Michelle McQuade Dewhirst

My goal is more modest and connected to the year…25 books in 2025. I’m somehow already at 17 and I’m irrationally proud of this! 😀

I have a friend who sounds like Johnny Cash...so naturally he specializes in Taylor Swift covers in the style of Johnny Cash. He's lowkey my hero.

The biggest swing I've taken (but need another shot at) is Queen's "Somebody to Love".
The bigggest swing I haven't taken yet is Blues Traveler's "Hook"...gotta practice that one more!

An greyscale image from a graphic novel. A bearded man representing the composer Arvo Pärt sits on a sofa. His speech bubble reads: “It’s crucial that one forgets everything before beginning a new piece. If you start from nothing then something can emerge.” Source: Between Two Sounds by Jonas Sildre

A little summer reading: Jonas Sildre’s Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt’s Journey to His Musical Language. A gorgeous book!

YouTube video by RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 7 Snatch Game w/ Leslie Jordan, Natasha Lyonne & More! 😂 RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars

About 2 minutes in:

Yeah, it got a little dusty in the room when I watched this.

A latte in a red cup. The foam art on top is in the shape of a leaf. Behind the latte is an open music manuscript notebook.

Saturday morning inspo

A music manuscript notebook lies open on a bar. In the upper right corner, there’s a cocktail…an old fashioned. It’s garnished with bacon because why the hell not?

A little cocktail, a little composing…

Music manuscript paper with some swirly doodles drawn in the margin

Sometimes the process involves doodling…

A notebook with handwritten music

Let the summer sketching begin!

A coffee mug sits on a table in a coffee shop. The name of the shop, Kompound Cafe, is stamped into the surface of the mug.

Semester’s over. Time for some coffee and contemplation…

Sing we now the praises of Peacock for streaming the Eurovision Song Contest!

The Twice-As-Big Lebowski

Movie you’ve watched more than six times using gifs.

Oops - forgot the alt text for the pic. An iPad displays the first horn part to Jennifer Higdon’s blue cathedral. Next to it, a tuned water goblet sits on a music stand.

Gig night - Weidner Philharmonic, featuring work by Jennifer Jolley, Jennifer Higdon, Joaquin Rodrigo, and Katahj Copley. I even get to play two instruments!
#100daysofpractice Day 52

YouTube video by Adam Holmes pitch bending on vibraphone

#100daysofpractice Day 51
Messing with the pitch-time continuum…

YouTube video by Vic Firth Mourning Dove Sonnet, by Christopher Deane

More research!
#100daysofpractice Day 50!

YouTube video by Paul Stevens Olivia Kieffer - 10 Short Pieces for Solo Vibraphone - VIII

More research! Filling the well...
#100daysofpractice Day 49

YouTube video by Victor Pons Olivia Kieffer - 10 Short Pieces for Solo Vibraphone - IX

Things are hectic as hell and maybe I'll get some notes down on a page soon but until then I sneak in my project research where I can get it. #100daysofpractice Day 48

YouTube video by Steve Weiss Music Crazy Jazz Vibraphone Solo Lick by Stefon Harris

Gig weekend threw me off my game but #100daysofpractice makes its triumphant (?) Day 47 return with a bit of research for a new project:

It’s concert week for the Weidner Philharmonic. I’m the artistic director, and I’m excited about sharing music by Richard Strauss, Jennifer Jolley, Jennifer Higdon, Joaquin Rodrigo, and Katahj Copley!

I went in so cold I didn’t know he was the director until after! My kid started to keep a running tally of Minecraft inaccuracies but gave up because there were too many. His response at the end: “This was terrible. I can’t wait to watch it again!” Ok buddy 😀

Ok so the movie has five (!) screenwriters and one of the lines was: “First we mine, then we craft. It’s Minecraft time!”Jack Black unhinged from start to finish. All clothes, cars, etc. come from the 70s and 80s but one character has a job in social media. This thing was…inexplicable. 😀

Having flashbacks to my kid’s karate days…so many afternoons spent in that studio…so many feet…

One of my students had an interesting critique of the casting. He likes Jack Black but thinks Steve is a sort of blank slate character that Minecrafters see themselves in. Jack Black is pretty much always a version of himself in every role and pushes Steve’s personality in a too specific direction.

I have no preconceived notions about this thing but I’m taking my 15-year-old to see it this afternoon and he’s going in with the intent of hatewatching it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I shall report back from the front.

Monday night: Jazz gig with horn quartet and rhythm section.
Friday night: Orchestra gig playing Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Brahms.
Musical whiplash! 😀
#100daysofpractice Day 46

Digital audio file displayed on a computer monitor

Digital side quest: Complete!
#100daysofpractce Day 45

A digital audio work station is displayed on a laptop screen.

Digital side quest nearly complete!
#100daysofpractice Day 43