tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41771474000203524092024-02-07T08:50:26.177-05:00Greek & ComposingOccasional thoughts on composing music and other somewhat related topics...Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-29508301428140027962023-08-02T17:18:00.001-04:002023-08-02T17:20:19.787-04:00A.I. and the Enthronement of “Good Enough”<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag-2OQGO-yR0XsqrXo-VvdxaC62jJv-oiJUJJFtJbVzROMiuoa0CVu5TYW9Bl8Kyo6Eg2Xgr5_29pYe-Le7Y2NMb1FgJ8b3hJdkr9HfRCFyC1tUtYSgbx0EvO3BF7AApZ3d45H823DDz2sNZR0TwBrgVpKOZ3j1A2iP7LnsC3zwyvaFS2avzEEL46sI0I/s333/HAL%209000.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="333" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjag-2OQGO-yR0XsqrXo-VvdxaC62jJv-oiJUJJFtJbVzROMiuoa0CVu5TYW9Bl8Kyo6Eg2Xgr5_29pYe-Le7Y2NMb1FgJ8b3hJdkr9HfRCFyC1tUtYSgbx0EvO3BF7AApZ3d45H823DDz2sNZR0TwBrgVpKOZ3j1A2iP7LnsC3zwyvaFS2avzEEL46sI0I/s320/HAL%209000.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Much has been written about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in virtually every aspect of our lives. It is now possible to simply ask an A.I. application such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT" target="_blank">ChatGPT</a> to create any content or provide any type of information in a matter of seconds. When I first tried ChatGPT, I asked it to write me a 1000-word children’s story about a bird and a turtle as an experiment. That’s all I provided. Within seconds, the A.I. had created a story featuring characters with names, a conflict, and a resolution. It was cute and something I could see a parent reading to their child. After my initial amazement, I reread the story several times. While moderately entertaining, there was just something about it that didn’t sit well with me. I finally noticed that as fully realized and fleshed out with details the story was, it lacked a unique voice. There was no interesting, unexpected, quirky, or even poetic turn of phrase that one might encounter with a favorite author. The more I reread the story, the more I felt that it was hollow and soulless at its core. The non-human “author” did not have children. It couldn’t empathize and remember from personal experience as both a child and a parent what story-telling felt like. There was simply no sense of wonder. The words just lay flat on the screen gleaming with cold perfection. Instead of feeling warmth when rereading the story, I was ultimately left diminished. It was like eating a beautiful looking meal and being satisfied with how it tasted in the moment but feeling hunger soon after because there was no nutritional value. It then struck me that if this was a real attempt at crafting a story for commercial publication, someone, somewhere, in some position to make decisions about creative content, might easily determine that this story was “good enough” to publish with a few tweaks and was cost effective because no author had to be contracted. That decision might have been arrived at cynically or - perhaps even worse - arrived at because the decision maker truly could not discern the difference between art and cold craft.</span></div><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodxZ3E5EErd88tbGgjrF7Nom8v5Bekrokq27vHlvDvDi1S5RdHk8HnPnTuEKIAKAk6gczOCa2jDkhA1RA4VKmbJzYeOCYeiqLFxISbczmAbl6dGQpKJVE2Fdch3XTdHLh_XxZ2nl4ri0oipgIvtck0dMIX9ukBlAdCgeUosxm9ydkms8oYTWIg4MpA2sY/s318/A.I.%20Music.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="318" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodxZ3E5EErd88tbGgjrF7Nom8v5Bekrokq27vHlvDvDi1S5RdHk8HnPnTuEKIAKAk6gczOCa2jDkhA1RA4VKmbJzYeOCYeiqLFxISbczmAbl6dGQpKJVE2Fdch3XTdHLh_XxZ2nl4ri0oipgIvtck0dMIX9ukBlAdCgeUosxm9ydkms8oYTWIg4MpA2sY/s1600/A.I.%20Music.jpeg" width="318" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Among all the other red flags surrounding A.I., this is one that I believe poses a significant threat to those of us in the creative arts. A story that is “good enough.” Set design and special effects that are “good enough.” And closer to home for me, musical compositions and musical performances that are “good enough.” It’s a lazy way to create, devoid of life experience. While initially impressive and maybe even satisfying, art created this way will ultimately leave no real lasting impression. Whenever I catch myself thinking that whatever section of a musical composition I am working on is “good enough,” I immediately stop composing. I take a break and come back to the section refreshed so that I may properly work through the music and arrive at the right and best solution for that piece. This is hard work accomplished through trial and error, experimentation, and just plain thought. I am certainly guided by craft in my work but I am also guided by intuition, experience, curiosity, and talent. Is an A.I. program similarly guided? Does it have intuition or talent?</span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wS_58YLWgi77tB2bOuHVukQvFSeB0QJfrGVdhFaVgUQjtKBF-wEgn8jqUL5EkMPsB07MUyXksPxSHlyUtpAnqPV0X1SBYsSu2GNel3zw0Tgwfk0kovLAN00pggUOv-v3QzI6gwzivjfukoFN8lhrqaheYZY0O_bgbR9i2u4XTtHyI5gJuj_i5RLo51yx/s250/Erb.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="170" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wS_58YLWgi77tB2bOuHVukQvFSeB0QJfrGVdhFaVgUQjtKBF-wEgn8jqUL5EkMPsB07MUyXksPxSHlyUtpAnqPV0X1SBYsSu2GNel3zw0Tgwfk0kovLAN00pggUOv-v3QzI6gwzivjfukoFN8lhrqaheYZY0O_bgbR9i2u4XTtHyI5gJuj_i5RLo51yx/s1600/Erb.jpg" width="170" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Donald Erb (1927-2008)<br /><br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is a wonderful quote from my mentor, the great composer <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Erb" target="_blank">Donald Erb</a></b>, that is affixed to my office door. It concerns itself with the creative process and reads: </span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">“A craftsman can create entertainment, but you need more than that to create art. You need an emotional, inspirational quality, because in and of itself craft means nothing. There has to be something inside you pushing out or all a person will ever write is a craftsman-like piece. And that's not quite good enough.’’</span></b></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">No matter how sophisticated A.I. software gets - and I readily acknowledge it is getting more sophisticated by the minute - I do not believe it will ever have something inside it that is compelled to be pushed out. I don’t believe you can program an emotional, inspirational quality within A.I. As Erb wisely points out, you need more than just craft to create art. In looking specifically at A.I., you need more than just sophisticated coding and machine based learning to create art. Humans - real humans who have lived lives full of joy, tragedy, failure, triumph, conflict, and reconciliation - create art to describe the human condition. How can A.I. really do that? It’s true that within the arts, A.I. can create great looking art and great sounding music. It may seem to be better than just “good enough” and it is only getting more sophisticated. However, like the little experiment I conducted with ChatGPT, it doesn’t hold up. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ultimately the problem is not A.I. Artificial intelligence in all of its varied forms is simply a tool. The real problem is a society that devalues art because it cannot distinguish between art and craft. It’s a society that has decided that teaching the arts in schools to children beginning from a young age all the way through their high school years is unimportant. It’s a society that places more value on short-cuts and cold efficiency than in the time and life-experience it takes to create something meaningful. Worse yet, we live in a society that, even if it could distinguish between art and craft, doesn’t care. Whatever content is being flushed into our consciousness provides enough entertainment for the moment and that’s “good enough.” It’s a society that is easy prey for cynical gate-keepers in the entertainment and arts industries. Skynet is not coming for us. We are letting it in slowly all by ourselves. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTKoL6hYubkrga99W6g06YwK_mpU-eHXvio0XAQOQqHhCjE3IT1qmr0jX-sgMUvHoSd0w-r4N-6Cigk3QfeqWA2xLSbQaIEXarDJegb_ybim5VBrjc-m91MlaG91pazsfcBWyMixNDHFBJJRXK5TP8s28dqsMqkH5PlQAcASo_j1vQrVil_W57o3MjdqT/s318/SAG-AFTRA_WGA%20Strike.