Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
At long last, Pat's CD, has been released. It was designed by Libby and me, but most importantly, it was reviewed by musical friends who taught and loved him. It's available on his web site at CD Baby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/patrickwood
The digital version can be downloaded, but I highly recommend the hard copy because of the tributes. I asked many to comment. All replied, and their stories brought him back again. Even if you have heard his music before, you will enjoy their memories, including a history and homage from Pat's first teacher Ann Warde, along with many who played with him. As Ann implied, you didn't really teach Pat, you just let him take you for the ride of your life.
The CD includes a tribute from alternative rapper M C
Lars, Pat’s roommate at Stanford, who wrote a song about Pat called
“Twenty-Three.” “I met Pat my freshman year and instantly was
captivated by his sense of humor and intelligence and great spirit. I
miss him so much and wish I could have done something to prevent his passing...
but none of us knew how serious it was. That’s the pernicious nature of depression…” The video,
sponsored by the American Federation for Suicide Prevention, is available
on: http://mclars.com/site/activism.
What is this CD about? It's about Pat's legacy as an exhilarating young man, who devoured music and math and soared through life, but who could not escape the ravages of depression. It’s about his triumph and achieving the height of humanity, but also about the very real depth of his soul. You can hear it in the intensity of his music. There’s the lift of “Aufswung” (soaring) and the isolation in Des Abends (in the evenings). It’s a reminder that no matter how capable we appear on the outside, everyone is vulnerable. His music speaks to the highs and lows of life, the virtuosity but also the gravity that comes with passion. Even though Pat did not survive, the CD sends a message of hope that those who are victims of suicide will be remembered for embracing humanity. They fought pain without hope of relief, and they deserve our understanding.
Proceeds will go to Pat's Scholarship at Pomfret School. We give $1000 a year to a day student from northeastern Connecticut, who has high academic qualifications, but we are hoping to raise much more. Pat received so much help from Pomfret, and we want to pass that legacy on to future “Pat Wood Scholars.” Previous winners include: Hannah Leo, Pomfret School Class of 2011, Isabelle Lofquist ‘12, Zachary Bellerose ‘12, Harrison Schroder ‘13, Daniel Kellaway ‘14, and Cead Jones ‘15
The CD was remastered by Pomfret’s own Mark Thayer of Signature Sounds. Mark really brought out the highlights and guided the process from original audio files to the polished final results. Most importantly, he shared a sensitivity about the importance of preserving Pat’s music. It had to be perfect, and Mark made sure of that. Copies are available in local stories including Wonderland Books, Pomfret Spirit Shop, the Pomfret School Book Store and Advancement Office, Martha’s Herbary, Celebrations, Pizza 101, and the Vanilla Bean,
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