Random thoughts on mixolydian mode

The mixolydian mode is another one of my favourites. The flattened seventh softens the effect of perfect cadences from V to I. When I hear music in this mode, I often think of adventure and fantasy, a little bit playful.

Random thoughts on dorian mode

I find that much of my writing tends to gravitate towards dorian mode. I find that anything written in dorian mode has the ability to sound more sophisticated than it would be otherwise. There's something about that raised sixth that lifts me up. As if I'm floating in space, looking down at the state of the world ...

Sick :(

I think I have a cold or something because my throat’s been bothering me for the past few days, not to mention the lack of sleep and stuff with all this school and work stuff. As you may have suspected, my piano arrangement work has been put on hold for the time being. In the mean time I will be preparing for several concerts, 3 of which I will be playing in. The one coming up, of course, would be Memoire d’hiver, during which my Violin Concerto in A minor will be premiered.

SFU Chamber Orchestra presents Memoire d’hiver

Wrote my first press release today!

BURNABY, BC, November 20, 2010 -- The Simon Fraser University Chamber
Orchestra (SFUCO) will be holding a concert on December 3, 2010 at
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. Join us at 7 pm for an evening of varied
music including themes from feature films Pirates of the Caribbean and
Forrest Gump. The concert will run for approximately 2 hours and will
include a special premiere of a violin concerto by local composer
Vincent Lo.

"When I first came to SFU, I was looking forward to joining a university
orchestra. But when I learned no such organization existed, I was more
motivated than ever to start one," says president Jaewon Yon. "SFUCO
started off as a string ensemble back in 2007 and has since grown into a
full-scale orchestra. Now entering into our fourth year of operation,
SFUCO continues to build a sense of community among student musicians
and to promote interest in the performing arts."

Admission is by donation. All proceeds will go to Rotary Coats for Kids,
a campaign that provides winter coats for children in need.

For more information, please visit us online at www.sfuco.org or e-mail
coordinator Jerry Yon at jjy1@sfu.ca.

ABOUT THE SFU CHAMBER ORCHESTRA -- The SFU Chamber Orchestra is a non-
profit organization based at the Burnaby campus of Simon Fraser
University, comprising of over thirty musicians of various academic and
musical backgrounds.

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A quick update

Hello my loyal readers, in case any of your are wondering where I’ve disappeared to, I am still alive, but just swamped with work over the past several weeks. Looks like I won’t be getting full marks for the blogging part of the grade (haha). One of the things that has been consuming my time is my music composition graduation project. I have been working on composing a 12-minute piece for string trio (that’s violin, viola, and cello). The work will be programmed into a graduation concert in December. Much of my time was spent on editing the scores and having them read through by professionals in class—in all, quite an awesome learning experience.

Now, for those wondering what I am up to with my piano arrangement work, here is a teaser list of upcoming works/piano arrangements:

• Organ Trio Sonata No. 3, III. Vivace—J.S. Bach
• Kimi No Iru Kara—Final Fantasy XIII
• Memory of the Wind: Legend of the Eternal Wind—Final Fantasy III

Hope you are a all well.