Hi, everybody.  I’m Tim.  This is the first edition of the A Cappella Originals blog, here at CASA.org.  I’m going to be hosting the A Cappella Originals podcast here soon, and this blog is going to partner with the podcast – be complimentary and supplementary at the same time. 

I’m going to be burning through a lot of topics in the weeks and months ahead, and I’ll warn you up front: I’m absolutely rabid about original music.  Ya, good music is good music, and I love a great performance regardless of where the material comes from, but what really does it for me is hearing new songs, new stories, new creations, original compositions, particularly ones suited to the unique configuration of an a cappella ensemble.  I definitely have strong feelings about the opposite, and I think that the predominance of cover songs in the typical a cappella group’s rep is one of the biggest obstacles to non-a cappella fans caring about contemporary a cappella.  But, that’s a discussion for another day.

Quick blurb about me:

I graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in Music, Vocal Performance emphasis, in 2001.  While in college I played the French horn, learned my way around a few chord progressions, sang a lot, once ate a bag of brownie mix for breakfast (I added milk so it was, you know, like cereal) and created a little a cappella group that became moosebutter.    8 years after it’s birth moosebutter is still kicking, and I’m now completing a Master’s degree in choral conducting at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO.  I’ve got a lovely wife and three and two-thirds kids and, in addition to my own ever-multiplying music projects, I coach and consult with groups and performers as time allows. 

I’m looking forward to the comments and responses from you, about the podcast, the blog, or both.  Please suggest topics or recommend music to include in the podcast. Questions, comments, feedback, or whatever can be added in the comments section below this blog, or email me direct at tim@moosebutter.com

So, in preparation for the next A Cappella Originals podcast (out in a couple of weeks) make sure to listen to the previous four podcasts (or listen again) ably hosted by Chris, Dave, and Joey.  There’s a lot of great music on there, as well as very instructive interviews with Deke Sharon, Wes Carroll, and Tat Tong.  Listen to those, enjoy the music, and be ready for more good stuff coming soon.

That’s all for now, and don’t forget –

Be Original!

---Tim

If you would like your music to be featured on the A Cappella Originals podcast it must be in the CASA A Cappella Originals mp3 library.  For information on donating your recordings to the CASA A Cappella Originals mp3 library contact me or Chris Tess (see the contact page here at casa.org).

Comments (1)

	1. Written by bigSteve on 25-08-2008 14:05 - Registered
	totally agree "the predominance of cover songs in the typical a cappella group’s rep is one of the biggest obstacles to non-a cappella fans caring about contemporary a cappella"    I'm grossly generalizing, and there are many notable exceptions, but on the whole I have found that the average singer in this genre we call "a cappella" generally does not like to venture into the territory of the unknown. They like the tried and tru.

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