Recently I did happen to date another composer and I asked the inevitable, "What are you working on?" The answer surprised me. My companion had already boasted of a glitzy composition degree from a Big Music School Back East and gently scoffed at my own "credentials," so I expected to hear about a big project. A cantata for chorus, orchestra, roaring elephant, and soprano, or something like that.
Instead the grumpy reply was, "I haven't composed a note since I got my degree." I swilled some more beer and replied, "When you want to, you will." Whoops. Soon we shook hands and parted company.
I shouldn't have been so blunt, but dammit, when the desire to make music burns in your heart, you do it no matter what. This fervent desire is one of the many things I admire about the Sound Currents crew.
Comprising Seattle composers who do what it takes to create music, this collective arranges performances to get their work into the public arena. Pieces slated for this probing concert include Tom Baker's Deconstructing Steve (which examines the musical ideas of Steve Reich on fretless electric guitar), string quartets by Greg Bartholomew and Nathan Grigg, two pieces for flute and string quartet by Scott Selfon, and, torn from the pages of this very rag, Ben Houge's Stranger Personals for voice and piano. Pre-concert talk is at 7 pm. CHRISTOPHER DeLAURENTI
Catch Sound Currents 2 on Tues Oct 21 (Town Hall, Eighth Ave and Seneca St, 652-4255), 8 pm, $8-$15.
