White. A Blank Page or Canvas…
November 17, 2007So I’ve decided to party like it’s 2003 and finally get going on my own official blog…
I’ll write about my music and my life as an artist. I’ll write about my process and my current projects. And I’ll try my very best to answer as many questions as I can, questions that I get from emails, posts on myspace and facebook, and your own comments here.
I’ve been so humbled by the amount of truly heartfelt fan mail and goodwill that I’ve received over the year, and I’m hoping this will be a way to give back just a little bit of that love.
Here we go!
Sweet!
What are you working on now that PL is finished?
Mr. Whitacre,
Singing and being a part of a choral ensemble is a huge part of my life. It is my passion and greatest love. It wasn’t until I hear “Leonardo Dreams Of His Flying Machine” did I discover the beauty and power of your music. I was wondering, have you ever considered composing for a women’s choir?
This is such an honor to be able to write to you, Mr. Whitacre. This recent summer I became infactuated with your choral music such as; Lux Aurumque, When David Heard and Water Night. I became so awe-struck when I heard the whole-step and half-step harmonies between each Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass lines. To this day I’m still awe-struck. You’re style of composing made me even more interested in a cappella music that I offically decided to become a choir educator for high school students (That is after I graduate from high school myself). I would like to thank you for bringing such good music into peoples’ lives. Thank you so much!
Evan Weaverling
Hi, my name is Billy Scharmann. I am a member of the University Singers at the University of Tennessee at Martin. We have actually scheduled a performance at the Crystal Cathedral on our Winter Tour. We are doing you piece entitled This Marriage. You do unbelievable work. I was just curious what it would cost us for you to just come and do a short rehearsal since you are not far from Anaheim.
As Vocal Chairman for LMEA I am requesting that Eric direct the Louisiana All-State Choir in November of 2009. Please contact me at the email address listed for further information. Thank you for your consideration and response.
My name is Hugo Vieira and I am a conductor in the Concert Band which is called “Banda Musical de Rio Mau”. It is located in the suburbs of Oporto City, in Portugal.
I would like to compliment you for your important contribution for those whom the music is their passion, like me and my colleagues. We had the opportunity to play some of your compositions, which were appreciated by everyone who listened.
Our wind band has more than 80 years old; therefore we try to give fresh sounds, different melodies and new interpretations which is the main key of our success.
I have 60 musicians distributed by flutes, clarinets, saxophones, euphoniums, French horns, trumpets, trombones, tubas and percussion. My musicians are from 12 to 60 years old and the majority in their early 20. They study in our music school or the best Oporto musical schools (“Conservatoire do Porto”, University of Porto.)
Over the last years we had a wonderful board of directors that helped me to achieve an excellent work and the person who stood out most was my father because he works on a daily basis for this project.
For this reason I would like to know if Mr. Eric Whitacre would give us the honour to write a Concert March dedicated to my father, so that I could surprise him, and also for everyone involved in this project which I know that we will never forget.
Best regards and hope to hear a positive answer,
Mr. Whitacre
It is an honor to be writing to you. As a vocal performance and choral education major, I have become familiar with your works and have loved each of them. I am very much interested in knowing if you will be coming to Utah anytime soon. I, as well as many of my colleagues would love to be able to see you lecture or conduct. Best regards! I hope to hear from you soon.
I like the reference to Sunday in the Park with George, wonderful musical. Can’t wait to hear the King’s Singers commission.
Thanks again for all you do for those of us who aspire to make beautiful music, and thank you (and your wonderful wife) again for the treat of seeing Paradise Lost this summer. It made a great excuse to travel from North Carolina.
Well hello! I’m not a huge blogger but I have to say that I have become such a great fan of your choral works. On a trip to South Africa, I heard Stellenbosch University perform Water Night and A Boy and a Girl.
I purchased a copy of the CD and since then your gift of music has been in my headphones 35,000 feet in the air in flight over five continents… the perfect accompaniment to the heavens.
I’m sure many of us choral music heads know the euphoria experienced upon hearing for the very first time a new piece that will forever be on the short list of instant favorites. Thank you for enriching my life’s soundtrack.
I can’t wait to hear your piece commissioned by the King Singers.
Hello Eric. I have admired your music for sometime, but was unaware you lived in Los Angeles until recently. I moved here after graduating from Berklee and have worked in the film and tv music world for the last three years. Recently, however, I have decided to pursue a Master’s in Comp. from Juilliard. If you have any free time I was hoping you would be willing to tell me of your experience there, and working with John C. It would be an honor to meet with you if time permits. You can either call me (my phone number is available on my website) or respond to this mail. Thank you for your time, it is appreciated.
Warmly, Kyle
Do you think that you could give us a little piano preview of you new work sometime? I think that some of us need a little E.W. fix.
