9. Stop, Look, Listen
Wow, the semester is absolutely flying by! I can’t believe it’s already midterms. I’ve been spending a lot of time working—tutoring mostly, which I always enjoy and is a great way to keep my memory sharp in music theory and history. I’ve also been trying to keep up with composing as much as possible. I blocked off time every day to stop my work and take a break to just engage in musical creativity, whether that means composing, practicing, or just sketching ideas. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t, but I’m still striving to be more faithful to my goal. Even so, it’s definitely encouraging me to put more work into my passions on a regular basis.
I’m also making an effort to expand on my own compositional knowledge beyond just writing new music. I’ve restarted my voice leading exercises and began regularly taking a look at the scores for some of my favorite works. Score study is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, and I just finally found the courage to approach it this semester. Learning from the greatest composers and orchestrators has opened my eyes to a different understanding of music and given me so many new ideas.
I’ve been creating space in my busy schedule to listen to more music, too. I want to have a wide aural library in my arsenal that I can draw from when I write my own works. I already attended a couple of concerts by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, which performs just down the road from Nazareth. I love how they feature both new classical works and favorites from across the ages on every program. I always feel so lucky that I have the opportunity to attend these fantastic (and usually quite expensive) concerts for just a few dollars through my student ticket account! My professors have been great about helping me with this goal, too; they’ve been more than happy to give me lists of pieces I should listen to across all eras of classical music.
Looking to the future, I have a ton of compositions currently in progress that I’m really enjoying writing. From editing old pieces, to curricular projects, to new chamber music, my plate is full! I also have some very exciting projects in the works right now that I can’t wait to share with you all once they’re solidified or completed.
In fact, one of them is actually live now! If you haven’t already, please consider checking out my interview with the online magazine Bold Journey on the (new!) “press” tab above.