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="318" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTKoL6hYubkrga99W6g06YwK_mpU-eHXvio0XAQOQqHhCjE3IT1qmr0jX-sgMUvHoSd0w-r4N-6Cigk3QfeqWA2xLSbQaIEXarDJegb_ybim5VBrjc-m91MlaG91pazsfcBWyMixNDHFBJJRXK5TP8s28dqsMqkH5PlQAcASo_j1vQrVil_W57o3MjdqT/s1600/SAG-AFTRA_WGA%20Strike.jpeg" width="318" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">One of the reasons that TV and film writers and actors are currently on strike is to make sure producers are not allowed to give in to their baser instincts by providing what is just “good enough” in order to maximize profits. The soulless words of that children’s story experiment I conducted with A.I. haunt me and point towards a possible world that slowly starves itself of the arts while drowning in an over abundance of music, visual art, film, and television content. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This is a possible world that is certainly not good enough for anyone.</span></p></div>Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-63932431287206917602023-05-25T09:43:00.002-04:002023-05-25T10:09:10.219-04:00Solidarity<div class="separator"><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5Hrt7g2tr0xZoWLafirS73MgFI80rN-LGCUdT5Llh6D4xsxnC-AEzj9gD2DwjsAzo7XswVmLO8F7hcEAmLywMjVZTAO3IKr6IwAwQ4rjdmLKgVG28GhqtUEQtZGxkNUL7DUjuv7vtsK99_UhfaxHTMv8LvjQoSsU3_z2Um1H7gMXDn2UAbZZYfF5GQ/s225/WGA%20on%20Strike.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5Hrt7g2tr0xZoWLafirS73MgFI80rN-LGCUdT5Llh6D4xsxnC-AEzj9gD2DwjsAzo7XswVmLO8F7hcEAmLywMjVZTAO3IKr6IwAwQ4rjdmLKgVG28GhqtUEQtZGxkNUL7DUjuv7vtsK99_UhfaxHTMv8LvjQoSsU3_z2Um1H7gMXDn2UAbZZYfF5GQ/s1600/WGA%20on%20Strike.png" width="225" /></a></div><br />At 12:01 AM PDT on May 2, 2023, the <a href="https://www.wga.org">Writers Guild of America </a>(WGA) – a labor union representing 11,500 writers - began a work stoppage against the <a href="https://www.amptp.org">Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers </a>(AMPTP). Two of the main issues driving the decision to strike are residuals from streaming media and the rise of artificial intelligence software such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT">ChatGPT</a>. It is the writers’ contention that AMPTP's share of streaming residuals has cut much of the writers' average incomes compared to a decade ago. The writers are also concerned that A.I. has the potential of being used as a tool to replace them. The writers wish to make sure software such as ChatGPT be used only as a research tool or to facilitate script ideas. So, what does this labor dispute have to do with music composition and why should I care?</span></div><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2ivu0BxZ821jSQ2VG2tVI9cjsVkxiUFC0VZFsU73ekSUcPsI8pbFBdEK5mgb2dI5n4J4INQtgv4kMigCYk7HqzYpm2iqOrfoPeg9GTuzMe5FFQlUKb0daTBjpYU-rRvCYwH8GCfNkZjmz5jfE6FRPE5XCQGBq68hWf9wdfRI6kuLeO976oYGV2Ftsw/s1200/writer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2ivu0BxZ821jSQ2VG2tVI9cjsVkxiUFC0VZFsU73ekSUcPsI8pbFBdEK5mgb2dI5n4J4INQtgv4kMigCYk7HqzYpm2iqOrfoPeg9GTuzMe5FFQlUKb0daTBjpYU-rRvCYwH8GCfNkZjmz5jfE6FRPE5XCQGBq68hWf9wdfRI6kuLeO976oYGV2Ftsw/s320/writer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />As a composer, I consider myself a writer of sorts although I deal with musical notes and not words. Nevertheless, there is a certain similitude between writers and composers. The mediums of television and film are performing arts. They exist in time, having a beginning, middle, and conclusion. Unlike a novel, poem, painting, or sculpture, the audience cannot linger over details at their own pace. That’s why dialogue, elements of story structure, pacing, and character development are so critical. Writers are also dependent upon actors, directors, and many others behind the scenes to make the art come to life. A screenplay is just a silent collection of sentences and directions until skilled actors tell the story. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh367TgLQcMJZNBWyJD6DG7yDJYk3_ABZz6Xs48teWT4lmP07tH_JWyIfiuqm_l80l2kuCuoWq0HDL79LL9dcOr1xS99QI1J6gAYIPb9-UDiPhU7CMI5KoW5x6-O8gQxGf59WgFU1U2iVz-EazNByKnKdhqh8VQm3NXSiM_T_T11YWhGJZGzPy-yAzTng/s1200/writer.jpg"></a>In music, the composer is also working in an art form that is performance based, existing fleetingly in time. Like a film or television program, a musical composition – even one that is purely abstract, so-called “absolute music” - also has a beginning, middle, and conclusion. Musical structure and the effective development of ideas over time are likewise as critical as plot development in a screenplay. Finally, composers are reliant on skilled musicians and conductors (as well as many others behind the scenes) to bring the music to life. Like a screenplay, a musical score is just a silent book of instructions until skilled musicians follow it to create music. In his brilliant book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Noise-Listening-Twentieth-Century/dp/0312427719">The Rest Is Noise</a>, author <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/alex-ross">Alex Ross</a> describes a musical composition as “… an artwork in code, which other musicians must be persuaded to unravel. Unlike a novel or a painting, a score gives up its full meaning only when it is performed in front of an audience; it is a child of loneliness that lives off crowds.” Substitute “screenplay” for “musical composition/score” and “actors” for “musicians” and Ross’s observation is equally valid.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2jjW4r4GSPEXL3GJuHbBq_VYC9cszD6UWJEpYg9SYKeOS9aaZRs6B5vX8dQ3ghxnSgPOAPvs5bSwJ81t_G-09gahKESn-pNg3YAjhN0coKLY9xshEx5B6YOpsuV3NRS2CoKJ5AGylzR5P4RamAfUv8ndREr4a5L9oYjtOrIKME31djZR28d0cx-rlQ/s259/composer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2jjW4r4GSPEXL3GJuHbBq_VYC9cszD6UWJEpYg9SYKeOS9aaZRs6B5vX8dQ3ghxnSgPOAPvs5bSwJ81t_G-09gahKESn-pNg3YAjhN0coKLY9xshEx5B6YOpsuV3NRS2CoKJ5AGylzR5P4RamAfUv8ndREr4a5L9oYjtOrIKME31djZR28d0cx-rlQ/s1600/composer.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br />This is why I find myself firmly in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America. It’s easy for me to imagine being in their shoes. In fact, on the issue of streaming residuals, I don’t really have to imagine at all. Composers and musical performing artists can certainly relate to the writers’ concerns when examining what Spotify or Apple Music pays them per stream for their music. They most often make a lot less than a single penny per stream. That’s bad enough for artists in popular music genres, with millions of streams. For composers of contemporary classical music, residuals from streaming are effectively non-existent. It’s easy therefore for me to find the writers’ concerns valid and to believe they are being disrespected and treated unfairly.<br /><br />Without those of us who create content, the performing arts cannot exist. There is a beautiful and necessary <b>collaboration</b> and a certain chain of events that occurs to bring a performance to an audience. In television and film, among other important persons, a skilled director is necessary to maintain a vision, keep the overall project moving in a particular direction, and to help guide actors. Actors, in turn, may move a person to tears or laughter through performances based upon their talent and training. However, none of that matters if there is no story and performers have nothing written for them to say. Likewise in music, a skilled conductor or music coach is necessary to keep the piece moving in a certain direction and to help guide musicians. Musicians, in turn, may move a person to tears or to dancing due to their talent and training. Yet, none of that matters if the musical notes are not there. Whether working with traditional notation on staff paper or working out ideas in the studio by ear, someone must decide that out of silence, <i>these</i> are the notes that are born; <i>this</i> is the order in which they are to proceed; <i>this</i> is the pace they are to move; and <i>this</i> is how they will change over time. <br /><br />I often tell my composition students that all composers (and I’m sure this goes for writers as well) face a “moment of loneliness” at the outset of the creative process wherein they stare deeply into the void of an empty staff. At this moment, no one can help them. A teacher cannot choose their notes for them, and neither can a friend or family member. They are truly on their own. And yet, one moment the staff is empty, the room is silent, or the page is blank, and the next moment there are notes, there is sound, there is a story. This lonely moment is suddenly transformed into a magical moment, an almost sacred moment. It is the beautiful moment of creation. From literally nothing, art is born. I can’t explain it and I consider it a miracle every time I begin composing a new work.