Exclusive Download: The Storyville Mosquito OST - Happiness is just next to you (4 stories underground rehearsal version)

Dear friends, 

I hope you all are staying safe and healthy during this pandemic. We are bunkering down here in Montreal and keeping track of the news as many of you are.

We had plans for a multi-city tour of The Storyville Mosquito this year but as you may have expected, we have had to postpone them until things settle down and venues begin to reopen again.

We did however have our premiere performances at Place des Arts in Montreal at the end of last year.  It was a beautiful time.  We did 10 shows at Cinquième Salle (one of my favourite theatre venues in the city). Thank you Montreal and anyone who made the trip to come see the premiere. We sold out all 10 performances and it was amazing to see everyone there, friends, music heads, theatre goers, people on their first dates, families, kids with grandparents. It was a heart-meltingly beautiful vibe in the audience and a wonderful launch to a project our team has been working on for literally over a decade. 

I wanted to share with you a recording of one of the themes from the soundtrack. This was recorded during our rehearsals prior to the premiere. 

Place des Arts graciously let us set up our show in their rehearsal studio for a whole month. It's the facility where the symphony orchestra as well as touring dance companies rehearse.  It's a vast rehearsal hall with beautiful acoustics. Incidentally, it is also 4 stories underground, soundproofed and built below the theatre venues in the heart of the city. I've been going to Place des Arts to see shows for ages and I never knew these rehearsal halls were there!?!

They also had a BEAUTIFUL Steinway grand piano sitting in the corner of the hall, which I seldom ever see, let alone get a chance to play. 

Anyhow, I played a lonely version of the piece on my apt. upright piano during the Music To Draw To live stream Session 03 this past Monday and a couple of you recognized it. But I wanted to share a version with the strings because, well, I miss them... (both the sound and the people).

Listening to the piece made me smile a bit and I began to dream about a time when we can all be together again to present this show for all the lovely audiences out there.

A little grit, a little patience, we'll get through this... and when we do, I know things will be better than we could have ever dreamed possible.  Excuse my optimism, I'm trying to keep that my default state of mind at the moment. 

In the meantime, stay safe, stay optimistic.

Sending you the best of energies from Montreal.

Eric

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"Happiness is just next to You" from the OST to The Storyville Mosquito

piano: yours truly

violin: Valeri Li

viola: Marcus Takizawa

cello: David Campbell

string arrangements: Vid Cousins

recorded 4 stories underground in Place des Arts rehearsal hall. Autumn 2019.