Another year has gone by, a new one started.

Do I feel different?

Should I feel different?

Nope.

Nope.

I still have the same problems. Just as I still have the same blessings.

It can be a motivator though,
the acknowledgement that something new is beginning
A new hope, a new revived energy, a new chance for new possibilities.

Just as it can be a reminder of past failures,
that we are getting older,
than we start feeling inadequate,
incapable of dealing with some recurrant problems, etc. etc.

Which ever way we chose to look at it,
everywhere we are reminded that it is a new year.
Every one is wishing well to one another.
It enables us to bond for a moment.
It remind us that we are in this, "together".
Faced with the same battles and viruses.
For a moment we can encourage each other.

Wishing you a Happy New Year 2010. Now, go get what's yours.

Last month I should have posted a show I did with the iMusici Orchestra. Even though I started the project back in April, it never crossed my mind to post it on my blog. Always busy with something. I'll upload some pictures and a video later.

Here's some info on the program:

http://www.imusici.com/en/pic_09.php#p2

Little penguin and the enchanted horn
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Guest: Adley Glemaud, sand artist / Conductor: Stéphane Tétreault

2 :15 pm: Pre-concert chat: Big and little secrets of a violinist

Musical Program
W.A. MozartSonate religieuse en ré majeur K 69
A. DvorakSérénade pour cordes en mi majeur, opus 22 / I. Moderato
A. Vivaldi Concerto pour cordes en la majeur, RV 158 / III. Allegro
J. HaydnDivertimento en ré majeur pour violoncelle et orchestre / I. Adagio (extrait) (arr. Piatigorsky)
A. Vivaldi Concerto pour cordes en ré mineur, RV 127 / III. Allegro
R. Chédrine Suite Carmen (d’après l’opéra de Bizet) / Second intermezzo
A. Borodine Quatuor no 2 en ré majeur, II. Scherzo / Allegro (arr. L. Drew)
B. Bartók Divertimento pour cordes / II. Molto adagio (extrait)
G. F. Haendel Water Music / Hornpipe
W. A. Mozart Sérénade pour cordes no 13 en sol majeur, " Eine Kleine Nachtmusik ", K.525 (Une petite musique de nuit) / IV. Rondo - Allegro
Ballade suédoise De tva konungadöttrarna (ballade jouée à la gemshorn soprano)
J. Brahms Danses hongroises, la cinquième
A. Vivaldi Les Quatre Saisons, l’Hiver / II. Largo

All in all, it was a fun project.
It was a pleasure to meet the musicians.
At our first rehearsal at the Conseil des Arts, I was nervous but as soon as I was introduced to the musicians I felt at home.
My heart was there

Suzanne from iMusici and I worked on the story. I came up with the idea of a little penguin that lives in the antartica with its community. Since the show was for kids, I thought there had to be a little message in it. Once the story was somewhat developped, I started drawing my storyboard by adding images to the story. As the storyboard came along, I would practice the flow and timing of the images with sand on an illuminated table at work at the National Film Board. A couple of weeks before the show I received the final draft of the story with the music we chose for the show. I wished I had more time to finalize the sand animation but the show had to go on. I was pleased with the overall show. The concert hall was full of people and all the kids were up front. At the end of the show a bunch of them came over to see my table, ask me questions, and play with the sand. Which was my favourite time of the show.

About a week before the first rehearsal with the orchestra I was so stressed. I managed to control it so it doesn't show too much, and affect those I work with at the National Film Board. I give workshops on animation films there sometimes help with other tasks. I had two other music shows in the same month. Both were different from one another. New materials to learn and practice. I hate learning new pieces by heart. I prefer reading quick charts and add my flavor. That same week I was playing at Newtown Club for a corporate christmas party. My company SSG Productions was hired to provide the entertainment. I was playing a jazzy set while the crowd mingles. I hired a DJ someone referred me to, and told him what they wanted and what i wanted to hear. I went to the dj's studio and chose some tracks the night before. I was playing with a trumpet player whom I've never met before. A young musician who goes to McGill and plays with a jazz ensemble there, he was also referred to me, because the other guy whom I hired was stuck in L.A. I panicked for about a minute, than said to myself the show must go on. One of the perks of producing events.
We played with some of the tracks I chose with the dj the night before and improvised on top of those tracks.
They were funky, groovy, loungy instrumental beats. Due to technical difficulties we played for only about an hour, but I was happy. Sweet and short. Just the way I like it. The dj finished the night and we danced till we could no longer stand. I went to a friend's place for some more fun. I was just glad that I wasn't sick the next day.

My favorite pass-time is definitely getting paid to have fun and making sure that others do too. But like most of us, I have "jobs" too.