Lisa and I are considering selling our Toronto condo and replacing it with a smaller space. We presently live in a 2-bedroom that’s over 700 sq. feet. One of the 2 bedrooms is our office. It’s a nice place…we enjoy it. But the idea of getting rid of more stuff and buying a one bedroom […]
As a composer, one of the steps in the creative process that I often find mentally difficult to grapple with is coming up with a title for a new work. Sometimes it can be so annoying that I often wish I could just call something “Untitled”. But it’s never gotten that bad that I’ve had […]
Dear Alden, The news of your passing has saddened me deeply. Even though you finally succumbed to your battle with cancer, somehow I thought you would live forever. How would I not think that since every time I saw you, you were filled with such spirit and joy to live? You should have lived forever. […]
I recently attended the opening night of the Royal Conservatory’s 21C New Music Festival. It was a great evening of music by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and featured compositions by the likes of Terry Riley (who was present) and several amazing and dynamic Canadian composers. Before the concert began, RCM’s Executive Director of Performing Arts, […]
Follow-up to last week’s post…week 2 of the intense fast/cleanse is complete and since I’m physically able to type this post, I guess I survived:)! After a week 1 that featured just water and plain soup broth, week 2 felt like such a delight since I was able to eat one different green vegetable per […]
I spent a 7-day transition from 2018 to 2019 executing an intense fast/cleanse. The one and only time I had fasted was 20 years ago but I did not last a full week. This time I did, living off of water and soup broth. To say that this was an incredibly demanding physical and mental […]
As I write this, I’m sitting at my kitchen table looking at the Christmas tree that my wife and I lovingly decorate every year and a nice little red poinsettia that a friend brought over to our condo earlier this week. Yes, it’s official…I’m in the Christmas spirit! Whoever decided that Christmas should take place […]
On Thursday we recorded piece #3 on my upcoming album, What Goes Around… This piece is appropriately named Wood and Metal Bars. Here’s the Wood… marimba: vibraphone: And, the metal… xylophone: glockenspiel: What do they all have in common? Sticks, lots and lots of different kinds of hitting instruments made from yarn, rubber and who […]
On November 16th, we released Frank’s 9th album, For Those Who Died Trying… and what a release it has been (and continues to be)! In just two weeks, almost 30,000 people have listened to the album… and that’s just on Spotify! Frank’s done three radio interviews (The Classical Underground, Song Talk Radio, The David Dalle […]
One can expect that the week leading up to an album release would be hectic. I should know since I’ve done it 8 previous times. But releasing For Those Who Died Trying was the mother of all hectics! But in a good way. These past 8 days, I don’t think I had more than 4-5 […]
Ever start working on something that started off all “normal” and under control but then started to get crazy exciting and borderline-out-of-control?!? That might be what I’m feeling right now. With the new album, For Those Who Died Trying, soon to be released on November 16, it quickly became apparent that the subject matter was […]
I’ve lived in Toronto for 25 years and I feel like I’ve experienced everything that this city has to offer. But after giving it some thought, there’s definitely some places and events I would so very much like to experience… 1. Leafs Game @ Scotiabank Arena – Back in the 1990s, I was fortunate to […]
…this week in order to keep my spirits up: When I reach out to others asking for something, it’s not begging, it’s providing information. Even though I don’t think there’s hope in my future, there actually is…as long as I tell myself that there is. If a friend unfriends me on social media, it’s not […]
One of the cool parts of my musical life is the cycles. Projects are ending and others are beginning all at the same time. And each are at various stages of development. It keeps life fresh and exciting. As we gear up to have For Those Who Died Trying released next month, we’re already starting […]
The Toronto condo in which I live is overseen by a very thorough and competent property manager and staff. Our condo board has bylaws in place and the property manager is like a focussed, stone-faced sheriff from a Western enforcing the law. At times, if any resident strays off course in respecting the rules, they […]
