A new week...and a new post!

Morning people, another week has come, and I feel that it is time to give some updates. First -- I have bought www.lawrenceabernathy.com and will hopefully have that website up soon with some information about myself and some other "fun" stuff...the only problem I am having is that CSU has EVERY port blocked off so I cant connect to my server to do any work on it :D -- HURRAY COLLEGE!!!

No.

Ok, so next on the list. I'd like to take this time to speak a little about Columbus Black Label, a tournament paintball team that is operating out of the Columbus area. We had our second practice on sunday with the Auburn University pb team and I have to say that it went really well. Our guys dont have the most technical gun skills in the world, however they all play with a lot of heart and I'm proud of them so far. We've got a lot of work to do for our first tournament in march, so I'll keep you guys updated with how we are doing.

BEFORE YOU READ ANY MORE, LISTEN TO THIS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJSbw8Ea2Os

Now for some more "indepth" stuff; like music. The Stravinksy is still a beast, but we're making progress as I stated a post or two ago, should be a really interesting preformance, however I'm incredibly excited about singing "Salvation is Created" by Chesnokov which is the piece i have linked you all to. Hopefully by now you are somewhere around 30 seconds or so, and it may seem a bit slow; however it's a beautiful piece with some incredibly harmonies that the Russian composer has created. Point is, we're singing it and it gives me chills every time we begin. There's something rustic and unpolished about the harmonies that really pulls me in....but at the same time the melodic line feels as if it's had a sand blaster to it and feels almost like a waxed car looks.

Confusing yes? No, just listen and formulate your own opinion. Oh, I almost forgot, Maestro Green is doing a fabulous job leading the choir and I cant wait until 3:40 to be here so the grind can begin again.

That's really what music is: a grind. People talk about "the grind" a lot in paintball, how hard it is to go out to a field every weekend and play point after point, just for the sake of getting better; but a lot of it is just talk to make them look as if they are suffering for something they love. Oh, what little do they know of a real grind. I'm sure a few of you are aware of which I speak (about music that is) and can agree on some level. And as you know, you love to hate it and wouldnt trade it for the world.

See ya next time.

Ever had one of those days...

When everything just seems to fit? For some unknown reason, everything seems to be ok -- nothing particularly good happens, but everything just seems to lock into place the way it should...and it's refreshing. Content seems to be the best word for it, but it's more than just being aware and alive; for some reason you're excited about living, albeit that reason is unknown and I suppose you can never really find it.

Well, I'm having one of those days.

It seems like I should be at a turning point, but I'm not -- it's just a normal day and I'm going through the normal motions. Get up, work out, shower, class, practice, repeat: seems pretty mundane any other day of the week, but not today. Today I'm alone, and it's wonderful.

The Stravinsky that the CSU Choral Union is working on is coming along quite nicely; it's could eclipse Chichester Psalms as the most difficult work I have preformed though: the dissonance is at times unbearable and Stravinsky's use of two melodies which have absolutely no correlation is obsurdly difficult to graps upon the first reading. One moment where this "shines" and creates nightmares for choir directors (and singers...well, might as well include the pianist considering they have to play the parts) is at the beginning of "scene two" -- the alto's have a melodic line in a 3/4 meter while the basses under them are singing a different text and melody in 3/4, however the bass line is littered with duple's and scattered with 16th notes.

Yeah, it creats for some...interesting...rehersal times. Another instance like this happens a few pages after the previous example, except you have a 6/8 line being counted in 2/4 followed y a 9/8 in 3/4 for a measure...and then we're back to 6/8 (2/4) **page turn** 5/8.

-_- So enough about Les Noces. Ill keep you updated on how that goes. Until then, Jo-Michael Scheibe & University of Miami Chorale has a beautiful CD, Love of My Soul, that features some really great music: you should all check it out.

Why hello Internet!

Well hello there friends! Yeah, it took a while, but I'm back and ready to start some more writing...so lets begin shall we?

First -- way to go CSU for not having your server ready for the new semester and causing mass confusion for everybody when we all found out that we couldnt access the interwebs (which would be the reason why I havnt made a post in the last few days). But it's ok, the world is back in order and I'm back in my natural habitat.

