Back in Blighty - Monday 4th August

Anyway - in answer to my parting thought...however many days ago that was (uhhhhh the wee one is so confused!!) the Fostex is fine - I did ask a lovely airport security man if he didn't mind just holding my memory card while everything else went through - and he said he would - it may have been because of my face and how I very desperately and swiftly said - THIS IS MY MA PROJECT....DON'T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO IT!!! (this is my liiiife...don't ruin it....I may die if you dooooo...please!)

It's a surprise they let me through LAX in the end really isn't it!

The lovely man reassured me rather well though as I was turning paler and paler with a nervous cold sweat trickling delicately down my right cheek (ok some serious artistic licence is going into this recount!! I'm tired - the only thing working is my imagination!!)

But I did ask, I did say THIS IS MY MA PROJECT!! and he did reassure me - and it was all fine - phew!!
Before that though - had a few hours to spare in LA - nice place to while away a few hours - particularly Korea-Town - and an all-you-can-eat Korean restaurant - mmmmmm!! Shame about the air quality and lack of visibility - seriously - Beijing thought it had problems - LA is like being shut in a sauna-come-exhaust pipe!

But anyway - Vedran and I had a lot of fun waiting for our check-ins (we were the last ones to fly out). We met up with a good friend of Vedran's who's Korean - hence the trip to Korea-Town. Did you know there are about 1.2 million people from Korea in LA - how cool!

I digress.

So checked in - found a Starbucks (it's not hard!) Had a coffee - bought some sunglasses (hehe!) and boarded my Air France jet back to Heathrow.

Tried to sleep - failed miserably. Watched countless films (again!) and started making polite conversation in French (at some hour somewhere in some time zone mid-air) with the air stewards, had a little chat with the people I was sitting next to, and then they fell asleep...annoying!

Landed..eventually. It rains.

Trekked across all of Heathrow to the bus station, with 26 kg of normal luggage, plus my 12kg max hand luggage (Jeff Capes eat your heart out) and then tried to spot my bus - but it wasn't there.

It didn't appear on the board until it was meant to be leaving - and that was only to say it was delayed - 'no REALLY!' I thought - 'think I could've worked that out for myself'!

No estimated time of arrival - just delayed....
delayed....
Still delayed...
lost...
lost to the world...
never existed...
you're going to have to set up camp in Heathrow bus station...
you're NEVER going to get home...
Home won't remember you...
Yes, this is a hole...
I've gone wrinkly...
I've gone grey...
Scouting around for a zimmerframe shop...
Buses don't exist anymore - they're now hoverbuses...
Apocolypse...
I can see the horses...
Jim Morrisson (ghost) singing This Is The End...
11th plague...
Thinking about my will...
Can I find a nice plot for me to lie down and DIE in in Heathrow...
...Probably not.
And so on!

The bus eventually arrived - I then got attacked by a very large group of international students - who apparently, for them, getting on this bus was a life or death situation and therefore just had to push past me and virtually knock me off the pavement to make sure that their 'oh-so-important' luggage was loaded..growl!

Eventually I got on, climbed to the top level of the bus (and not because I'm childish and I still like double-deckers and get all excited) but it was OAP central downstairs (of course no Stenna stair lifts on a National Express) and therefore no room on the lower level.

Found a seat - hooray I thought...

...What a fool I was - oh no - apparently the international students who had the oh-so-important luggage, find it inconceivable to sit separately, even one seat in front of the other (DISASTER apparently) so they badgered me in broken English to move...

International relations were almost destroyed at this point.

I gave up, I was so tired I couldn't be bothered to continue my fight to keep my seat - so got up...
...What a fool I was...

When I stood in the aisle - I could only see a couple of free seats next to people - so asked if I could sit there...were they free...were they hell.

Great - I thought. (And no - that wasn't the only thing I was thinking...or saying either...teehee p'eeed off Wee Nat is quite loud...amusingly!)

Finally this delightful women moved all her copious amounts of stuff for me (which was very kind) so I could actually sit down and start my 4 hour journey back to Exeter.

International students - sometimes I wish they just stayed international.

Anyway - finally got back to Exeter, the parents met me - had a small contre-temps with the international students AGAIN - because of course it was so important to get their luggage off first - yet it didn't occur to them that if you barge through at the departure point to get your luggage on first: your luggage is going to be at the back, and come off last - these students weren't natural equationists...!

