Funding and the next few days

To say I'm bored would, I think, be a vast understatement. I seem to have spent approximately the last 6 hours staring at website after website dedicated to funding 'talented and creative individuals', but each of which seem to have a clause stating somewhere that 'Josh may not apply' or, more aptly, 'must be aged over 25 and resident in Wales' or 'must be undertaking study related to biochemistry' or 'closing date for applications was yesterday' or something similar. I'm beginning to think that there might not be any body which can offer funding to a UK resident wanting to do study in the Hague. This brings back memories of the scene in the Producers, and the scene in which they take bundles of cheques from the old ladies, lining up to hand them over. I only wish it was as easy as seducing a couple of old dears.

Well, I suppose I should continue the story as I've given away some of it. Saturday was spent exploring the new delights of Manchester's city centre, with part rain and part shine. Will and I talked at length about the production and what I could do, which to be honest at the moment is minimal. He has asked me to go this weekend to move faders while they're recording, but I think it's too much hassle and expense for what could be done easily by someone closer, although it would be great to see the set and meet the crew before they go into production in order to get a feel for what's going on. I found myself referring back to Ennio Morricone because of his inspired and unconventional use of instruments and technique/genre. Talk about prolific output, and quality that doesn't reflect the amount he produced. No wonder he's so much copied and imitated. Just thinking about his music's inspired me to want to create a score for Before/After like nothing else I've done before. The problem here is that I'm a little bit frustrated by the conventional approach to how the film is produced, although I don't see what else could be done. I just hate getting a cut in the post and having to write around it with a script in hand, it seems too straightforward, although arguably one works best that way. Crisma was really refreshing in the method of production, even though it turned out a little rough round the edges. So it turned out I didn't really have anything to do until post-production, unless I was interested in doing foley (not really). Suits me fine, and gives me longer to think about how I'm going to produce the music, what method I'll take and where I'll do it, what sounds I'll use. Given this amount of time and flexibility it would be worth scoring a lot of the elements in advance, and contemplating structure carefully.

We met up with Paolo and Jacopo and went to the Dutch Pancake House on St Peter's Square before going to see a production of David Mamet's Speed the Plow. I remember now why I haven't gone to the Pancake House more often, most probably because I felt like I was invading a Dutch person's front room, and although the pancakes were excellent something didn't feel relaxed although I couldn't put my finger on it - people, place or atmosphere. I realise now it was a gentle clash of sensibility across the void of language and custom, even more apparent after the Mamet finished and we adjourned to Font bar. We moved to the bar next door when we discovered how full, and how unbelievably loud it was in there. I literally couldn't hear the person next to me speak. Will left a little later and I was left with the Italians and Tom's birthday crew. We enjoyed ourselves sufficiently, and I talked at length with Paolo about the next phase of our work together - where Crisma is going and what we both felt was the next logical step. I talked about my desire to create a meld of live and improvised music, something which could be structured and sculpted at will with the maximum of user input. In other words an electronic instrument or interface through which total control could be had, and developed through the interface itself. Nothing really exists like it, and I guess it's just a dream but I'll be damned if I don't die trying. Visions should be paid strict attention to, especially if they recur. Paolo was keen on my other idea of an interactive interface allowing the public to determine the music and video's unfolding and development, whether consciously or unconsciously. Taking place in a determined place at a specific time, but with possibilities for continued or flexible performance. Hopefully Crisma II will be in the middle of a forest at night with our white aluminium and plastic box lit from inside for the audience to find. Paolo and I continued the talk the next day at what is probably my favourite cafe in Manchester, if not the world - Oklahoma. Situated in what seems like a dingy back street of the Northern Quarter, it houses The Best Electronica cd shop and a shop selling plastic tacky goods the like of which you'll never have seen. We had a pleasant lunch and several coffees and I discovered a book of the work of Sam Taylor-Wood. We relaxed for some hours and eulogised about the production, setting and what developments were in store for us. That evening after Will's flatmate cooked us vegetarian sausages (I tried to get to Somerfield but it had closed moments before) in a wine based gravy that I must try to recall the recipe for. I journeyed round the corner to meet Paolo, Jacopo and the others (Tom, Anna, Tullis and some I forget) for a drink or two before they went back to Italy and I jetted off to Holland for my interview.

All in all it was a strange but productive weekend, spending far more than I intended but having a great time. I realised that productions and projects can only really get better through discussion, thought, revision and research. Each element requires the other to function, and too much of one can mask the others and development ceases. I caught the train to London, got the tube (very straightforward) to Heathrow, and the bus to /terminal [sic] / Terminal 4. I realised I'd panicked that I wouldn't have enough time, but I arrived nearly two hours before the flight, bought a little currency. I think the woman at the bureau de change wasn't really listening to me because I ended up with €20 and not £20 of Euros. Nonetheless I still returned from Holland with plenty of spare money, so it didn't really matter. I arrived in Schiphol, caught the first train to Den Haag. They have double decker trains, with seemingly identical 2nd and 1st class compartments, all costing pretty much the same. I can only say that they have a very efficient and fast train service. I changed for Delft at Den Haag HS and met Vivian at the train station. Delft is a strange place, and resembles at first glance on Viv's side a Glasgow scheme, except what they should have looked like had they been maintained and the local community had treated them like a living environment. What crime there is in Holland is mainly bike crime, and I think the main black market traffic is in stolen bike pumps. Positively refreshing, although I heard whilst I was there the Dutch adage 'Bikes are public property, and locks a challenge'. I suppose like for like I'd prefer to replace my bike and have a safe environment to be. There are cycle lanes everywhere, and I don't just mean in the city centre. On the night after my interview we cycled into Delft and took a Bailey's Hot Choc at a nice wee bar populated by loud but well meaning students celebrating the end of term. The bike ride into town was straightforward and safe, and the bike route was marked out all the way - they even have right of way at most junctions. Viv and I talked about our approach to notation, music technology and many other things, including his philosophy of what music can do.

I suppose I should talk about the interview. I arrived in time, and Viv assured me I didn't really need to let anyone know I was there, so I just sat next to the door adjacent to a guy from... I forget. He was mighty nervous, but I maintained my cool. After a short wait a suited young gentleman from Malta came out, and after chatting briefly it turned out he'd previously studied at Napier. Strange coincidences - he'd been at the Sonic Fusion Festival the previous week and I hadn't seen him. Turns out they'd told him his work was too conservative, and eventually after pondering for some minutes they asked him back in and told him they'd offer a place on the final year of the undergrad. He wasn't exactly over the moon but I think his nerves still had the better of him. Richard Ayres poked his head out the door and beckoned me in, and I sat in the company of a large group of composition luminaries including Louis Andriessen on my right whom I didn't notice until some time into the interview. We had a good chat and I think I came over more head strong than I meant to, although they seemed to understand what I had to say. They offered me a place on the spot, although due to my words about needing to learn more in term of the 'basics', they said I should do the final year of the undergrad. I think they offer that to everyone wanting to do the VKO. I'm yet to know how I could possibly fund studying there, although this evening has led me to discover that with a residence permit I can reclaim my fees from the Dutch government. That just leaves living fees, which could be sorted through some sort of funding from the UK, although I know not what. After staying with Vivian another night, and him showing me a little of Den Haag and feeding me sufficiently, I journeyed back to England and met Zanni in Heathrow.

But the rest of that sounds like it's for tomorrow as it's getting late again. My mother is on her computer test marathon starting tomorrow morning early, so I probably won't have access for a while. First of the month.