Musings of a Composer

composing blocks, part one For me, composing goes alot easier if I am asked to compose a piece for a specific purpose. There doesn't have to be money involved, although that is great when it happens. But to be needed, to have my creative efforts desired, this motivates me amazingly well. I've worked a bit on fabricating this desire during times when no one else is asking, and sometimes that even works. I like to know what the situation is I'm writing for: who will be playing, where will it be performed, etc., and if it is a "rush" job, I am even more motivated and excited and prolific. On the other hand, any lack of self-confidence translates quickly into a slump, a block of the flow of ideas and structures and sounds and textures. And any outright rejection of my musical ideas seems to kill the flow completely. So I've learned to keep "secrets".

So the recording session went REALLY well, it's hours later and I'm still high on the joy of it all. The process of creating music with talented and sensitive people is totally engaging and rewarding and fulfilling for me. Starting at 9am was counter-intuitive perhaps, but worked... Picture this: 5 improvising musicians huddled in a circle of music stands, mike stands, headphones and cords, with the director of the play just one small step back from the circle, but still a part of it. Two violins, cello, upright bass, and electric piano. First we played the piece that will be heard last in the play, a beautiful ballad of counterpoint and texture, in order to "warm up", check levels, get used to wearing the headphones, etc. The trick (at least with acoustic instruments like we're playing) is to slip the headphones off one ear, or partway off both ears, so you can hear yourself and the others "live" as well as hear what is in the mix. Next we did the ...

Well, here's my first attempt at blogging. I'm slogging through a headache today, one that makes me type funny sometimes, forget many things, and feel desperate about my future. Then the headache might lift a little, and I can feel hope. Yesterday I was able to compose and then use Sibelius to enter my ideas and work on them further, and tomorrow I am recording with Water Bear members at REP Studio, all for the score to Two Rooms (by Lee Blessing), to be performed by the Kitchen Theatre starting in late October. So maybe today is the day of rest and recovery before the next energy expenditure.