Got in car...hour long journey home - and that ladies and gentlemen is how I was awake for 38 hours.

What's even better - I go back to work at the radio station tomorrow. Dear GOD help me.

F-F-F-Friday!! This is the end...Friday 1st August

How sad is today?!!!

I can't believe it's been two weeks - where the hell did that go?!! I'm now packing to go tomorrow...and I hate packing by the way - hence writing this blog - procrastination and distraction away from that gaping (decidedly empty) suitcase mouth which is trying to suck me into it's Dante's 8th circle - packingatory...

Today's been great though - I've been up to David's chalet to record some stuff for the opera (-non-opera).

I'm not going to reveal too much - because I really don't want to spoil the amazement that's blatently going to happen when people finally hear this next year - but basically my news-reader skills (alleged!) are coming in handy - and my very English accent, and the fact I have no shame and will quite willingly do loads of other accents (reasonably passibly!) without getting embarrassed!

We've made the latest list of what we've done, Martine's going to re-work some of the words (she's found our group and ways of working rather interesting and inspiring it seems..hopefully!)

And well, we're pretty much ready to go - and thankfully, David seems rather pleased with the level and amount of stuff we've managed to generate in these two very short weeks.

SO we can go home happy and content - like that wouldn't have happened anyway!

Ok my suitcase is scaring me now - don't like it!!

One final concern though that has occurred to me - Parting worry - what happens if the x-ray machines wipe all 8 and a bit gigs of audio off my Fostex... I cannot tell you what that makes me feel like.

And now - we pack. (and drink later!!!)

See you next in Blighty.

Happy Thursdays - Thursday 31st July

I'm very conscious that sometimes I babble on 'til the cows come home on here - so I thought splitting Thursday into two would be an easier task to read!

After interviewing Jana our producer - I had another idea about how to branch out the documentary...

Something which I haven't touched on on here, partly because I thought of it and discussed it before I had started up my blog - then completely forgot to put it on here (I will add more about this at a later date) I'm a little concerned how this project is going to very easily turn into some kind of very drawn-out commentary on the process from the inside by one of the insiders...

It has the potential to be very introspective, which could definitely exclude people...worryingly probably the audience most..!

The biggest problem is that I am so integrated and an integral creative input into the project - the whole idea of being objective and almost like an uninvolved, omniscient narrator is exceedingly difficult. I am trying, and I think at the moment succeeding with various ideas I have for how I'm going to put the documentary together, and equally as importantly what I'm going to say (oh God I still need to write that - oh God oh God oh God!!!)

Just as an aside - and serving partly as a reminder to myself for when I get back and actually get on to writing this thing (I so was going to be rude about it just then!) how on earth am I going to introduce myself as journo doing the doc, and musician in the project...crap (sorry language I know - but I could say a lot worse)

ANYWAY - Jana mentioned about the fact that Apple is basically sponsoring the whole thing (hence the Macs) - I think they're thinking it's great PR!!

So together with the TAC (Transatlantic Arts Consortium) who are funding it - we're getting the equipment like the Macs from Apple and they've taken a really big interest.

Well I wanna know why!!

So Jana's given me the number of the lady who the Counterpoint of Tolerance project's been dealing with - and, although I can't do it while I'm in the US, and it is going to have to be a telephone interview (**which I need to check whether I can include a low quality phone interview in my project...!!) as long as I have time - I'm going to try and get Apple's side of the story too...should be interesting.

Also along those lines - I've got those two journalists I mentioned the other day - so that adds an 'outsider looking inwards' element - again finding out why this project is so interesting...

Unfortunately, the New York times and LA Times were meant to be coming - but I don't think they're going to make it now - but that would've been a good tangent to go down out-looking-in-wise, which is a shame...but I am expanding it.

Do I need to expand it more - I don't know - I think that's going to emerge when I actually get the audio laid down...

Will I have time to get more audio on this when I'm back - God only knows.

I still need to try and get Peter Gabriel - ambitious I know - but he's done projects like this before (as Sue Steward so wonderfully reminded me when she came down to Falmouth the other month!) and he would be a GREAT voice on the documentary...

So much to do so little time.

