2011 Recap

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Meerenai

2011 Recap and Letter to SupportersDownload a PDF version of this letter.

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Flute plus Gameboy = Back to the Future!

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Meerenai

Exciting news! I have commissioned a piece for flute and Gameboy from Matt Payne of the chiptune band The Glowing Stars.  Matt is not just a rock star, he’s a classically trained composer who just happens to be a killer performer as well.

I met Matt when I went to contribute to one of Jonathan Mann‘s song-a-day songs this June.  Matt was making string and horn arrangements for Jonathan and I got to work with him a bit.  A couple months later, we were playing Jonathan’s 1000th song-a-day show together.  I saw The Glowing Stars perform live that night too and was blown away with their live act.  That night, I left the Red Devil Lounge *determined* to have a Matt write me a piece for flute and Gameboy.

About a week ago I recorded some flute samples with and without vibrato so we’ll see how he uses those sounds.  I can’t wait to play the piece!!

Check back soon to find out when I will be performing it!

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Advice to composers just starting out

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Meerenai

How to send unsolicited scores or make first contact with someone you don’t know.

DO:

  1. Research. Does this person/group perform new music and do they enjoy learning new music? (You can still send scores to folks who don’t specialize or perform new music but set realistic expectations)
  2. Be professional and honest.
  3. Ask in your first email (or first meeting/tweet/contact) if you can send them a score or mp3 link, etc. Or include detailed links to pdfs or recordings in the first email.  (If you don’t get a response, try a different method like facebook or twitter.  Stalk performer/group in a non-creepy way by networking in person at concerts or via social networks…or ask a mutual acquaintance for an introduction.  After you make first contact, go to #5, then #3.)
  4. Send a score/mp3 if requested.
  5. Keep in touch. Follow up with an email once a year or once every 6 months (but not too often) with your upcoming concerts.  (It can be a personal email or mass Continue reading →

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New Arts Alliance Dec 3rd 2011

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Meerenai

December 3, 2011: 2PM and 8PM. At the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA).

The New Arts Alliance is a new music group that works with non-musician artists for every show for a truly unique performance. This year, we are joined by San Francisco dancer and choreographer Bianca Brzezinski in a collaborative work called Non-Self. The music was written by our co-artistic director Josh Friedman. In addition to the 2 flutists (myself and Kassey Plaha) and 2 guitarists (Josh Friedman and guest artist Yuri Liberzon), we will be joined by dancers from Bianca’s new dance group, the Opal Street Dance Improvisational Theater.

Along with Non-Self, we will be performing a new version of Castlepoint by Dante De Silva that we commissioned for this show. We will also perform other compositions by Leo Brouwer, Steve Reich, and Janice Misurell-Mitchell.

Please buy your tickets now and support the arts.

Who: New Arts Alliance with guests Bianca Brzezinski (dancer/choreographer), Yuri Liberzon (guitarist), and the Opal Street Dance Improvisational Theater.

What: Chamber music and dance performances

When: Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 2pm and 8pm.

Where: Second Stage, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

Tickets: Call 650-903-6000 or click here. (Tickets also available at the door.)

Here’s a little video I took when we were recording the prerecorded part of De Silva’s Castlepoint:

(View it at Facebook)

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Keep in Touch

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Meerenai

Starting November 2011, I will be emailing somewhat regular newsletters (maybe monthly or bi-monthly, but definitely not more than twice a month!) and offering a free download of some sort with every newsletter.

If you are interested in hearing from me about once a month, please sign up for this email list. If you sign up by November 16, 2011, you will get a free download of a track from my CD, Sometimes the City is Silent.

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Another review of my CD!

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Meerenai

Chip Michael wrote a very nice review of my CD:
“New CD Sometimes the City is Silent by Meerenai Shim is Delightfully Simple, yet Incredibly Complex”

“Meerenai Engages the Listener with Pure Flute Technique and Sound on her Debut Album

Flutes are delightfully simple, yet incredibly complex instruments. When you look at the wave form, the sound of the flute is pure and clean. The emotional range and technical possibilities of the instrument are astonishingly diverse. Meerenai’s new CD Sometimes the City is Silent seizes all these subtleties, yet proffers them in such a splendidly pure way, we are intrigued by the flute with all of its complexity without being immersed in an overly effected recording…..”

…keep reading!

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Song A Day: the Album

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Meerenai

I’m a fan of Johnathan Mann – the guy writes one song every day and then posts a video of that song on youtube every day! (You might have seen his iPhone antenna-gate video or his Nintendo themed songs.) He recently raised money via Kickstarter to make an album during the month of June with some of his friends. He wrote and recorded 30 songs during the month and chose 11 of them for the album. I’m excited to report that the one song I recorded with him made it on to the album!

You can listen to the song as it was recorded and mixed that day:

You can also pre-order the finished/mastered album.

And…I’ll be performing with Jonathan and posse at the album release party/show on September 28th at the Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco. Hope to see you there!

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bandcamp

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Meerenai

I just uploaded my album to bandcamp.com.  This means that you can listen to 6 complete tracks from my album and then buy the tracks individually or buy the whole album download (16 tracks) if you want!  Here is the last movement of the Bartok Romanian Dances:

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