This is a track that I made for my game music portfolio this week. The synced demo video (which I cannot share publicly) is from a platformer, depicting a transition from a dark world to a brighter one. The two sections are composed to crossfade seamlessly as the player goes back and forth between these two worlds. The cover art for this upload is a photo I took of the Columbia River after a storm passed. This track is available for download, along with the rest of my work, at Bandcamp: jeremyhatch.bandcamp.com/track/dawning-light

It’s been a little over five months since the lockdowns began, and for almost all of that time I decided to not even think about releasing anything, and simply let my interests be what they would be from day to day. I shut down the Patreon and retreated into a long period of contemplation and largely undirected creative work.

As the months passed, I became increasingly interested in composing music rather than improvising it. And over the past month or so, I’ve been writing daily for orchestra and for string quartet and for piano, and I’ve been finding this work very satisfying in itself.

This piano piece is the first one of these compositions that I’m releasing. It’s free to listen to here, but if you’d like to help support my work, you can pick it up along with the rest of my music at Bandcamp. If you play piano and can read written music, the sheet music for this piece is also available through Sheet Music Plus.

Track art by Snapwire, licensed through Pexels.

Over this past week I saw a nice meme: a sketch of a person vaguely Buddha-like, sitting in lotus position, with the words "If you can't go outside, go inside." Whatever you think of that kind of thing (and to be honest, I generally roll my eyes at such things), the message is a useful one for right now. A lot of us are stuck inside for the foreseeable future, trying to figure out how to make ends meet, trying not to miss our friends too much, trying not to panic, trying not to go too stir-crazy; and if we're lucky enough to be cooped up with spouse and family, learning how to not drive each other nuts in such tight quarters. And of course, we're also trying not to be consumed by anxiety.

I certainly don't have any answers or advice here, and am doing only the best I can myself. I'm just a musician. But during this enforced step back from "regular life" I've been thinking a lot about all the things that seemed absolutely essential on that old merry-go-round, and old mindsets too -- much of which seems dispensable from this vantage point, after just two weeks of mostly staying in and seeing nobody in person but my wife and cats -- and the neighbors, from across the way. I have a feeling a lot of people are going through a similar experience and that we will emerge from this trial much more focused on the truly essential things in life.

I recorded this music before the first week of isolation but it seems to suit the mood this morning, so I've chosen it along with this photo by Josh Hild from Pexels for this Friday. I hope you enjoy it.

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Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Josh Hild from Pexels

This week has been strange and distressing for all of us. Many of us have lost most or all of our income, and every one of us has been suddenly dislocated from the normal routines of life. I've been one of the lucky ones in both regards, but the experience of staying under self-imposed house arrest for fear of an unpredictable virus is anxiety-provoking and upsetting no matter what.

So I've been looking for the positive aspects of all of this. I'll stay away from the economic analysis and instead look to how the people I know are responding in their day to day lives, and I'm finding that encouraging. People are being resourceful. People are using their free time well, if they suddenly have a lot of it. People are reaching out to one another and helping each other get through this rough patch, however long it may turn out to be.

And that is why I chose this upbeat, jazzy piece and this particular photo by Matheus Viana from Pexels. The policy of social distancing mandates that we don't literally join hands with friends and strangers, but that doesn't stop us from doing so figuratively, and I've seen a whole lot of that going on in the last week.

I hope you enjoy the music. Hang in there.

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Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Matheus Viana from Pexels

Some gentle tones to soothe your anxious soul, just like a walk alone on the shore. I chose this photo by Lisa Fotios, one of my favorite photographers on Pexels, to evoke the mood of this one. I hope you enjoy it.

Support on Patreon

Spotify podcast link

Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels

Support on Patreon

Spotify podcast link

Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Inga Seliverstova from Pexels

Support on Patreon

Spotify podcast link

Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Louis from Pexels

Support on Patreon

Spotify podcast link

Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Ruvim from Pexels

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Support on Patreon

Spotify podcast link

Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

Support on Patreon

Spotify podcast link

Full playlist of 2020 Improvisations

Photo by Виктория Лихолёт (Victoria Likhliet) from Pexels