What happens when you do this?

Well, it sometimes happens. I sit down, or I'm driving, or eating...or anything really and a notion comes to me. A notion of soaring strings and a grand canyon of a musical idea that will hold the world at it's feet and make all the mean people weep. But when pen meets paper (or digital means meet), what comes out is...'River with you'. A song that cries for a banjo to get it into the hearts and feet of bluegrass dance halls the world over. What happened?!?!
This I cannot explain, but the song exploded from my head and I could barely keep the pen (and Sibelius) moving fast enough to catch it.
My advice to writers of any kind...'don't fight it'. when its coming that fast, its for a good reason and who are you to stop it? In fact you are the catcher and you MUST catch it. That is the responsibility of your craft. A gift, if you like. Sometimes a burden, but always a gift.
'River with you' is a dark tale of obsession and control, not autobiographical at all, but a story that is worth telling. The song is about someone who is alone, confined to a sinking ship (metaphorically) and unable to get off. My favorite line is "my stalemate sail mate till the end". A sad resignation of one who has lost courage, but sings about it with such passion.
And how good does it sound with a choir? Thanks to all who were there.

River with You - Dean Stevenson and the Arco Set with Choir

The planting of a Pear Tree

This evening finds me in front of a canvas (so to speak) that is filling up with dots. Music.
I have named it, before I began, 'Pear Tree'. I did this with my winter pear tree in mind, the one in my back yard that I wish to write about and write under. Now of course I wonder, what would the pear tree sound like? Is this music really the tree's or mine. Upon answering 'mine', I press on and make the sounds 'I' want to make.
These sounds are fun, bold and it is my winter music.
I have a show in two weeks whereon my Arco set, accompanied by a choir, will need these notes to sing, bow, strum and beat. I'm sure it will be fine...and on time.

Here in a Hobart winter, I intend to write many things yet unwritten. Adventures in music I wish to take both myself, my ensembles and my audience with. I don't take the responsibility lightly. You, if you are an audient, deserve the respect of an equal member of every performance. We all show up and we take something home. I trust you take something that helps you to understand a little more. This is not an arrogant claim of 'knowledge to bestowed', but lighting the hour in which we all meet and allow ourselves to be vulnerable, deliberately, intentionally.
I hope we all meet there soon. My winter Viking songs await!