I have nothing else to say on this that he doesn’t say. All I know is that he has hit the nail on the head several times these past few weeks and really has had me thinking about my life and how I lead it, my business and how I run it.

The project is definitely worth a look, if nothing else than to see the flash file on the home page that draws each section simultaneously. There is also a section within the site that displays certain pieces, large-scale, as they are drawn.

I don’t have much to say about it, aside from the fact that the coinage was developed through an open contest that received 4000 entries from 500 people. The winner? A 26-year-old graphic designer named Matthew Dent. (There’s a Times Online article about the competition available, too.) If that isn’t inspiration, I don’t know what is. The coins are beautiful to see and the shapes themselves make me wish I lived in Britain so I could spend these post-haste. Instead I live in a country that honestly believes one and two-dollar bills are acceptable. (Though I suppose we haven’t printed two-dollar bills in a number of years.)

The end of the linked article also has a link to a quip comparing the new coinage to the US reconfiguration of the five-dollar bill. It’s as obvious as the bureaucratic conglomeration it represents. Sad.

If you’re shopping early for my birthday, the Royal Mint offers some nice commemorative packages in affordable (and not so affordable) price ranges.

One of the musicologists here, Dr. Robert Fallon, gave a presentation on the piece before the performance. He presented interesting information regarding the creation of the piece and some of Messiaen’s life in the PoW camp (even at one point alluding to Hogan’s Heroes).

No offense meant to my colleague, but the real highlight was the performance itself. I have heard much music during my tenure here, but the performers today created one of the best performances I have ever heard. It seemed as though the architect designed the space for this quartet. Given that the performance took place in the atrium of a library, with all the typical library activities continuing around it, I never felt distracted from the performance. From the beginning, the performers captured my attention and would not let it go, and I am thankful they did.

A particularly touching moment happened during the fifth movement. That movement is the cello/piano duet, and I felt that the two performers captured the essence of the music. The cellist played with assurance and a gentleness and yet intense passion I feel is necessary for that movement. The movement haunted me and I believe will stay with me forever. The artistry shown in that movement surpasses nearly every duet performance I have heard at this University. Either of those performers, if they choose to continue with their art, will become successful chamber musicians. Given their relative youth, there is much more excitement possible from them.

Sprung navigated the clarinet solo with just the right touch. It never felt hurried or slowed. I never felt uncomfortable when I shouldn’t (there are three notes that are particularly chilling where the clarinetist plays from the softest volume to the loudest that, I feel, are meant to be uncomfortable).

The only movement that felt weak to me was the eighth. Even being weak, it still was of a high calibre and did not detract from the performance. I felt that it could have moved a little more slowly and still been effective, and perhaps been more so. I’m not sure the technical faculties of the violinist would have allowed the slower tempo, but musically I feel she could have accomplished it.

Overall, I felt satisfied with this performance. I felt fulfilled and happy to have taken the time in the middle of the day to leave campus and hear it. I hope the performers feel the same and will continue their progress and sharing of their art. Performers and performances like these are what make being a composer such a worthwhile life.

UPDATE: Coincidentally, today happens to be Good People Day, at least as promoted by Gary Vaynerchuk. Check out his video rant about why we need to praise people. What apropos timing!

If we’re all going to be disagreeing more, we should be careful to do it well. What does it mean to disagree well? Most readers can tell the difference between mere name-calling and a carefully reasoned refutation, but I think it would help to put names on the intermediate stages.

He then presents six types of disagreement from simple name calling to actual refutation of central points. It is a well-thought article and merits reading by anyone who enters into discussions or arguments. The article is geared toward written word, but it also can be used in speaking. It may not be as easy to apply as quickly, but I think we can all appreciate the different levels of verbal communication.

I think the important thing about disagreements is to realize you are disagreeing and that disagreements are o.k. They aren’t the end of a discussion or any relationship (from strictly business through death-do-us-part). They provide, sometimes, needed stimulus to bring conflict to the forefront and often lead to resolutions that make the discussion more interesting or the relationship more secure and fruitful.

I look forward to disagreements in my life. Usually that means I will be learning something. I still recall an incident from almost a decade ago that really opened my eyes to a new way of thinking. It managed to steer my musical development in a new direction that ultimately led to my personal style. Was I upset when the disagreement first started? You bet. But I managed to keep an open mind and continue the engagement of discussion on a healthy level. I think we all can do this if we strive hard enough. It’s important to keep the flow of communication open and to trust that everyone involved wants the best for everyone at heart. It’s sometimes a big leap of faith, but a leap worth taking every time.

• Tenebrae Service
• Holy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Easter Vigil

I don’t plan on discussing Easter morning services because it’s actually a fairly standard Sunday Mass. There is generally a brass quintet or other added musicians and obviously the hymns are all Easter oriented, but after Holy Week and Triduum the Easter morning Mass is fairly normal for everyone.