<br /><br />Our broken world is in desperate need of creation. All around us we are confronted with destruction whether on the battlefield of war; through senseless violence on our streets, in our malls, even our houses of worship; or in the causal devastation of our thoughtless words and actions towards our neighbors. <br /><br />It’s so easy to tear down and destroy. <br /><br />It is so incredibly difficult to create. <br /><br />I can’t help but wonder that if society treats the creators of things they truly love (TV/films) with disrespect and indifference, what hope do those of us who create contemporary classical music have? Does disrespect and indifference towards creators contribute to the coarsening of our culture? I think it does and this is why I stand with all those writers and composers who bring art into existence out of nothingness. From a dopey sitcom or commercial jingle to a film or musical work that changes the world – writers are the builders of our shared society. We cannot and must not treat them as disposable, fungible cogs for those who regard the portraits of presidents on currency as the highest form of art. We cannot cheat them out of an income honorably earned, we cannot disregard art which is created out of a lifetime of sacrifice and experience, and we must certainly not hand the sacred moment of creation over to soulless robots and computers. That would surely result in a shared society that is not worth living in. <br /><br />This is why the WGA strike resonates with me and why I believe it relates to my own art. Wishing strength and success to all those on the picket lines engaged in the good fight.</span></div></div>Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-73729551046760375872023-04-24T19:47:00.000-04:002023-04-24T19:47:06.620-04:00The Long Road Back<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jCDyo0uopccJYX4qEfnJmyfNZTQl0ll5rbqUyp6GGRIUdueBuFnyPDEeokHC9nmlNj8BIpBva7_mDDzCz_3ESgCeuwV8ke8T7EcbcSl0U4yNQl8uv_0-b2yhJXXLQTJ-5K373eUG49iqeUeIx_J8urADEBF2rXxWeuxbsPf7yJw4pjdFa0zUEunwpg/s612/long%20road%20back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="612" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jCDyo0uopccJYX4qEfnJmyfNZTQl0ll5rbqUyp6GGRIUdueBuFnyPDEeokHC9nmlNj8BIpBva7_mDDzCz_3ESgCeuwV8ke8T7EcbcSl0U4yNQl8uv_0-b2yhJXXLQTJ-5K373eUG49iqeUeIx_J8urADEBF2rXxWeuxbsPf7yJw4pjdFa0zUEunwpg/w291-h193/long%20road%20back.jpg" width="291" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">While I have always been sporadic in posting to this blog, this is my first entry since January 2019; the longest hiatus I have taken since beginning this endeavor in 2010. However, my time away has been from more than just this blog. I have taken a permanent leave from my life as I knew it. On August 16, 2019, my wife Maria passed away from metastatic breast cancer. The reoccurrence of her cancer after being cancer-free for over five years was a shock. The progression of the disease was swift and merciless. There are no words that I can use to adequately describe the depth of devastation in the wake of her passing. It is a loss that I am still trying to process nearly four years later.<span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_3ymxX6g3Cuiwsdm1QighD-PGlp1xaxji_qBK4IJlG2F5jQBvAHHiowmTrhxEzlaoXi1E3PrccJWm4exmDGqGdc3AeF1BQ0hIRjCv4E8AWntNw_5GtAotHMZYvNYqPG1-mQak_Y75DA-lpKAL84RNf0Ajgy_Z-x6RNPTJBLxgT98zxCR8DMcB8A-iw/s900/IMG_0719.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="598" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_3ymxX6g3Cuiwsdm1QighD-PGlp1xaxji_qBK4IJlG2F5jQBvAHHiowmTrhxEzlaoXi1E3PrccJWm4exmDGqGdc3AeF1BQ0hIRjCv4E8AWntNw_5GtAotHMZYvNYqPG1-mQak_Y75DA-lpKAL84RNf0Ajgy_Z-x6RNPTJBLxgT98zxCR8DMcB8A-iw/s320/IMG_0719.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maria Spell Demos <span style="font-size: x-small;">(1962-2019)</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>When my life suddenly and drastically changed, many existential questions flooded my mind. In looking for answers, I initially felt like a drowning man flailing desperately and reaching out for anything to keep me afloat. I was also at the intersection of two other significant challenges. First, shortly after Maria’s death, while I was just at the very beginning of the grieving process, COVID-19 overwhelmed the planet. Like almost every composer I know, the onset of this pandemic decimated my professional opportunities and left me isolated in quarantine with only Zoom conference calls and home delivery services as lifelines to the world outside. Certainly, this was not a good place to be while in unbearable emotional pain. Second, I was also still serving as the Director of the Georgia State University School of Music at this time. While the relentless busywork of that gig helped me a bit simply by blunting my thoughts and emotions, it had a deleterious effect on my creative output as a composer. When I first took the position as Director, Maria was still alive and I had energy, focus, and felt as though I could accomplish anything. For a short time, I did. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">n fact, I wrote a blog post about how my new admin position was actually <i>helping</i> my creative process (see the December 31, 2017 entry for all the glorious hubris). </span>However, after Maria’s death, all such energy and ambition were extinguished. It was as if a huge deluge of water suddenly crashed upon the fire of my aspirations; a campfire encountering a tsunami. It is probably not too surprising that in the wake of this trauma, I am now no longer in an administrative position at my university having returned to the faculty.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq845LHQoJT__PP2Iu42fSdDSuB6rJUT27RsES4sjIKzbI8m8XNj1qAx7tm7zEk9LvOuh90p2LhgOGu0DUoKsx59dyIPhR5FANBUAOiNsTCd1P9QcLNi2KZvOftfq10k9m2ozOyuTRGppxL1sFUQEBZnNqxs6Mw4rH0i1WpAx4sSnHkN64-L38-BWeQ/s800/smol%20after%20the%20gig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq845LHQoJT__PP2Iu42fSdDSuB6rJUT27RsES4sjIKzbI8m8XNj1qAx7tm7zEk9LvOuh90p2LhgOGu0DUoKsx59dyIPhR5FANBUAOiNsTCd1P9QcLNi2KZvOftfq10k9m2ozOyuTRGppxL1sFUQEBZnNqxs6Mw4rH0i1WpAx4sSnHkN64-L38-BWeQ/w271-h153/smol%20after%20the%20gig.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The wonderful <a href="https://www.justinpgreene.com/smol-ensemble" target="_blank">smol ensemble </a>after their recent <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">performance of my work, "<b>small talk</b>" at <a href="https://www.atlantasoundnowfestival.com" target="_blank">SoundNOW</a>. </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(l-r): Justin Greene, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amy O'Dell, Monica Pearce, </span></i></div></span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Paul Stevens, and </span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Olivia Kieffer. </span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Credit: Elizabeth Theriot) </span></i></div></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">At the same time, I have responded to my new life in various ways. I reinvigorated my prayer life and engaged in self-care activities such as therapy with a licensed professional, physical exercise, reading, and journaling. I also am incredibly fortunate to have family and friends who support me. One other valuable response has been a rededication to music composition. Although I did not ever completely abandon composing, whether at the height of my administrative responsibilities or the nadir of my emotional distress, my creative output was perhaps understandably slowed. Now, I feel like I am finally on the long road back. My return to this blog as well as much needed updates to my <a href="http://nickitasdemos.com" target="_blank">website</a> bear witness to this. </span></p><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">However, as I walk along this long road, it really doesn’t lead “back” to something familiar but rather, to a <i>new </i>destination. I know that I am no longer the same person I was before Maria’s death. Yet, as it turns out, I still <i>need</i> to compose; and need to do so regularly. I realize that the desire to enter the creative process and lose myself in the composition of music is important because it’s the only place that still feels familiar, a surviving treasure from a former life. I am beyond grateful that in the past few years, commissions, performances of my music, awards, and other opportunities I have been blessed to receive for my work serve as validation that whether heading “back,” or to a new place, I am on the right road. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div>Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-51760426065973859242019-01-02T18:40:00.001-05:002019-01-02T18:40:25.656-05:00Call & Response (Part 2)<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a longer than anticipated hiatus, I’m back with Part 2 of my thoughts on score calls. In my <a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2018/02/call-response-part-1.html" target="_blank">previous blog post</a> (admittedly uploaded a very long time ago), I listed three pet peeves I have about submissions to composition opportunities. These issues obviously came from a composer’s point of view. As a weird sort of therapy to soothe my wounded ego, having just received a batch of rejections (which, by the way, <i>always</i> seem to come in batches as if to maximize the dramatic effect on my morale), I have decided to now look at things from a <i>presenter’s </i>point of view. I believe I can speak from this perspective with a bit of authority having issued score calls on many occasions in my career. While, as a composer, I took issue with practices found in many score calls, we composers are far from perfect in our responses to such opportunities. So, to be fair, and given in no particular order, here are three admonitions presenters have for composers:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>1.</b> </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Read the directions <i>carefully</i> then do something revolutionary: <i>follow them!</i> </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQD_OS3qU92sOqwr7ldZGEonn07VhN4X7SQOzLeO1yInBbBI3j6XDUDVzgbuvvhnTXTEyDxtxt_hOHntfEqX3GYPLX9FndZ-5ZtAVIQOkDRXnDCehaMx-lI9FVIEIP5a38MHskrt-XqTHf/s1600/Read_Directions.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQD_OS3qU92sOqwr7ldZGEonn07VhN4X7SQOzLeO1yInBbBI3j6XDUDVzgbuvvhnTXTEyDxtxt_hOHntfEqX3GYPLX9FndZ-5ZtAVIQOkDRXnDCehaMx-lI9FVIEIP5a38MHskrt-XqTHf/s1600/Read_Directions.png" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most opportunities list fairly specific criteria for submitted works. Common among these are instrumentation requirements and total duration of submitted compositions. It is also not uncommon for score calls to ask for certain thematic attributes as well. These are not suggestions! Instrumentation requests are usually driven by performer availability and ability to play at a high enough level to tackle often difficult contemporary scores with few rehearsals. Also, whether it be for a festival, conference, or just a single concert, presenters are thinking about <b>programming for an entire event</b> not just a single composer’s work. This is a very important consideration and is an area where the presenter has the opportunity to demonstrate some real creativity. Selecting pieces that work well together and placing them in a particular order is also a very pragmatic exercise. This is what most often drives the 10-minute duration request. It is only composers who reach a certain stature in their respective careers who are relatively free of such constraints. Composers in this group probably did not submit to score calls anyway. They are usually approached individually by a presenter, commissioner, or consortium. These are the composers who are the “featured” artists at conferences, festivals, or symposia with whom less well-known composers share some performance time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If a composer has a question about submitting a piece with a deviation from what is listed, it is better to email the presenter and find out whether this deviation will be accepted before simply submitting. Please remember that presenters generally have a small group of people reviewing submitted scores. Often, the number of scores that are submitted is daunting. For example, when I hosted the 2008 Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI) National Conference at the Georgia State University School of Music, we received in excess of 600 scores. Having to consider so many scores, with too few adjudicators, and under often crushing time constraints, it is a purely practical (and sanity preserving) matter to summarily cut from consideration those scores that do not meticulously follow the score call guidelines. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLCUh2Oi59lr-06zSev9mJGRTE6oOgYEwn2L9hcIxGmLDFnaDfmYN1jrN2CM8ifri5Kc8anVkeuwKjAZlgbKiII7GkkwXZm2xrZDRGy9VIcP_dWlZu8RJcfFnFaqcf03wkFw_DDEfF__U/s1600/Pay_Fee.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLCUh2Oi59lr-06zSev9mJGRTE6oOgYEwn2L9hcIxGmLDFnaDfmYN1jrN2CM8ifri5Kc8anVkeuwKjAZlgbKiII7GkkwXZm2xrZDRGy9VIcP_dWlZu8RJcfFnFaqcf03wkFw_DDEfF__U/s1600/Pay_Fee.png" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was my number two pet peeve with presenters. However, from a presenter’s point of view, there are legitimate reasons why an entry fee for a score call/competition might be necessary. While there are always egregious excesses from time to time, most entry fees average around what most of us pay for one-month of a subscription to Netflix. As mentioned in my previous post, however, charging an entry fee is a practice that seems to draw a lot of ire from composers. Why do so many presenters do it, then? Simply put, it is a good source of revenue. It’s important to consider the fact that most presenters (whether they are ensembles, individual artists, or organizations) operate on razor thin budgets. Entry fees for score calls do not begin to cover the costs for running a group, individual career, or even that large organization. Most of the time, presenters legitimately want to create opportunities for composers. They also want an opportunity to vet work that comes their way because - let’s face it - not every composition is a masterpiece. There also may be a certain artistic aesthetic preferences within a group that a score call can help refine. The submission of scores to groups out of the blue <i>rarely</i> results in success for a composer. Therefore, the curated score call is a better route to go. Most presenter’s use the entry fees collected from a score call in combination with hard-won grants, paying gigs, and donations to cobble together enough funds to mount one single concert. Also, presenters (who are often performers and sometimes composers as well), should be compensated for pouring over the hundreds of scores that are delivered upon their doorsteps. Their time is equally as valuable as a composer’s time. Besides, compared to the hours of work that adjudicating scores entails, the amount of money collected in a score call would amount to a tiny fraction of an hourly minimum wage. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, there are many other fixed costs that presenters have to consider and that justify attaching an entry fee to a score call. I personally do not harbor any ill-will towards presenters that charge an entry fee. I’ve sat in their shoes and I know what is involved the minute you press the key to upload a score call. At the end of the day, the decision to apply to a call with a fee is a personal one. No one is forcing anyone to apply. Also, as I remind my students, most score calls are free. I usually set a a budget for myself with an amount that I am willing to spend per year on entry fees. Also, this yearly amount I spend on entry fees feels more like a “donation” to new music. I feel like I am contributing a little bit to the larger eco-system of contemporary music and its promotion by performers and presenting groups. But that’s just me. If you are adamantly opposed to paying any fee, just scroll down to the next listed opportunity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If a composer is fortunate enough to have a piece selected for performance as a result of a score call, it’s important to attend the concert if possible. This sounds like a no-brainer, but there are sometimes circumstances that prohibit attending a performance. Things come up. This happened to me recently when not one but two of my compositions were selected for performances at a contemporary music festival this past fall. As the time drew near to make my travel plans, a conflict arose and I was forced to make the painful decision to not attend the festival. At the time, I was fully prepared to have my works withdrawn from the festival programming schedule. It is often the policy of festivals to require attendance of composers whose works are performed. It has happened to me in the past. I was extremely fortunate that the presenter of this past fall’s festival still had my music performed despite my absence. This was a very kind gesture for which I was most appreciative.