Scientists are charged with helping to create new scholarship, to contribute new knowledge. Having won a Nobel Prize in your younger years, what do you now do for the rest of your life? As Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal of the United Kingdom and president of the Royal Society explains, scientists have three choices as they age. They can (1) become an administrator or (2) content themselves with doing mediocre science. Or (3) they can go off the deep end and say something offensive.

Fortunately for composers of concert music, this is not a problem. As Dr. Rees states, “In contrast to composers, there are few scientists whose last works are their greatest.” (See the New York Times article for more discussion about this.) As composers, we are like fine wine, getting better and better with each passing year. That’s something to be celebrated! All your best years and compositions are still in front of you, so keep at it.

(Interestingly, I’m sure Dr. Rees did not have composers of popular music in mind.)

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While at first you might feel this movie is more appropriate for performers than composers, virtually every line spoken in the movie contains a little nugget of wisdom you can take away. And it so interesting to hear performers explain what composers are trying to do… especially as the music of Beethoven’s Symphony #3 plays in the background by the musicians themselves!

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Browse around. There’s good articles about the state of publishing today, and lots of composer weigh in on the advantages and disadvantages of being your own publisher.

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