So I am looking through my past News and Notes and I realize there are no updates since I moved to Long Island nine months ago. I know so many of you base your entire sense of self-worth on receiving news of my career so allow me to fill you in on the latest! And by the way yes, that past comment was indeed meant to be sarcastic. My new proximity to the art life of New York has so far been amazing not to mention somewhat daunting. There is always, always something going on and I kick myself everytime I have to miss out. It is a bit of hike getting to the heart of Manhattan from way out on Long Island but my days off are enough in number to make it the trek regularly. I've made the aquaintence many musically enthusiastic people. I've encountered some old friends as well and that makes the Big Apple a little homier. Slowly but surely, I feel that I'm starting to understand the intricacies of a career in music here, how you have to be a jack of all trades, how you have to eat sleep and drink it. There is suddenly so much to do that I sometimes pray for a month of Sundays just to catch up on my list. But what are my tangibles you ask? What do I have to show for 2006? Some of you know already that I've been working on a piece commissioned by pianist Nicola Melville. Well, I am happy to say it is all but finished! It's currently in the copying stages and will receive its premier, along with a final title, sometime next year. Stay tuned for a listing of this work among my Chamber Pieces already posted. Also, I recently received some additional good news connected with this project. The American Composers Forum informed me a couple weeks ago that I have been selected to receive commission support for Nicola's piece via their Jerome Composers Commissioning Program. It lends an air of the official and helps with Nikki's production costs which I imagine are rather hefty. Afterall, I am one of several composers she is commissioning. REMEMBER, the piece I'm writing for Nicola will appear in a collection on CD. My first commercially recorded work! So stay tuned for the details. I will most definitely keep you posted. That's it in a nutshell. I hope to have plenty more to report as 2007 rolls in. Thanks as always for visiting. Cheers