2 Philosophies

2. Philosophies

The purpose and goal of composition study in this studio is to write your music and hone your skills within the domain of contemporary art music or "classical" music. We work in this domain for a number of reasons, including

  1. It is the vehicle by which music is commonly taught at the university level.
  2. It is the field in which your instructor has credentials.
  3. It is easier to shape the future of art music from inside rather than outside.

This studio rejects the following points:

  1. Art music is superior to other genres of music. 1.1 This may be a viewpoint you encounter in your journey, but it is not one that we will observe in this studio. We can learn from all methods of music creation, and we ignore this at the peril of our art.
  2. The purpose of composition instruction is to create disciples or clones.

All composers come to the craft of musical composition with baggage. Preferences, history, ability, and biases (all terms to be read as neutral). The stories you've heard, the music you enjoy (or don't), your career goals, the tools you use, and more all contribute to your sense of aesthetic. Some of this will represent a vast life experience from which you can draw to write the music only you can write. Some of this will represent impediments to your art.

Our goal is to remove those barriers.

To reiterate: The purpose is to write your music within the art music idiom.

You have the right to compose any music you see fit on any topic you see fit. However, your instructor also has the right to control his or her creative output, and during your musical apprenticeship your output is linked to your instructor's. For this reason, your instructor reserves the right to abandon instruction for works with an uncomfortable subject matter or content. Likewise, you have the right to avoid work on compositions with problematic content (though this right does not extend to musical content).

2.1 Tools

There is no one set of tools that works perfectly for every composer. In addition, every tool has a bias of some sort that will influence the way in which you write music. It is your responsibility as you learn the craft of composition to choose your tools—and your bias—carefully.

2.2 Software

One of these tools is a digital scorewriting or notation program such as Sibelius, Dorico, or Musescore. Composition in the XXI century necessitates the need for a notation program (whether you compose music by hand or by computer is up to you; presenting your music in a professional way requires a standard notation software). Which of these software products you use is up to you. However, those students planning to pursue advanced study in composition and those students planning to make money from their composing will be expected to purchase one of the professional notation programs (Sibelius, Finale, or Dorico) by the end of their undergraduate study.

One of the reasons for this is your investment in your craft. You wouldn't have your kitchen remodeled by a contractor who doesn't own their own tools. Nor would you award an orchestral position to a performer that still plays on a student-quality instrument.

If you are looking to have your music published by an established publisher, you will find that they will use Finale, Sibelius, and/or Dorico exclusively. If your piece is of high enough quality and innovation they may be willing to convert your NoteFlight, MuseScore, or Notion file, but that is an extra hurdle.

Switching tools is something you should do at least once during your education, either switching to another notation program or adding a DAW or coding environment to your repertoire.