The Wizard of Oz

We have officailly finished the 2 month run of our 3rd-12th grade musical, "The Wizard of Oz". Now that the musical is over I can official go home on tuesday and thursday nights before it gets dark and I don't have to come in on the weekends. Its great! The kids did a remarakable job. The music has very thick harmonies that the orchestra and singers handled with grace.


I have been a little stressed with putting all of this together. This is my first large compositional undertaking, 34 tunes. The best part about it this situation is that I had to write fast and I believe I did it well.

Apart from the orchestra I hired playing beautifully, the main reason how I know it was a success when afterwards at the director's holiday party, one of the teachers came up to me and said, "Wow, I was so amazed by just having an orchestra for the musical. It was like Broadway. I could hear all of the parts in the instruments with the incredible harmonies...It brought me to tears."


At that point I realized that the music was a success. And noone, except for the the musical staff, knows I arranged the music. I was pretty excited. I feel like I just took the next step in my professional music career. This was the first time IO worked with an orchestra for a musical as the director. However, it would not have been possible if I did not have the many opportunites that I took on back in Michigan. All the musical gigs I played, the experiences I had a school, etc. And of coarse the patient famliy of mine that did not get to irritated with me when I could not stay to long a family gatherings or was not able to make to these experiences I had. Thanks.


Anyway, 5 performances down and 7 to go before christmas. Now I can just focus on our holiday concerts.