Apres Ski

In this episode, Patty meets film producer, director John Wilcox during a morning horseback ride. John introduces himself asking Patty to meet with the production crew of a documentary film they were screening that afternoon. Remarkable stories of extraordinary circumstances advancing Patty as a film score composer, now for ABC and Mutual of Omaha films. Enjoy a copy of the music Patty produced for John Wilcox's amazing film as an added bonus to this episode!

Spring in Aspen was the community get together time. As spring evaporated into the summer tourist season, soirees were abundant. Patty relays stories of Aspen community life, Kurt Russell, and teaching how people who failed to learn previously were never a failure. Humorous throughout, Patty's unique story telling enchants.

Retained by Goldie Hawn to teach piano to her daughter, Katie, Patty travelled to their home in Old Snowmass, not far from Aspen. Patty asked Goldie to get a piano bench for them as teaching using two chairs was a little awkward. After several weeks, Goldie promised Patty she would get the piano bench the following week. Goldie never anticipated the response she got from the owner of the local music store when she told him Katie only had a few lessons from a local gal in Aspen.

Returning to Aspen after composing and producing the New Mexico film score, Patty was in need of some time off and exercise! Looking for some quiet alone time cross country skiing up Independence Pass, Patty's precious time alone was quite interrupted by a "supposed" singer/song writer who said her name was "Barbi".

Arriving at Studio C to produce the music Patty had written for the Portrait of America New Mexico film, Patty and Bob Edwards prepared for the members of the Oakland Symphony Orchestra to arrive. Being involved recording her music score at Saul Zaentz's recording studio was a surreal feeling as the members of the orchestra began to arrive.

Retained to compose the music for Turner Broadcasting Systems "Portrait of America", Patty realized the musicians she normally employed were no longer in Aspen as the Aspen Chamber Orchestra had left for the winter. Aspen recording studio engineer Bob Edwards suggested they move the studio session to record at Fantasy Recording Studios in Berkeley, California.

Long hours creating and writing the film scores kept Patty completely consumed with the compositions. Finally taking a break, Patty joins fellow musicians in Aspen, playing with many of the local musicians.

Patty's teaching methods rapidly spread throughout the Aspen community. Shortly after she began teaching she was retained by John Denver to teach him how to play the piano.

As a beginner in the production of Patty's music scores, the enormous financial expenditure to produce her music used almost the entire amount allocated for the job. Patty began to teach the Numeric Language of Music in Aspen, Colorado to supplement her income so she could continue composing an producing music for the Wild America series.

Patty Carlson opens the door to learning how music is produced in a professional recording studio. Patty talks about the different aspects of working with world class performing artists and street musicians. In the simplicity with which Patty consistently conveys significant depth of teaching in her stories, some of the more intricacies of how to score music for different performing artists and how to produce different musicians to the final musical score provides invaluable insight rarely shared.