iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

A little summer reading: Jonas Sildre’s Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt’s Journey to His Musical Language. A gorgeous book!

An greyscale image from a graphic novel. A bearded man representing the composer Arvo Pärt sits on a sofa. His speech bubble reads: “It’s crucial that one forgets everything before beginning a new piece. If you start from nothing then something can emerge.” Source: Between Two Sounds by Jonas Sildre

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

A little cocktail, a little composing…

A music manuscript notebook lies open on a bar. In the upper right corner, there’s a cocktail…an old fashioned. It’s garnished with bacon because why the hell not?

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

Sometimes the process involves doodling…

Music manuscript paper with some swirly doodles drawn in the margin

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Semester’s over. Time for some coffee and contemplation…

A coffee mug sits on a table in a coffee shop. The name of the shop, Kompound Cafe, is stamped into the surface of the mug.

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Gig night - Weidner Philharmonic, featuring work by Jennifer Jolley, Jennifer Higdon, Joaquin Rodrigo, and Katahj Copley. I even get to play two instruments! #100daysofpractice Day 52

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Circling back to the digital side of things… #100daysofpractice Day 42

A display of an electronic music project

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Not much writing for the last 2 days but for the best reasons! Last night, @laurastrickling.bsky.social & @danielschlosberg.bsky.social premiered my new song “The Way I Was” (text by Dorothy Parker). Today was all masterclasses and great conversations. Great to meet composer Mikhail Johnson, too!

Four people stand side by side on a stage. From left to right: composer Mikhail Johnson, soprano Laura Strickling, composer Michelle McQuade Dewhirst, and pianist Daniel Schlosberg

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Maybe kinda sorta the form of a new piece? #100daysofpractice Day 37

A hand drawn sketch with some wobbly lines followed by more jagged lines.

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

A little bit of score study today…Shostakovich’s 8th string quartet. #100daysofpractice Day 33

Two bars of the viola and cello parts of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8.

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Post a fictional character you think would be an antivaxxer:

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

What’s my dog dreaming about?😀❤️

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

On day 1 of #100daysofpractice I started this sketch of some hypothetical dance music. Too early for details, but things are moving and the project is a bit less hypothetical now. A win here on Day 23…

Handwritten music with the caption “hypothetical dance music”

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Fleshing out a sketch and having a little fun with tempo markings… #100daysofpractice Day 21

A closeup of music notation software. The tempo marking is “Slinky”.

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

I sketched some music this morning, but this evening I got to hear my music out in the wild! #100daysoforactice Day 20

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

I just want to sit here on the couch and start a different sketch every day…is that too much to ask? 🙃 #100daysofpractice Day 19

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

The nice thing about comfort zones is they can be expanded when you learn new tricks! #100daysofpractice Day 16

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Some days it’s a notebook, sometimes it’s a computer screen. I am vast, I contain multitudes, etc. #100daysofpractice Day 14

A computer screen displaying a digital audio project.

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

It’s been nuts for the past week or so but I more or less filled a page with sketches scribbled in stolen moments. One scribble at a time…that’s how we get it done. #100daysofpractice Day 9

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

I still have no idea what I’m doing but I’m doing it anyway… #100daysofpractice Day 8

Handwritten music with a bunch of handwritten questions including “how to coordinate?”

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Sneaking in a thought right before midnight. The description matches my mental state at the end of this hectic week. #100daysofpractive Day 5.

A few notes of handwritten music. A handwritten comment says “pull apart, free associate”

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Michelle McQuade Dewhirst @almamauler.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Hectic day, only a few minutes to make a little tweak. But every little bit counts…building brick by brick like so many LEGO succulents… #100daysofpractice Day 3

Handwritten music with some LEGO succulent figures in the background.

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