July Newsletter: Disembodied Mind
“Disembodied Mind”
(keep reading for more info on the song)
Happy July! It’s my birth month!
My news, in brief (if you don’t want to read the whole newsletter):
I have a new website design (thanks, Adam!!)
It's easier than ever to book an online piano lesson with me (first lesson = free!)
I’ve been having an early-mid-30s crisis
I’ve been learning to play the ukulele
Before I really launch into the newsletter, I want to take a moment to state emphatically that Black lives matter. And not just some Black lives. All Black lives matter, including Black trans lives. Dominique “Remmie” Fells, Riah Milton, Brayla Stone, and Tony McDade are just a few Black trans people who have been killed recently. I also want to acknowledge Elijah McClain, a young Black violinist who was murdered by police in Aurora, Colorado. Please do what you can to work towards a better future for Black people, for Indigenous people, for people of color, for LGBTQIA+ people — for everyone.
How is everyone doing? Things have been pretty overwhelming. Personally, I feel like I’ve been flailing about pretty wildly over the last month. Just in case there weren’t enough to be stressed out about, Georgie, my Senegal parrot, started plucking her down feathers for some unknown reason. We took her to the vet, and they determined that she’s perfectly healthy in every way, and that we seem to be doing all the right things in terms of enrichment, environment, diet, etc. So, the cause is likely hormonal, but it’s difficult to say.
Similarly, it’s difficult to say what exactly sent me into an early-30s crisis. Was it the pandemic? The protests? The plucking? Reading Sula? Whatever it was, I spent a week completely enthralled by the idea of becoming a high school English teacher. I was emailing academic advisors at Portland State University, attending virtual information sessions, charting a completely new course for my life. As a teacher, I thought, I would find Stability. I could live a Normal Life, and do music on the side. I went so far as to apply for post-baccalaureate admission to PSU, to start working on my prerequisites. I even called and asked if they could speed up the process so I could take summer classes.
Ultimately, after much soul-searching and a chat with a high school teacher friend (hi Amy!), I decided to put the idea on the back burner for a couple years.
Instead of changing course, I’m rededicating myself to my current path. Adam redesigned my website, which was a wonderful happiness boost. I got myself listed on Yelp and made a Facebook page for my piano teaching (though I haven’t figured out what to post there yet). I’ve also gotten back to editing my young adult novel.
And, perhaps most notably, I got a ukulele! My very first stringed instrument (other than the piano). I’ve been documenting my ukulele learning progress on YouTube. Here’s a playlist of all the ukulele videos I’ve posted so far. I’ll probably play a couple ukulele songs at my livestream on the 14th, which will be a huge first for a Stephan Nance show.
This month’s new demo, “Disembodied Mind,” is a song I wrote at the suggestion of my therapist. I’ve been thinking for a couple years about how life would be so much easier if I didn’t have to have a body. I imagine a lot of people can relate to that sentiment, in a multitude of interesting ways.
Musically, I was inspired by the drama and tension of the staccatoed minor triads in piano pieces such as Burgmüller’s “Arabesque.” In terms of form, I drew some inspiration from Jenny Owen Youngs’ “Vampire Weeknight,” using more reiteration of lyrics than I typically do in my songs. This demo is very spare, just one piano track and one vocal track. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you so much for letting me share new songs with you, and the stories behind the songs. And remember, I always like hearing from you! You can email me, or reach out on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
Take care,
Stephan