Zeee proverbial cann izz filling - Madness sets in - Thursday 31st July

What was I worried about..? Of course I would get everything done...! hehe - may have left it a little late - but everyone is now done - and very well as well! Pleased little wee one right now!

It's been a lovely day today because of the interviews - unfortunately, I've had to sacrifice my time on the music as, like I was saying the other day - there just isn't enough time to do both - so roving reporter head got plonked on this morning and throughout today and I've been milling between parties and sniffing out great interviews.

And, as per usual, the others didn't mind at all!

Another reason for it being so lovely is also hearing what the others have to say about the project just hammers home how special and incredible this project is.

I am not alone in thinking it's remarkable how we all have just clicked and what a colossal amount of stuff that's already been generated, and although man-hour wise, we've been burning the midnight oil, but on the creative side - it's just flowed organically with no problems to speak of.

Also, some of the reasons for people applying for this project are near-prophetic. It's been beautiful listening to that today; very, very humbling to think how lucky I am to be a part of this.

I've got all the audio I need for the ten of us - the only people I need to do now is more from David and Martine.

Now we're so close to leaving (booo!) my thoughts are turning to when I get back and this epic bit of editing and putting together I now need to do...

By the end of these 2 weeks - I have a feeling that my 8G card is going to be full - I have nearly 50 pieces of (sometimes rather lengthy) audio which will need to be clipped up, well uploaded first (with brand new equipment I've only uploaded something small from before - eeeeeeep!!) sorted out and named, THEN clipped up, write my script, record that (hopefully I can use the studios at Gemini...hopefully!) stick it all together - work out which bits I'm going to float over music, which bits of music I'm going to use, write up all this stupid blog that I haven't been able to do with stupid intermittent rubbish internet in the mountains (I suppose I could've been expecting a little too much there for working internet!) ummmmmmmmm what else - oh yes of course, how could I forget - my 5,000 word contextual review...hmmmmmm

Oh and not forgetting holding down a permanent radio job in Exeter - right, sleep, eating, life, I may see you again one day.

One thing I forgot - Tuesday 29th July

BBQ!!! Jana - our producer kindly invited us to her house in Idyllwild for a BBQ - and wow - yummy!! I am stuffed!

Again another time to blow off steam - sometimes you can work too much on something and it becomes stagnant - but I think we're striking the balance well!

Oh and the picture is from Jana's veranda - thought it was nice - I like the mountains - it's so pretty!

Wordsoundswords and interviews - Wednesday 30th July

Today is a really good day - our writer, the librettist, has flown in from New York to see how her (and David's) words are being worked on, interpreted and realised...how exciting!

Martine Bellen is the fabulous word lady and so far she's been really positive and pleased with how things are going - which is a relief as a new pair of ears and eyes are always the best judge of an ongoing project within which we are all so integrally and personally involved.

It's really great that we're finally getting to hear about what Martine intended with her script. And, fitting with how the rest of the project has been organised and is rolling along - she's very open minded and free with the treatment of the words and her part in the creative process.

Go to her website here to find out more about the marvellous Martine!

What's also very useful about today is that we've consolidated what we've done already again. Because there are so many elements to this process - it's quite hard to keep track on what's going on.

I'm working on three/four stories at the moment with others from the group, and even that's hard to keep track - let alone keeping up to date with the other nine/ten stories and the overall picture.

Plus we're all quite proud of what we've done so far as well - so it's another good excuse to show it off a little too! hehe!

We also have had the Idyllwild Arts paper journalists in today who have interviewed some of us on how it's going and the project as a whole...ironically, one of the main questions they asked is what I was talking about the other day about composing is usually a solitary thing - so how is it affecting us as composers to be thrown in together and work collaboratively...finger on the button - brilliant!

I also turned the tables on them too - I grabbed hold of my microphone and recording equipment and interviewed them about why they were interviewing us!! haha! It's a good interview - unexpected, but very pleased!

I've also finally managed to get some really decent interviews in the can now as well - not everyone, but some - so feeling a little better today...that bugging feeling in my stomach is settling a little - but still need to crack on.

Cue Queen - 'It's a Miracle' - Tuesday 29th July

24-hour death-germ - I think so! Feeling ridiculously better now - still coldy - but can completely deal with that - although it is more unpleasant when you're stuffy and it's really sunny and hot - but, if this is all I have to suffer after yesterday - I can deal with that 'til the cows come home!

