I recently asked many music professionals, many of them composers from the Composers on Composing for Band series, the question:

Of all the things in the world, why did you choose to dedicate your life to music?

Here are their responses so far:

“Most of us begin as performers and then later are drawn to composing. That was the case for me. I chose music as my career because I couldn’t imagine not doing it. It was as though I had no choice…as though not being a musician would be like not being alive. After all these years, I still take time to remind myself why I got into music in the first place: because it is fun, because it reminds me of how intensely we humans can feel and express beauty.” – Frank Ticheli

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“You don’t choose music, it chooses you. Give yourself a few years in the business and you will see what I mean.” – Marc Parella

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“I didn’t have a choice, Michael–music chose me.” – Morten Lauridsen

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“A simple answer to your question ‘Of all the things in the world, why did (I) choose to dedicate (my) life to music?’ would, I suppose be that I demonstrated some genuine interest in it and talent for it at a very early age. I wear many ‘hats’ in music today … as a composer, conductor and educator, as an editor of a book series for GIA Publications in Chicago. (I once played trumpet extremely well. In fact, both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northwestern University are in trumpet performance.) Sharing my love of music with young people as a university professor is very special to me, as is sharing my love of music with audiences as a conductor. And I especially love ‘connecting’ with audiences and listeners through my own music as a composer. The following quote by pioneering American composer Charles Ives has served as a kind of guiding light for me over the years. Ives said:

‘The future of music may not be with music itself, but rather in the way it makes itself a part with the finer things humanity does and dreams of.’

And finally, I have always had strong agreement with the following statement by the late Isaac Stern: ‘The arts are central to the quality of life. They are not an occasional social adornment.’” – Mark Camphouse

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“I am not sure I have ‘dedicated’ my life to music. I am just fortunate enough to be able to work in a field of interest I enjoy so much.” – Robert Sheldon

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“There’s nothing better that I could imagine doing.” – Dana Wilson

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“I could not even begin to imagine doing anything else. The ‘fire’ I have to spend my life making music is overpowering, and I literally would not be satisfied doing anything else.” – Robert Moody

Okay. All compositions are currently on hold (or at least, a low priority) until I get Dobson’s marching show finished. The staff and I had our second meeting tonight to discuss further details of the show. I’ve practically got to compose half the show within the next 3 weeks so it’ll be a busy couple of weekends. Here are the other projects I still need to get done:

In no particular order,
1. String Quartet No. 1
2. Conan Musical
3. New ending credits song for Malediction

Hopefully, after these, I can finally start some of the bigger projects I’ve been really hoping to get around to (Dreamland and Kill For You). I’ve been doing lots of reading on how to develop a good story so the musical I originally developed several months ago is turning into something fantastic. It will be worth the wait. I need to start writing some quality music…

Since Dan had to go out of town today, I took charge (and took his equipment) to Katzin to record Joe Goglia’s senior percussion recital. You may heard Joe’s name mentioned before. He and I will be collaborating on Dobson’s Fall 2006 marching band show. Or maybe you’ve just been to one of his awesome parties. Either way, the recital was fantastic with an equally great turnout. The program included:

Boundary Waters (1982)
J.B. Smith

Congastuck (1993)
J.B. Smith
Aaron Morales, percussion

Come Away (1985)
Mark Goodenberger
Adrienne Turner, soprano

Portals (2004)
Bruce Hamilton

Un Camino De Tierra (1997)
J.P. Simoniello

The piece that featured Adrienne Turner was absolutely one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever heard. Adrienne’s beautiful soprano voice was accompanied by Joe on the vibraphone, an absolutely entrancing and hypnotic sound.

Congratulations Joe! Look forward to working with you! Now for photos…

School starts again on Tuesday and I’m pretty excited about the semester. Call me crazy, yes, I am a math major. Hurray for differential equations, calc III, and programming with Java in addition to english 105 and ballroom dancing (Linh talked me into it :-P). I’m sure we’ll be the laughing stock of the entire class with her being a foot and 3 inches shorter than me and about half my weight (and then some). It’ll be fun though!

That’s the academic side of things. The real fun stuff will be happening outside of school (as it usually does). First off, I’m wicked excited that the ASU Wind Symphony will be performing my work, Shadow Rituals, as I’ve said before. I never thought my first premiere with them would be for a grade 4 work. But hopefully they’ll dig it. I’d love to write something just awesome for them in the fall! Echo will also have its world premiere with the Mesa Community College a capella choir sometime this semester under the direction of Dr. Glenn Bennett.

I will also be collaborating with percussionist Joe Goglia and the rest of the Dobson High School marching band staff to compose next year’s show. The theme, as of now, is Africa.

Other projects will include wrapping up my string quartet and the Conan musical. That’s pretty much my semester. Looks like all my other projects keep getting pushed back but with good reason. It’ll give me a chance to really make the most of them.

A great read for young band composers: Composers on Composing for Band (volumes I and II). It’s like having a 30 minute lesson with all the great living band composers from Ticheli to de Meij. Caution: Eric Whitacre goes on a bitch ‘n’ moan rant about band music. But maybe he’s just painfully blunt. Still a great practical read into the creative process of many great composers.