OT: The American Discovery Symphony

[diggerfoot]

Ten years ago, on May 24, my wife and I finished our 5,000 mile walk across the country along the American Discovery Trail, to reboot our lives and her brain health in the face of cognitive decline. She improved during our journey but regressed afterwards; for the past three years she has been in hospice care here at home while I continue on as her full time caregiver.

Projects done at home help to keep caregivers sane. My biggest project was composing the American Discovery Symphony, an orchestrated travelogue and love story about our journey from 2011-2012. Practicing the music daily, set to slides from the journey, was a good way to revive an important chapter of our lives for Cindy, a la The Notebook, but I eventually got the itch to actually present it to others. The Yale Summer School of Music obliged and will premiere the symphony on May 24, the tenth anniversary of the finish.

The Music Shed in Norfolk, Connecticut is an ideal concert hall and has witnessed musical luminaries from Dvorcak to the Tokyo String Quartet. The headliner for the performance will be Rhonda Larson, Grammy winning flutist. The acclaimed Chorus Angelicus will be providing vocals. And there is, um, a certain Boneyarder playing classical and acoustic guitars.

Please find below a link to register for attending this free concert. I also will provide a link for a zoom concert featuring just live guitar with all other parts synthesized, so you can get a sense of this unique symphonic production. Please come and spread the word!

Go Huskies!
Kirk Sinclair, aka
Diggerfoot and Humanity Hiker

American Discovery Symphony Registration

American Discovery Symphony Zoom Concert

 

[JavaMan]

Ten years ago, on May 24, my wife and I finished our 5,000 mile walk across the country along the American Discovery Trail, to reboot our lives and her brain health in the face of cognitive decline. She improved during our journey but regressed afterwards; for the past three years she has been in hospice care here at home while I continue on as her full time caregiver.

Projects done at home help to keep caregivers sane. My biggest project was composing the American Discovery Symphony, an orchestrated travelogue and love story about our journey from 2011-2012. Practicing the music daily, set to slides from the journey, was a good way to revive an important chapter of our lives for Cindy, a la The Notebook, but I eventually got the itch to actually present it to others. The Yale Summer School of Music obliged and will premiere the symphony on May 24, the tenth anniversary of the finish.

The Music Shed in Norfolk, Connecticut is an ideal concert hall and has witnessed musical luminaries from Dvorcak to the Tokyo String Quartet. The headliner for the performance will be Rhonda Larson, Grammy winning flutist. The acclaimed Chorus Angelicus will be providing vocals. And there is, um, a certain Boneyarder playing classical and acoustic guitars.

Please find below a link to register for attending this free concert. I also will provide a link for a zoom concert featuring just live guitar with all other parts synthesized, so you can get a sense of this unique symphonic production. Please come and spread the word!

Go Huskies!
Kirk Sinclair, aka
Diggerfoot and Humanity Hiker

American Discovery Symphony Registration

American Discovery Symphony Zoom Concert

Very impressive and very touching testament, @diggerfoot. I have followed your journey with your bride over the past few years based on your posts here. If I lived in your area I would be there for the concert.

I remember almost daily my Mother's challenging Alzheimer's journey. It still brings tears to my eyes even though she left us 20 years ago. Prayers and good wishes for your wife and family and you. Godspeed.

 

[Bigboote]

Will the performance be recorded (some of us live some distance away)?

I saw a world premiere today — a piece by Jessica Hunt commissioned for the 60th anniversary of the Annapolis Symphony. I’m loving the attention being paid to women and minority composers. I’m hoping it leads to a bigger fan base for our orchestras. In our early 60’s, my wife and I are consistently among the youngest attendees. Except for today, lots of young’uns there for Mothers’ Day.

Good on you for the trip, the symphony, and caring for your wife. My mother is in the advanced stages. Heartbreaking.

 

[diggerfoot]

Will the performance be recorded (some of us live some distance away)?

I saw a world premiere today — a piece by Jessica Hunt commissioned for the 60th anniversary of the Annapolis Symphony. I’m loving the attention being paid to women and minority composers. I’m hoping it leads to a bigger fan base for our orchestras. In our early 60’s, my wife and I are consistently among the youngest attendees. Except for today, lots of young’uns there for Mothers’ Day.

Good on you for the trip, the symphony, and caring for your wife. My mother is in the advanced stages. Heartbreaking.

There ate plans to film it and made available, though it won’t be livestreamed.

 

[Boreifs]

Will the performance be recorded (some of us live some distance away)?

I saw a world premiere today — a piece by Jessica Hunt commissioned for the 60th anniversary of the Annapolis Symphony. I’m loving the attention being paid to women and minority composers. I’m hoping it leads to a bigger fan base for our orchestras. In our early 60’s, my wife and I are consistently among the youngest attendees. Except for today, lots of young’uns there for Mothers’ Day.

Good on you for the trip, the symphony, and caring for your wife. My mother is in the advanced stages. Heartbreaking.

50 years ago, the youngest attendees were in their 60s. Going to the opera, ballet and symphony has always been something that American audiences discover later in life. It’s not like that in Europe. At the Easter Fest in Salzburg this year, there were plenty of young and middle age attendees in the audience. It was quite gratifying to see that I was, at 74, one of the oldest in the audience.

 

[diggerfoot]

Just bumping this for the first of two times before May 24.

 

[diggerfoot]

Last bump. Symphony is tomorrow. Sunday’s rehearsal went well.