My choir (VOX, a youth based 16-26yr old choir run by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Australia)just sang A Boy and A Girl at our end of year concert and we had many an audience member in tears. This song was by far the favourite of all choir members so we persevered through the difficulties of learning it to perform it fantastically, I think we did you proud, or at least I hope so! We also sang Cloudburst at the Sydney Opera House to a full house earlier this year, handbells and all, with the whole audience joining in the clicking,though I have sung in many choirs at the opera house to a full house many times this would have to have been the pinnacle. I would just like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the joy that you have brought me and all of our choir. Singing your works, whilst challenging, is just so amazingly rewarding.
I look forward to hearing Paradise Lost, being over the other side of the world makes it a little hard to see it
Thank you again, you and a couple of other composers are the reason that I have been in (and loved every second of it!) choirs since I was 5 (now 25).
Erin Chapman, Sydney, Australia
Ever since I heard Cloudburst two years ago, I was hooked by your music. Having heard almost all the wonderful music you’ve created for choir and band, I’d absolutely love to hear some orchestral pieces by you. Although entering the repertoire could be difficult, I believe that you could do it.
Also, I’ve heard rumors that you will be visiting St. Olaf College sometime in the future. Is this true?
Eric,
A small question….were we your high school English teachers at Douglas High School? and if so….have you figured out how to “justify the ways of God to Man” in melodic form?
Merry Christmas
Hello, Eric!
Just saw your new website and all these entries … and a picture of Severance Hall and the Cleveland orchestra flashed in my mind … and a thought: How I’d LOVE to see the Cleveland Orchestra and chorus present a work from your pen.
Especially in the wake of Paradise Lost, I have to believe I’m not the first one to suggest such a work, Eric. Anything in the offing?
In any case, all the very best … and DON’T STOP DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING!!!
Mr Whitacre, we are a mixed choir from Wales, UK who have recently discovered your music. We sang ‘The Marriage’ at the wedding on two of our members and I can safely say that there wasn’t a dry eye in the church. We are currently working on Lily and Sleep. If you have time please check out our website and see what you think to our music. When you complete your score for the King Singers (we have worked with Brian Kaye, quite a while ago!) would you let us know where it will be performed so that we could come and listen. Thank you so much for your music!! Louise Morris
Mr. Whitacre,
I’m from South Africa and was introduced to your music when I sang for the Stellenbosch University Choir.
I wish I could tell you how your music affects me…every piece awakes a different emotion. The word that provides the closest description of your harmonies to me is ‘Heavenly’.
Please visit this country in the near future…we would be honoured by your presence.
Merry Christmas
Landi Otto
Eric Whitacre = Kick Ass
Mr. Whitacre,
I first performed and learned of your music in college. I am a flutist and “Ghost Train” was the piece I feel very fortunate to have performed. What an amazing piece! My husband, a choral director, has also performed many of your choral pieces (which we both greatly enjoy). I am an elementary music teacher in Texas. I have been teaching music for 10 years now. Each year I choose composers to teach my students about. We focus on a different composer every month of the school year. This year in May, you will be our featured “Composer of the Month”. I saw that you will be speaking at TMEA, and I very much hope to meet you. It would be an honor, and my students would be so impressed.
Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
Happy New Year!
Christi Powell
Hello Mr. Whitacre,
Congrats on the blog: welcome to an entirely new digital world.
I know you must get swamped with questions, but I actually wanted to ask one about your teacher, Mr. Corigliano. I am a composer at the California Institute of the Arts (if you are still a resident of the greater LA area, you probably know it). It has been my dream to study with Mr. Corigliano…I have played works by both you and him, and am incredibly impressed by both of your works. I figured if I like him, and he taught you, and I like your stuff as well, it might be a good match…(Wow, that’s no question…not even a question mark…how misleading!)
Anyway, if you had any thoughts, they would be much appreciated. I’ve applied to grad school at Juiliard for the ‘08 fall term, so I’m still awating my prescreening status…
Best of luck to you in the new year, and I look forward to hearing your works in the future.
Whitney George
Whitacre,
Sorry if this message lacks a certain formality, but I just felt I needed to send you a bit of appreciation. I’m a junior in high school and myself and my friends and classmates have really been inspired and touched by your music. Though I personally haven’t had the chance to perform your music as my classmates have I discovered your music while listening to the songleaders at our school before becoming one myself. I’m most touched though, that you (and this is speculation based on… well, mostly wikipedia articles) didn’t start out planning on going into music. It’s one of those things that gives me hope in the times I am most frustrated and apathetic toward this art that we love so. I can’t wait to enjoy your future works.
