13 Feb Flash Back – Forest Walk
Way back in 2002, I attended a very cool 6-week summer workshop called The Henry Mancini Institute.
At the time, HMI was running at UCLA in Los Angeles and what a learning experience it was. The workshop comprised of an orchestra of players auditioned from around the world, plus a composer programme with 6 jazz writers. We got to have mentoring sessions with some great jazz writers, such as Vince Mendoza, Jack Smalley, Mike Abene and Bob Beldon.
Among other things, the highlight for us composer participants was to write for the studio orchestra. I wrote a tune called Forest Walk – which the ensemble played very well, but unfortunately we didn’t get a very good recording of the performance. So I have revised it and here it is!
Some other great composers who joined me in this workshop were Aiko Fukushima, Hiro Morozumi, Gordy Haab and Kyle Newmaster 🙂
I miss those days!