Halloween Sound Effects

Conrad Askland’s Haunted Mansion Sound Effects released October 17, 2011.

This was a very fun, exhausting and scary project to work on. The fun part was I improvised a lot of different creepy pipe organ, harpsichord and piano music to create a feel I liked for the different Halloween themes. My favorite part was playing a lot of JS Bach style pipe organ bits interspersed with the expected Halloween tritone movements.

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Cirque ZAIA Third Anniversary

August 28, 2011 was the 3rd anniversary of Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA show in Macau (SAR), China. Above is one of the new promotional posters. You can click it for a larger view.

Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA band

Maria Elena Medina (cello, viol), Olivier Milchberg (guitar, plucked strings, flutes), Gabriel Cloutier (singer), George Manz (key 2), Conrad Askland (bandleader, key 1, accordion), Rose Winebrenner (singer), Darrin Johnson (drums), Eduard Harutyunyan (percussion), Justin Wilman (violin, recorder).

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Q&A: Is Freddy Fender Book Released?

Email received:
IS THE BOOK READY ? I DO WANT ONE .I KEEP TRYING TO GET PICTURES OF HIM RECEIVING HIS AWARDS ,BUT THERE SEEM S TO BE NONE ,I GET THE FEELING THEY BEGRUDGED THEM ,HE WAS GREATER THAN ALL THEM ,HE SANG FROM DEEP IN HIS HEART ,I AM THE SAME AGE AS HE ,I WISHED I COULD HAVE KNOWN HIM,WHEN I FIRST HEARD TESRDROPS ,IT GRIPPED MY HEART ,IT IS SO TOUCHING + NO ONES SINGS IT LIKE HIM .WAS THE LUMP ON HIS THROAT ,THE CAUSE OF HIS LUNG CANCER YOU THINK?

I HADNT EVEN HEARD HE HAD DIED UNTIL 2 YRS AGO OR LESS.HE WAS AN ALL AROUND SINGER “RE SAILS IN THE SUNSET”,HE ;S GOT IT ON THAT. PLEASE ANSWER ME BACK
OK ,I WROTE YOU BEFORE,

JOANNE

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Rod Miller – Disneyland Pianist

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bFwDkh3sW0

For some reason I was thinking back on when I used to play piano at Knott’s Berry Farm in the Calico Saloon (and sometimes subbing at the old Bird Cage Theater melodramas). We did short Old West themed shows and in the summer the Can Can show. The piano style was so much fun. Barrelhouse and Scott Joplin style music. Lots of improvisation ham.

When you play the ragtime style several hours a day on a regular basis it’s a wonderful feeling. Really gets the chops in place. Add to that the camaraderie and competition of the other pianists doing the same thing in different shifts – and you really get in the zone for that style.

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Skagit Herald – March 10, 2011

Thank you to Beverly Crichfield from the Skagit Herald (Skagit County, WA – USA) for writing this article for the Thursday, March 10, 2011 edition. You can subscribe to the Skagit Herald and find local news at http://www.goskagit.com

The article talks about the years I did music and theater in Mount Vernon, WA and Skagit County, USA before moving to Macao, China with Cirque Du Soleil. You can click on the images to enlarge and read.

Below is front page of magazine insert.

2011 Vacation to Mount Vernon, WA and Las Vegas

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2ihkYPpWq4

February 2011 I flew from Hong Kong to visit the USA for a week in Mount Vernon, WA and then a week in Las Vegas. Although I only lived in Mount Vernon, WA for a couple years I consider it “home” because my sister and Mom live in the area. It was also one of my favorite areas to work in doing music and theater shows.

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2011 Chinese New Year – Kong Hei Fat Choi!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGZZDonssnc

Kong Hei Fat Choi from Macau, China! 2011 is the year of the rabbit so that should be fun for all of us. Above is video and photos I shot in Macau on Chinese New Year’s Eve (February 2, 2011). Pictures of Senado Square, Macau Tower fireworks and my personal adventures purchasing rockets and explosives on the Macau waterfront. Good times.

And here is a very fun video from Mr. Kong Macau News. This was my third Chinese New Year living in Macau and this one was the best ever! I gave out my lucky red pocket lai cee cards to all the security guards and even received on myself at work.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAs9t96I3pM