So I’ve been avoiding Hamilton since it came out. The hype was too big, and it kind of turned me off to seeing it. Recently Natalie was assigned by her work to check it out on Disney+, so naturally I sat through it with her… haven’t been able to get it out of my head since… so much so that… well…
Music
Strings that Tie to You – Guitar Arrangement
A guitar arrangement I made for this awesome song featured in Etneral Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, written by Jon Brion.
Music Media Class – OCSA
I attended OCHSA from 2000 – 2004 (now called OCSA) – I was accepted for Music Performance with a focus in Piano. During my time there, I developed an appreciation for music composition thanks to my Music Theory teacher Peter Deneff. We had a class called Music Media, where they taught us how to use some computer software to orchestrate music.
During my free time, I would go into the Media Lab and mess with the software for fun, creating some fun little experimental tunes. Here’s a couple of my favorites.
Children’s Theatre
While in college, I participated a good amount of time helping out the Children’s Theatre Program. Dr. Brian Warren led the Children’s Theatre Workshop and also founded the Theatre for Young Audiences, producing many original plays, and performing for children all over the Rio Grande Valley. I assisted him in writing music for a few of them.
This first one is called The Dream Sailors. Here are a few pictures and the official album, available for download!
I don’t have any images of this next show, but it was an original play called Jackie and the Beanstalk. This music was used to end the play, as Jackie and her friends sing together!
Dora’s Waltz
This piece was composed for Thirteen O’Clock Theatre‘s production of The Dark Sonnets of the Lady, performed at the South Texas College Black-Box Theatre.
Watching this play was a treat, as the entire space was both the stage and audience seating – with the guests scattered across the blackbox, watching the play unfold from all angles.
This waltz was to be performed towards the end of the play, as the entire casts dances
Juan Gabriel Tribute – May he Rest in Peace
His music has played a huge part of my childhood – often played at my Abuela Sarah’s house in the background. He was a great talent, and it was a great loss the day he passed away.
Last year, my sister-in-law Olimpia Cabral Medrano asked her family members to record themselves singing one of his songs, and to share it with her as a tribute. I realized I’d never learned any of his songs to their entirety. So I decided to sit down, and spent a few hours learning “Si Quieres” – one of my grandma’s favorites. I recently gave it a few edits, and re-uploaded it to my YouTube page. I hope you enjoy it!
Commit
This piece was written as background music for a wedding video I edited for Father Goose Productions. For this project, I was tasked to incorporate two pop songs at the clients request. I did some music-arrangements of those tracks, and composed Commit to link the two songs together.
Here’s the video showing the magic – enjoy
Sweeney Todd – Piano Arrangements
For one of my Directing Projects while attending the University of Texas Pan-American (now UTRGV), I decided to re-arrange several segments from the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I found a way to combine a couple of scenes from the play to tell one complete story encompassing the essence of the story.
First we start with the introduction of the character – so of course, I had to include The Ballad of Sweeney Todd – which pretty much describes his origins.
Following this number – all the cast disperses into darkness, leaving Sweeney Todd alone with his chair. As he sits, he thinks back on what happened to him, and what happened to his wife – how she was taken away by the merciless Judge Turpin, and he was cast out of London. For this, I combined two pieces into one The Barber and His Wife and Poor Thing (originally sang by Mrs. Lovett). While Sweeney sings in reminisce, the curtains open up behind him showing you the images of his mind – and he sees as his wife is taken from him, and then later tricked, and raped.
FUN NOTE: During the waltz section, I used an original composition called ‘Becca’s Waltz – I wrote it as a birthday present for a friend of mine (‘Becca’lise) while I was in high school.
As Sweeney weeps – an unexpected guest enters his barber shop. Why, it’s Judge Turpin. Sweeney’s reputation as the best barber in town has quickly spread, and the judge is here for a shave. The Judge has no idea who Sweeney was, and continues on as if getting a shave from a stranger. Having his prey exactly where he wants him – Sweeney savors the moment with a sweet duet with the Judge – they sing Pretty Women. During this song, the Judge reveals he plans on marrying his ward (who happens to be Sweeney’s daughter, now a teenager). As the song reaches the climax, a stupid boy enters the barber shop, and disrupts Sweeney before he attacks. The judge gets up and leaves.
Retro Nerd
I made this little diddy tinkering with PulseBoy, a free online software that allows you to make 16bit music. After about an hour of messing with it, I managed to make a nice little ring-tone piece!
Here’s how to download it for free:
- Hit the “Download” link in the player below
- Type in “$0.00” when asked how much you want to pay (the track is FREE – however if you would like to support my art, you are FREE to donate however much you want)
- Then select “download to your computer” and you’re all set!
Let me know if you like the tune. Maybe I’ll make some more fun, short chiptune tracks for your use and enjoyment!
Yanko Artidiello 