arrange • compose • conduct
That’s almost always the first question I ask. Having a framework for your creative work is essential for making choices about what to include and what to exclude. Even if the title changes later, the title itself – of an essay, of a talk, of a composition – is an […]
The small things are important. But they can be agonizing. Half Time 12/8 feel (quarter=90) Half Time, 12/8 feel (quarter=90) Half time (quarter=90) 12/8 feel quarter=90, 12/8 feel Half time, 12/8 feel 12/8 feel, quarter=90 These are just some of the metronome markings I considered for a particular spot in […]
I love premieres. As a composer and arranger, you would think it goes with the territory, but the truth is that developing my craft was focused so much on the work I do in my studio – selecting notes, rhythms, orchestration, voicings, etc. – that it took me years to […]
Are two modes from the same parent scale actually the same scale, just starting in a different place? I had a student make that statement recently – that C Ionian and E Phyrgian, for example, are not different because they contain precisely the same seven notes. What I should have […]
It’s probably not, but today might be the day someone important is paying attention. “Every day is an audition” is a mantra I adopted from my mentor, because it’s true and useful. If you’re auditioning for next year’s ensemble, I’m watching you every rehearsal, every day to see how you […]
Most of the time, good writing is the natural outcome of more writing. A common refrain to my composition students (and to myself) is, simply, “More bars!” No adjectives necessary to describe the bars. Just more. We can always choose the best ones. We can always edit, revise, reimagine, or […]
Design is a vital and often overlooked part of writing music. I’ve long been obsessed with design – thanks to my long relationship with graphic design by way of concert programs, CDs, posters, etc. I spend at least a little bit of every week with visual design. Which is why […]
My (alto) student remarked this evening, “Tenor parts are weird.” The correct response is, “You’re right. And alto parts are weird too, right? But they’re weird in the way you know.” If you’re an alto, alto parts are normal-weird. But tenor parts are just weird. If you’re a tenor, it’s […]
With each new project I create as a composer or arranger, I have a few personal goals for growth (beyond crafting a good piece, with clear notation, that suits the ensemble I’m writing for, etc.). Do Less. For the arrangement I’m currently finishing, I’ve had three arrangements worth of ideas. […]
How creative are you before you create? Before you write a note of your new piece… …make a word cloud of adjectives to describe the piece. To describe each phrase, each section. …draw a map of the shape, the way John McPhee would to craft an essay. …speak, dance, time […]