Clarinet + Piano = Clariano

Tim Be Told - Humanity

We are slaves to these age old afflictions 
Fighting for control until we fell too far 
Pursue desire, ignore our convictions 
Only wretched souls beneath the weeping stars 

We are calling out in the thick of the war 
I am standing down to fight for something more 
would we cease the battles let this love resound 
Still too hard to find our common ground 

There’s a fire that stays bold and courageous 
There’s a light to light the way 

And we try so hard to heal our diseases 
We break to pieces when our hope has failed 
Some will live or die, without a reason 
Such are the seasons still our faith prevails 

We are lost and found and beg to be restored 
We keep falling down, harder than before 
But love will find a way to give us strength to carry on 
Sorrow for now but someday soon be gone 

There’s a fire that stays bold and courageous 
There’s a light to light the way 

So we come and go it’s still a mystery 
and we’ll be history long before we find 
all the secrets since now and forever 
We hope for better on the other side 

God, hear the cries of your people 

There’s a fire that stays bold and courageous 
There’s a light to light the way

Shenandoah - Frank Ticheli

In my setting of Shenandoah I was inspired by the freedom and beauty of the folk melody and by the natural images evoked by the words, especially the image of a river. I was less concerned with the sound of a rolling river than with its life-affirming energy — its timelessness. Sometimes the accompaniment flows quietly under the melody; other times it breathes alongside it. The work’s mood ranges from quiet reflection, through growing optimism, to profound exaltation.

I realized I haven’t listened to a good band piece in a while…this piece is just so good! It brings out my band geek side haha. I really appreciate the harmonies and the climax of this piece. It just makes me so relaxed and you can really picture the themes that Ticheli is trying to portray. I wish there could be more pieces like this being made instead of some of the modern stuff going on these days…Recently, there was a piece that Cornell Wind Ensemble played (Through the Veil by Jesse Jones). There’s one part where the human scream is imitated with a combination of different instruments. It is so brilliantly done in that piece that it’s so creepy. I don’t know, maybe I just prefer older styles?

a documentary video about 수능(Korean national college entrance exam)…created by a Northwestern student. very well made, and definitely interesting to watch I think. It portrays well how intense 수능 is for Korean high school students…I kinda wonder what would have happened if I stayed in Korea…would I have become a studying machine? Would I have simply blended with society? 

I am grateful that God brought me here to America. I feel like if I stayed in Korea, I would have had a very low opportunity to meet God. I mean, anything could’ve happened, but reflecting on my past life I probably would have become so consumed in studying like every other Korean student. I can easily predict by the way my parents raised me. As the video says, I would have strived to have a “secure” future, because I wanted to give back to my parents and be well-off. I never encountered God until later in my life, so I really wonder how it would be like if my life turned out that way. I just hope that God will continue to change my heart so that I will strive to store treasures in His kingdom instead of things in this world.

Amazing Grace With Bach (나 같은 죄인 살리신) - Soma Trio

such a good arrangement…one of my favorite arranged pieces of all time :D