Travis Conrad

So I started working on my elegy composition and I’ve been exploring a lot of different avenues. It has to be well composed, fluent throughout and above all, beautiful. While experimenting on the piano I stumbled upon a melody containing only five different notes, and it was just the ticket. Just the sound I’d been looking for. And it occurred to me, why not make the entire opening using a pentatonic scale?
And so I did.

This is the opening ten bars, it really sets the mood for the whole composition. And I have to say it, I really love the harp as an instrument. It’s perfect in so many ways. I could listen to harp music all day, and I’m sure one day I’ll make a playlist full of it and do just that. So yea, this is the pentatonic harp opening. So lush, I’m very happy with it.

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Off to see the Last 5 Years at the Grand tonight. Word on the street is it’s pretty good. I’m fond of Jason Robert Brown’s work for the most part. What I’ve seen of 13 I wasn’t too crazy about but I never really gave it an honest chance. But the Last 5 Years…. so good.

-Travis Conrad

P.S. Tip of the day: Don’t put zuccini… zuccini? zuchini? zucchini? zucchini….. don’t put it in soup. Adds little taste and ends up looking like pickles. #gag

Grilled swiss and avocado, with butternut squash soup. Lunch is quickly becoming my favourite meal of the day.

Sorry for the lack of updates. I’ve been a terribly blogger, but I’ve joined a self-help group about it and am working to improve a wide array of blog-related skills. Started working on a requiem type piece, starring flute and cello. I have the instrument ideas mapped out on paper, but the melody is still a mystery to me. I have a strong feeling about it.

Then there’s the musical. Remember? That thing I’ve been working on for the past two years. Oh yea, THAT musical. Dysfunction, I think that was the name of it. Guess what. DEMOS. That’s right. One song has already been recorded. It’s the almost-love song, with Cam and Charlotte, sung by my amazing friends Daniel Wheeler and Steph Savage. I’ll have that posted in a little bit. Turned out legendary. You’ll probably cry when you hear it… just saying. NBD.

So 2010 has started with wide-open floodgates. So much has gone down and it’s barely been three weeks. Stay tuned children, stay tuned.

-Travis Conrad