Stations 9 and 10 and concerts

I know we are not even out of the Christmas season yet, until Fri. (Epiphany) unless you are in the north west and then it's not until Sunday, but I can't stop thinking about Lent.

Stations # 9 and #10 have just been uploaded to my YouTube channel. I hope you are able to watch them. Next month is the last month and they will all be up before the start of Lent. You can make a very interactive and engaging "Way of the Cross" by watching and listening to them all.

Also, at the end of February, I start my "Way of the Cross" concert with video tour. Now I'm traveling with even MORE gear. I start in Oregon and then NY at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (I'm a Lay Carmelite, so I can't wait to visit this place). Then I have 6 concerts in Nebraska and go directly to Indiana, then 4 in Massachusetts and finally a few dates in my favorite city, St. Louis, MO. There's also a women's conference I'm presenting at there. Details for each event is posted on my "Concerts" page I will be gone from home for 25 days straight, something I've never done before and am a little nervous about what is going to happen at home in my absence. I find the best way to deal with it is not to think about it. Just put alot of food in the freezer and pray alot.

I also have to think about how to pack all my gear and clothes into one carry on suitcase and one "personal item" \o/

If you think your parish would like a "Way of the Cross" concert/video presentation, we are now booking for Lent of 2013 and other Fridays or Sundays throughout this year. Other concert themes are listed here and it's never to early to book for Christmas.

Music Videos for First Two Stations Songs

I'm so excited! This month we have uploaded MUSIC VIDEOS to accompany the first two songs from the new Stations of the Cross album, "The Way of the Cross - a song for each station." These videos help you to really experience and "enter into" each station. Masterfully done by expert video maker Francis Choudhury from Austrailia, the scenes relate directly to each lyric and promise to grab you by the heart.

Every month we will upload 2 more station videos, having all 14 posted by Lent. You will be guided in making a very meaningful walk with Jesus and I promise it will be one you will never forget.

These videos will eventually be compiled and presented at each of my Lenten "Stations" concerts starting Lent 2012. They will be showing behind me while I sing. We'll be passing out a tissue with every program. You won't want to miss it.

PLEASE, go to my FACEBOOK page and post a comment and tell me what you think of these first two stations, or at least click the "like" button, if you haven't already, and really help me out. Thanks. Of course, if you love it, you will want your friends to see them, so please tell them about it.

You're awesome. Enjoy!

It's ready for purchase! Come and get it!

My new album, my greatest, non-child related project is finally available! This is soooooo exciting! I just know you're going to be blessed when you hear it. Oh! God bless you!!

http://donnacorigibson.com/StationsOftheCrossInSong.html

Sheet Music

I'm taking a break from the pain and detail of creating sheet music for all 14 songs of the "Way of the Cross" album. I've been putting it off and putting it off. I did one song in January and another in March. I just finished, we'll I'm just about finished, with the third one today. My goal was to be done by summer so I could have some time off, but I just didn't want to do it. Good news, though, I got an updated Finale program and it plays back everything without a hitch and some of the features got the glitches out of them, so it's alot easier than in the past. I know it's not very exciting news, but that's really what I'm up to and will be doing for the next month. When am I EVER going to get to clean my house?

It is Finished!

It is kind of hard to believe and a little bittersweet, but The Stations of the Cross album has been officially signed off by me. I'm finalizing the artwork to include all my last minute co-producers and next week it will go off to replication and be available at the end of July or so.

I was thinking I should take a break for a while, buy my mind is already teeming with ideas for the next one. I've already written a new song for the second edition of the Our Catholic Faith CD. I'm changing out most of the songs, adding a brand new one and a new appologetic on purgatory (what Catholic faith CD is complete without a blurb on purgatory, right?) replacing/adding to a story or two and replacing the current Anima Christi with a completely new recording of Anima Christi (my biggest hit) which includes the live string quartet from Macedonia that I used for the Way of the Cross project and some brass - gorgeous! This should be done by Fall as well.

Then, I'm already thinking about a collection of songs for Our Lady. What do you think? Any suggestions? Should I chill out for a little while, maybe get some sleep, play with my kids, clean my house? I think a real work-a-holic asks those kind of questions. I just convicted myself. I need help.

