What has this composer done over the summer? The better question is, WHAT HAVEN'T I DONE?! Well... I haven't crashed from burnout and exhaustion, surprisingly. I haven't written my dreamlike prog-rock-influenced fanfare for wind ensemble yet [although if that's your thing, contact me and let's make it happen]. Contrastingly, I managed to somehow have an excellent vacation earlier this month with my wife. Lots of beach and sunshine.

There was also seafood. Lots. And LOTS. OF SEAFOOD.

Apart from that, lots of composing and other related projects also getting done too! So, in no particular order, here's a list of things that I've been doing this summer:

It's been a very hectic summer so far in terms of all the work I still have yet to complete. A much longer blog post will be coming in the future about some of the projects I've been working on, but in the meantime, here's a brand-new look at one of the new pieces I've written this year.

It's been a while since I've participated in this one, but I've decided to enter this year's Dallas Winds Brass Fanfare competition! This piece offers a fun and joyous tribute to the thrills of seeking adventure in familiar and/or unknown places. The title is specifically meant to be a direct reference to a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet (and yes... technically.... to a Star Trek film. Though this wasn't intentionally done on purpose or anything).

Check out a video of the score below, and if you like what you hear, purchase information will be coming soon!

The next blog post will feature some background work on a second piece I'm composing this year - a wild and raucous work for saxophone quartet and fixed-media electronics, to be premiered by the Zenith Saxophone Quartet this fall. Stay tuned!

It seems like the only times I've written on this blog is to update on changes made to the website. Don't worry, though; that's going to change! In the meantime, here is one more post on just some of the news that's happening this summer:

• This entire website has undergone major redesigning and restructuring over this semester. I'm very excited to reveal to you all these new updates. More will be coming in the future, as there's still some things that need to be tweaked.
  • The store has been completely redesigned and revamped (you'll notice there's even a shopping cart icon now!). You can check out an updated catalog here and start making purchases here.
    
• All scores and parts are now available as hard copies, but you may still request PDF's if desired. Contact me at your discretion if you prefer electronic copies, or fill out the special requests form during checkout.

Now for the big music-related project:

This summer, I'll be collaborating with Matthew Gibson (a DMA performance major in double bass at Michigan State University) on a newly-commissioned Concerto for Double Bass and Chamber Winds! I'm really excited to begin working on this new project and add a brand-new piece to the instrument's solo repertoire, which spans back to the Classical period. Matt and I have talked about some details already (instrumentation, duration, style, and all that), but there's more waiting to be discovered that we'll be beginning to explore soon.

With that in mind, I've decided to start a blog series on the concerto as I write the piece this summer. Discussions will be anywhere from progress on the concerto to brainstorming new ideas, answering questions about the piece itself, working out any particularly tricky scenarios that may come up, and so on. New posts will appear daily to weekly, depending on my progress and how much I'm able to write in a given time period. The first post will appear sometime this week or next week as an introduction to the series. Newer posts will appear later after that, occurring on a much more regular basis.

As far as the concerto goes, there will also be a piano reduction made available that I'll be creating over the summer.

That's pretty much it for now. Be on the lookout for the first post in my new blog series soon! Time for some score-studying (and maybe a glass of wine...)

• My website has now been officially upgraded and retitled! We are now located at http://joshtrentadue.com
  
• I have decided to remove all my perusal scores from Issuu due to some technical issues with the features of that program. However, all my perusal scores are now available to view and download so you can easily follow along with the audio recordings, or read them on your own time! Know that these scores are VIEWABLE ONLY, NOT PRINTABLE.
  
• Some changes are currently in the process for renting and purchasing materials through the site, but they have not been finalized as of yet. Be on the lookout for future updates!
  
• My final composition recital will be occurring at Michigan State University next month, my last one as an undergraduate student. Plans on my end are underway to include audio and video recording of the recital. A livestream will be created for all you viewers at home. In addition, plans are also underway to produce, record, and mix a CD of new music at Reo Town Recording, whom I've previously collaborated with on my upcoming EP album Neon Revolution. You can check out their Facebook page here.
  
• Some new pieces will be premiered this year, including a set of rock etudes for piano and a duet for clarinet and harp! More information to follow.

Finally, I've upgraded my workstation!! Beforehand, I've composed all of my works through computer keyboard alone (with the occasional sketch written down or coming from my mind). However, included now is a full-size weighted keyboard with MIDI capabilities, giving me the opportunity to connect a computer to it, run notation software, and write music directly from the keyboard!! This helps to make the process go much quicker and efficiently.

At least, when Mallory doesn't decide she wants to play a little number on the keyboard.

I would share the audio of the piece she played, called "Kitty Kibbles," but she holds all the copyright.

With summer in full swing, I thought it best to keep all of you updated on my current whereabouts:

1. The search for graduate schools has begun! As I approach my final year at Michigan State, I am currently looking at different Master's Degree programs offered by universities across the country.
2. For my final year at Michigan State, I will be giving my first composition recital ever! The program will feature both reprise performances of several pieces I've had the fortune of having premiered at this university, as well as a few new works standing with it. Stay tuned for future updates, and perhaps a few surprises along the way.
3. The website's blog (and the Facebook page) will be much more active than before.

And now, here is a picture of my cat, who refuses to let me score-study -

Look at that sassy face. She loves the attention.
The other cat disagrees -

Well...... Maybe she just wants all the attention too.