Nothing really new to report though - we're still working - things are still going really, really well and we're still having an amazing time!

MA-wise (keep on forgetting that's actually what this blog is about...whoops!!) I am getting a little concerned about the interviews etc. etc. because I just haven't had enough time to sit down and actually do that many. I mean I've done some - but no where near enough for a 15-20 minute documentary...

Honestly - I'm actually more than a little concerned.

But, we leave on Saturday - which means I need to have everything done by Friday, and it's Tuesday...no problems...really...oh Godddd!!

It's just so hard doing all the music, and writing stuff longhand for my blog - because there isn't enough time to be dilly-dallying on the internet, so I have to make random notes everywhere (!!) and also trying to approach the others, who are also VERY tired, asking if it would be ok to do the interviews now...so difficult! After all - for the rest of the group, and me as well, the reason for being here is for the music - my MA project, although it's in the forefront of my mind, and is very important to me (obviously!!), it's not the priority...it's just one of! And I don't want to force it on the others, nor me either because we all have much more important things to do..relatively! Also, it's not because the others aren't willing to help - there is literally not enough time, and only a certain amount of things are physically possible...

There have been a couple of times when I could have done some interviews, but everyone was so tired it was not worth it - my interview technique would have gone out the proverbial window, and the answers would probably not be as passionate as they could be..and I want the others to be pleased with their interviews too...complicated or what!

But, it's got to the stage where I just have to knuckle down and get it in the can - regardless - (remember Nat - once these two weeks are over - you have to go back to the UK and you can't come back ('til next year for the performance..!) which means you just have to get everything, more than you need in the can)

Ok - inspirational speech over.

I hate Mondays - illness decends...Monday 28th July

I'm ill - feel like death very much warmed up. Not impressed!

I've spent the whole night awake feeling miserably ill - and it's typical - you stop for ONE DAY!! that's it - one day! and you get ill - grrr!

I went to the work room earlier, just to distract myself from feeling so unwell, but then it was too much - and it takes ALOT for me to say that!

So I took myself back to the room - I'm now in bed, can't really see properly - so writing stuff down is a little difficult.

I think we're having informal tutorials on the music programmes we've now got on our Macs, so I'll catch that up later - meanwhile - I'm rolling over - hopefully the toes won't turn upwards...although it feels distinctly possible right now...this better go away soon.

uhhhhhh

The Mountains are a-callin'!! Sunday 27th July

DAY OFF!!! yey!! and my word do we need it!! I cannot stress how hard we've been working - an loads has been done already - which I've said, and as I've also said - this is a good thing.

Obviously, there's still tonnes to do, and now we have less than a week left, AND none of it is set in stone - everything is fluid and open to change and manipulation.

But enough of work today - it's our day off and Syrse and I are taking ourselves off to Idyllwild town.

It's stinking hot and we're going to walk MILES to the town -but it'll be nice to get outside (we've been working inside so much because we have to with the instruments, playing and computers etc.) So, we've been watching this beautiful weather and not getting out in it - but today - the mountain town's calling!

I think we're going to the cinema later as well - which should be good - it only has one screen and on that screen is the new Batman movie - so a good break is in store me thinks!

Right, we're off - speak to y'all later!

Consolidation - Saturday 26th July

One week gone - and where are we? Well, virtually all of the different stories are being tackled, worked on and extrapolated some way or another by either individuals or groups or pairs etc. etc. and, to be honest it's really making sense already - which is quite amazing.

We have all kinds of different approaches which is demonstrated by these pictures (above) - these are two 'plans', blueprints if you will of two of the pieces - really brilliant way of explaining things, and all drawn up together in groups as well (happy composer families!)

Something that struck me and also the others as it transpires, is that the normal, everyday (if you can call it 'everyday') role of a composer is one which is quite an autonomous, individual, ostensibly solitary and even autocratic in a way...

If one thinks about it, a composer sits and writes their music which comes from their brains, their minds and their imaginations...and not forgetting their personal influences...

When it comes to the composers music being played - and that's another thing - we refer to the music as the composer's, generally we consider it as theirs... so in playing it - instrumentalists/musicians/performers, whatever you wish to call the realisers of the music, will invariably try to adhere to the composer's wishes (which would be given/suggested/muted in performance directions, performance notes, theses (ahem Wagner!)) which means the generator of the music, the person/mind through which the genesis of that piece of music is made possible is still in many respects autonomous.