So what's been happening during my away time? Well, to begin with I guess the big thing would be that Im back in the great city of Columbus Georgia at the amazing Schwob School of Music and I'm pretty stoked to be back. The people are great, the music is even better -- and I'm really excited about a few pieces we got today in the choir. In particular, we are preforming (one of my favorites) The Last Words of David by Thompson, which I sang two years ago with my high school chorus; as well as a Stravinksy piece...which I'm a little hessitent about. It's scored for 4 pianos, soloist, a precussion ensemble and choir, so we'll see how that is. Oh, the piece's name is Les Noce if you're currious and want to find it on youtube.

In other choral news, I was lucky enough to hear the Columbus District High School Choir preform a few nights ago and I'm incredibly impressed; their conductor just happened to be the same guy who conducted the 08 SC all state choir that I participated in, and from personal experience -- he's wonderful. It was a...refreshing, yes, that's a good word: a refreshing experience to watch him conduct the kids. Sometimes we all need to be shown something to get re-energized and remember why exactly we do what we do: he did a great job for me.

Other than that, it's just back to the daily grind I guess; which is not a bad thing, I enjoy the schedule and routinue of things, however it is the grind and it will do just what the name says it will: grind away until there is nothing left.

But it's ok.
I'm fine with that.

Something a little Bitter:Sweet

And no, im not talking about food. Heck, for those who know me, you'll know that sweet things dont really appeal to me because half the time I cant event taste them, but there is just SOMETHING about the delecious sounds produced by this band that I just cant seem to get enough of.

I was introduced to the band by a good friend of mine (thank's Sam ;)) a few months ago and for a while I've let them slip under the radar as part of my "Favorite Musicians" category I keep on my iTunes, but just wont admit to...partially because I'm an arrogant stuck up musical elitist and in my opinion, if it wasnt composed by somebody who's dead, it's not "real music" and the other because this music is just what it claims to be: bitter sweet. On one end you have the sensual lyrics (yes, i used that word) that draw you into another state of mind -- which nobody wants...(in public at least) -- however even if you try and turn it off, the music is just so compelling that you cant help but listen.

It's officially considered "trip-hop," I'd rather call it: Aggressively Progressive Jazz, but in short, this group sounds like somebody has taken smooth jazz, Latin dance, big band James Bond and Casa Blanca: and has thrown it into a blender with DJ Testio or something of the like. It's an incredibly iconic sound that I think has an incredibly defined niche with a select group of listeners, people who are looking for a throwback to "greater times" with a modern twist...Honestly, this stuff wants to place you in a 1940's jazz club, and you're fine with that! You WANT to be in that jazz club, getting ready to see a great musician destroy a saxophone -- but instead you see a guy dressed in a cotton white button down, with a massive set of headphones and two turn tables walk onto the stage. Now all of a sudden this world of black, white and several shades of gray has flashes of vibrant colors...all in time with the music of course.

So, what I'm excited about right now is that this group has (somehow) released a new album, without my realization of it and from what I've heard: it's awesome. What I DONT like about the album is that they've taken some of their origonal sound and move it foward just a little in some of the songs; however, at the same time I cant complain considering that there seems to only be so much you can do with what they have already produced...It's easier to understand in my head -- I know. Put it this way: The new album has some tracks that have the sound and feel of the first CD which I wanted, however, it is not a replica of the CD...which makes it interesting to listen to.

Well, now there are two things that YOU can do.
1. Listen to ME and take everything that I have to say as gold; which on music it is (told you im a prick).
2. Listen to some Bitter:Sweet and formulate your own opinion(s), which I would LOVE to hear!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTrKiT_berc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdNg3EPciXw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvQgBrQnqzk&feature=related

"But how can I tell you what I think?" says the reader. Simple! See the button that says Comment below the post? Just click that and put in the information, you dont even have to register or show your real name!

Video as promised

...http://www.vimeo.com/2721926

they took longer than i expected. Me > Kyle.

Music Theory 101...a lesson in Football?

