Repertoire
[c. 2013—under construction]
—Piano—
Johann Sebastian Bach
- Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (Book 1, BWV 846 and 847)
Samuel Barber
- Excursions, op. 29*
- Sonata no. 8 in C minor, op. 13—Sonata Pathétique
- Prélude op. 28, no. 15 in D-flat—Raindrop
- Polonaise op. 40, no. 1 in A—Military
- Barcarolle op. 60*
- La cathédrale engloutie
- La Fille aux cheveux de lin
- Deux Arabesques
- Golliwog's Cakewalk
- Clair de lune (troisième mvmt de la Suite Bergamesque)
Franz Liszt
- Liebesträume no. 3*
- Toccata in E-flat Minor*
[to be listed: Mozart; Schumann; further Beethoven; further Chopin; much further Debussy; opus numbers etc.)
—Organ—
Johann Sebastian Bach
- Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, BWV 553-560
- Chorale Prelude, Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654
- Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier, BWV 731*
Samuel Barber
- Variations on a Shape-Note Hymn: "Wondrous Love"*
Eugène Gigout
- Toccata in B minor (de Dix pièces pour orgue)*
Sigfrid Karg-Elert
- Trois Impressions, op. 72*
[to be listed: various and sundry church-related works and all such derivations etc.]
—Original Compositions—
Adam Lay Ybounden op. 4, no. 1 [complete]
Unison treble choir and piano; based off 15th-century English carol. Premiered Dec. 2012 at First Presbyterian Church, Great Falls SC. Currently under revision to be expanded to six-part choir with orchestral accompaniment. Well received by congregants; absolutely loathed by choristers. I remain sublimely impartial. And anyone who believes that any composer is impartial any of his/her output is completely naive.
Prelude, Meditation, Offertory, and Postlude op. 5, no. 2 [complete]
Very brief suite for organ, written in two and a half days for Easter 2013; premiered Easter 2013 at First Presbyterian Church, Great Falls SC in the form of incidental music throughout the Sunday service. Not my typical style at all; very straight-forward and simplistic almost to the point of conservatism. The second page of the manuscript Prelude has been lost and presumed destroyed, along with several other important but unrelated documents that I lost in the horrific weather that day.
Tapestry op. 6, no. 1* [in progress]
Piece for organ, cello, and piano; inspired by and envisioned for the Cassavant organ at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rock Hill SC. Written with cellist and personal friend Adam Sullivan in mind; slated to be premiered later in 2013 (details pending). Very much in opposition to op. 5, no. 2; a wandering piece built around pedal tones and overtones (implied and otherwise). A testament to my personal battle against straightforwardness in music, and a hopeful anecdote on an experience that can only be appreciated by those individuals with legitimate chromesthesia. To whom I am completely unapologetic in this publication. (Number-form synesthetes may obtain a mathematical analysis of the entire score, for a nominal fee, and enjoy their own experiences thus.)
Toccata Giocosa op. 5, no 3.* [in progress]
Bit of a "show-piece" for Organ, written with the intent of displaying the capabilities of the Cassavant organ at OAPC in Rock Hill, SC. A very good display of my usual compositional style. Also written in a way that is not as technically demanding of an organist as it may sound to the mildly-musical audience. I am considering making this the finale of a much larger suite for the organ (named la "suite italiana" after the eponymous Italian Diapason on the OAPC organ's antiphonal division), but that is, so far, "up for grabs" in terms of my decision-making process.
Toccata Giocosa op. 5, no 3.* [in progress]
Bit of a "show-piece" for Organ, written with the intent of displaying the capabilities of the Cassavant organ at OAPC in Rock Hill, SC. A very good display of my usual compositional style. Also written in a way that is not as technically demanding of an organist as it may sound to the mildly-musical audience. I am considering making this the finale of a much larger suite for the organ (named la "suite italiana" after the eponymous Italian Diapason on the OAPC organ's antiphonal division), but that is, so far, "up for grabs" in terms of my decision-making process.
[to be listed: all the in-progress stuff from my digital portfolio that should never be allowed to see the light of publication; Tapestry op. 6, no. 2; Tapestry op. 6, no. 3; Suite italiana per organo; etc.]
[N.B. an asterisk (*) next to any title implies that it is to be performed (or premiered, in certain cases) at some point in the near future, and may or may not yet be considered part of my standard repertoire as of the publishing of this post.]
—Services—
I may be currently studying organ under the brilliant Dr. Donald G. Moe, but I'm also an employed church musician. That being said, I am unfortunately unable to "sub" for churches on Sundays, since my own posting must take precedent in that matter. However, I frequently play for funerals in the Great Falls area (since there seem to be absolutely no other keyboardists willing to do funerals... sometimes I feel that's ALL I do!), and am quite willing and able to provide similar services pretty much anywhere along the interstate corridor between Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC; locations far outside this 100-mile range are unlikely, but not inherently impossible. A very brief listing of general services is provided; all specifics are variable to any given situation, and subsequent fees may be very slightly impacted by such factors as travel distance, preparation time, and the demands of a potential client.
For your convenience, a listing of the instruments (organs) that I am familiar with (have played extensively and know quite well) is provided, as these always lower the fee. Finally, note that when I say "personal keyboard," I'm referring to a situation in which there is NO instrument on-site, and I must bring my own keyboard/stand/pedal/cords/etc. in order to provide the services necessary. I must be made aware of this at the time of hire. Bringing my personal keyboard is a massive inconvenience in terms of its cumbersome nature as well as its susceptibility to damage while travelling, not to mention the fact that is just doesn't "sound as good" as a real piano or organ, but I will do so if it is absolutely necessary. Payment of services rendered is due in full by the time the service is completed; exceptions are weddings, which may be paid in instalments as per individual arrangements.
