I began creating mp3 files somewhat by accident, or as an experiment. A few years ago I received a note from Frank Moore of Love Underground Visionary Revolution in regards to a few poems I mailed him. He asked if I'd be interested in recording them on a tape for him to play on his show. At the time I was just figuring out how to record my own voice and poetry as soundtracks for short collage-films I'd begun to make (
http://www.indieflix.com/filmmaker/26PTBXXG-21924/ ), yet the idea of using even a thirty minute tape for a number of poems seemed like I'd be wasting a lot of tape time. Thus, I got the idea of adding music to accompany my words. This eventually resulted in the CD "Love Lullabies",
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002G9U9CM Using my own voice as background for my writing, in the past year I worked up the nerve to attempt singing the poems entirely. Actually, since so many of my poems are narratives, I've often thought of them sort of
as choral, operatic or folk pieces, feeling influenced by such works as “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” in addition to the librettists for John Adams and Phillip Glass. I thought I'd be working on yet another DIY project, (eventually entitled "Whispers of Arias"), but luckily came across Kevin MacLeod and his royalty-free music site, Incompetech.com. With his permission to use and play with samples from his site for this esoteric project, I’ve been fortunate to find a working collaboration.
Since releasing the two CDs I've been contacted by a couple of different LGBT choral groups asking if I had music for particular songs (specifically "The Secret Marriage"), written in TTBB or other such arrangements. I again explained that I'm not really a composer/arranger but more of a "lyricist" who, as hip hop artists do, sampled music to create songs for my voice.
Still, given the fact that my work has received some choral interest I thought perhaps I should turn the subject over to members here for potential feedback and or collaboration.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Stephen Mead
http://stephenmeadmusic.weebly.com/ (my "Whispers of Arias" store)
http://soundcloud.com/stephenmeadart (link for for songs with music)
http://stephenmead.amazingtunes.com/users/stephenmead/tunes (link to "The Secret Marriage" with music)
http://www.youtube.com/user/StephenMead (Link to films "Patroclus" & "Rings" from "Whispers of Arias")