Brady O’Brien, Portage, MI
Mr. Whitacre
I can’t tell you what an honor it is to be writing to you! I am a huge fan of your work, especially A Boy And A Girl and Water Night, they are wonderfully beautiful and tender pieces. I wanted to sincerely thank you for creating the music you do, it has the power to move and inspire like nothing I have ever experienced. The inpiration I have recieved from your music has motivated me to become a choir teacher and share the power and beauty that comes from the choral art. I just about lost my mind when I heard you were composing for the King’s Singers, what an honor! I can’t wait to hear it! I look forward to more fantastically beautiful music from you, please dont ever stop composing, it would be a crime.
P.S. I second the motion to hear a piano sample of your composition for the King’s Singers
, I need my fix!
K.J. Olsen
The Mr. Whitacre music is amazing and I would like have a possibility to dance in that sweet and passionable fluid.
Arianna from Italy
Mr. Whitacre,
I have heard all of your music, and like everyone else, I am breathtaken. Being a composer myself, I find your music fascinating. The amazing dissonanace really makes them, but i’m sure you know that. I am currently singing “A Boy and A Girl” with Bill Zurkey’s “Merples”. We are going to perform it state convention this year. We have taken one of your pieces to OMEA Convention for the last eight times we have beem there. “Big Z” talks highly of you, all ways recalling when he spent his 50th birthday w/ you. I was just curious if you just write the music the way you hear it, or if you use the early 20th century method of polytonality, or at least two chords at once? It would really help us understand your genious more if you could explain.
God Bless,
Jacob Market
Avon Lake High School Choral
Mr. Whitacre, i just wanted thank you for all the hard work, passion, and love that you put into you music. You truly are a blessing and a breath of fresh air when it comes to you and your music. As a senior in high school band and chorus, i have performed a couple of your works like October, and have been inspired so much by it. I recently purchased Cloudburst and listen to it constantly. So again thank you for all you have done and keep making that awesome music!
thanks.
Adam, Louisiana
I want to thank you for writing amazing music! I’m a senor in high school, and just joined choir this year, I’ve always wanted to join choir but never thought i could sing, but threw a series of fortunate circumstances my music theory teacher had me try out for choir this year and it turns out I’m one of the lowest basses in the choir, and your music has really given me a passion for classical music! our choir is currently working on Water night and i love it! thank you for everything you’ve done! Everyone in my choir adores your music! and i know your have much to do but i was just wondering of you were a Christian? thanks again for your awesome music!
-Josiah
Mr. Whitacre
I found out today in my choir class that you were coming to Lawrence, Kansas to do a festival. I hadn’t really heard of your name before but once Mrs. Crispino (our music director) played “Sleep”, my mouth literally dropped. I was so amazed that I have actually been spending already an hour and a half on the computer listening to all of your music on your website. Your music has made such a impact on me already. I know that probably sounds strange, but your music brings out so much. If I had to choose any composer for something, no doubt it would be you.
I’m very excited for the festival on Feb. 16 and I am totally planning on going!
Dear Eric,
I would just like to firstly say thank you! for writing such amazing music, your choral and symphonic wind music gets me through the day with a smile on my face.
I am a member of the National Youth Choir of Scotland and in the summer we sang two of your works; “When David Heard” and “Sleep”. We toured Hungary performed them 7 times and each time we sang them I fell in love with them all over again.
In school, for my final year in music, we have to write an essay on a piece of music and I have chosen “When David Heard” and I was wondering what your inspirations were and where your ideas for making the piece so emotional came from?
It would help me immensely.
Yours, Isla McKinlay
I have sung “Five Hebrew Love Songs” twice with the Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale. It is beautiful music and I think that you are well on the way to becoming a major American composer. It was a lucky day for the world of music when you and Hila Plitmann met.
Jeff
The life of music is the life of harmony that soothes the passionate soul, painting a scenic picture in one’s visionary mind, writing a story that follows the astonishing sounds in a song as the conductor conducts the last note…The deep, lucious passion that I carry on for music was revealed when I heard my first choir concert. It started a new legacy in my life that will keep me sucessful in my future. Ironically, my voice was not made for a singer, for it was made to create music in the flute. My 16 years of life has finally made sense when I first played on my instrument. As you can see, the desirable ardor for my flute is amazing; I will continue this passion as I get older, no doubt about that. However, you sir.. when my wind ensemble played the symphonic verson of Lux Aurumque, heaven soared through the room as the angels sang the song with admiration. I looked up your biography and was astonished… I sincerely thought of singing in a choir because of your providential, spine-tingling work. You, Mr. Whitacre, has change my aspect of the branches of music, you have changed the road of my music career in an inspiring way.. you, sir, have gave me an opportunity of being a conductor of a symphonic band and joining a choir whenever I get the chance… Thank you for all of your work, for all you’ve done with the glories of music and, if you can, to write back, it will be an honor for me
God Bless you and keep on making music for us to enjoy
Dear Eric,
Congratulations of the birth of your child. May you have a lifetime of happiness and health.
