Creativity and Composition Archive

For sev­eral years in the early 1990s, I worked at the Met­ro­pol­i­tan Museum of Art and had the good for­tune to meet Mrs. Brooke Astor. Every year she would throw […]0August 14, 2007

Brooke Astor 1902–2007

For sev­eral years in the early 1990s, I worked at the Met­ro­pol­i­tan Museum of Art and had the good for­tune to meet Mrs. Brooke Astor. Every year she would throw […]

I just have to link to this blog entry by Brian Clark, the author of copyblogger.com. He’s con­cerned about writ­ing lan­guage, but his advice says it all for com­posers, too!0July 31, 2007

Ten Steps to Better Composing

I just have to link to this blog entry by Brian Clark, the author of copyblogger.com. He’s con­cerned about writ­ing lan­guage, but his advice says it all for com­posers, too!

Music is such an abstract, can’t-put-your-hands-on-it art form. I’m always find­ing it use­ful to com­pare music to visual arts. I recently came across this web­site which is a humor­ous attempt […]0July 30, 2007

Something for Hitchcock Fans

Music is such an abstract, can’t-put-your-hands-on-it art form. I’m always find­ing it use­ful to com­pare music to visual arts. I recently came across this web­site which is a humor­ous attempt […]

I’ve been a fan of Prince since back in 1982, when his album 1999 came out. It’s no secret that pop music has suf­fered com­mer­cially in the last few years […]0July 24, 2007

Prince Shows the Way?

I’ve been a fan of Prince since back in 1982, when his album 1999 came out. It’s no secret that pop music has suf­fered com­mer­cially in the last few years […]

On August 27, 2006, the New York Times pub­lished a review of Francine Prose’s book, “Read­ing Like A Writer: A Guide for Peo­ple Who Love Books and for Those Who […]0June 28, 2007

Listening Like a Composer

On August 27, 2006, the New York Times pub­lished a review of Francine Prose’s book, “Read­ing Like A Writer: A Guide for Peo­ple Who Love Books and for Those Who […]

So, lately I’ve been think­ing about the careers of some cin­e­matic giants. Con­sider Woody Allen and M. Night Shya­malan. Here are two writer/directors who pro­duce a new movie very reguarly. […]0June 26, 2007

When to Ignore Critics

So, lately I’ve been think­ing about the careers of some cin­e­matic giants. Con­sider Woody Allen and M. Night Shya­malan. Here are two writer/directors who pro­duce a new movie very reguarly. […]

Bear with me on this one. I was chat­ting with Joe Ravo, a gui­tarist who also hap­pens to be a com­puter tech wiz­ard, and we got to talk­ing about the start […]0June 20, 2007

Hierarchies Matter

Bear with me on this one. I was chat­ting with Joe Ravo, a gui­tarist who also hap­pens to be a com­puter tech wiz­ard, and we got to talk­ing about the start […]

I am not a big fan of revis­ing your music. Once you’ve got things set, and once the music has been per­formed, it’s time to let it go and move […]0June 14, 2007

Recycle vs. Repurpose

I am not a big fan of revis­ing your music. Once you’ve got things set, and once the music has been per­formed, it’s time to let it go and move […]

Here’s a good way to get someone’s undi­vided atten­tion. Ask, “Can I be hon­est with you?” Peo­ple will stop what­ever they’re doing and have a lis­ten to what you want […]0June 9, 2007

Being Honest in Music

Here’s a good way to get someone’s undi­vided atten­tion. Ask, “Can I be hon­est with you?” Peo­ple will stop what­ever they’re doing and have a lis­ten to what you want […]

I’ve touched upon this in my audio pod­cast in the past, but this morn­ing I was com­pos­ing and reached a bit of a prob­lem. I won­dered whether the chord I […]0May 22, 2007

Ask a Different Question

I’ve touched upon this in my audio pod­cast in the past, but this morn­ing I was com­pos­ing and reached a bit of a prob­lem. I won­dered whether the chord I […]

I know a musi­cian from Iran who came to study music in New York. He was very inter­ested in clas­si­cal music of (what we call) the West­ern world. And he […]0April 15, 2007

Thought for the Day

I know a musi­cian from Iran who came to study music in New York. He was very inter­ested in clas­si­cal music of (what we call) the West­ern world. And he […]

Years and years ago I worked at Par­sons School of Design in New York, where I got to know Tim Gunn. Tim Gunn has gone on to become quite famous […]0April 13, 2007

Tim Gunn on Theory

Years and years ago I worked at Par­sons School of Design in New York, where I got to know Tim Gunn. Tim Gunn has gone on to become quite famous […]

Here’s another thought for the day. What is more impor­tant, orig­i­nal­ity or innovation? Well, let’s look at Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, which pre­miered in 1913. Almost 100 years later, we […]0March 29, 2007

Originality vs. Innovation

Here’s another thought for the day. What is more impor­tant, orig­i­nal­ity or inno­va­tion? Well, let’s look at Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, which pre­miered in 1913. Almost 100 years later, we […]

At a recent con­fab of com­posers I attended, the con­ver­sa­tion turned to style and technique. And here’s your thought for the day: “You shouldn’t steal style. But you can steal […]0March 29, 2007

Style vs. Technique

At a recent con­fab of com­posers I attended, the con­ver­sa­tion turned to style and tech­nique. And here’s your thought for the day: “You shouldn’t steal style. But you can steal […]

I was at the March Salon of the New York Com­posers Cir­cle recently, and we got to talk­ing about how the instru­ment you play affects how you com­pose. I have […]0March 20, 2007

Hammers and Nails

I was at the March Salon of the New York Com­posers Cir­cle recently, and we got to talk­ing about how the instru­ment you play affects how you com­pose. I have […]

More evi­dence that copy­right is a blunt instrument. The inter­net is shak­ing things up in ways no one could have ever expected. Take the recent Google / Via­com bat­tle. Google […]0March 17, 2007

Copyright is a Blunt Instrument, cont.

More evi­dence that copy­right is a blunt instru­ment. The inter­net is shak­ing things up in ways no one could have ever expected. Take the recent Google / Via­com bat­tle. Google […]

Long­time fol­low­ers of my audio pod­cast will recall that I have ambiva­lent feel­ings about copy­right. Yes, I want my work to be pro­tected, but copy­right lim­its open exchange of cool ideas. […]0March 12, 2007

Copyright is a Blunt Instrument

Long­time fol­low­ers of my audio pod­cast will recall that I have ambiva­lent feel­ings about copy­right. Yes, I want my work to be pro­tected, but copy­right lim­its open exchange of cool ideas. […]

I’m the Man­ag­ing Direc­tor of a com­posers col­lec­tive called the New York Com­posers Cir­cle. For our con­certs this year, we’ve decided that each com­poser should say a word or two […]0March 10, 2007

Reaching New Audiences

I’m the Man­ag­ing Direc­tor of a com­posers col­lec­tive called the New York Com­posers Cir­cle. For our con­certs this year, we’ve decided that each com­poser should say a word or two […]

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