Tag Archives: New Music
Exciting Happenings in 2012
One thing I’ve learned over the course of my career is to not spill any beans too early. This means new music, new collaborations, new projects and so forth. It’s better to keep mum on most things until you are certain. Oh and yes I have been guilty of spilling beans way too early before, and whoops lesson learned.
However, I do have several things to share with you now. I’ve definitely been working on a few tricks up my sleeve over the past several months and am finally in a position where I think I’m ready to tell you about it all. I’ve got lots of beans to spill!! I’m practically bursting at the seams.
So here’s the spill…All the good stuff happening in 2012 that I feel I can now finally share with you:
MUSIC VIDEOS!
I’m excited to share that I will be filming my first music video in a couple of months. We’re trying to align it with my new CD release which will be late June.
This music video project will not be the sole release either. We have plans to do multiple videos over the next year, featuring many of the songs going on my album, as well as some singles as well.
My collaborator in this project is the very talented filmmaker Ali Mohsenian. Ali is an award winning filmmaker from Seattle and not only does he have quite a little rapport here in the city, but he is also an ex-Sony music video producer/editor. And he told me that as long as at some point he can put explosives in my videos, he will be happy. Ha-ha…we shall see.
The first video will be for the title track “Illumination”. Our budget will be tiny-sized to start with, but hopefully if the video thing works out well maybe someday we can afford to put grand pianos in really cool locations, and of course, use explosives. 
COLLABORATIONS!
I’m really excited about some upcoming collaborations that I will be working on. Even though I am a solo artist, I do enjoy a good collab every now and then. This year I will be doing some extensive collaboration (walking on untrodden ground here!) and here is the scoop…
Felicia Farerre
Felicia is one of the most amazing vocalists I have worked with, or heard for that matter. She has the ability to sing any type of music, any genre – and nail it every time. I have had the pleasure of working with Felicia a few times thus far, and she is not only incredibly gifted with her voice, but she is a very sweet and lovely person whom I very much enjoy being around!
We plan to collaborate on a few songs for an upcoming album for her. Right now we are in the planning stages, and figuring out what we want to do with the music. With her being in Oregon, and me in Washington, we will be close enough to meet up several times for recording and more. Felicia and I love working together and are very excited about the future prospects for us as co-collaborators.
Viktoria Tocca
Viktoria and I were both nominees at last year’s Hollywood Music in Media Awards – and she took home the win for the Classical Category (as well as a few others). We recently have gotten to know each other and I have to say – there is SO much in common between us both personally and professionally it’s crazy.
We have both decided to work together this year on at least one or two songs (possibly more), with also the possibility of doing a music video as well. But we shall see on that one. Where can I set up a donation jar for music video production costs, please?
Viktoria is from Sweden, currently lives in Romania. So getting together is going to be a bit more difficult. There is so much that we can do online long distance, but it might be that she ends up making a little trip to Seattle (or perhaps I will go to Europe??!) She has an extensive musical theater background, and is now concentrating on writing and recording. Here is her rendition of “Dark Waltz” (that won the HMMA). So excited for the future and our projects and friendship together!
CONCERTS!
I’ve very much been in the composing & recording phase for the past while – and that excludes any concentration on performing for me. But I do plan to do some performing after the release of my new album.
The only “official” concert I have lined up right now is for Wed, Sept 5th at Cozy Corner Concert Series in Salt Lake City,UT. You can get your tickets online here.
I want to do a CD release concert and am just trying to figure out when and where I will do that. Seattle? SLC? Both? Hmmm.
SUBMISSIONS
Another exciting prospect I am waiting to hear back on is my submission for the Hilary Hahn 27 Encores project. I wrote a little piece for this and am crossing my fingers that she will select mine to perform on her album and concert tour 2012 – 2013. If selected, I will have premieres around the world, as well as a recording spot on the album.
If you’re not familiar with Hilary Hahn, get acquainted straight away right here.
ALBUM RELEASE
Last but not least, I have a new album coming out as you all know. I have been working on this album for the last 4 years and am so excited to soon be able to share it with you. It is looking like a late June release.
