Compositions

It finally Winter Break!!! Which ironically for me means get to work. I have a huge list of compositions and projects I want to get finished over the next five weeks. Some of the projects on that list are: the demo recordings for HINT, the new show Soulmate, several classical pieces, and a couple christmas pieces. I will try to continue to post with recordings or updates on the piece's progress.

I recently updated my website with a couple little things:

http://www.bradkempmusic.com/BradKempMusic2/Home.html

I have also recently put up a lot of videos to youtube so check that out too:

http://www.youtube.com/user/GuitarGODLOA

If you're too lazy to go to my website or youtube page, here is a new video to enjoy!

I also put up a couple new songs on my myspace page so check that out as well!!

http://www.myspace.com/bradkempmusic

Enjoy all the new things,

Brad

HINT

I have been working on "HINT" for the past week. It is a murder mystery musical that is loosely based on the board game clue. Here is a summary for everyone:
The show opens with William Williams talking to the audience about his death. He goes on to explain how he was having friends over for a diner party and right before it was going to start he was killed. The characters go through out the mansion in fear while many other people get killed off. After many hilarious scenes and songs the show comes to an exciting climax when everyone finds out who the killer is. The show keeps audience members on the edge of their seat while making them laugh the whole time.
I have had the script completed for a while ,but haven't had time to finish all of the songs. That's what I have been working on for the past week. I am really excited because I have had several different people tell me they would be willing to work on a staged reading when I complete it.
I will keep everyone updated with everything as I figure it out.
Brad

Video Logs

The video logs have been going great. So far I have two of them up and I am putting up a third one tomorrow. The first two videos combined have been watched about 110 times!!! I am very excited about the amount of views I am getting on the video logs. There has been a couple comments and ratings on the videos but overall not very much. So the favor that I am asking to everyone who reads this blog is to comment and rate the videos!!! I am also extremely excited about the number of subscribers I have gained from the video logs. After the first one I had about 5 subscribers. Now that I have put up the second video log, that number has more than doubled to 11. To most people that doesn't sound like much, but to me it is really awesome.
So some of the new exciting news. For video log three, I am going to have my friend Ali Arzeni sing. It is going to be great. She is singing the song "Waiting" from the show "Love (luv): an afterthought", a show that my friend Dan Lowry and I are working on. We have been working on it for the past couple months, very on and off, and it has gotten better and better. So everyone make sure to look on my youtube acount tomorrow night, for the release of video log three with Ali Arzeni.
That is all for now,
and remember to please rate and comment on the videos,
Thanks,
Brad

Vlog

Hey everyone,
For those of you who don't know I send out a newsletter for my website on the first of every month. This next one I am very excited about because I am launching my Video Log (Vlog) on Youtube. I am going to try to post on it once a week or so. It will have videos with myself playing some of my recent work. Most likely songs from "Soulmate?" or songs that I enjoy covering. I will also probably have some of my friends in the videos playing other instruments. I think it is going to be really cool.
Another cool thing is that Youtube updated their website. So now there is a new layout for Youtube accounts. Everyone should check it out.
Here is my account.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GuitarGODLOA
So check out my Vlog, it should be up in the next couple days.
That's all for now,
-Brad

Soulmate?

I have been working on a new show. It is a rock opera/concept album entitled "Soulmate?" It is based on the soulmate theory that there is a perfect person out there for everywhere. I started working on the script/lyrics for it. It is really different than anything I have ever worked on before because there is no actual script or diolouge. I am used to either writting music to lyrics that have already been written or writting diolouge in a script with soungs around them. It's strange to me bucause little "everday" diolouge that would usually be spoken is now sung. It's really challenging ,but also really fun. I hope to have some demo recordings of the songs out soon. I started working on it about a week ago and am just about done with the first act. It is going really well and I am really excited.
In other news, I updated my youtube account with a new video. The video is of my senior year pops concert, when I performed Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven". I transcribed the back-up vocals and co-wrote the violin part with Camryn. Check it out!



That's all for now.
Check back soon for those demo recordings,
Brad

Theatre

As everyone may know, if you read anything I actually write, I have been moving towards the choral end of things. I really love where my music is going. However, last night I watched the 2009 Tony Awards and I was blown away by the performance of "Next to Normal". I was expecting it to be good, but I had chills almost the entire time. If you didn't get a chance to see the Tony's check it out.

