“If I Could Go Anywhere” is a song I wrote back in the late 1990’s. Here is a new recording of the piece paired with photos of Skagit County, WA photographer Gary Brown. Part of our interdisciplinary collaboration of Pacific Northwest farmland photography with my original music for the “Gary Brown and Conrad Askland Project.”
Ona, Norway Photos – Back to my Roots
On my tour with the Cirque du Soleil show Varekai, one of our destinations is the Oslo Spektrum arean in Oslo, Norway. The end of August 2017 was able to spend a week with my cousin to trace our ancestry back to my great grandparents on the island of Ona, Norway. It was our “back to our roots” tour.
Tarragona – Solo Piano Improvisation
“Tarragona” is a piano improvisation by Conrad Askland. Recorded July 31, 2017 in Tarragona, Spain.
In this video you can see the far stone wall behind the piano. That stone wall is part of a guard tower that is dated to be at least 800 years old. Used at one point as a guard tower and later as part of a winery.
I thought about the long history of this special place in Spain and let my fingers color the imagination of what I saw in my mind’s eye.
Sunday Morning – Southern Gospel Piano Improvisation
“Sunday Morning” from the Tarragona Piano Sessions by Conrad Askland. Session 3-2. Recorded July 31, 2017 at La Casamurada Recording Studio, Tarragona, Spain. Audio engineer: Jesus Rovira.
Live piano improvisations in the heat of summer. Gospel and Southern church piano style.
What a Friend We Have in Jesus – Solo Piano Improvisation
Solo piano improvisation on “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (public domain). Part of Conrad Askland’s Tarragona Piano Sessions recorded July 31, 2017 in Tarragona, Spain.
La Casamurada recording studio. Audio engineer: Jesus Rovira
St Clair – New Age Piano Improvisation
“St Clair” is a piano piece for my friend Judy St Clair. Judy and her husband were mentors of mine when I was younger and they guided me through many adventures. Some were sweet and some were painful, but still they were all adventures.
While playing this piece, I was remembering the light and playful camaraderie we had during those times. Style might be called a new age piano improvisation.
Recorded July 31, 2017 in Tarragona, Spain. Part of my “Tarragona Piano Improvisation Sessions” – Audio engineer: Jesus Rovira
The Tarragona Piano Sessions – Conrad Askland
(Song above is “Song for my Mother. Song 3-6 of the Tarragona Piano Sessions)
On July 31, 2017 I recorded four sessions of piano improvisations at La Casamurada recording studio in Tarragona, Spain. Most of the improvisations are light impressionistic pieces that some might call neo-classical or new age piano style.
Continue reading “The Tarragona Piano Sessions – Conrad Askland”
Alberti’s Dream – Neo Classical Piano Improvisation
“Alberti’s Dream” is a piano improvisation by Conrad Askland. Recorded July 31, 2017 in Tarragona, Spain.
For this piece, I started with a simple Alberti Bass in Bb and then just followed where it led me.
Session 3-8 of my “Tarragona Piano Sessions” improvisations.
Alberti bass is a particular kind of accompaniment figure in music, often used in the Classical era, and sometimes the Romantic era. It was named after Domenico Alberti (1710–1740), who used it extensively, although he was not the first to use it.
Bachelor Degree Completed from Berklee College of Music
My Bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music is now complete. I graduated with a B.P.S. (Bachelor of Professional Studies) in Interdisciplinary Studies. It was an amazing experience.
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Joining the Varekai World Tour
I am thrilled to be joining Cirque du Soleil’s show Varekai as bandleader and keyboardist on their world tour. The show has been on a world tour since 2002 and I will be joining them on the final legs in Europe and ending in the United States in 2017.