Now, obviously, part of the magic of music is that not everything is pinned down to a strict, regimented and immovable frame within which to perform, but performers add their own inflection and interpretation on it, but essentially with Western music, any practitioner will try and be faithful to the composer's original intentions.

N.B - before I carry on with this emerging thesis (sorry - you would never guess I did a music degree eh?!!) this idea of (nicely...generally) autocratic composition/composer can only really be directly projected onto Western Music, as a number of world musics are not structured in the same way - for example a lot is of oral tradition - therefore are not written down, and don't really have a specific composer - rather, it emerges from community and culture, story-telling, social guideline infusing and so on and so forth. (again I could bang on about this too...did a lot of world music in the BMus!)

My rather drawn out point is that we all have wondered how merging ten composers, who are all used to working fairly individually and completely solo as the solo composer is going to function by throwing out this solitary idea - we are after all going to have to work effectively as a composer team - 10 different world voices creating one world voice, one piece...one world piece (see what I did there - and you wondered why I had such a cheesy title to this blog - now you know!!)

Now, I've already gone over, probably too many times now for you poor readers (but I am getting over excited about this process every day!) but what's happened, is quite easily, we've all thrown all autonomous notions, all inhibitions and grouped together like one creatively pulsating organism...hmm nice image there..!

Letting you into a secret though - virtually all of us have revealed and admitted that we did wonder if there might be some difficulties with strong characters and this sense of autonomy and interestingly possession of the music being created, and how that might cause clashes...

Obviously, no one can predict the future, so all I can truthfully say is that so far...clashing seems to be the furthest away from this collaboration...it's no where near to featuring in our vocabularies, and to be honest, I don't think it will to a massive extent.

It's sounding like the Brady bunch, I know - but when you put together such similar people, who also differ massively in background, experience, influence and so on, who are quite willing to very easily throw all inhibitions out the window and just go with it then, well, it works.

There have been instances obviously where some one has written something, or hears one of the stories in a certain way that in discussion each one might be a little more forceful trying to put their idea across - but in all honesty I think the main reason for this isn't because we all want our individual bits to be pedestalled above ever one else's because we're particularly pleased or proud of that bit, but it's more the slight difficulties of communication and ensuring that each person is understood.

I'm aware of space at the moment and how long this ramble is going on for (I have completely added to what I wrote originally!) So I'll write on the proliferation of the English language next - how enthralling!

Bye for now!

Technology - it's an amazing thing! Friday 25th July

Last night - some utter brilliance happened in 416 (Jxel and Ivan's room a.k.a party central (but shhhh! and yes - we STILL working REALLY, REALLY hard and just burn off steam of an evening - it's healthy...! tehe!))

So anyway - we only managed to hook up my recording equipment to a Mac and record straight into the computer in to one of the really funky programmes we have and Syrse made a complete, BRILLIANT multi-voice module with just her voice - amazing, truly amazing!

I love this group - this is what we can all do - and it's all coming together just naturally and organically - David was such a clever man picking all of us - genius!

Today we wrote more - and much more we did write! Jxel, Ivan, Syrse and I are working on one particular story which has many different ideas in it - so we're working together to get an overall form (for want of a better word) to it.

It's very odd composing together with people - it's fantastic, but I can't quite explain how it's working!

I think, going back to David's selection process, we are all very open and flexible people - who thankfully are the type of absorbing people who bounce off each other's ideas too...it is really hard to explain - it's almost, not 'if it ain't broke don't fix it', but 'if it ain't broke, don't try to explain it'!!

What is interesting though is how, usually, composers are solitary beasts who work alone writing their music. What this is doing is throwing extroverted introverts into one big melting pot and the more cooks the better it seems!

A huge elastic-band ball can be ravelled together after someone has just one tiny idea, and then it spirals into a naturally collaborative entity...like a shoal of fish, each one is individual, but we're all working and moving together collectively and individually rippling, but overall creating a pulsating mosaic of energy and inspiration - and yes, that is the only way I can get vaguely close to explaining what's happening here...and I think that's really the essence of the literal meaning of A Counterpoint of Tolerance...David really is a clever man!!

