If I Can Make It There…

Spontaneous co-location

Those of you following my twitter feed know that I’m just returning to SF after a whirlwind trip to NYC. I was lured out there by the Park Avenue Armory‘s Tune-In Festival which was curated by new music super-group eighth blackbird. AsĀ previously reported, back in 1989 I was a heartbeat away the presidency (of the Interlochen Arts Academy student council). Fortunately, president Matt Duvall made it through the year unscathed, so not only were my megalomaniacal tendencies kept in check, but Matt was able to go on to become eighth blackbird’s percussionist (although he is still unable to write a bio).

In addition to catching two of the Tune-In festival performances, I squeezed in three experimental theater pieces, one opera, one solo show, one premiere, and one screening of the five academy award nominated short films. That’s nine performances in six days. The itinerary:

And that doesn’t include the rampant socializing crammed in between all those cultural events.

It’s been a very encouraging trip. Seeing so many great works while spending time with old and new friends who are themselves creating great work does wonders for one’s creative spirit. At the same time, it really calibrates one’s ambitions and aspirations.

Over the next week or so I’ll be reflecting upon and reviewing some of the pieces that I’ve seen. When I’m not working on banging out my own music.