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdT0opzXpmKtoMxw0Zkl1fCO9x9iR9JOAJtvpDFGMYyn0Ggit3iBc2OjoezQRh_1y5QPmch6a1NZuVLDrvtPOmF9s43p0XhayqXVRuesyxVRykuibSzaqXgElrYRy6cjF-mAGut_TU5_HH/s1600/show_up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdT0opzXpmKtoMxw0Zkl1fCO9x9iR9JOAJtvpDFGMYyn0Ggit3iBc2OjoezQRh_1y5QPmch6a1NZuVLDrvtPOmF9s43p0XhayqXVRuesyxVRykuibSzaqXgElrYRy6cjF-mAGut_TU5_HH/s200/show_up.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another reason to miss a performance can be due to the location. When pieces of mine have been selected for performance outside the United States, it is sometimes not possible to attend due to travel time and/or financial concerns.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, for those composers who regularly receive a great number of performances of their works, it becomes impossible to attend every concert. However, composers who are receiving so many performances of their music per year that attending them all is not feasible are those who probably don’t enter many call for scores anymore. It’s hard to imagine Pulitzer Prize winning composers scouring <b><i><a href="http://composerssite.com/" target="_blank">The Composer’s Site</a></i> </b>each week for opportunities to have their music performed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For those of us who do try to take advantage of score calls, and submit compositions fairly regularly, after paying close attention to the submission guidelines, it’s important to see <b>where</b> and <b>when</b> the performance opportunity will take place. At that point, you have to ask yourself a few questions. Am I willing to travel to the festival’s location if my piece is selected? Can I <i>afford</i> to attend? Does my schedule permit attending? Is there a an attendance requirement attached to the score call? If you are unwilling or unable to attend, think twice before applying to a score call in the first place. It is very important to be present if possible at the performance of your work; especially if the work was selected through peer-review. Not only is it good form, but showing up in person strengthens the bonds between composer and presenter. If the presenter and/or individual performers like the music and enjoyed meeting the composer, future collaborations outside the normal “Call for Scores” process might take place. It’s hard to make meaningful connections in absentia.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">__________</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It feels good to finally close the loop on this two-part post. I hope to find a better workflow for this blog in the months to come and post a bit more regularly in 2019. If you are interested in finding out more about my own music - please visit my website at </span><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>nickitasdemos.com</b></span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. Also, please feel free to comment below if you wish to engage in this or any other composition-related topic a bit further</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12px;">.</span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-86099686641239151762018-02-16T15:45:00.000-05:002018-02-16T15:45:21.493-05:00Call & Response (Part 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUX29-qxqPVa8Gn9_PCiMTnWSGgXVOfRuApaFZOATrEF97h1ZHAW7_7xghxsjlE-eK_nOdqBar4JgWAirZQ3gssWrSpJhnkw0TxYS2AxO60ihfGl2kuiFnrP6CGhXxksSFrfLtRdUyKyr/s1600/call-for-scores.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="570" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUX29-qxqPVa8Gn9_PCiMTnWSGgXVOfRuApaFZOATrEF97h1ZHAW7_7xghxsjlE-eK_nOdqBar4JgWAirZQ3gssWrSpJhnkw0TxYS2AxO60ihfGl2kuiFnrP6CGhXxksSFrfLtRdUyKyr/s320/call-for-scores.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is probably no denying that
the best way for a composer to get music performed is by developing strong
personal relationships and writing music for friends. While well worth it, this approach takes time and much effort. That's why contests and score calls from prestigious
organizers and performers can sometimes seem much more alluring. I suppose deep
down many of us want to be “award-winning” composers. Winning a competition or
having a piece selected as a result of a score call is a great way to boost the
fragile creative ego, jump-start a new relationship with performers, and add an
important line in a curricular vita. I have been regularly perusing score calls
for most of my career as a composer. Every week or so, I check such sites as “SCION”
published by the <a href="http://www.societyofcomposers.org/" target="_blank">Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI)</a> and the <a href="http://www.composerssite.com/" target="_blank">“Composer’s Site”</a>
webpage among others. At this point, I </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">continue foraging for opportunities as
much out of habit as out of an earnest desire to present my music. I also continue
to receive a steady stream of direct email notifications concerning
opportunities to submit my work. (When you get rejected by as many presenters
as I have over the years, you end up on many email lists.) Given all these
resources, I think I am usually up to date on the various opportunities out
there for composers at any given time. I’ve also been at this for quite a while
and have seen almost every imaginable type of score call.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently, I came across an
opportunity listing that actually caused me to stop in my virtual tracks and
chuckle. When describing the parameters of a particular score call, an
organization wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Works must be written for this specific instrumentation:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Soprano, accordion, cello, and clarinet</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>or</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Soprano and accordion</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>or</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Soprano and banjo</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of
course, I immediately posted a snarky comment about this on my Facebook page
and received many equally snarky comments and “likes.” However, this particular
score call caused me to think about all the things that drive me crazy as a
composer about such calls. To be fair, I have also been a presenter myself and
issued my own score calls and am fully aware of many things that drive
presenters equally crazy about composers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, in no particular order, this blog post and the one to follow will list
my Top 3 items that both composers and presenters should think about when
issuing and responding to score calls.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In
this post, let’s start with Presenters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">1. The Tailor-Made Submission</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoul_NuFDqHHqCionPN9NizJhrxJN8yuQ6irhtPmbfVqrMrmmZvM5xGZDC4GGzcHsW9_oG2LqftUo-bcCA1bulBj4_ZL4gqR_zp4ld9VYcEGXPcpCAQ8zpzknu0yUgL17mnFUQ6oIfFDIr/s1600/RoT_01.21.18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoul_NuFDqHHqCionPN9NizJhrxJN8yuQ6irhtPmbfVqrMrmmZvM5xGZDC4GGzcHsW9_oG2LqftUo-bcCA1bulBj4_ZL4gqR_zp4ld9VYcEGXPcpCAQ8zpzknu0yUgL17mnFUQ6oIfFDIr/s320/RoT_01.21.18.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Once in a while, submitting to an opportunity really pays off. <br />Just ask <a href="http://carolineshaw.com/" target="_blank">Caroline Shaw</a> and <a href="http://www.roomfulofteeth.org/" target="_blank">Roomful of Teeth</a>! This photo <br />taken on January 21, 2018 after a performance at <br />Georgia State University.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In
this type of score call, the presenter requires a composer to create a
brand-new piece of music tailored specifically for a particular opportunity.