My name is Eve and Ian, my son is currently in the JFK Brain Trauma Rehab hospital in Edison NJ. He sustained traumatic brain injury 22 years ago and is now participating in a clinical research program that just might turn out to be a miracle for him.
I am with him everyday and have established a powerful ceremony to start our day.
Every day – we begin with your music from the Cloudburst album. The first song we hear is “I thank you God, for most this amazing day”, and then we go to cut #7. hope,faith,life,love,dream,joy,truth,soul.
Your music brings a new and brilliant quality to the incredible poetry of EE Cummings, and creates for Ian and I an aura of spritual purpose. We use your music as our prayer of gratitude to Creator.
I can’t thank you enough for the beauty of your music. It makes a contribution to us daily.
All the best to you and your family and bless the music that flows from your soul to us.
Sincerely,
Eve Baer
Your AMAZING GIFT lifts everyone who hears, sees you work, bathes in your heavenly harmonies!
THANK YOU for sharing and accepting through your shared experience, the burden of the world’s influence on your public and private life.
Make any sound the opening door for the maintenance of your comfort as composition/arrangement of ideas continues to be magic for you as you have made it for this world.
THANK YOU
“The two most worth-while things to leave behind when you depart this earth are children and art”.
Thanks for leaving us both.
Dear Eric,
You probably don’t remember me, but I met you briefly in San Antonio, TX when you came to speak with our wind ensemble at Trinity University. I think it was 2002. We played Godzilla Eats Las Vegas, and I must say it was probably the most fun pieces of music I’ve been lucky enough to play. The next year we played October (more on that in a sec).
To make a long story short, I’m currently living in Lawrence, KS where I am working on my PhD in geology. I found out about your concert (Feb. 16) from my advisor who’s daughter is in the Free State High School band and choir. I was very excited to be able to see you conduct and hear your music again.
Not long after graduating from Trinity, I was attending Temple University in Philadelphia when I got the unexpected news that my youngest sister was killed in an auto-pedestrian accident on October 24, 2004. I have always loved your piece October but it had new meaning to me after this. My sister was born October 3, 1984 and passed away also in October. She was an excellent runner and died doing what she loved. I have often thought to send you a message to let you know how much your piece has meant to me and to thank you for it, but have never thought to act until your concert this evening. I had never heard your piece Sleep in full and after hearing the combined choir and band play it, it is now one of my favorites. It brought me to tears it was so beautiful. Like the person who commissioned the piece, I’ve also had to unfortunately experience more deaths recently, as by grandfather passed away over the summer after a long battle with cancer, diabetes, and other ailments and my former advisor at Trinity also passed away in November, also of cancer. Sleep is a heartfelt piece that embodies those situations for me.
So I guess in short I just wanted to thank you very much for writing such beautiful music. It has been pretty much therapeutic for me.
Thanks again,
Marina Suarez
Dear Eric,
First of all I want to thank you sincerely for your wonderful, beautiful, humanistic, and touching music. You’ve probably heard this so many times but I’ll say it again – you really do influence me to become a composer and conduct groups. More importantly, you write music that touches the hearts of many! Your music is one of the few that my mom and I can agree on…I like the classical type stuff and she likes rock, ska, punk, and the like. Go figure. I also had a neat experience with Lux Aurumque: A few weeks ago we got a fresh snow fall. I was walking across campus, with my ipod, and there were little snow flakes falling from the sky with sun light hitting on them. They looked like little bits of glitter.
Anyways, Lux Aurumque begins to play on my ipod and it just matched the ambience and the scene so well. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it did. It was just such a very special moment!
Second, I was just at the Ohio Choral Invitational last night, which was so amazing!!! It was increbile hearing all of the talent of the many choirs and seeing you conducting your own pieces – heck it was wonderful just seeing you! Being surrounded by 1,500 people singing Lux Aurumque and Sleep…just phenomenal! I was just in awe by the end. I am out of words to describe how splendid that night was.
So, thank you for the wonderful moments your music brings. Not just to me but to others. Thank you!
Tessy
Wittenberg University ‘10
B.M.E
ps – I was the person in the audience who clapped when you mentioned the unusually warm weather here.
Oh, I also forgot to mention that I definitely want to have This Marriage sung at my wedding! It’s just so sweet and tender.
I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while, but where I can find the libretto/book for Paradise Lost?
LOVE the Sunday reference.
Another random story -
I was listening to Cincinnati’s classical music station (90.9 WGUC)when i thank You God for most this amazing day came on (this was the Polyphony version). It was a treat because this was the first time I’ve heard a piece of yours played on the radio and it made me glad that your music is spreading through Ohio.
I hope you are doing well and that the US premiere of The Stolen Child went well, although I have no doubt that everyone loved it. 
I just thought I’d write a post and say this. I thought you were pretty awesome. Then you used a Sondheim refrence and it blew my friggin mind! I think you’re really, really great and I’m glad you have a blog now!