It completely re-sparked my love for musical theatre and the passion that can be conveyed on-stage. I immediately started thinking about the show I am working on with my friend and playwright Dan. I hope to be able to write something with that much emotion and that much feeling so I can make people feel the way I felt last night.
That's all for now,
Keep Dreaming like me,
Brad

LIT FEST

I just found out that I am performing with my friend Ricky Powell (www.rickypowellmusic.com) at Printers Row Lit Fest. We are performing at 2 o'clock on Sunday June 7th in the Columbia tent, located at Harrison and Dearborne (by the Starbucks and Chase and 7 11). Come check us out because it is going to be awesome. We are performing 5 Ricky Powell originals and many others including Man in the Mirror, Just the Two of Us, Tears in Heaven, and more... Be there at 2 to catch a great show and to be part of a huge literary festival.
In other news I am setting up a recording session with 8 of my very talented friends. We are planning on recording in mid July. The session will consitly of many of my recent choral works incuding "Gray Steel Morning", "Mother - A Message", and "Eternal Life - John 3:16-17". I hope to have the recordings up shortly after the session so make sure to check back for those.
Thats all for now.
-Brad

Summer!

It’s summer. Well at least for Columbia Students (and probably other colleges too). Unfortunately that means two jobs and no music classes, but that also means writing music, writing music, and writing music. It has been a while since I could just sit down and write some music. I am also looking forward to having jam sessions with my roommates. The other night my friend Ricky (www.rickypowellmusic.com) and I were jamming. I was playing my keyboard (split between upright bass and piano) and he was playing guitar. It was awesome. We played many different styles from minor blues to the chord progression from Something by the Beatles. I highly recommend it to any musicians, it’s something that is very relaxing. Maybe I’ll post a recording of the session soon.
-Brad

Destin, Florida

For the past week I have been in Destin, Florida for spring break. I spent most of my time there writing music. I started a multi-movement choral work entitled “Sounds of the Ocean”. I wrote five movements so far. The piece is for an 8-part choir, piano, cello, and bass drum. Obviously my inspiration for the piece came from the ocean and the beauty of my surroundings while in florida. As you can see in the picture in above, the sand is white and the water is turquoise. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The movements so far include: I: Waves of Beauty, II: Storm at Sea, III: Destiny on Shore, IV: Sands of White, and V: Ships at Sail. I’m not sure how many movements I want the piece to end up having, but those are the first five. I hope to have a demo-recording on the site soon.
-Brad

Shows, Shows, Shows!

So right now I am working on five different shows. In order of performance they are: The Mystery of Madam Pearl which is a murder mystery. It is being performed at the Sherwood Conservatory of Music at 7:30 on April 8. I am one of three characters in this original mini-musical. The next show is Hello Again. I am playing drums in the pit band for the show. It is April 13-16 at various times. The next show is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I am assistant musical director and rehearsal accompanist. The performance dates are April 28 and 29 at 7:30. Parts I’ll Never Play is a musical cabaret directed by Amber Linde. I am the musical director for the show. I also co-wrote the opening number with Amber. The show is being performed at Manifest at 4:30 in the theatre building. The last show that I am currently working on is You Took Away My Flag. It is an original musical that I am acting in. The show dates and times have yet to be determined. That’s all that is new right now. Come check out the shows. They are all going to be great!
-Brad

Recent Works

So recently I have been working on a guitar duet arrangement of Prayer of the Children by Kurt Bestor. I sang it twice in high school octets. I hope to have a recording of it on the site soon. I have also been working on a four part a cappella arrangement of Amazing Grace. I am excited about both of these new pieces and will hopefully post recordings of both very soon. That’s all for now.
-Brad

First Post

This is my first post of I’m sure many. I’m very excited for the site to finally be up. Please spread the word that it is up. Anyways...the picture. I took this picture (as well as the one on my resume page) at 4 AM after a long night of hanging with my friend Adam and eating at Clarke’s off the Belmont stop. It was a great night and I liked the artsy look I had going. That’s all for now.
-Brad