Thomas C. Lang

So, I’ve started preparing in earnest for my lecture recital.  A fabulous group of performers is joining me to bring this setting of psalms to life.  This is an early Druckman piece for mezzo, brass quintet, and two percussionists.  I’ll be conducting, something I’m very excited to do, as I haven’t conducted at a recital venue in quite some time.

Please join me if you can at Morphy Recital Hall on the UW-Madison campus in the Humanities Building at 8:30pm on 3 March 2010.  I’ll be speaking first and then we’ll be treated to a performance.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to do the traditional “read the paper” thing.  I’d rather not, but I’ll see how it goes as the date looms.

Just writing an update that last spring I passed all of the preliminary examinations, and I am now officially a dissertator.  I’ve decided to write a symphony for the DMA final project–as it is called here at UW-Madison–and will hopefully write a movement a semester, to be finished by spring 2011.  I’m planning on submitting the first movement (if, indeed, it will be the first movement, but a movement in any case) this fall for the UW Symphony Orchestra composition competition.  If it is selected, the movement will be performed in February.

Also, I’ve been working with Keith Lienert–a Madison steel pan player–and I’ll be writing a suite for solo steel pan.

Then, I’m hoping to finish up three more songs to add to Aubade for a Broken Neck–words by the talented Traci Brimhall–so that I’ll have a nice song cycle for Jen Lien.  The whole cycle should premiere in its entirety some time next spring.

Then, lastly, I might be organizing a Pierrot ensemble project with the Wisconsin Art Song Project, but I’m not entirely sure if that will be happening or not.  Early days for that, still.

Here’s to a productive start for my dissertating years!