Usually, the submitted piece(s) cannot have been premiered in public. This kind
of call is an immediate non-starter for me. The nature of competitions (at least
in my experience) is that composers have about a 10% chance of success. Why
then should a composer expend the energy to write a new piece specifically for
a call when the high odds are the work will not be selected? What happens to
the piece then? This issue is really exacerbated when the instrumentation
called for is non-standard; like a soprano and banjo, for instance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If
an ensemble or presenter is really interested in generating repertoire for
themselves, I advise the <a href="http://www.verdehr.com/" target="_blank">Verdehr Trio</a> model. This ensemble, founded in 1972 and
comprised of Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, clarinet, Walter Verdehr, violin, and Silvia
Roederer, piano, has commissioned over 200 new works. They mostly did this by
working <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">directly</i> with composers. No
contest necessary. Over the years, the clarinet, violin, piano trio has become
a standard medium for composition largely due to the efforts of the Verdehr
Trio. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">2. Entry Fees</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdlBtTnu6duYd-JFcqrYkbiFKKFPuHJhjEP9zu_ieile3W6XHEuKyiURjqT8lhgPhkLH-XIZBRa-Kotkz7BfOh2poDzzUjxYhm9bvYfEgW4H5vgrjuq2fdaMxLmoeJAeSf4ncpr65MvDY/s1600/dice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="786" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdlBtTnu6duYd-JFcqrYkbiFKKFPuHJhjEP9zu_ieile3W6XHEuKyiURjqT8lhgPhkLH-XIZBRa-Kotkz7BfOh2poDzzUjxYhm9bvYfEgW4H5vgrjuq2fdaMxLmoeJAeSf4ncpr65MvDY/s320/dice.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sometimes, it feels just like gambling when paying a fee to<br />participate in a call for scores...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Entry
fees always cause heated discussions within composer circles. Many composers
adamantly dislike the inclusion of such fees in any score call. The presenter
should be aware of this animus when contemplating the inclusion of a fee for a
planned score call. The higher the fee, the more outrage a presenter may
illicit. Nothing causes red flags to go up for a composer more than a high
entry fee with the promise of a cash prize for the winner of the contest and a
caveat stating that if submission quality is lacking, no prize will be awarded.
A composer is left to suspect that the contest was just a funding opportunity
for the presenter at the expense of composers anxious to get their music heard.
Preying on this type of composer anxiety really doesn’t sit well with many
creative artists. Most professional musicians rightly expect to be paid for
their services. Why is a composer expected to not only compose a work for free
but to actually pay for the 90% probability of receiving a rejection letter? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ironically,
this will also be my #2 Item on the forthcoming Composers list (Part 2 of this
blog post) because I can see another side to this issue… <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">3. The “Logan’s Run” Syndrome</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In
the 1976 film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074812/" target="_blank">Logan’s Run</a></i> (based on
the book by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson), one of the themes
explored is that of youth worship. The story takes place in a future where the
remnants of humanity live utopian lives filled with hedonistic pleasures until
they reach the age of the 30 and are euthanized. There seems to be a bit of
this type of youth worship in many score calls. Opportunities for composers
older than 30 are certainly far fewer than for calls aimed at “emerging
composers.” It’s as if once a composer reaches 30 (or older), he or she has
already had a successful career and should not be afforded many more
opportunities. In many professional contact sports, it’s easy to see how a
person over the age of 30 can be considered “old.” This line of thinking is far
less convincing when applied to creative artists. While I believe it is vitally
important to provide meaningful opportunities for young and “emerging” composers,
it also strikes me that by tilting too far in the direction of youth and
inexperience, we seem to be excluding many gifted, experienced composers over
the age of 30 who have simply had the misfortune of not becoming famous fast
enough. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While
I could toss in a few more, I’ll stop with these “Top 3” issues for now. My
colleagues can probably cite others. In my next post I will switch sides
and talk to my fellow composers. There are things we should think about in the
submission process as well! Until then, it’s time for me to go back online and
look for the next opportunity…</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-17225949139138447012017-12-31T17:07:00.000-05:002017-12-31T17:08:59.497-05:00A Creative Paradox - or - How Embracing the Dark Side Made Me a Better Composer<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Like so many others during these
waning hours of December, I can’t help but briefly pause and reflect on
2017 before charging forward into the new year. In 2017, I was again blessed to
compose music, teach, travel, and receive many performances of my music, much
as I have in the past. However, two events, oddly related to one another, stand
out this year.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSOTa1WOMgaNL0cLmKx5y4Vh_tiKfO1AHiteTmz-mXy6xefMJNwYTv9lZ_e5XBMW8s47j65C0-f2_p373839JthDlLyN5iPhUqyEBr4EhqdvySIZ-kjjdbHdEnKXGnhuTVpoKjp5KLlSD/s1600/Gig+Announcement.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1007" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSOTa1WOMgaNL0cLmKx5y4Vh_tiKfO1AHiteTmz-mXy6xefMJNwYTv9lZ_e5XBMW8s47j65C0-f2_p373839JthDlLyN5iPhUqyEBr4EhqdvySIZ-kjjdbHdEnKXGnhuTVpoKjp5KLlSD/s320/Gig+Announcement.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From the Georgia State University School of Music <br />website: the official announcement of the new gig!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first of these noteworthy
events took place back in June. At that time, I was appointed the Interim
Director of the <a href="http://music.gsu.edu/" target="_blank">Georgia State University School of Music</a>, an institution where
I have taught for over 20 years. Sharp readers of this blog may note that this
is about the time that my (more or less) regular postings here abruptly ceased.