As for the MA project - no problems with the music collection - in fact I feel quite like some kind of musical anthropologist right now!! Bartok - eat your heart out!! (pah - wax cylinders - the future's Fostex and the future's gigabyte!!)

Interviews - well, getting there! There is so much vibrancy in this group musically and socially that it's very difficult to a)find the time to sit people down individually to speak to, b) pick the best time - as we only have two weeks and we all want to make the most of it c) find more time to really be able to concentrate on how I conduct the interviews - it's going to really test my interviewing skills with some language barriers and obviously, with the shoe on the other foot, what it must feel like for my fellow composers to be on the other end of that microphone trying their best for me.

And they are SO willing and helpful - I feel very supported with my project - a big thank you to all.

In fact, in my next blog - I'll explain a little more about the difficulties I've had already and what may lie ahead interview-wise - it's very interesting and, well really quite remarkable how music, and our fluent communication through that medium is just that, fluent, but the interviews and the MA project, with no offence intended WHATSOEVER (because the language skills are phenomenal - as I'll also be explaining) BUT the interviews are going to be interesting to tackle.

Stay tuned (harhar!)

MacBook MacBook MacBook - Thursday 24th July

MacBook MacBook Macbook!!

Ok I've already blogged today, which is about a page ago - all very confusing I know - but stay with me!

And to epitomise how happy we are about our MacBooks (which we got today - thank you TAC and Apple!) look at the Happy Feet happy penguin dancing!!

I'm so glad today we got these - was getting worried about the blog too - still am - time is not a luxury I have right now...but yes - did have enough time to find that website and get dancing penguins - but it didn't take that long...honest!! Nor did it take that long to put them in the others...honest!!

MacBook MacBook MacBook, dancing penguin, dancing penguin, MacBook!! yey!

Making Music is a Tiring Game! Wednesday 23rd July

Day 3 - and we're all extraordinarily tired already! That's pretty much the news today - what happens when you bring 10 composers from all around the world together to write a concert-length piece...well we all work hard and play even harder and get really, REALLY tired!

Partly self-inflicted, yes...admitedly! Oh and don't ask about the thing at the top - that's just how I feel at the moment! (plus - found a BRILLIANT website where you can get these things - so be warned - the blog's going animated!! ah hahahahaaaa!)

Something which is becoming clear though - is that part of my brain is telling me it has a niggling feeling I may have taken on too much...! Just thinking about writing AH! is well, quite appropriately AHHHHHH! It's so exciting, and everyone's already really got their teeth stuck into various stories, and already the music is evolving beautifully kaleidoscopically out of the words on the page and the combination of 10 brilliant, effervescent and catalystic minds...

But for me right now - I'm also thinking about exactly how I'm going to make my MA documenary out of it...2 BIG projects - only one little me - can't quite work out which is the rock and which is the hard place - but I am definitely slap bang in the middle of them!

It's not that either project is going badly, or is not working properly - instead it's like having too many choices of ice-cream - and I've been indecisive and bought all of them, eaten them and now feel cataclysmically sick...

I've recorded loads of music already - which is a small alca-seltza (ooop spelling - no idea!!) moment, as at least I already have something in the can! (phew me thinks!)

AND - what's really great is that every morning when we get to the work space to start another day of musical musings, the first thing we do, after setting up, is improvise together.

That's really bringing us, as a group, even closer together - we're witnessing real communication through music - it's quite incredible!

So although we have (relatively) a little of the opera emerging, I'm not short of music as I have a growing library of the fantastic, and sometimes wierd and wonderful spontaneous improvisations.

This is good - as I was a little concerned that in a project all about the genesis of an exciting and innovative piece of music, as a lot of what we're doing is computer based...there may not be any music to speak of to record...

That hasn't happened - I already have loads!

BUT - I haven't recorded any interviews yet and I'm worried that initial spark when we got here; i.e. the spark of excitement, unfamiliarity, nervousness, wonder etc. might go out. I don't think the excitment is going to do that - but we are gradually learning more and more about it - and so the first part of my documentary, which is all about before we all got here, ideally done as a retrospective but still fervent reflection of people's thoughts upon our arrival, is going to be dampened as every day goes by and we get more used to being here...slightly concerning!

There just hasn't been the time, or we're all still exhausted from our journeys and feeling more tired as we get our heads down every day to work on AH!

