arrange • compose • conduct
Besides “Who is it for?”, one of the most important questions to ask with any new creative endeavor is, “How could I fail?” If your new creative endeavor has no possible way of failing, then it isn’t very creative. On the other hand, if the stakes are so high that […]
I support artists on Patreon because of what’s in it for them. I love that a few dollars pledged monthly can give artists a steady income, enabling them to devote more time to their craft. But it’s easy to understand the “What’s in it for me” mindset. Like any voluntary […]
“Who is it for?” is one of my top animating questions for any artistic project. The more specific you can be about who the art is for, the more decisive you can be in crafting the art. Who, then, is my new Patreon experiment for? It’s for people who want […]
Why did I choose to experiment with the Patreon direct-patronage model? First, I think the model is really good. Working for a patron when patronage was prevalent in the Baroque and Classical eras correlates with some really remarkable music being written. Moving away from the single commission model can light […]
I’ve been creating music as a career for a long time – my first paid commission came about 20 years ago, and my work is now fairly evenly divided between teaching/conducting and writing for choral ensembles. While virtually all of my work over the last 10+ years has been on […]
I tend to be less particular about texts than some composers. I know many composers who don’t involve the commissioning ensembles at all in selecting the text, or who retain final veto, or who control the text decision in some other ways. I personally think of myself as a hired […]
With the Michigan Choral Commission Consortium (MC3), last year I commissioned Z. Randall Stroope’s SATB a cappella setting of Sara Teasdale’s “I Have Loved Hours At Sea.” It’s passionate, evocative, and lyrical – it ranks, to my mind, alongside his most beloved choral works. The statewide premieres and performances of […]
I am so gratified to be able to announce results in the first ever Composition Competition from the Michigan Choral Composition Competition. We welcomed submissions from women composers and had fourteen entries in our no-entry-fee competition. There were two tiers of competition, for Established and Emerging composers, with cash prizes […]
The Michigan Choral Commission Consortium has been a labor of love for me for four years – during which time we have commissioned nearly 10 new choral works from a remarkable and diverse group of American composers. When the Stay-at-Home order hit in Michigan, I offered my services for one […]
Here are five questions I ask myself before I start an arrangement: In as much detail as I can determine, who will be performing the piece? In as much detail as I can determine, who will be listening to the piece? (Is the audience fluent in the style of music, […]