This is probably not surprising. Moving from my position as a long time senior
faculty member to what many in my profession refer to as the “Dark Side” (i.e.,
administration) was very significant and, in many ways, life changing. I have
keenly felt a much higher level of responsibility while working through a steep
learning curve over the past seven months. I still feel like I am drinking
water out of a gushing fire hydrant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqxu4tZWOyCWyfBb4K3whW090qzASwz0v_6NNG-_qe12GbxYrWAn9vO_2j8KQd6QkIruprBkqstMyD4LTo8BigbpIlUBfyq3ymmwPu5-uJ0SDZdeVVj0kNjpTvykYtTLfe0y54gRlZV88/s1600/Frontlash_Unheard-of.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1600" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqxu4tZWOyCWyfBb4K3whW090qzASwz0v_6NNG-_qe12GbxYrWAn9vO_2j8KQd6QkIruprBkqstMyD4LTo8BigbpIlUBfyq3ymmwPu5-uJ0SDZdeVVj0kNjpTvykYtTLfe0y54gRlZV88/s320/Frontlash_Unheard-of.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The wonderful contemporary music group, <br />Unheard-of//Ensemble performing my work, "Frontlash"<br />at Weill Recital Hall in NYC - 12.18.17</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, I have also found my new
role surprisingly exhilarating. After having done the same thing over and over
again for over 20 years, perhaps I was ready for a big change. However, despite
all of the new responsibilities associated with the administrative position, I was
grateful to still be able to continue teaching a bit. Bringing with it exciting
new challenges and the ability to maintain my teaching to a degree, this new job
seemed to have offered nothing but positives. Nevertheless, despite being generally
happy with the new gig, there was one thing that concerned me at the outset:
how would this administrative work affect my creative activity? Would I
suddenly cease to be an active composer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was determined to maintain my
compositional output. However, to accomplish this, I soon realized that I
needed to change my life even more. In addition to being a full-time 12-month
employee (good-bye long summer vacations) and learning a completely new set of
skills associated with the new job, I needed to also significantly change my personal
work habits. It was readily apparent, even after my first week, that late-night
composing would no longer work in my “new normal” schedule. After a full day, I
found that my creative energies were nearly non-existent. I therefore made the
very painful decision (for me) to become a “morning person.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLAcTfvax8HYNrXg5jPCxmtJLkQU3ny28T8abNZsoSJywS9tFwjELKLi85D8mx825LVSgLAx4SkJJ74oxTEYriAepCzyNJb5CRncqMlpCFaLZ0ApLX05nXeypZRY4WvNmfA0BS6nNK0NQ/s1600/Signature+from+Greece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLAcTfvax8HYNrXg5jPCxmtJLkQU3ny28T8abNZsoSJywS9tFwjELKLi85D8mx825LVSgLAx4SkJJ74oxTEYriAepCzyNJb5CRncqMlpCFaLZ0ApLX05nXeypZRY4WvNmfA0BS6nNK0NQ/s320/Signature+from+Greece.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Finding time to work despite the new gig and travels.<br />This<a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=264&i=32" target="_blank"> Sonata for Violin & Piano</a> was completed in July while<br /> teaching at the <a href="http://www.musicanatoliacollege.com/" target="_blank">3rd Summer Music Performance Program</a> <br />in Thessaloniki, Greece. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have never been a fan of the
morning. Given my preference, I would sleep late, work from the late morning to
the afternoon, take a break for a workout, then dinner, and then proceed to
compose until the very wee hours of the morning. That type of schedule didn’t
really work well when I was a faculty member and it certainly wasn’t going to
work now. So, I made peace with the idea that I would rise <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i> early, get in a brisk workout and then compose before heading
into the office every day. At first, I was skeptical that this new work flow
would allow me to maintain my past productivity. After all, excluding the
weekends, I no longer have large blocks of time to simply compose. Now, I must
work every day, at a specific time, and for a very specific duration. As it
turns out, I was right. I found that I was not maintaining my past
productivity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was exceeding it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In looking back over the year, I am shocked to find that I have composed
over twice the amount of music I usually produce in a single year. Moreover, I
still compose by hand. I have avoided the temptation to compose directly into
the computer, although I know that would save me the step of taking my pencil
score and notating it later via computer notation software.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfrQ-ylUNGnC9mA1vFAXFdJqghmyqO7iaAyAPrC_S6QcFzBbLOT9Liygavm3qCypeblCOXy8_HllmTv_lm4u3wqQ7mqtZQbkhbVcX-Z1lfLIB4ck1TosnzWPW_ZcQ21o6sJHXbvTlAxC3/s1600/Carnegie+Portrait.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1042" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfrQ-ylUNGnC9mA1vFAXFdJqghmyqO7iaAyAPrC_S6QcFzBbLOT9Liygavm3qCypeblCOXy8_HllmTv_lm4u3wqQ7mqtZQbkhbVcX-Z1lfLIB4ck1TosnzWPW_ZcQ21o6sJHXbvTlAxC3/s320/Carnegie+Portrait.JPG" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Obligatory photo at Carnegie Hall. Why not?<br />I don't get a piece performed there everyday!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Somehow, landing the gig as Interim Director of the GSU School of
Music has not only reinvigorated my academic career, but has somehow also refocused
my creative activity. In a paradoxical twist, having much less time has
actually given me the liberty to produce more music. I find that since I do not
have any time to waste, I simply try to make good use of the time I have been
given. This includes, by the way, carving out time to relax. I’m not a hermit -
having closed myself off from everything but university work and composing. I
enjoy my family, go to concerts and movies, cook, read, travel, and have been
known to binge a show or two on Netflix from time to time. However, having been
privileged to take on a bigger role at my university has made me much more <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">purposeful</i> in my use of time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I mentioned early on in this post that there were two major events
that occurred in life during 2017 and that they were related. The second event
was the recent performance of my work <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=261&i=32" target="_blank">Frontlash</a></i>
(commissioned by the very talented contemporary music group, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.unheard-ofproject.com/ensemble" target="_blank">Unheard-of//Ensemble</a></i>) at the <a href="https://www.carnegiehall.org/About/Building-Overview/Weill-Recital-Hall" target="_blank">Weill Recital Hall</a> of Carnegie Hall in New York City. Having a work performed at
Carnegie Hall is a dream that almost every composer has and many have attained.
