My Lifelong Love Which, If Memory Serves, Meant That I Spent Most of the Time Getting Both of Us Fresh Drinks
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Georgia and I have been friends for nearly twenty years, ever since she and I spent a glorious summer together working summer stock theatre at Cape Georgia Stitt Cod’s ageless College Light Opera Company. She was an accompanist, I was an assistant conductor. We spent our days rehearsing singers and our nights playing raucous four-hand piano at parties. Georgia was always the brilliant one, able to play anything; I was always the assistant, My Lifelong Love which, if memory serves, meant that I spent most of the time getting both of us fresh drinks. 1. NOT YET • Heidi Blickenstaff Even back then it was obvious that Georgia had ‘the gift’; music just flooded out of her, effortlessly. 2. MY LIFELONG LOVE • Jesse Tyler Ferguson Soon she began composing her own music, and the songs she wrote were a perfect reflection of 3. SING ME A HAPPY SONG • Shoshana Bean who she is: warm, passionate, funny, effervescent, and wicked smart. To know her music is to know 4. SONNET 29 • Brian d’Arcy James her, every intimate emotional secret right there on the surface. Delicate, precious gems given with 5. THE WANTING OF YOU • Susan Egan an open heart. 6. COMMUNICATION • Laura Osnes 7. AT THIS TURN IN THE ROAD AGAIN • Christopher Jackson As a fellow composer - seriously, you should hear the two of us geek out about composing - I’m 8. A VERY SHORT SONG • Laura Osnes always most impressed with her strong sense of musical architecture. She somehow manages to blend a musical theater composer’s natural storytelling prowess with sophisticated ‘classical’ forms, 9. IF I COULD • Michael Arden a powerful hybrid that allows her pieces to blossom on multiple levels. She makes my favorite 10. INVESTED IN YOU • Jessica Molaskey & John Pizzarelli kind of music, seductive on the surface and infinitely richer as you peel away the layers, the kind of 11. MORE OF MY MOTHER • Kate Baldwin music that rewards you for digging deep. I find I can listen to the songs over and over again and 12. Anika Noni Rose KITES AND CHILDREN • always find something new, something surprising. 13. LOVE AFTER LOVE • Michael McElroy It has been one of my life’s great joys to know Georgia; I consider her not only a colleague and an inspiration but one of my best friends. As long as we are both around she can rest assured that I’ll be right beside her, fresh drinks in hand, glowing with love. – Eric Whitacre 1. NOT YET 5. THE WANTING OF YOU 9. IF I COULD Album Produced by GEORGIA STITT Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by MUSIC AND LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT MUSIC BY GEORGIA STITT, LYRICS BY MARCY HEISLER MUSIC BY SAM DAVIS, LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT ANDY WATERMAN at UMBRELLA MEDIA STUDIO, LA (FROM THE MUSICAL MOSAIC) (FROM ALPHABET CITY CYCLE) SINGER: MICHAEL ARDEN* Assistant Engineer and ProTools Engineering by SINGER: HEIDI BLICKENSTAFF SINGER: SUSAN EGAN Arrangement: Sam Davis; Piano: Georgia Stitt; Violin: Peter Kent; ASHBURN MILLER, ETHAN WALTER and LUKE FACKLER Piano: Georgia Stitt; Guitar: Kevin Dukes; Electric Violin: Charlie Bisharat; Piano: Georgia Stitt; Cello: Giovanna Clayton Bass: Tim Christensen; Drums: Tom Walsh Bass: Trey Henry; Drums: Tom Walsh © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Sam Davis (ASCAP) *Recorded by JOHN KILGORE at JOHN KILGORE STUDIOS, NYC © Geocate Music (ASCAP) © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Marcyworks (ASCAP) **Recorded by ANDY WATERMAN at EAST WEST STUDIOS, LA ***Recorded by JEFFREY LESSER at AVATAR STUDIOS, NYC 10. INVESTED IN YOU Arrangements and Music Direction by GEORGIA STITT 2. MY LIFELONG LOVE 6. COMMUNICATION MUSIC BY SAM DAVIS, LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT Music Copying by JOHN BLANE (Sonnet 29) and MUSIC AND LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT MUSIC BY GEORGIA STITT, LYRICS BY ALICIA PARTNOY SINGERS: JESSICA MOLASKEY AND JOHN PIZZARELLI* BRIAN KENNEDY (At This Turn In The Road Again) SINGER: JESSE TYLER FERGUSON SINGER: LAURA OSNES* Arrangement, Ukelele, Guitar, Bass: John Pizzarelli* Photography by MAIA ROSENFELD, SUSAN EGAN, Piano: Georgia Stitt; Guitar: Andrew Synowiec; Violin: Christian Hebel, Victoria Paterson; © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Sam Davis (ASCAP) MADELINE MYERS, NICCOLY OLIVEIRA and GEORGIA STITT Bass: Trey Henry; Drums: Tom Walsh Viola: Ralph Farris; Cello: Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf*** Art Direction and Design by DEREK BISHOP © Geocate Music (ASCAP) © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Alicia Partnoy Original poem from Revenge of the Apple, Cleis Press, S. Fco. 1992, 11. MORE OF MY MOTHER All songs recorded in 2011. Translated by Richard Schaaf. Used with permission. MUSIC BY DAVID KIRSHENBAUM, LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT 3. SING ME A HAPPY SONG SINGER: KATE BALDWIN* MUSIC AND LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT 7. AT THIS TURN IN THE ROAD AGAIN Piano: Georgia Stitt* MORE FROM SINGER: SHOSHANA BEAN © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Cityscope Music (ASCAP) GEorgia Stitt Conductor: Georgia Stitt; Piano/Orchestration: Jason Robert Brown; MUSIC BY GEORGIA STITT, LYRICS BY BIL WRIGHT Violin: Sid Page (concertmaster), Becky Bunnell, Tiffany Hu, Lily SINGER: CHRISTOPHER JACKSON* THIS ORDINARY THURSDAY Ho Chen, Julie Rogers, Barbra Porter; Viola: Bob Becker, Jennie Conductor: Georgia Stitt; Piano/Orchestration: Jason Robert Brown; 12. KITES AND CHILDREN “Beautifully crafted gems about life, love and the Hansen; Cello: Giovanna Clayton, Rudy Stein; French Horn: Joe Meyer, Brian O’Connor; Percussion: Bernie Dresel MUSIC AND LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT normalcy of everyday things. It’s an auspicious debut.” and Jason Robert Brown; Guitar: Andrew Synowiec; Bass: Trey – Next Magazine Bass: Trey Henry; Drums: Tom Walsh** (FOR SWB ON HER 2ND BIRTHDAY) Henry; Drums: Tom Walsh; Violin: Sid Page (concertmaster), Becky Bun- © Geocate Music (ASCAP) SINGER: ANIKA NONI ROSE* “The songs are rich and deep and intelligent, demanding nell, Tiffany Hu, Lily Ho Chen, Julie Rogers, Barbra Porter; Viola: Bob Piano/Organ: Georgia Stitt; Guitar: Andrew Synowiec; instant repeat listening. The CD leaves you wanting more.” Becker, Jennie Hansen; Cello: Giovanna Clayton, Rudy Stein** Bass: Trey Henry; Drums: Tom Walsh – Playbill © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Bil Wright 4. SONNET 29 © Geocate Music (ASCAP) MUSIC BY GEORGIA STITT, ALPHABET CITY CYCLE LYRICS BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 8. A VERY SHORT SONG “Good things do come in small packages. This is a SINGER: BRIAN d’ARCY JAMES* 13. LOVE AFTER LOVE small gem...a rich and satisfying set, beautifully written MUSIC BY GEORGIA STITT, LYRICS BY DOROTHY PARKER Orchestration by Don Sebesky; Musicians Contracted by Dan MUSIC