I will be accepting Pre-Orders for the album beginning April 15th, and there is a prize drawing (worth $350) for the lucky pre-orderer.
Since I’m not able to share the music with you quite yet, I thought I would give you a sneak peek of the track listing going on the liner notes of the album. Are you excited?
1. Etude For the Dreamer
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
Beats and additional orchestration by Glen Gabriel
2. After the Storm
Dedicated to Dixie - After all the storms she has had in her life, she still shines so brightly.
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
3. Illumination
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
Beats and additional orchestration by Glen Gabriel
4. Gymnopedie No. 1
“Gymnopedie No. 1″ by Erik Satie
Arranged and orchestrated by Jennifer Thomas
5. New Life
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
6. Beyond the Summit
For my Will - who’s many mountain adventures were on my mind while composing
this piece of music.
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
7. Secrets
“Secrets” by Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic)
Theme from “Cello Suite in G Major” by Johann Sebastian Bach
Arranged and orchestrated by Jennifer Thomas
Cello solo by Stephanie Yose
Beats and effects by Glen Gabriel
8. Into the Forest
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
Vocals by Felicia Farerre
Beats and effects by Glen Gabriel
9. Toccata and Fugue
“Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565″ by Johann Sebastian Bach
Arranged and orchestrated by Jennifer Thomas
Beats and additional orchestration by Glen Gabriel
Additional Beats/Effects by Adam Amos
10. Pachelbel’s Canon (A Duet)
“Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel
Arranged and orchestrated for 1 piano/4 hands by Jennifer Thomas
11. Firedance
“Asturias” by Isaac Albéniz
“ Malagueña ” by Ernesto Lecuona
Arranged and orchestrated by Jennifer Thomas
12. Sonata Minoré
“Piano Sonata, Op.7, Mov. 2″ by Ludwig Van Beethoven
Arranged and orchestrated by Jennifer Thomas
13. Rainforest
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
Vocals by Rachelle Hrncirik
14. Across the Starlit Sky
Original music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
15. Requiem For a Dream (Lux Aeterna)
“Requiem For a Dream (Lux Aeterna)” by Clint Mansell
Arranged and orchestrated by Jennifer Thomas
Beats and effects by Glen Gabriel
16. Eventide
Original Music and orchestration by Jennifer Thomas
“Scheherazade” violin theme by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Violin solo performed by Jennifer Thomas
17. New World Symphony
“Symphony No. 9 in E Minor – Largo” (New World Symphony) by Antonin Dvořák
“Piano Concerto No. 3, Mov. 2″ by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Arranged and orchestrated by Jennifer Thomas
Violin solo by Jennifer Thomas
Produced by Jennifer Thomas
All songs composed and/or arranged by Jennifer Thomas
Piano performed by Jennifer Thomas
Violin, and Orchestration – Jennifer Thomas
Cello – Stephanie Yose
Vocals – Rachelle Hrncirik, Felicia Farerre
Mixed and mastered by Rob Beaton
Recording and additional engineering - Zak Dewey
Beats/FX - Glen Gabriel
Additional beats on Toccata and Fugue by Adam Amos
Recorded at Tickled Ivory Studios, Seattle, WA
and ZDPro Studios, Brier, WA
© 2012 Tickled Ivory Music (ASCAP)
Distributed by Tickled Ivory Music, Seattle, WA.
Toccata and Fugue
I just uploaded my latest project, “Toccata and Fugue“, as it is called right now. I just wanted to share a little bit about this song and how it came about.
First, for those who just listened to my ‘Lullaby Album’, you should know this piece is of a completely different callibur or style. If you have a sub-woofer on your computer speaker system, you may want to turn it down a bit because the song has a lot of bass to it. It’s quite “boomy”.
I love, love, love Classical music. And I especially love to tweak it. Which results in much of my music being of a “Classical Crossover” genre in nature.
“Toccata and Fugue” is based off of J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565. (Bach wrote 2 Toccata and Fugues in Dm, but the one I am referring to is BWV 565). This piece is a very well known organ solo, and over the years it has traditionally been used around Halloween time because of it’s thematic elements and somewhat frightening minor chords that can rumble an entire concert hall.
