Review!

I had a very lovely review written today by the good folks at Timber and Steel! Check it out :)

Here are some little snippets from the gig at the Gaelic Club last friday.

I look forward to playing there again!

Cpt. Jack

This ought to stave you off until I finish my other blog post.

Lovely love

So, you ask, what important things have I been doing that have been keeping me away from my blogging duties?

Getting married! That's what. And here for your viewing pleasure is proof.

Photo by Ryan Howes

Photo by Nina Kourea

My beautiful wedding shoes from Wittner

My beautiful bridesmaids wearing corsets from Gallery Serpentine with skirts printed and made ourselves.

The girls again, showing off their handmade gloves, necklaces, capelets and smiles. Their fans are from A Bit Shady.

The groom and his groomsmen, wearing bow-ties "built" by the groom.

The boys in the scene of our ceremony. The items and furniture came from our house and the frames from Retro Wombat.

My Dad walking with me down the aisle. Doesn't he look dapper?

My bouquet/parasol, from A Bit Shady.

Our first picnic as a married couple. We remember the important things.

If you'd like to know what he's reading me, it's Plato's Republic. Very romantic!

Having our portraits taken

The reception!

Everyone grooving to some old time swing

The moment everyone was waiting for: The Dance

That's right, we learnt a tango. We had so much fun learning to dance with Doug from Danceworld

And a costume change! Why have 1 dress, when you can have 2?

A moment with my new husband x

One of our beautiful photographers Nina Kourea

And another, the talented Tamara Elkins

Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Honeyfund; a gift registry for our honeymoon!

Thank you to everyone who made it such a special day, we had so much fun deciding, designing, making and philosophising the day until it became absolutely ours. Our beautiful venue Ravensthorpe was wonderful and all their staff are so lovely. With so many talented and generous friends, we had a fleet of photographers in tow, as well as a string quartet + harmonium.

After giving it much thought we decided not to have a legal ceremony, opting instead for an autonomistic marriage. We wrote the ceremony and vows ourselves and had a dear family friend conduct the service, which was a beautiful finishing touch.

Don't worry - this isn't the last you'll hear of the wedding. I will have some more in depth posts on various details of the wedding. Tell me what you'd like to hear about first!

Jane

x

My own personal ASLSP performance

Organ² ASLSP is a piece for organ by John Cage written in 1987. The tempo direction (As SLow aS Possible) has been taken to the extreme by performers in Germany, who are currently undertaking a 639 year long performance of the work in St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt. They keep weights on the pedals and have a machine to keep blowing air through the pipes. Note changing becomes a big event at the church, as it would!

On my kitchen windowsill I have one of my many altered music boxes. I surreptitiously switch the combs on them to create "wonky" (and slightly creepy) versions of the well known tunes they play. This particular victim comes from a cheap wind up jewelry box (that I most unceremoniously destroyed) and has become a little stiff and rusted. It's all wound up and very occasionally will surprise me with a note or two. I think it's try to play Swan Lake...

It never fails to leave me with an "Amelie" smile, reserved only for enjoying the smaller things in life.


Jane
x

Orpheus & The Underworld - The Lost Souls

 

Gustave Dore (whose other works are also pretty amazing. You should check him out)

The Lost Souls scene (or The Shades) will be a group piece, with many people dressed in white and grey doing handkerchief juggling and other suitably ghostly circus acts through the audience. There will be a bit of a poi show going on mid-stage before Orpheus enters searching for his Eurydice.

We liked the idea of choral music for this scene, but nothing too hard, so the vocal parts have ended up being small phrases that the vocalist will improvise how long or fast to sing and repeat. This creates some lovely dissonances and destroys any sense of time or beat, creating almost a sound scape.



There was some concern that the poi people (what do you call poi people?) would struggle to co-ordinate with no beat, so I've added some piano and drums for when they appear.



If you don't hear from me in the next little while it's because I'm lost in wedding land. I will DEFINITELY post all of the lovely little things we've been creating after the glorious event.

Enjoy!

Jane
x

Greek Musings

Many apologies for being dead on the air for a little while. Wedding madness has set in! 7 weeks to go, and we are madly designing, making, writing and deciding everything for what promises to be an amazing day. I will have detailed posts on all aspects after the great event, to avoid spoiling any surprises.

In other musical news, I'm sure you're all wondering what has become of Looking For Blue. Well I have decided to spread that particular project over a bit more time. Partly to get it just right (and I will be releasing each piece as it's finished to whet your appetite) and partly as I have another exciting project that is eating up much of my time and creative thoughts.

I am pleased to announce I will be musical director and composer for a theatrical circus production of Orpheus and The Underworld to be put on by SURCAS (Sydney University Recreational Circus Arts Society). The show will run in early October in the Seymour Centre in Sydney.

For those who don't know the story of Orpheus and the Underworld, it is an ancient Greek myth. Our hero, Orpheus, is a virtuosic lyre player (to be played by a violinist) who is married to Eurydice at the beginning of the story. Tragically she is bitten by a snake at the wedding and dies. Orpheus, overcome by grief, laments on his lyre. Hermes, the greek messenger god, is so moved by his playing that he offers to help Orpheus get down to the Underworld to get her back. Orpheus makes it over the River Stix and past Cerberus (the giant 3-headed dog) to get to Hades. Hades refuses to release Eurydice, but Persephone (Hades' wife) is convinced by Orpheus' playing. Hades strikes a deal. Eurydice will follow Orpheus all the way to the overworld, but if he dares to look over his shoulder to see if she's there, he'll loose her forever. Orpheus leads Eurydice back the the Overworld with his lyre, but at the last few steps is tricked into looking back, only to see Eurydice dragged back to Hades forever.

Don't say I promised you a happy ending!

So, instead of posting Looking For Blue songs, I will be posting my musical ideas for this show. The music will be slightly different, as I'm writing for an ensemble instead of violin and loops, but I'm sure you'll still recognise some of the "Jane Magic" in there.

Til next time,

Jane x