Simple sollution though - pull my finger out and just do it! There we go Nat - there's your kick up the bum in writing - DO IT!

Right - I go - interviews a-go-go!

Really important NB! - Tuesday 22nd July

I've just re-read my blog, and I don't think I stressed this enough...!

Our opera-no-opera is by no means religious. 

It is not about the Diamond Sutra. It is not based on the Diamond Sutra. It is inspired by the concepts of the Diamond Sutra. 

It also is not about Buddha and/or Buddhism. 

Although, as we look through the text, yes, Buddha, Subhuti etc. are mentioned, the opera-no-opera is NOT preaching.

Instead, our project is attempting to live its life and exist within the concepts presented by the sutra, which of course innately tells us not to form concepts and teachings etc. So we are not. 

The use of the Diamond Sutra is there because, as David Rosenboom says it,

"...cuts deep and fast. The rhythm, the cycles of expression with subtle changes that suddenly become profound shifts, the form...which has incredibly malleable applicability while maintaining incisive, inescapable, unswerving essence, the form of its cloaking story as a dialogue of increased understanding; so much to learn from its form which is no form which works. Perhaps the usefulness of a non-beginning will also emerge."1

----------------------------------------

1. Bellen, M., & Rosenboom, D., 'Excerpts from Rough Draft Notes' 2008 

AH! = AHHHHHHHH! - Tuesday 22nd July

As mentioned in my previous blog to you - the idea is one which is quite strange, very modern but exceedingly exciting!

I'm learning more and more about it as we go - so let's fill you in as far as I've got to at the moment! The text is inspired, but not based upon the Diamond Sutra.

 To give you a basic background to the sutra; it's the first ever printed book ever found. Like many sutras, it starts with the famous phrase, "Thus I have heard." 

In this sutra, Buddha has finished his daily walk with the monks to gather offerings of food and sits down to rest. Subhuti, who was one of the more senior monks and considered a disciple of Buddha, goes to Buddha to ask him 

a question.

In response to Subhuti's question, Buddha attempts to help the monk to remaster his understanding of reality; in other words he tries to help the monk "unlearn" his preconceived, limited and restrictive ideas of what exactly reality is, the nature of Enlightenment, and 

compassion. 

What follows in the sutra is a lengthy, bombastically repetitive dialogue about the nature of perception and

 the re-enforced destruction and dissection of our nature of perception and our ideas of reality - i.e. A is no A, that's why it is called A - i.e. (again) I am therefore I say I am, but I am not I am, because I am not...confused again - yep me too! Basically, it's denegrating nomenclature - i.e. the naming of things, as well as the categorising of things. It means that the fact we call something a certain name, or way, it doesn't mean it is actually that thing. It's kind of like the way we call the colour blue, "blue", but it's not just blue as everyone may see it differently...clearer...?! 

The whole point of this dissection and deep analysis of perception is that according to the Diamond Sutra, it is the perception of things that causes conflict and distemper. If one perceives something, invariably, that will be perceived differently by someone else. You can then enter into a limitless argument over who is right, when in actual fact both could be, none could be, or indeed one is and one is not, and so on - but you would never be able to definitively conclude this. 

Also, by acquiring a perception, through your own which you have made, your own nature, those of your familiars, those crafted by your environment and any other elements which will seep into daily life, you yourself, and collectively with others, will categorise a perception and draw some kind of prejudice upon that; for, against, undecided and anything within the spectrum. 

Using the Diamond Sutra as inspiration for AH! in this time, at this moment is particularly poignant, and that's part of the point of making AH! and making it exactly how we are; for example by bringing together 10 young composers from across the world. This is due arguably, to various world tensions which are being felt. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the issues of price hikes, the "credit crunch" and portent of world recession, healthy and political competition between countries etc. means that perceptions which do, and may have already existed, are now being projected across these world issues, and constantly being pressured and crafted, modified and mutated. 

Plus one of the reasons why I use the phrase "world issues", if we look at this with a "diamond-sutra-eye" is because of my perceptions which make me form the concept that they are issues in the world...

It is very complicated, but just take a moment for a second or two, and think about a concert-length performance piece exploring, and notably not about this idea...

...good isn't it?! 

To read a truncated translated form of the Diamond Sutra, translated by Charles Muller please click here