The fifth annual Robert Helps Composition Competition and Festival will take place in February 2010, celebrating not only the life and legacy of the late pianist-composer, but also the contributions of leading composers, historians, theorists and musical thinkers on the […]
Composition Contest: $10,000 Prize Read More »
In preparation for my lecture for the KMTA conference, I corresponded with a number of composers about their years as a piano student. I asked them the following questions: 1. What did you or your teacher do that helped you
Composers Speak On Their Years As Piano Students Read More »
Setting musical parameters is important for students who are learning to compose. When there are no parameters and the “skies the limit,” students have trouble focusing and often produce directionless music. I love what Janet Lanier recently suggested on Twitter
Setting Interesting Parameters Read More »
I’m getting ahead of myself, but my 2nd point at the KMTA Conference lecture Composition for Kids was “Relate Theory To Composition.” I’m going to be talking about this in a later post, but I thought the KMTA members might
“Relate Theory to Composition” E.g. Read More »
Thanks to all the KMTA members who helped make my presentation on Saturday successful. I appreciate your participating in the session though it was early in the morning! I am grateful for your interest in the topic of Composition for
In working with student composers, I have discovered that students struggle with 2 major areas of composition: melody and form. These trouble areas tend to manifest themselves in the following ways: Too many motivic ideas in one piece Too much repetition (too
Trouble Areas for Student Composers Read More »
I love Susan Paradis’ new labels for teaching! She has a 2 octave keyboard label and now a treble and bass clef label. Each of these can be printed on Avery labels found at any office supply store. I plan to
Labels for Teaching Read More »
Finale 2010 is now available! In spite of all that’s outlined below, Finale still has not made pedal markings easy! It’s my one complaint against the program. Why can’t someone create a function that will allow me to double click when the pedal starts, single
Finale 2010 Now Available! Read More »
Guess post by Bradley Sowash- composer, jazz pianist, educator, and author I tell all my students that there are two ways to do music full time: 1. Specialist – Be among the best in the world at some aspect of
How to “Do” Music Full Time Read More »
University of Minnesota School of Music Application Deadline: 6/30/2009 Seeks short, unperformed orchestral scores (standard symphony orchestra instrumentation) from emerging U.S. resident composers who have studied at an institution of higher learning for their 2009 Craig and Janet Swan Composer
Call for Orchestral Scores Read More »
Perk Up Practice!
Autumn & Halloween Music
Grab your pumpkin spice latte and listen to composers talk about how to teach their newest autumn & Halloween music! Join hundreds of creative teachers for an uplifting time of encouragement & learning! New MACs released at this webinar!