Tedium!

What started as a labor of love is culminating into a very tedious final. This week we are preparing to go to mastering on Friday and I am pouring through each song AND it's background track for every little detail. New things keep popping out at me that I never heard before. Things that are really fine, I suppose, but the decisions and indecisions are driving me crazy (and my producer, Barry. I should to give him many bonuses for all the extra miles he goes for me.) I don't even know how to comment anymore, yet, I need to listen over and over to make sure nothing accidently gets left out or something. Barry says, "It's like a painting. It is never finished. It just stops in interesting places." I need to stop before I ruin it - as I did one song and now we have to take 5 steps to undo it. In contrast though, in "examining" the background tracks (without vocals) I hear so many "O, so cool" sounds and parts that I never really paid attention to before. Barry is so talented at this music stuff. He's really amazing. I wonder how one learns stuff like that.

The great news is that we got the mastering guy and studio we really wanted. His name is Peter Moshay and he currently works in NY as the on staff, full-time, audio guy for Hall and Oats' online radio program. We could have waited months for him to be available as has happened before, but, what do you know, he is available the exact day we need him. God is good! So, next week this should all be done and will go to replication. Then in July or so all my co-producers will get their official pre-release copies. Oh, famous last words! I'll believe it when I see it.

Please pray I keep my sanity.

Almost There!

Well, we finished recording ALL the extra musicians and vocalists this week. The sound is SO BIG. Now we just have to edit and mix. Please pray that we can book the "mastering" with the guy that would really be the best. The one I want is pretty busy, but God can make and opening if he's the one. Thanks for remembering me in prayer. This is a really big project.

New Website!

It has taken me a month of mistakes and redoing it over and over. I have worked late into the night to when I thought my eyes would start bleeding. It is true what St. Vincent de Paul says, "The human body really only needs four hours of sleep to function." And he lived into his 80's, he should know. It is done and it is beautiful. Please check out my website and let me know if I missed anything (missing links, spelling, any problems, etc.) I'm getting ready for the release of the Stations album this fall. I like to start early.

Getting Closer

Hearing these songs of the stations over and over due to writing, practicing, critical review and for enjoyment to see what "sticks out" has really brought me closer to Jesus in his most vulnerable state. It's true that when you experience a tragedy with someone or some crisis, you feel very connected. Well, that's what the "Stations..." have been doing for me all year - drawing me very intimately closer to the heart of Christ. Some words that come to mind are: friendship, intimacy, understanding, tremendous sorrow, inspiration, and love. I pray the same for you.

Updates

I am leaving for my last trip to NY on Friday. I will sing stations 10-13. You won't believe how beautiful #13 is. When Barry first sent me the track to listen to and approve and practice, etc. I was at the airport on my way to NC, waiting for my plane and I started singing along and I couldn't make it through the first verse. It was the first time I had heard the combination of the "orchestra" (it's still fake at this point) arrangement with the words and melody and I just busted out crying. The guy in the seat next to me started giving me curious looks. It starts off with a wind sound and some hauntingly sad clarinet or some funky wind instrument and goes into the song starting with cellos very low (just like I had requested - Barry is so good at taking what I "hear" in my head and making it a reality.)

My new video friend in Austrailia refuses to get paid at all and got mad a me when I sent him a very small amount of money in recompense for his out of pocket expenses - he's very stubborn. We will all just have to include him in our prayers.

My husband just got laid off yesterday from his job at Hewlett Packard, so it's a good thing all of contributions toward the Stations project are earmarked as well as paid out. It seems the only way I WILL get to finish this project is by soliciting for the rest of the costs at future concerts. It's so nice having my "record deal." (I HAVE to make music - oh, my!) If I don't meet my goal, I will just put the rest on my credit card. No worries. It WILL get done on time, come "hell or high water." I promise. It's going to be AWESOME! Meanwhile, if you know of a friend who always wanted to be in God's music business, please direct them to my "Stations" webpage www.donnacorigibson.com/StationsOftheCrossInSong.html Thanks and God bless you. Please pray for me.

