Rick Crittenden: Journal

The video and mp3 recordings are now up for you to check out. As mentioned before, they are to be found at the Cascadia Composers site, but now, they are also available on the music page of this site.

The recent performances of my "Five Variations for String Quartet" were captured by Dan Senn and are now posted on the Cascadia Composers web site. www.cascadiacomposers.org

I'm working on a piece for electric guitar quartet.  At least, I'm thinking about it.  The piece is in the beginning stage of planning.  This means deciding the main qualities...length, when major events happen (within the timeline), and specifying the characteristics of the sections and their relation to each other.

This is scheduled to be performed in the Los Angeles area sometime in Jan. 2011.

The National Association of Composers-Cascadia Chapter has selected one of my early string quartet pieces for inclusion in the 2010 Fall Concert in October.  It's a short 6-7 minute piece comprised if 5 very short movements.  The form was intends to be focus on the various tonal qualities and articulations available from the instruments.

More details later.

I am just now finishing a composition for a rather unique ensemble...Saxophone choir and Harp!

Six saxophones from bass sax to sopranino with the orchestal grand harp.  This has been a challenging and fun project.   I intend to continue writing for this ensemble since it offers such rich textural possibilities.

The current piece (which isn't named yet), will be performed in Los Angeles CA on March 23rd as part of the West Coast Composers Forum 5th annual concert.

On May 4th, 2009, I will be doing a presentation to Cascadia Composers. I will be discussing compositions from the Passages CD as well as current classical works and the priorities of each discipline. More info may be found at the Cascadia web site.

www.cascadiacomposers.org Go to Upcoming Events.

On March 22nd, my newest composition "Impromptu for Winds" will be premiered in Los Angeles as part of the West Coast Composers Furom. The concert will be held at the Don Wright Auditorium, 285 E Walnut, Pasadena CA, 91101


There are 8 other pieces being premiered. Besides myself, the composers are Peter Armetta
Charles Fernandez
John David Grab
David Leslie
Johnterryl Plumeri
Joseph Sorce
Clifford J. Tasner
T. J. Troy
Larry Williams
Ross Wright (a.k.a. Elvis Schoenberg).

The players are all top LA musicians. It should be fun! For more info, go to my contact page and send me an email.

I am excited to be starting work on the next CD project. This will be with the same musicians as were on Passages. This CD will be markedly different though. This project will be largely free improvisations in duo format with Paul McCandless, Art Lande, Glen Moore and Chris Lee. I may include some of my chamber music on the new CD, as well as possibly another thing with the incomparable, Nancy King. So, check back now and then.

I will soon have computer renditions of the three movements to "Atonement for Septet" available for download on the music page. This is the piece that was performed in Los Angeles on January 20th, 2008. Many of you have asked to hear the piece. Check back in a few days.

The new date for the West Coast Composers Forum chamber music concert in L.A. is January 20th, 2008. This coincides with the NAMM show, allowing many of my musician friends residing outside of the Northwest to check out what I've been up to.

The West Coast Composers Forum concert date has been rescheduled due to unforseen circumstances. The new timeframe is January '08. I'll post more details as they become available.

The West Coast Composer's Forum has set the date for the next concert of new works by six composers. I am writing a piece for this performance that will be held Sept. 30th at the Donald R. Wright Auditorium in L.A.

The instrumentation will be that of Stravinsky's, "L'Histoire du Soldat" and a performance of that piece is also planned.

I'm really looking forward to this project and was honored to be asked to participate. I'll post more details as they get worked out.

I have had several fans inquire as to what's up lately. I decided a couple years ago to take a break from booking gigs to study with acclaimed composer Tomas Svoboda in order to bring new influences and techniques to my music.

This experience has been very rewarding and fruitful. Eventually I will upload some clips of the string quartet pieces.

Also, I am writing music as part of a West Coast Composers Forum for a performance in Los Angeles in August 2007.

Thanks to all of you for asking. I look forward to returning to live gigs with the improvising quartet when the time is right.