Funerals:
[given nature of situation, can be done with as little as three-day notice; less for members of my home church and their families]
On organ: $175 ($145 if on familiar instrument; $100 if service held at my home church; no fee if current member/family member of my home church)
On piano: $150
On personal keyboard: $180
Weddings:
[must have at least 6-week notice, as well as at least one rehearsal]
On organ: $275 ($230 if on familiar instrument; $200 if service held at my home church)
On piano: $250
On personal keyboard: $280
Less than 6-week notice: additional $50 fee
No rehearsal: additional $50 fee; will require extensive discussion with participants
Small Events:
[e.g, dinner parties; club gatherings; mock recitals; price affected by time and length of event]
[one week notice is greatly appreciated]
On organ: Seriously? If you own your own home organ, you're made of awesome. $100-$150
On piano: $75- $130
On personal keyboard: $100-$150
Last-minute fee: $25
Large Events:
[anything that has a complex structure with definitive parts and demands more highly structured programming/scheduling of music to be performed; determination to be made by myself]
All fees of Small Events, plus $25; last-minute fee same.
Educational Institutions:
[e.g, school ensembles to perform at festivals, or need accompanist for school concert, etc.]
Choral Programs: $75 minimum fee; plus $25 per piece performed beyond first (up to $200, or 6 pieces)
Other Musical Programs: Similar pricing, but variable by situation. Contact me for further details.
Depending upon the location of an away event, a nominal gas/mileage fee may apply (no more than $30).
Commissions:
[Arrangement/orchestration/transcription/transposition/composition]
Arranging a known tune for [single instrument]: $100 ($150 for piano, $200 for organ)
Arranging a known tune for [ensemble]: $120-$250 (requires discussion)
Orchestrating a given piece: $150-$300 (requires extensive discussion)
Transcriptions (almost any setting): $75-$100
Transposition of existing music: $40 (applicable on top of arrangement, orchestration, and transcription)
Original Composition: $400-$—00? (requires several meetings and massive discussion; payable in instalments; priced per movement, so any three-movement piece will be, at the very least, $1200, except in the most peculiar of circumstances)
Other Situations and a not-so-brief disclaimer:
I feel I've covered a broad spectrum of all the things I, myself, have experienced thus far in my life. However, I know that as soon as I say something like that out loud, someone will come knocking with an outrageous situation that is just too interesting to turn down. I will gladly engage in no-obligation discussions with any potential client about any potential situation, and determine a pricing based on whatever stakes may or may not exist in the execution of their request.
Furthermore, I reserve the right to select most, if not all of the music that I perform at such things as one-off events. I understand that bigger ceremonies like weddings come along with specific requirements (such as the Bridal Chorus/Wedding March, just for instance) as well as particular client requests. It is due to the specific nature of such requests that weddings in particular cost more than my other services. Those with specific pieces in mind should make me aware at the time of hire, so that we can discuss any necessary logistics as soon as possible.
I would like to take a moment to describe why I have such a strict policy on fees for last-minute-ness, and the bringing of my own instruments, as well as my constant plea for the earliest communication possible.
I had a very harrowing experience where a family made very oddly specific requests for the music of a funeral service, less than eighteen hours before the funeral. While I was capable of handling the requests, it was more stress than I'm willing to put myself through ever again (at least, without those lovely things called "last-minute fees"); between breaking the bank to simply buy the music they wanted, and then spending all night and morning learning it, and then being informed that there would be a singer who needed to rehearse music with me (that I had never seen!) before the funeral, and THEN, upon arriving at the location just a bit over an hour ahead of time (with a thirty minute drive at a good clip), discovering that the piano on-scene was far too out of tune to use, and the electronic organ didn't work at all, I had to drive all the way back home, get my personal equipment, and return with barely enough time to breathe before the family of the deceased was to enter. I ended up investing far, far more than I was actually paid for any services provided. This is not something I intend to repeat in the future.
I am a very understanding person when it comes to funerals in particular; I will provide tasteful, appropriate music as incidental background prior to the service, as well as a proper prelude and/or processional. I will play any hymns or other religious/liturgical music requested. And I will provide tasteful, appropriate music as a recessional and/or postlude after the conclusion of service. I have a wide array of music I select from for such things; if you have specific requests, it is absolutely imperative that I be made aware as soon as possible, so that your loved one can be honoured as you see fit, with my utmost confidence and preparedness in the music to be provided. I will not turn down any reasonable, timely request for such an occasion.
—Contact—
For any service listed above, I request that you first contact me via e-mail at dallas.bolin@gmail.com; this is the most assured way of getting me the information I need clearly and concisely and in good time. Please include a statement of which "type" of service you need, as well as the date, time, and location. Details such as specific musical requests are also greatly appreciated in your initial message. I will respond to any message within twenty-four hours, unless it is received on a Saturday (wherein I can not guarantee response before Monday morning). If you absolutely can not contact me via e-mail, I may be reached at (803) 322-4016, Monday-Saturday, from 9:30AM to 6:30PM EST, with the exception of 1PM to 2PM on Mondays. I have a very busy schedule and often can not respond to calls directly anyway; in such an event, please leave a detailed voicemail, including callback number. I will respond to any missed call with voicemail received during the above-listed hours on the same day if it is at all possible (even if it means I must return the call outside my hours of reception).