You can view/listen to the traditional version here in this youtube video:
I have been quite familiar with this piece for several years as my college symphony orchestra performed it for a Halloween concert one year. It is one of those pieces that gets into your head and kind of haunts you.
About a year ago, I was in my home music studio and started fiddling around with this piece on my keyboard. I started adding more instrumentals to it and came up with a very cool 1 minute clip of some ideas. Well, and then, the piece got brushed aside as the muse left, and I didn’t work on it again for a long time.
About two months ago, I decided that I really wanted to finish my rendition of this song. So I opened up the file that I started over a year ago and listened to it. Then I sat down at my piano and started writing parts out.
As with a lot of pieces that I write, I started going off on some solo-esque cadenzas on the piano (in other words, tangents) and made the piece completely un-listenable to anyone but myself. Well, because I really enjoy Classical music for that very reason. You can do things like that. However, that is also why a lot of people today find it hard to follow Classical music and understand it.
So I re-worked this song and reworked it to make it appeal to a broader audience. I think I ended up with 7 or 8 different drafts. Each time, refining it, simplifying it, and structuring it.
In the end, I ended up with a song that is about 30% Bach, and 70% Jennifer Thomas. You will hear what I mean in a second once you hit the play button.
I was fortunate to work with a couple of great musicians on this piece. Glen Gabriel from Sweden formulated most of the beats and effects, and Adam Amos of the UK also did some of the beats and effects. Zak Dewey of Seattle did the mixing and mastering, and I did everything else – the piano, orchestration, and the kitchen sink.
Thanks for taking the time to listen to my late project – hope it doesn’t disappoint. And for reals, turn down that subwoofer. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- Jennifer
Here it is the URL where you can go take a listen to my new song, “Toccata and Fugue”:
http://www.ourstage.com/tracks/JRCTUOULEGFQ-toccata-and-fugue
Or you can hit play here:
Announcement: New Album Coming!
Dear Friends,
I am excited to let you all know that my mother, Carolyn Southworth, and I are collaborating on a new album together and are planning to release it late this Fall 2008.
The album is going to be a collection of lullabies. Some old, some you know, and some that will be original works by each of us. The album is intended mainly for the use of helping babies sleep – it will be something parents can play in the cd player in the nursury to help calm. relax, and soothe..
Since the birth of my own first baby this summer, I have been interested to observe what kinds of music do and don’t appeal to him. I think I have a fairly good idea now of what is working with him. This, as well as many requests for this album, is what fueled the idea.
My mom and I have always talked about doing something together but never could come up with something where our eclectic styles could fully come together seamlessly. Until now.
While I am still hard at work on my own 2nd album (to be released Fall of ’09), this lullaby album is going to be a seperate smaller project that we plan to release within the next few months. First digitally, and then possibly physically at some point later on. Or we do a short run of hard copies at first. We haven’t decided.
- Jennifer
Debut Album CD Official Release Date
I just received word from my production company back in New Jersey that the CDs will be all finished and shipped to me on the 20th of December. The original date for release was to be the 15th, and so I’m a tad bit frazzled that they aren’t even shipping until the 20th – which means I won’t receive them until the 22nd. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles, right? I’ll just cross my fingers and hope that my loyal fan base will still buy my CD for all of their friends as belated Christmas gifts. 
I have several gigs in December – several which are paid gigs (always a perk for a musician). My biggest gig is this coming Sunday – as I’m soloing in a Christmas concert. There is expected to be around 1500 people to attend. I performed in this concert last year as well – it was a wonderful exeperience, so I’m looking foward to it once again.
I’ll be sending out the official CD Release announcement sometime this week, as well as launching the new website – which I’m really excited about.
Did I mention that I’ve had 2 different film directors approach me in the last week about scoring films for them. I’m very interested, but having no experience I don’t feel confident enough at this point to accept. But I hope to take some film scoring classes in 2007. Heck it just might replace my day job. 
Merry Christmas everyone -
Jennifer
