List Updates:

Personal List: 410 (+18)

Full List: 1008 (+287)

Misc. Ideas:

It's been a while since my last update, but there have been a lot of changes to the lists since then. I decided a while ago not to do monthly updates just because my life got busy enough to where it became a burden, and I wanted to keep this project as something that I enjoy doing. Since my last update, I amassed 16 volunteers to help catalogue works and in the process have added nearly 300 works to the list (pushing the total count to over a thousand). I have also developed an entirely new website that makes the lists much more user friendly. This update includes the addition of a live statistics page and a search system to make the lists more navigable. I hope to continue this project for a good bit into the future, and I hope anyone taking the time to read this blog finds my resources useful.

String Orchestra Works of the Month:

Muse – Christopher Theofanidis (2007) ~5.5-6

Performed here by the Portland Youth Philharmonic, Muse is a work I keep coming back to. Theofanidis has a gift for writing music that feels both modern and immediately approachable, and this piece is no exception, moving from driving rhythmic energy to soaring lyrical writing for the whole ensemble. It is also a great example of repertoire that sits comfortably with advanced youth orchestras while still being rewarding for professional groups.