I recieved many excellent responses on how I should go about becoming a composer in my last question. If anyone has more advice on that topic, feel free to put it in this question, however, I also have a new question:
I want to know, based on the music I write now, wether I have enough talent to become a composer someday (with an education of course). I was wondering if there is any way I can get a CD of my music published, and how would I go about doing that? If it turns out that I'm terrible at composing music then I'd like to know, or maybe I'm a brilliant genious, or somewhere in between. I just want to know how to find out. Ok, wotan says I need to add details, so here they are:
I am 15, sophomore in high school.
Yes, I understand music notation, and I play some musical instruments.(violin, trumpet, and french horn but mostly violin)
I have written music using software on my computer, which is easier than by hand which I've tried briefly.
I wrote several little synthesizer type songs when I was younger, but my most recent creation is a jazz waltz for piano (about 1/3 finished). I am currently having trouble writing any more of that jazz waltz because the software I use is just a free demo (i have no money) and doesn't allow a TEMPO CHANGE during the music. I also have a demo of sibelius which is WAY WAY easier and more effective, but with the demo you can't save your work so I'd have to write everything in one sitting.
I hope to write mostly classical style music as a career, but, of course, I wouldn't consider a jazz waltz classical... While I agree that it can never hurt to get the opinion of a professional (and you probably should do this just to get suggestions, feedback, etc) it is probably much too early for someone to tell if you are going to be a fantastic composer. Most people find out how they compare once they are in college. I would say you should get composition lessons as soon as possible, though (if you haven't yet). You need to work on the craft of composing...once you have worked on your compositional technique...then it is all about finding one's own voice as a composer. To be a successful composer, you need to stand out as a unique individual. Composers of today are in a very good position because unlike the times of the previous generation ( think Pierre Boulez, Milton Babbitt) where serialism was all the rage...today's world of composition is all about variety and being ecclectic. Don't be discouraged about writing jazz works!!! In fact...MANY MANY composers of new concert music draw from jazz and in some cases it is even hard to tell whether they are avant-garde classical or avant-garde jazz because it becomes a grey area of sorts. Basically...you should just expose yourself to as much new music as possible....ANYTHING you can get your hands on! Here's the cold hard truth...from my experience (I have a bachelors in Composition) I have found that in college composition programs...teachers expect that you are interested in classical music and moving forward withe tradition (not lingering in the old masters and coninuing to write romantic music or baroque music, etc) In Academia, you are expected to be pushing boundaries as a composer. The old styles are to be drawn from (hence ideas of neo-classicism and neo-romanticism...think Igor Stravinsky or Samuel Barber) but they are not meant to copied and re-hashed.
Here are some well-known modern composers that you may want to listen to for inspiration:
Gyorgy Ligeti - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7_hpc7Z6... (used in 2001 A Space Odyssey...simply genius...every work he's written...just amazing. Easily one of the greatest composers of our time. Lux Aeterna is for 16 solo voices ONLY....the sound is just unbelievable.)
Krzysztof Penderecki (pronounced Penderetski) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwVNoeEIc... very famous piece...it was an experiment in sound clusters.
George Crumb - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVDUNue0E... experiments in extended technique
John Cage - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYsx5Di3b... - experiments in extended techniques and also asian philosophy
Michael Daugherty - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F70GAq6k4... look up his other pieces (they are based on jazz, americana, and pop culture)
Joseph Schwantner - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KIitNUzm... - great percussion writer...very ethereal music
Pierre Boulez - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tQe59D5P...
Edgard Varese - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TStutMsLX...
Witold Lutoslawski - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J856VKllt...
Steve Reich (pronounced Reish) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G5kJNu4S... - my favorite
These are not necessarily my favorite pieces by these composers, but I thought I'd just give you an idea...its what I could find of them on Youtube.
To answer your questions...you may have the "potential" to be a good composer but there si no way to know until you gain some experience and people can see what direction you are heading towards. It also depends on what type of composer you want to be...do you want to do freelance avant-garde kind of composition? Do you want to teach at a university (most modern composers do this as their day job). Do you want to write music for film? Do you want to write more "poppy" kind of stuff? You can also be a jazz composer/performer if that's your thing. You can also be strictly an arranger/orchestrator. Or if you enjoy pop styles too, you can try pursuing music supervision. You can also gain composition experience and eventually work for an arts organization or for a contemporary ensemble...there are many options to be tried and searched for...etc. As for being published...yes self-publishing can wk...but realistically you can't expect to get anything seriously published until you are established and have built up a career...you have to have your music performed a lot in public....once you can show that a lot of ensembles are playing your music...then a publisher may approach you. otherwise composers stick to doing composition competitions, submitting calls for scores from ensembles/orchestras, getting performances through their schools, planning their own composition concerts, and basically printing out and binding their own pieces themselves for performance. I hope this helps...from one composer to another!
also...check out these important sites for composers:
http://www.amc.net/ (you can consider becoming a member...you get access to many competitions and info....its legit; a very well-known prestigious organization)
http://www.cmc.ie/opportunities/competit...
You can also do a google search for composition competitions or call for scores.....keep in mind the age range and experience levels of the competitions....they have pre-college competitions, I'm sure. You can go to walmart, buy some blank cds, and sell them on the street? If you're looking for the "education" part - it very much depends where you go. There are possibly thousands of universities/colleges/junior colleges who can develop your skills as a composer. The schools also will have performers (if you ask nicely ;-) ) to play your music. It's really about connections, and education is one of the better ways to start (professors, performers, etc. who will know people).
Sadly, "getting published" is nowhere near as easy as it used to be, and you essentially have to learn notation software and self-publish. What I would do, the very first thing, is to seek the opinion of a music professor, at your nearest college or university. If your really serious, they will be more than glad to help you. I'm assuming that you understand music notation, and that you've written a piece of your music down in some form or other: if you haven't, don't waste their time.
The next time you post a question, give us a lot more info. about it, and you. You give people very little to go on, for them to advise you in any meaningful way.
And you know, you don't really say anything about your music. Is it for piano, voice, orchestra, strings only, band? Do you really consider it to be "classical" music?
Wotan If you are still in high school, seek out the opinions and advice of music teachers, band and orchestra directors. This will cost nothing if you have the access. If you have already graduated, then you are going to have to pump some money into your dream at either a junior college or college level music program. You are likely to need some kind of degree even to be a choir director at a church now. |