BY GEORGIA STITT, LYRICS BY DEREK WALCOTT and performed. This piece commands attention and is SINGER: LAURA OSNES* exceptionally moving.” – Talkin’ Broadway Savant. Conductor: Georgia Stitt; Flute/Piccolo: Sara Andon; Oboe: SINGER: MICHAEL McELROY*** Piano: Georgia Stitt; Clarinet: Dan Willis; Violins: Christian Hebel, Chris Bleth; Clarinet: Jeff Driskill; Bassoon: Rose Corrigan; French Piano: Georgia Stitt; Violin: Christian Hebel, Victoria Paterson; Victoria Paterson; Viola: Ralph Farris; Cello: Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf*** Horn: Joe Meyer, Brian O’Connor; Trumpet: Wayne Bergeron, Dan Viola: Ralph Farris; Cello: Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf*** © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Dorothy Parker Both available at PSClassics, iTunes & Amazon. © Geocate Music (ASCAP) and Derek Walcott Fornero; Trombone: Alan Kaplan, Charlie Morillas; Percussion: Bernie The composer wishes to thank the National Association for the Advancement Original poem from COLLECTED POEMS 1948-1984 by Derek Walcott. Dresel; Harp: Amy Wilkins; Piano: David O; Guitar: Andy Synowiec; of Colored People for authorizing this use of Dorothy Parker’s work. Copyright © 1986 by Derek Walcott. Used by arrangement with Farrar, www.GeorgiaStitt.com Bass: Trey Henry; Drums: Tom Walsh; Violin: Sid Page (concertmaster), Straus and Giroux, LLC. All rights reserved. Becky Bunnell, Tiffany Hu, Lily Ho Chen, Julie Rogers, Barbra www.facebook.com/GeorgiaStittMusic Porter; Viola: Bob Becker, Jennie Hansen; Cello: Giovanna Clayton, www.twitter.com/georgiastitt Rudy Stein** www.youtube.com/GeorgiaStittMusic © Geocate Music (ASCAP) www.GlamourAndGoop.com If you stick around, you’re guaranteed. 1.Not Yet Your plans to win me will succeed. 2.My Lifelong Love I wanted nothing more than to share a stand MUSIC AND LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT My heart will open up and bleed, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY GEORGIA STITT With this prodigy of perfection. (FROM THE MUSICAL MOSAIC) But not yet. I dreamt of after-school practice with the junior My friend Joel Fram high band Cheri Steinkellner and I wrote a one-woman, one act musical was putting together a called MOSAIC and we were lucky enough to have Heidi I’ve waited far too long Valentine’s Day concert Where we’d sit in the woodwind section. Blickenstaff perform it. Heidi’s character was Ruth, and in To give myself away. for his New Voices So I marched into the band room and became the earliest draft of the script, Cheri wrote, “Ruth is a writer - a It took me years to get to know me. Collective, and the as- a devotee, cabaret-singer-songwriter who back in the late 90s penned But now you stand here at my door, signment was to write For Adam was my lifelong love, and this would a hit song the kids still sing in auditions today.” No pressure. Professing love forevermore. about your first love. I make him notice me. This is Ruth’s song. Well, that’s great, knew everyone else was going to write a ballad, But just wait: so I wrote this instead, Doo Doo Doo... I want you to know me. about Adam, my junior Doo Doo Doo... high crush. Here’s a photo of him, circa 1983. MY LIFELONG You see a vision all in white? LOVE was first recorded by Lauren Kennedy on the album Oh, how I practiced. God, did I suck. Not yet. “Here And Now,” (PS Classics) but Jesse Tyler Ferguson sang it Adam gave lessons; I was in luck! You wanna stay awake all night? in a concert of mine and I loved his version, too.