Kona, day 25

Surprisingly, N95 masks arrived in the mail from an order I thought I’d cancelled.  Straight from China (only 2 weeks after originally ordering!).  Took those masks out for a test run for the few things we need to get through the remaining few days (Peet’s Coffee!), and a few little trinkets. 

3am wakeups are the norm now, followed by a 30’ nap at 7.  That’s been the routine for about 4 days now, and I wonder if that’ll continue when we finally get back to Gvl.  Would prefer not.

A nice treat arrived in email, as a couple in the Detroit area sent a home recording of On Balance.  That was written for a festival in Amherst, MA in 2013, to be played by a duo of pre-professional violinists.  Never heard the premiere, nor a few other performances that have happened in the NY area.  In the fall of ’17 I was contacted by a group in Ukraine that wanted to do it as a violin/cello duo, so I made an arrangement and, I’m told, the performance of that went off successfully—haven’t yet heard that, either.

So, hearing these very fine players, Ran Cheng (can’t find an active link) and Eliot Heaton, put together a scratch recording was a real treat.  They’re kind enough to share that recording to get some feedback before doing a final take.  It’s a home recording, just made with the equipment they have on hand, so the recording itself is just ok; but their playing is very fine, indeed.  I really look forward to their response to my comments, musically or otherwise, to seeing how they make this little <5′ piece their own, and to hearing their final version. I’m so happy to have been connected with them.

This is a part of the ACA “Shelter Recordings” project, and Ran and Eliot are able to take on this duet as their sheltering together as a couple.  Another piece, Anima/Animus for marimba solo, is being taken on by Chris Nappi.  As I wrote it for Chris, and it has yet to be premiered, this will be a great opportunity for he and I to work out the kinks in prep for the recording.  He’s suggested there won’t be edits/corrections needed, but that’d be a first in my experience, so I’m definitely looking forward to hearing his thoughts and making adjustments as needed.