School is almost over!

I am shocked to realize that I have not written anything on this blog since last October. A semester of being the chair of the Music Department (last fall) and a semester of heavy teaching and lots of outside activity (this spring) has cut into my writing time. As a result, the second of the This Is It! series of my piano works, the third memorial concert for Phyllis, and an all-NB vocal music event earlier this month have come and gone, without a word on these pages in cyberspace! Not to mention the indoor version of CONVERGENCE that I conducted with WesWinds. Some exciting music making that should have been noted and discussed.

It's well beyond the time for making New Year's resolutions, but I'll make one anyway. More regular blogging! Last year I figured out I could write something three times a week, and I'm going to do just that. Starting Friday. Stay tuned for specifics...

For now, I'll list the programs.

The Third Annual Phyllis Bruce Memorial concert, with Kalia Kellogg and Stan Scott, consisted of my Chinese Love Poems, Stan singing Hindustani settings by Tagore, and Gitanjali by John Alden Carpenter. December 8, 2013 at South Congregational Church.

The second This Is It! concert (12 recitals comprising my complete piano works) consisted of an improvised prelude using Duckworth weights; the Chopin A major prelude; "A Prelude for Sam"; seven Friendly Fugues; "Memories of You" (version with Duckworth weights); A Partita for Virginia Ellen; and Introduction and "Variations." At Hubbard House and at Crowell Concert Hall, February 2014.

WesWinds, the Wesleyan Wind Ensemble, conducted by NB (my debut as a band director, loved it!). Works by Sousa, Hansson, Ticheli, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Chopin (!!!), Grainger and Bruce — a version of CONVERGENCE for band, prerecorded band, bagpipe solo, and lots of bells. May 6, 2014 in Crowell Concert Hall.

Vocal Music of Neely Bruce, with Kalia Kellogg, Christopher Grundy, and bassoonist Gary Bennett. Miscellaneous Songs for Low Voice; Chinese Love Poems (again). May 10, 2014 in Crowell Concert Hall, Wesleyan University.

This is a lot of performing, and a lot of my music to digest. I hope my friends and fans are not in overload about my compositions, because there are lots more coming through the pipeline.