If you have not noticed, the past few weeks we have seen some incredibly odd packages on the offensive side of the ball, and for the most part they have been very effective. However, what intrigues me is not their effectiveness or how we run them, but the freshness and revolutionary approach to the designs. Right now the entire world of football is watching the “wild cat” take it’s place among the more traditional formations and is being juxtaposed in play books everywhere – similar to the influx of the spread formation in the late 90’s, and I cant help but wonder: what’s next? How long is it going to take for these new formations to catch on. It may seem a silly thing to wonder considering how abnormal these formations are, and that many consider them to be “trick play” formations, however Supurrier’s nickname (Evil Genius) could be shining through – and with enough repetition, the abnormal becomes routine. However, like any radical idea, it brings up the question: will there ever be a limit? Will we ever run out of formations to create, plays to design? Well, yes and no; and for this we are going to take a look to music, more specifically: 16th century counterpoint.

Any classically trained musician can tell you what counterpoint is – one of the first forms of traditional musical notation – and they can tell you some of it’s rules: no parallel octaves, no parallel fifths, cross voicing of parts, dissonant interval of notes, etc… the list goes for quite a bit. So, if you were going to write a piece of music in the 1500’s you would, generally, abide by these rules and create a melodic and harmonic line that conveys a musical idea (hopefully. However, because of the strict guidelines of counterpoint, one would assume, that there are only so many things a composer can do. However, people have been composing on this formal for around 400 years and in the standard repertoire of preformed music there is hardly any true “repeats” of thematic material. Im not saying that there is not repeated material, but the select pieces that the musical world has placed in the standard repertoire has been placed there because they are the most effective at getting their musical ideas across.


Ok – music theory lesson over. BACK TO FOOTBALL! How’s this relate? Well, football, like counterpoint, has defined rules when creating a formation and play, and while yes, there will be repeated material, there are a few formations and plays that the football world recognizes instantly: the I formation, shot gun, sweep right, statue of liberty etc.. and they are all effective in their own right, but like music – formations can become stale, predictable, and over the time loose their edge (see the option play). But, we still use them because for the most part, they work. However, coaches are constantly looking for new, effective, formations and plays that will give them the edge over a conventional defense that is designed to stop our canonized formations (4-3, 5-2 etc..), and when we watch one of these new formations or plays work, we realize there is deeper level of complexity of football that we can tap into that we have not yet reached.


Ok, so ill put it simply: Steve Spurrier is the Beethoven of football. Beethoven was considered the best pianist of his time – Spurrier has won a Heismen. Beethoven was worldly known for his temper – Spurrier throws visors...enough said. Beethoven was a master of improvisation – Spurrier was made famous by drawing up plays in the dirt on the sidelines. Beethoven revolutionized music with the symphony – Spurrier did the same with his “Fun and Gun” offense. People loved Beethoven, people hated Beethoven – we love Spurrier, others hate us for loving him (yeah it works out). Both men are known as the “Evil Genius” and I think my comparison of the two done. The point is – the ‘Ole Ball Coach is still composing (unlike Beethoven, unfortunately) and it excites me greatly because hopefully, the Gamecocks will be able to preform his 9th Symphony, live at Williams Brice. Honestly, to me it’s not an “if” question, more so a “when?”—and right now we are watching him hand pick his orchestra, while writing a masterpiece designed for that specific group of players to preform. And don’t fret Gamecock Nation, it will happen, but the technicality and talent needed to preform this work requires every player to be a complete virtuoso of their craft, or the design will not work.


So I guess the next question is: “How will we know when they are playing this great work?” Oh, you’ll know...probably by the shouts of the Hallelujah Chorus (I know...that’s not Beethoven), and the Ode to Joy (there, happy?) being shouted down the streets of 5 Points. Or – just be listen for the entire Gamecock Nation to be chanting GAME....COCKS!—Now that’s music to my ears.

Hope for a Nation -- A Gamecock Nation

These next two posts are actually things that I have already written and are posted on my Facebook, but I think they will sit here just as well, if not better. Both are sports related, specifically to the University of South Carolina football team; enjoy!

