turned out, in two parts. (And don’t play them at the same time.) You also will see a very healthy and happy looking Kate McGarrigle, Rufus’s mom.

[A letter that Paul Chihara sent to faculty and student composers about Homer in Cyberspace. He asked me to put it on the blog which I'm happy to oblige.]

HOMER IN CYBERSPACE

The great Prussian general von Clausewitz once said: “At times the utmost audacity is the highest wisdom.” This applies, in my opinion, in composition as well. Nothing is worse than safe, academically correct music. And nothing more thrilling than to see someone take chances (big chances) in musical theater. Well, there is nothing safe about Roger Bourland’s HOMER IN CYBERSPACE, now showing at MacGowen Auditorium on the UCLA campus. Roger’s work is audacious, outrageous, and irreverent. It is also very beautiful, moving, and richly lyric. One of its songs, reprised in Act II, is a show stopper and a heart-breaker “I Used to be Beautiful.” HOMER crosses all sorts of lines: musical (from Rock to contemporary classical), gender, historical, theatrical, and philosophical. And it is a lot of fun, performed by an attractive and talented cast who can sing, dance, and act.

Just think: Roger is our department chairman! What fun, to have such a risk-taker at our helm! Don’t miss it, and be inspired to take your own risks!

Paul Chihara

Dear Sister Alex Shapiro has tagged me in a game of e-tag with the following meme:

Oy––

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Here is my quote, taken from Aaron A. Fox’s REAL COUNTRY:

Hoppy’s conclusion powerfully emphasized this point. Drawing on a trope that is yet another of the myriad parallels between country music song texts and working-class verbal art, Hoppy completed his narrative with a sudden “freezing” of temporality in a lyric image of time as a cycle of perpetual, predictable return. Here, as always, Sam eventually finds himself “eating off the same table” after a woman has ditched him.

Tag to my father, my brother Andy, my brother Peter, Andy’s wife Jeanne, and Elijah.

Those that know, know.
Those that don’t, don’t.

[James Merrill to RB during a recording session.]

“Anything following the word ’should’ is usually bullshit.”

Rev. Michael Lafferty

[I guess this means we shouldn't say "should."]

Bourland’s Studio; photo by Graham Streeter

[Today, I turn this post over to Graham Streeter, the director of the film I'm scoring, Cages. Below his post is a Quicktime video of an excerpt from the film. There are no sound effects or dialog in this copy, but we decided it was a good idea to give a little peak into a work in progress. The mix of the music is still rough, but you'll get the idea. Put on headphones or plug in your good computer speakers. This is what I've been up to most of my days of late.]

Taking the Pill

The only draw back to being a filmmaker is that you never really get to experience the film the way an outsider does. I’m always at awe when I experience a film that touches me. Being a writer/director, I become far too close to experience the film the way others would. I guess that’s the price you pay for being the one who offers to tell the story. Although I feel I totally understand the feelings and sensations I have created on screen, it is fair to say my vision and experience becomes progressively tainted and slanted, frame by frame, as I try to shut out my own memory bank of shooting, directing, editing the film, an experience that equates to thousands of playbacks in my head. I guess like any profession, when we stand too close, we simply cannot absorb the real picture. I have always said I would love to have someone invent a pill that film makers can take so that they can purge all information, all details, all back stories from their brain so they too can sit in a theatre and experience their work the way a stranger will see. The pill doesn’t exist. And I will continue to make films regardless.

But today was like taking that pill. Since making our 115 minute director’s cut , we have made a theatrical cut, edited by the talented Sandra Torres and the gracious guidance of Splice Inc. in Hollywood. The new 90 minute version of Cages is blessed with complete original music score by Roger Bourland. Today I sat in Roger’s studio and he shared with me his newest creations for the film. It transported me onto a rollercoaster that I had never rode before. I felt new emotions and had spontaneous thoughts that I’d never imagined in the past. His music took me on a journey to which I was unfamiliar with the road it would travel. I even cried. May be it was the day I was having, maybe it was the scene… Maybe it was in sheer gratitude for having such a talented artist contribute to the collaborative efforts of this simple story about the human condition. Today I was able to see Cages for the first time. I had taken that pill.

Graham Streeter, Director

Notes about this excerpt:

In this scene, the grandfather, Tan (Mako), and his blind grandson Jonah go to the songbird competition to prepare and find the right spot to place their bird. Earlier, Tan tells Jonah that it’s a “gut feeling” where to place the bird. So you’ll see Jonah “looking” around for the right place to put his bird. Throughout this scene, there is a cacophonous sound of birds over the music.

