24 March 2012
by Bill Parsons
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West End In the west end of Winnipeg where Sturgeon Creek and the Assinaboine river meet you’ll find St. James. I wrote this piece in 1994, shortly after completing my Masters at Simon Fraser University. Chuck Samuels created a video … Continue reading
21 January 2012
by Bill Parsons
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(still image: Chuck Samuels) Translating Grace The fourth large project I am involved with is Grace, a soon to be released CD by Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan. Back in 2005 I was commissioned to compose a piece for the Sundanese … Continue reading
3 January 2012
by Bill Parsons
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Portrait Photography The phenomenon of genius discovery after the fact is Mike Disfarmer’s story. From a small town in Arkansas he was a curious man who photographed his community. His portraits remind me of Diane Arbus. There’s an odd story … Continue reading
31 December 2011
by Bill Parsons
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LOOPING Looping is a technique I have often used when composing. It involves repeating or “looping” musical materials, such as a melodic phrase, a texture, or a chord progression. The term “loop” comes from early electronic composition where a piece … Continue reading
7 December 2011
by Bill Parsons
3 Comments
Active Life “If you’re not having fun, you’re doing something wrong.” – Groucho Marx I am creating four large projects: a lessons website, a dvd, a cd, and a novel. All of them are progressing well but it makes for … Continue reading
28 October 2011
by Bill Parsons
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Timar/Parsons An upcoming performance I am doing with Andrew Timar is a part of the 416 Toronto Creative Improvisers Festival. Here is a sample of what we sound like. To hear us in a recent performance at Electric Eclectic … Continue reading
7 June 2011
by Bill Parsons
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Many cafés boast but few deliver. In Paris, the coffee is fine, generally okay. A café noisette is espresso with enough hot milk to give it an almond color. When in Paris, this is how I take it. I have … Continue reading
13 January 2011
by Bill Parsons
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In yesterday’s post Rain, as snow fell the introduction uses “Korean Unison”. I associate the term with the American composer John Cage, who wrote Evergreen Club a piece called Haikai which uses Korean unison. I am not sure where the … Continue reading
12 January 2011
by Bill Parsons
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This version of Rain has the rhythm section in 3 supporting an 11-bar structure in 4/4. In another Rain post you’ll find the score.
25 November 2010
by Bill Parsons
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Here is a recent class performing my composition/arrangement Everywhere Rain. See post.