Hope for a Nation -- A Gamecock Nation

Does anybody else get excited when we have a post like this? Honestly, the fact that we're even able to talk about where the team is going in the future and be able to have posts on this message board like "we're fine in this category and will be great in a few years" or "we've got a good team..just need a little more time" really excites me. Why? Because it's true. This current class (in my opinion) is the first true HBC class where we have no inherited talent (I am not sure on the exact figure), and if you look at our recruiting classes the past few years, our red shirted players and how well we are currently doing: I think we're in good standings. Now, we may not be lighting up the field with 80 yards bombs, 20 yd dashes and huge plays which is typical HBC, however we've got the one thing that is going to push this team as a whole into the form it needs to be in order to compete -- our defense. "Offense wins game, Defense wins Championships."

So that's a little cliché and nobody really likes to hear it any more, but you cant argue with the statistics on this one. Take a look back at the past 5 years of BCS Championship games and you'll see a nice line up of SEC teams that have taken the title – LSU, Florida, LSU, and while this may be limited, it appears that this year we are looking at another SEC team going, weather it be UF or Alabama is still to be undecided ;) However, what's interesting about these games is that while yes, these teams did have great offensive teams, they were just plain stupid on defense (in a good way). Flash back time!

2004: LSU vs Oklahoma. LSU's defense held the nations best offense (some analysis said it was the best offensive squad to ever play, im sure we ALL remember that) which averaged 45.2 points and 461 yards a game to 154 yards and one TD which came at the end of the game with under a minuet left. Jason White of the Sooners went 13-37 on the night for 102 yards, was sacked 7 times and threw two interceptions.

2006: Florida vs Ohio State. Once again, the SEC topples the most prolific offense in the nation, only allowing 8 first downs, 82 TOTAL yards, allowing 1-9 first downs, and forcing 2 turnovers.

2007: LSU vs Ohio State. A little more even game, however the numbers are still strong for the SEC defense – allowing 352 yards, forced 3 turnovers, and here's the fun one; they allowed 3 out of 13 1st downs.

So, back to the Gamecocks and how this all relates. Well, considering all I have talked about is defensive production you can imagine where I am going with this. Our defense on average allows 207.4 yards a game, and roughly 18.2 points a game which is in the top 5 defenses in the nation. Honestly, I am happy with that and it gives me hope for the future of this team. Spurrier knows what it takes to compete with the big dogs, and as much emphasis as we put on his offensive production we cannot overlook the fact that he is laying the ground work for a great defensive powerhouse of a team. Hopefully with the success of this year's squad we'll be able to continue to recruit the best caliber players we can in the defensive spectrum, and as great talent comes in on one side of the ball, it should on the other side as well. However, let's not totally look over our offensive team either.

We've got a TON of potential in my honest opinion. When our receivers are on, they're golden, when our line gives Davis a hole, he can move. Our QB situation is an entire other article I am not going to take the time to get into, but Garcia is a play maker who, given another year, could be spectacular. And here's the best part about it: Spurrier knows we have potential. However he also knows that potential is about as much use as turd on a stick, it's what you DO with that potential that makes you great. And I believe that is why he has been so hard on our team. When they're on, they're spectacular, but they're just not consistent enough for his liking, or mine. Heck, look at him when he's on camera after a stupid mistake (interceptions, fumble, or just a missed opportunity in a big play) is made. He has this pathetic look of “Man, that would have never happened in practice.” Or, “We've run that so many times I dont understand how we missed it.” He knows that this team is capable of moving the ball, we just have the hardest time getting everybody running on all cylinders. Look at last night, during the first quarter of the TN game I couldnt help but exclaim “WOW! Where did our offensive line come from!” We moved the ball, they made holes, blocked down field, they did a great job. After that they fell off a little, but not exponentially (see 4th quarter of LSU game).

The point is – the South Carolina Gamecocks are not a superstar team, however, somewhere in that locker room and on that sideline there is a sleeping giant of a team waiting to be hatched (ok, bad pun I know). But seriously...we're the gamecocks, and right now we're incubating (yeah, another bad one but I couldnt resist) what could be, no what IS going to be a great team.