10 days of isolation, and counting. “To survive, you must tell stories.” ~ Umberto Eco, The Island of the Day Before Sometimes it’s easy being a composer. Sometimes the melodies play in my head so clearly, writing lyrics or notating instrumentation feels like taking dictation. On those days, all I have to do is walk into my studio and shut the door. By the time I’ve fired up my laptop and played through the music I wrote in the previous session, I’m back in the zone and r

Some experiences are hard to describe, and just as hard to record. Sometimes you really need to be there. Earlier this month, I was privileged to lead a group of choral singers in a special concert. For the first time ever, the International Western Music Association (IWMA) showcased a choral group, called the Corral Chorale. We had sung some choral arrangements in recent years, but this was the largest group of voices, and it was our first full showcase. I was in charge of

For the past 6 months or so, I’ve been working as a librettist. I am composing an opera, and I’ve taken it upon myself to write the libretto, the script, the words that will be sung. It’s a totally new experience for me. As I write, I’m learning a lot about the process of writing. I do not write on a schedule. I’ve talked to novelists who speak of sitting down to write every day, but I can’t do it like that. I’d love to, but I’m not a full-time librettist. I don’t do a

I’m writing an opera. What makes me think I can write an opera? What makes me think I can’t? I grew up on a fairly steady diet of opera. The radio in our dining room was permanently tuned in to the station that played The Metropolitan Opera on Saturday afternoons. Sometimes my mother would pause in her activities to explain or extol the virtues of a particular passage or a particular performer. The singing in an unknown language made the storyline difficult for me to foll

As a composer, I love hearing that my music is challenging, and that it’s also accessible. I’m not interested in writing the most difficult piece. My goal is to write music that is easily enjoyed, for the audience and for the performer. My goal is to write music that fills a need. I have at times been tempted to write music for music’s sake, but the few times that I tried, I ended up frustrated because I couldn’t find anyone to perform the music I’d written. Music that c

If I could, I would spend every day making music. It comes naturally to me. I’m not really much for practicing, but I love being a part of something new. Once I start composing, I can be lost in a new piece of music for hours or even days on end. Ah, if only that was the whole of a composer’s life. I want my music to reach people and make them happy. That means I have to find those people. They say it’s easy for a composer to reach the right audience these days. I’m gue

What’s stopping you? You’ve probably heard this question thousands of times. You hear it in conversations with friends and family, those tireless supporters who believe in you and in what you’re doing. You hear it in your own head, that joyful, hopeful, confident voice that calls you to the dance. What’s stopping you? Artists, musicians, writers, composers, and all creative souls know a lot about doubt. You know you are put on this earth to create, that something deep ins