Praise the Lord, Lord, Lord!

A video creator guy from Australia stepped forward to make a video for each of my 14 station songs. He has done one for "She Was There" already and it's wonderful. He's FAST. His name is Francis Choudhury and he has a channel on UTube already if you want to check out some of his other excellent work. http://www.youtube.com/user/francisxcc I'll let you know when my videos will be posted. Don't hold your breath, though. It won't be until the album's finished.
Thank you Francis! God bless, bless, bless you!!

Album cover

I finally sat down and did some serious thinking about what I want the cover of the stations album to look like. I'm pretty decided on it so I won't be taking that poll after all. You'll just have to wait and be surprised. I am working on the art presently. I love doing the artwork and laying out the design. It is very tedious, but for some reason, I like tedium. I save all my Golden Arrow work to an itty bitty USB so I can just plug it into my little mini laptop and work anywhere, even on the front porch, to work AND enjoy the lovely and very few sunny summer days here in Everett, WA at the same time. Yes, I'm a multi-tasker.

Video

Writing these songs for each station of the way of the cross brings many images to mind. I think it would be very powerful to have relevent video to accompany them yet I have no idea how to sync video clips to audio. While I've heard of good programs, it would mean learning them and doing all the work myself, which I honestly just don't have the time for. Is there anyone out there who knows a faithful Catholic, or is one, that has video making capabilities and would be interested in collaborating with me? Please email me the regular way (not by comment -donna (at symbol and then my website name). I have a few songs ready already to get started with. Please pray about it.

Album Sponsors

Today is the first day of the novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. I was baptized on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at 2 weeks old and I've been a Lay Carmelite (TOC - Third Order Carmelite) since 1999, so this is a very special feast for me.

Barry finished another song for my stations album, #4 Jesus meets his mother. It's called "She Was There" and, boy, is it MOVING. He did a great job with the orchestra. You can hear it on my sponsor's page. If you'd like to become one and help me to actually finish this project, that would be awesome as I am only 1/2 way to my financing goal. Please visit www.donnacorigibson.com/StationsOftheCrossInSong.html for more info.
Thanks to those who have contributed so far, I was able to say "I can do this and I think God must really want me to!" Now comes the sweat part, I guess. God doesn't want to make it TOO easy. He just wanted to get me started NOW!

I finally finished writing all the songs and I'm even pretty happy with them. I just have to sing #'s 10-13 and wait for Barry to finish all the production, one song at a time. He sends me versions via email and I listen to it 10 times and take three hours to write him an email back with all my critique and requests. We do that about 10 times per song. I think it is well worth it as I love the results!

Hard Truths

It's been a challenge for me as a songwriter to not "water down" the lyrics of some of these "Stations" songs. Take for instance, station #10 - Jesus is Stripped... It is not compfortable to sing those words. I can do "lost everything" or "torn his clothes" or "ripped away" etc. but STRIPPED just doesn't SING!!! When I finally gave in to the word, the song became heavier, more intense and hard to listen to - but isn't that more the TRUTH?! Jesus didn't have any clothes on! - but we don't like to confront that reality or the direness of the event. But that is the point of meditating on these things, isn't it? To water it down is to not enter in completely - and that would defeat the purpose of my seting these meditations to music and video. No, this project will not be comercially accepted, but I'm in good company - because neither was Jesus. People would rather have Santa and the Easter Bunny.

If you've read this post, would you please just click the "comment" box below and say "read it." You don't have to leave your name or any message, I'm just curious to know if anybody actually reads this. Thanks so much. God bless you.

Almost Finished the Last Song

Well, I finally got the chorus for my last song, station #13. It's not THE last song, but it is the last one I still had to write. I knew from the very beginning I wanted the title to be "In Mary's Arms" - it came to me in a flash, yet I've been working on it for weeks and at different times have written 10 different choruses - each of them was not very good. I finally decided I couldn't find a rhyme for "arms" that would work and would have to pick a different hook altogether - even after putting it in places where it didn't have to rhyme. I couldn't just scratch the song, I NEED 14 songs, so I tried again on another airline (this time to Massachusetts). Suddenly, I got my "rhyme" and correct phrasing from scripture. the whole chorus came together in 1/2 hour. What a relief. Now I'm agonizing over just the right melody. I want it to be different, so sad. I want everone to fall in love over Our Lady all over again, to feel her pain, to really cry for her. I hope THAT doesn't take me another 2 months.

