The Composer's Journal

Composing for band is an amazing choice for composers looking to actually have their music performed by large ensembles today and I cover exactly why it's such a valuable experience for so many.

Here's some short tips on getting more involved on campus as a music major if you're currently studying at university.

I discuss composing music when you are lazy, tired, or bored. This is pretty much a wake-up call to me to get out of bed to compose regardless how I feel.

I discuss how to get the most out of your composition lessons whether at school or privately. There are important things to keep in mind to make sure you're not wasting the time of your instructor or yourself.

I discuss musician health and what my thoughts are. Most of the advice is pretty broad, but nonetheless important to consider.

I talk about my essentials tips and strategies for finding balance in my life as a composer with school and social life.

I uncover my composing process from idea phase to orchestration in Sibelius. There are several different viewpoints on the creative process and nothing is set in stone, so feel free to pick and choose things you learn here and apply them to your own workflow!

I discuss the joys and experiences I've had with composition competitions and call-for-scores. There are great benefits from hearing your work premiered, to winning prize money. These oppurtunities are one of the best ways to get into the career of composing due to its low barrier-to-entry.

I narrate a blog post article about becoming the drum major in your band. This massive, ultimate guide covers nearly every step of the process from the application phase to band camp. Enjoy listening to this narration while reading the original article post listed below.

I share and reflect my 2020 experiences and other fun things that I'm grateful for. I also share what I hope to achieve in 2021; hopefully it's better than this year! I hope my 2020 review gives you inspiration to create your own and prepare for the year. Copy the template on Notion: http://bit.ly/3pIYpiw

I discuss my decision to not attend Boston Conservatory at Berklee even though I was accepted. With career/college advice for composition students and other music students, this episode is full of useful and practical tips to succeed with a music degree.

In this episode, I share each step of my composing process from the idea phase to publication. I also share the tools and software I use in my workflow. I hope this inspires you in some way to think about your composing process as it is highly individualistic.

These five creators/YouTubers were the ones that most influenced me in terms of my creativity or inspiring me as a fellow creator this year. They all have unique idiosyncrasies that make their channels special and stand out from the crowd. I hope you check them out as they might just inspire you too! 1. Ali Abdaal - https://www.youtube.com/user/Sepharoth64 2. Thomas Frank - https://www.youtube.com/user/electrickeye91 3. Matt D'Avella - https://www.youtube.com/user/blackboxfilmcompany 4. Nathaniel Drew - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrdWRLq10OHuy7HmSckV3Vg 5. David Bruce - https://www.youtube.com/user/davidbrucedotnet

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Music notation is one of the most important skills you can hone and cultivate as a growing composer. Your compositions will be treated more seriously if your sheet music quality is top-notch in addition to preventing sight-reading issues during rehearsal time. I explore this in more detail as well as recommending the resource I used to massively improve my notational skills.