I've been putting the pandemic to good use to clear out the backlog of arranging projects I've had lying around for years and get onto some new ideas. Arranging is something I've loved to do since I was a student; I tried my hand at actual composing for a while and wrote a certain amount of music, but I never really developed the knack for it (might give a try again someday, though). I did discover that I really enjoy taking a piece that someone else has already written and reformatting it for a different instrumentation - usually, to provide repertoire for an instrument that is lacking it, or for a special occasion. As a wind player, I do tend to specialize in wind arrangements but I've been branching out lately. My most recent projects were a Stravinsky piece for flute and piano, some Beethoven for clarinet or viola and piano, and orchestral accompaniments to a couple of bassoon concertos (Mozart and Weber) arranged for string quartet so that they can be done as chamber music. I've also really enjoyed coming up with silly ideas for our traditional end-of-season party hosted by Sir Andrew Davis. We've done a tribute to him with a version of Strauss' Till Eulespiegel including a specially written narration and this year we had a very silly traversal of TheRing Cycle for a motley crew of folks on instruments they don't normally play.
I’ve had another unexpected pandemic project: raising five newborn kittens! Their mother chose to have them underneath my car. They have all been living in my spare bedroom for the past three weeks. Everyone is doing very well, though their mother is longing for the day when she can be released back into the wild. She will always be very feral.
The kittens, on the other hand, are very well socialized to humans and are at maximum adorability. Everyone is healthy, super active, starting to use a litter box and just experimenting with solid food a little. Lots of climbing, jumping, playing and wrestling is going on. They should be ready for adoption around Christmas time, once they are weaned.
If you'd like to give a kitten a good home, please contact Preman.
premantilson@gmail.com