Brandee Younger

I just completed an incredible week of music making with Jonathan Batiste at Pearl Studios in midtown.  He is creating the music for a musical, and watching this thing grow from “can you play this line?” last week, to a full blown show of music today was quite an experience.  The amount of talent, passion and teamwork in the room really brought it all together.

I don’t get excited about musicals.  Actually, I had no clue this was a musical at first.  A few months back, I ran into Jonathan at a concert at Juilliard and he pointed at me and said “May…I’m going to use you”.  That was that, until 2 weeks ago, he asked my availability this week.  Not knowing what he was doing, but trusting of course, I rearranged all I could in my schedule to make it work as best I could.  I let him know when I was free, and that I would have a qualified sub on the days I could not make it.

With that (and still not knowing what the job was), I called my good friend Annabelle Taubl to check her availability and sure enough, she was free on those specific days.  Thank God she trusts me, because I could not even explain to her what it was.  As time neared,  I figured out what was going on.   This was to be a musical!  I warned her that little  was scored out yet for harp, but assured her that she could handle it.  It was clear that this was something that needed to be done well, so I was clear about letting Jon know that Annabelle has this technical ability that is well beyond me, so she can help to make the most out of what he was envisioning.  It was very important to have her there, for the big picture.   She had a blast, and so did I.

Witnessing the teamwork of having Jonathan play something on piano, then he or someone else (bassist, singer), write it out, then a composer to input it on Sibelius each day up until  the very recording was quite an experience.

Okay so the truth–why I am I so excited about a musical? Well, you know…the harp often gets the shaft.  “Oh, I’d like to add some color here, a gliss here” Shee shee foo foo!  This musical was scored for harp, drums/percussion & bass.  The harp was at the forefront and the music was written to fit the harp as a rhythm section instrument.  I am always moved when people hold the harp in such high regard.  I see this part being played again and again in years to come…long after I’m dead.  Thank you, Jon!!