Writer's Block

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Those 11 songs came so fast and so easy and made me cry while writing them down. I just know they were straight from God. I'm even more convinced of it now that I have tried to sit down to write the last 3. I've tried on an airplane, in the car, walking, at a table, at the keyboard and I can't get anything that hits me solidly like the others. Stations #11,12, and 13 have got me stumped. I remembered I had some music that I liked that I recorded on my sequencing synthesizer, but the disc that I saved it on is not readable. Hmmm. I'm just going to have to let it go for a little while and do something else. I hope the producer, Barry, is not having problems coming up with great arangements. If not, at least SOME progress is being made on this project.

On the Road

Modern Technology! I'm at the airport waiting for my plane to board, when I thought I'd take the few minutes to write. I had a great trip in NY again. The concert at St. Athanasius' Church in Brooklyn went well. What a beautiful church! Then on Monday I sang vocals to two more songs for the "Stations" album - wow, so powerful. Today I had a little extra fun and went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan for 4 hours and had a lovely time. The parking at the museum cost me $28!!! and that was WITH the voucher stamp. I'm glad to report that was the only set-back to the entire trip AND I've been feeling a little better too. I'm still going to visit a naturopath this week anyway - to have someone hold my hand through this. Praise the Lord! I have felt His presence with me, keeping me company, paving my way and protecting me every moment. I'm so glad I'm a CHRISTIAN!!! Thank you Jesus for your friendship. I love you.

What JOY!!!

Working on this "Stations" project has really helped me to LIVE in the joy of such a deeply loving Savior. It's one thing to pray the stations in a church on Fridays, but spending time allowing each station to take root in you is just not possible when you have to quickly move on to the next one. Each station is a meditaion in itself with DEEP meaning. No wonder this devotion has endured so long and is sooooo powerful. If only EVERYONE could discover it.

As I dance around my kitchen with one of these song/stations in my head, I am filled with confidence of the intense love and closeness of Jesus. I feel there is nothing I couldn't sacrifice for Him/others, no pain too great and nothing too hard. All is straw. I enjoy being whined at by my children and being frustrated by them. My work load seems light. Complications are a delight because I just can't wait to find out how the Lord will "work it out" and I get to watch Him at work - how thrilling!! It's all an amazing adventure. Even my dreams are of an deep and intense love. God is so awesome in His generosity that I'm starting to glow. And I have many more stations to get "stuck in my head and on my lips" and now IN MY HEART as I sing them over and over around the house. I just CAN'T WAIT to share these with you. I hope it doesn't take me too long to finish. I want you to dance too. Ooohhh, PRAISE THE LORD! GOD IS SOOOOOO GOOD!

A Good Lent

I love Lent.
I love the change in breviary, routine, new additions and subtractions. Still busy, but everything is in the right priority and peace and joy abound even amidst trial. My producer, Barry is going through a trial right now. I'm concerned that the pressure might effect his creativity on this "Stations" project. Please keep him in prayer. I decided not to give him the last 6 songs for a while (not that I've even written them yet). I think 14 songs at once is too much pressure - for him AND me. 8 songs is even alot. I go to NY this month to sing stations 1,2,5,6,7 and 8 to very basic tracks.
I'm going to study some more songwriting myself so my songs don't all start sounding the same (even though they really don't - but just in case - something fresh might come) So far, we are still "on schedule" with things. That's why it's nice to give yourself a 2 year window, don't you think? Perhaps I'll be invited back to NY in the fall.
I just got back from a great gig in FL and leave for OR, Saturday. I bet I get a nice song on the car ride down. I GOTTA try... I've gotten my BEST songs so far in the car on the way to OR gigs.
Please pray for us.
D