November 7, 2020 - For the Love of Composing, a Virtual Conference
Several months back, we were at our first full team lunch at the best crepe restaurant I've ever eaten at, "La Table de Sophie" (owned by my former dance teacher, Irina Gologorsky). This restaurant would become the official meeting place for Inception, not just because they had an outside patio during COVID.
I haphazardly announced that I wanted to do a virtual conference. It seemed to be the thing that people were doing in 2020, and it would bring us attention.
We would mix panels with mentoring sessions (where we would send kids live to the breakout rooms to write) , and it would end with a concert of the kids music (all mock-ups).
What I was most impressed about was everyone's participation.... students, parents, mentors, guest panelists... all got on Zoom at the right time (even if they only had a 10 minute slot).
10:00 am - Creativity with your Coffee.
This was an introduction to the day essentially for all the composers and mentors to do introductions. I played my favorite song, "From the Corner to the Block" from the TV show Treme. New Orleans jazz/fusion group Galactic, mixed it up with hip hop artist Juvenile, and the Soul Rebels Brass band. I know parents at this moment began to wonder about who was teaching their kids composition.
I also shared Beethoven's 9th with his original handwritten score.
Click on the video below for Beethoven's 9th with Beethoven's handwritten score.
I now had to make no apologies for my handwritten compositions.
10:30 am - Virtual Reality
At the time, Inception was really still thinking about making a Virtual Reality app. So Amy had found some potential designers in Boston who joined us for discussion. And our friend Adrian Zaw discussed his company's push into VR and 360 video.
11:00 - Ric Becker (Trombone Workshop)
Kate Bacich - Moderator Ric Becker - Mentor
Jack Aron - Breakout Room Supervisions
Sean & Nikko Composers
Kate was the perfect second moderator for the day. She was super prepared and engaging. We ran our traditional mentoring session here with the kids writing something live for Ric to give notes on. To fill time, he talked about the trombone.
Noon - Classical Sax Project - Javier Oviedo & JP Schmitt
Akira - Moderator
JP & Javier - Mentors
Karen Elaine, Mentor
Chris Lee - Composer
Kate Bacich - Inception Mentor
This session was sub-titled "Your First Commission". The Classical Sax Project had generously offered to perform a piece written by one of our students in concert, so Christopher was there for notes.
(We finally got CSP to perform our composers' works in concert in NYC in June of 2024.)
Kate also shared a beautiful composition inspired by bird calls.
12:50 PM - 1:00 PM - Tom Hiel
A short conversation moderated by Akira. Tom Hiel shared one of the movie clips he scored.
1:00 PM - Why is Akira Mean
This was supposed to be a skit hosted by our youngest composer, Cadence, with all the kids participating except Chris and Jayleen. Unfortunately, her internet froze, and we had to fill. I'm sure I told a lot of dumb jokes, and a lot of people logged off.
1:25 PM
Kate ended up moderating an impromptu quick panel on composing with your voice with composers Angela and Sean.
1:30 PM - The Big Pivot and Why Preston Scales is a Star
So there was a plan. We were going to run two workshops at the same time. The first one would feature Aeralie Brighton coaching singers Angela, Chris, Sean, and Huxley. For the second one, Preston Scales would join Amy and Blythe for a songwriting workshop. Huxley would join them mid-way.
Problem - Aeralie got really sick and couldn't make it. So at the last minute, we moved Preston to the main room. (You can hear me barking out coordination over Kate's previous interview.)
Preston was EXCELLENT. He talked about writing with colors representing emotions. The composers working with him fell in love. Karen, Jack, and I couldn't get enough.
In the mean time, Amy and Blythe's session was super creative, with lots of participation and many people logging on specifically to see them featured and to help write a group song which Amy sang to the both workshops when they switched back over at the end.
2:50 PM - Claire Morison
Though Claire really had stepped back from Inception because we were never in the studio now, she had played played such a big role in building it up, that we had to have her on for recognition.
3:00 PM -- Getting Into College
Kate Bacich - Moderator
Kelsey Smith, Young Musicians Foundation, Guest Panelist
Melissa (Harpist) - YMF, Guest Panelist
Jack Aron Inception Mentor
Ok, no lie here, I had met Kelsey Smith on a panel at Amplify Music (a Gigi Johnson produced music conference), and she was such the excellent panelist - intelligent, interactive, and warm, we had to find a way to have her on for Inception. I really wanted to moderate this panel, but it was also important that we went on our scheduled breaks. (Sadness).
This panel was excellent, though we saw an audience drop-off. We still have kids watch it for information on their college music auditions.
3:50 PM - Kevork Andonian
I shared Kevork's beautiful work here earlier. Stunning composer.
4:00 PM - ASMAC Kerfuffle (see the last chapter)
4:50 PM - Kate Bacich Tribute
After the ASMAC thing, we needed some levity. Kate had gotten a TV series, so was leaving. She was with us for three months, but had made such an impact. The kids loved her. So we surprised her with a farewell. It was cute, so I'll share it.
I carry Kate's comment about our teaching philosophy to this day. "I love that we teach all levels". Absolutely, it's beyond music, and that's what makes Inception amazing. Kate got it.
5:00 pm - Karen Elaine & Maksim Velichkin
All hands on deck for Karen and Maksim live from my apartment. We had about five computers running, and two breakout rooms, and lots of improv. It was great. Many of Karen's colleagues hung around to watch this.
Also, she had brought a kitchen's worth of food. After this session was over, I had to moderate the next panel as well, and all these delicious cookies and crackers had been devoured and the remaining plate only had vegetables. Karen and Maksim were the only possible culprits. They had also drunk all the wine.
6:30 pm - Van-Anh Nguyen - Live from Australia
This panel was special. I had met Van-Anh at a concert with my friend Ronee Martin, an amazing R&B singer. Van-Anh, a classical piano phenom and improvisor, and Ronnie gave the most innovative and moving concert I had been to in ages.. They mixed styles and electrified the room. But Van-Anh's thing was mash-ups. She takes pop songs and overlays them with dazzling classical piano. I left feeling that this was how every concert should be.
She taught our kids mash-ups. This session is worth the watch.
Please click on video below to hear Van-anh's Master Class.
7:00 - Concert
Finally, there was a two hour concert which we had to time for the people in the middle of the country and younger students. It was very cool to hear everyone's compositions to date. Not quite live yet, but good enough with us all trapped without a vaccine.
That's a Wrap
A final note. This was not only Kate's last day, but also Blythe decided to leave. I won't say too much about it except that it is more important to mentor and to teach and appreciate everyone for what they bring to the table and find a way to show up for them. Kate and Blythe, you would be missed.
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