On the boat ride home, Jonah, who is happy to be bonding with his grandfather tries to snuggle up to him. Tan fears that the onlookers will get the wrong idea and pushes Jonah away. The music heard faintly in the strings is the same theme that Jonah will compose later as a concert pianist and composer, a theme that reminds him of certain moments in his childhood, like this one. (RB)

“Beliefs, once acquired, have a kind of inertia in that there is a preference to alter them as little as possible. There is a tendency to reject evidence or ideas that are inconsistent with current beliefs, particularly if they undermine central beliefs; this is known as the principle of conservatism.”

[from “Six Impossible Things before Breakfast: The Evolutionary Origins of Belief” by Lewis Wolpert; (2006) Faber & Faber, London.

Isn’t it this unfortunate stubbornness that has killed so many people in the name of belief?

“I’d rather work with a willing amateur than a bored whore.”

[Composer Mel Powell to his student, Les Thimmig in a private lesson in the Yale composition program, ca. 1968.]

As with any exercise program, discuss the R4YL! plan with your doctor before you get started. Don’t jump ahead. This is a progressive program. Start where you are. Learn the difference between actions that are productive and those that are destructive. An injury can stop you in your tracks. Respect your fitness level; don’t think you need to impress anyone with how much or how little you are lifting. These baby steps are the building blocks for achieving our goals.

Be careful. Honor your progress, at whatever pace you proceed. Start with little changes. Living a healthy lifestyle does not come over night. It is overwhelming to do everything all at one time. If you are truly interested in achieving a more healthy way of life, a stronger body, increased energy, peaceful attitude, independence, and balance, START. Start this second. Start with one big breath. Start with one positive thought, one good stretch, one short walk, one dance in your room, one nutritious meal, one tiny vitamin, and one step will lead to another.

Teresina with Midge and Rudy

If you go to the gym, or to a fitness class, good for you! Great! Don’t stop. R4YL! will enhance what you are already doing, provide an increase in metabolism, and act as a substitute on the days you miss sessions.

On the other hand, for those of you looking for something different, or are not doing anything at all, consider a “gym” in your own home or apartment in a space that can be as small as 2 x 3. R4YL! can make any small space your own personal home gym. Everything you need is very affordable and simple. Most importantly, you can be finished with your workout in the time that it would take you just to travel to the gym.

R4YL! is possible because of the stationary bicycle. “Stationary” doesn’t really describe how we approach this marvelous machine. Most other fitness machines only offer repetitive motion. R4YL! allows for more freedom of movement. This allows us to specifically target a variety of muscle groups: biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, and chest, leaving no room for monotony. And, working in this so-called stationary position, R4YL! can guide you to fitness in ten minutes of an intense, safe, and metabolism-building workout. In as much space as a bike takes (mine fits on a 2ft.x 3ft mat), we will create your own personal gym. You will work, ride, breathe, live, laugh, cry and transform in this personal space created by you, for you!

Prices for a stationary bicycle range from quite inexpensive to several thousand dollars. Or, get one at a garage sale, or in your local classified ads. The bike takes up minimal space, and requires little, if any, maintenance. There is no need for expensive sneakers, clothing, or equipment. The bike might be dangerous if you fall off, so small children shouldn’t be left unattended, but besides that, it is virtually stress free!

If you are regaining your strength, recovering in some way, or pregnant, or elderly, check with your doctor; the bike is very likely at the top of the list! Next to swimming, the bike comes in at a close second as the safest, yet most intense workouts you can have. R4YL! is an excellent way to heal and restore.

When choosing a bike, make sure the seat is comfortable. If you have hemorrhoids, try special cushions, or consult your physician in extreme cases.

I prefer upright bikes as they allow for more movement and require the torso to work harder. But if you already have a recumbent bike, by all means, use that.

The movement required of the knee in bike riding keeps the patella (knee cap) smooth. In my knee, the cartilage damage is so extensive, that my orthopedic surgeon cannot believe I am not crawling into his office. But riding for my life has not only kept me lean, it has strengthened the surrounding muscles and kept my knee strong and flexible. Along with swimming, cycling is the best way to keep your knees, butt and legs in shape, without bulking them up. Guys, if you want big legs, you will need to also hit the weights.

When sitting on the bike you do not want the leg fully extended. The rotation of the pedals should be smooth, not jerky. Always be aware of your rotation. Do not let your legs lock or buckle. Take the time to find the correct seat placement. You may find after riding regularly, you will need to adjust the seat again. As your body slims up and gets leaner, you may need additional room. This is a great sign!

© 2006 Teresina Sullo