This was my first time and I found myself deeply humbled and honored by the
experience. Perhaps more importantly, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Frontlash</i>,
having been composed after my appointment as Interim Director of the GSU School
of Music and a product of my new work flow, is early validation for me. This particular
piece and its successful performance indicate that if I continue to use my time
wisely, I may be able to achieve success as an administrator and maintain a
positive career trajectory as a creative artist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With that kind of validation as a tailwind, I look forward to
2018!</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-56311312373341922152017-04-30T23:03:00.000-04:002017-05-01T17:29:11.507-04:00A Tale of Two Cities<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have a somewhat complicated relationship with Atlanta. While I consider myself a native, I was not actually born in this city. I arrived in Boulder, Colorado while my father was completing his Masters degree in Music Education at the University of Colorado. After my birth, my family lived all of six months more in Boulder before heading back to my father’s hometown of Atlanta. I therefore have no memory of my western birthplace. Growing up, Atlanta and the Deep South were all I knew. When I left Georgia to continue my education, I never in a thousand years thought I would ever make it back down to the South much less get back to Atlanta. Yet, that is exactly what happened.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0W6T-iekSFBItkL1ytNvdk6KWZXvvd-xuKvTPDW0_rcbVVFrR2Of92peR9zWOEq_gfB6HcOPE-SrgvHijFLLDcipoMDhKOlpcZsnIO22erPRqX5yZH48__LpP9Gwd7_wG90O1JfAt_Ud/s1600/ATL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0W6T-iekSFBItkL1ytNvdk6KWZXvvd-xuKvTPDW0_rcbVVFrR2Of92peR9zWOEq_gfB6HcOPE-SrgvHijFLLDcipoMDhKOlpcZsnIO22erPRqX5yZH48__LpP9Gwd7_wG90O1JfAt_Ud/s320/ATL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even after I first arrived back, my wife and I thought our stay would be brief. But an adjunct position at the <a href="http://music.gsu.edu/" target="_blank">Georgia State University School of Music</a> turned into a full-time Visiting Professor position which led me to a full-time tenure-track gig and ultimately to my current position as a full Professor of Composition. Along the way, I did apply for other job opportunities in academia and even came very close to leaving on at least one occasion. However, for better or worse, Atlanta continues to hold me close as a native son, despite my “transplanted” birth, my improbable return after school, and my best efforts to leave.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I travel, I'm often asked,"What is Atlanta like?" I usually have a couple of glib responses at the ready. First, I say that Atlanta reminds me of a mini-Los Angeles with its urban sprawl, over-development, massive highway system, smog alerts, and horrific traffic. Second, I characterize the identity of the city as a teenager that shows a lot of talent and potential but doesn't really know what it wants to be when it grows up. This is especially true of the contemporary arts to which I am particularly attuned. It seems that my relationship with Atlanta is not the only one that is complicated. Atlanta’s relationship with the contemporary arts is not exactly crystal clear either. In fact, it appears to me that Atlanta seems to have two identities in this area. Two recent events really tell the tale of the two cities that are Atlanta.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YNMar98BlqDZI64Mp-o28IAzvP_Wh-z6dyY3qjWe59JcYTQ15_0Q5VxmmSGB2uPvL_YioIE4jh6pDInWDOYR69NDvUZNRwDS5qqpH4RsAAzo1-KfKprqjb5YhsI6CxNL1MFTaWKamzbJ/s1600/spano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YNMar98BlqDZI64Mp-o28IAzvP_Wh-z6dyY3qjWe59JcYTQ15_0Q5VxmmSGB2uPvL_YioIE4jh6pDInWDOYR69NDvUZNRwDS5qqpH4RsAAzo1-KfKprqjb5YhsI6CxNL1MFTaWKamzbJ/s320/spano.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Robert Spano</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First, there is the Atlanta that is beginning to take itself seriously as a center for contemporary classical music. This started when <a href="http://www.robertspanomusic.com/" target="_blank">Robert Spano</a> first arrived in town back in 2001 to helm the <a href="http://www.atlantasymphony.org/" target="_blank">Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.</a> I'll never forget that one of his first actions after arriving was to set-up a meeting with all the local composers organized by the now sadly defunct Atlanta Chapter of the <a href="https://composersforum.org/" target="_blank">American Composers Forum</a>. It was a generous gesture and we were all thrilled to learn that Spano was determined to program more contemporary music with the symphony. He has certainly held true to his promise. Over the years, Spano has championed the music of <a href="http://www.jenniferhigdon.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Higdon</a>, <a href="http://michaelgandolfi.com/" target="_blank">Michael Gandolfi</a>, <a href="http://www.osvaldogolijov.com/" target="_blank">Osvaldo Golijov</a>, <a href="http://www.theofanidismusic.com/" target="_blank">Christopher Theofanidis</a>, and <a href="http://adamschoenberg.com/" target="_blank">Adam Schoenberg</a>; going so far as to christen these particular artists part of his "<a href="http://www.atlantasymphony.org/About/AtlantaSchoolComposers.aspx" target="_blank">Atlanta School</a>" of composers. Of course, the music of many other living composers - including <a href="http://www.alvinsingleton.com/" target="_blank">Alvin Singleton</a>, <a href="https://www.earbox.com/" target="_blank">John Adams</a> and <a href="http://www.jonathanleshnoff.com/" target="_blank">Jonathan Leshnoff</a> - is also heard often in the <a href="https://www.woodruffcenter.org/" target="_blank">Woodruff Arts Center</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLvQi4FVI9TNLfn1da0bbnIIFvLKW7OgWeBi0mT3VTjWavnD6SPdkf1GYfNDa3zMOaOJBPo5E2bfEhkLtEp2HiPsPJBixiBR7HwQM8UkV4iu3_pKxTQ9T8s6AM7RpFSHop05TsY9F0pNu/s1600/soundnow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLvQi4FVI9TNLfn1da0bbnIIFvLKW7OgWeBi0mT3VTjWavnD6SPdkf1GYfNDa3zMOaOJBPo5E2bfEhkLtEp2HiPsPJBixiBR7HwQM8UkV4iu3_pKxTQ9T8s6AM7RpFSHop05TsY9F0pNu/s320/soundnow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another sure sign of Atlanta's rising importance as a center for contemporary music is the recently concluded <a href="https://www.atlantasoundnowfestival.com/" target="_blank">SoundNOW</a> Contemporary Music Festival. It's one thing to put on such a festival once but quite another to do it again with more participating ensembles, concerts and greater press coverage. Such was the case during the first week in April 2017. The Second Annual SoundNOW Festival featured nine ensembles and eight concerts at various venues in the city during the span of a single week. As Doug DeLoach, a writer for the popular Atlanta magazine <i>Creative Loafing</i>, stated in his <a href="http://www.creativeloafing.com/music/article/20855902/soundnow-celebrates-new-music-ensembles" target="_blank">preview</a> of the festival, "Based on recent experiences at chamber music recitals, the time for this music truly has arrived and its impact is reverberating across generations." I am more than proud to be a co-founder and artistic board member of SoundNOW and in some small way contributing to the field in what I hope is a meaningful way.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqdU0bjyCSp7fcZeb46Td62ycb8JTkZSIJFaR5SgEkFjhjRSDB7u6wGtWXNgEUh9Qtj5kE3Jt69qTJCWYrnA0iQlpSigNN5vK3sPl_op_2LP4y0DVcG0MyB-u4XtXrlDD5doGime2lJIP/s1600/AB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqdU0bjyCSp7fcZeb46Td62ycb8JTkZSIJFaR5SgEkFjhjRSDB7u6wGtWXNgEUh9Qtj5kE3Jt69qTJCWYrnA0iQlpSigNN5vK3sPl_op_2LP4y0DVcG0MyB-u4XtXrlDD5doGime2lJIP/s320/AB.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Charlie McCullers/Atlanta Ballet</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite these and other bright spots in the contemporary arts, there is, unfortunately, a second Atlanta that is not quite as progressive in its outlook. Falling right in the middle of the SoundNOW Festival came the devastating news that 13 dancers in the Atlanta Ballet were leaving the company. The reason for their departure is very troubling. <a href="http://artsatl.com/news-atlanta-ballets-company-dancers-leave-go-seasons/" target="_blank">ArtsATL.com</a> reports that "In a move that dramatically changes the future face of Atlanta Ballet, 13 dancers — almost 50 percent of the company — will not be back for the 2017–18 season. Multiple sources within the company told <i>ArtsATL</i> that the departures are the culmination of a culture clash between the open and modernistic atmosphere fostered by previous artistic director John McFall that was embraced by the dancers, and the classical ballet ethos favored by Gennadi Nedvigin, the new Bolshoi-trained artistic director." Gone among the star-level dancers is my friend Tara Lee who I had the incredible fortune to collaborate with on a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8fF2Wjt1FE&index=18&list=PL7E3C67E493FEEADF" target="_blank">project</a> with the ballet several years ago. So, yeah, this news saddens me on a personal level.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While no one wants to abandon the classics nor is suggesting that Tchaikovsky should no longer be performed by the Atlanta Ballet, I find it deeply disconcerting that an "open and modernistic atmosphere" may be ending at this fine institution. I'm sure that things will be better than canned music and <i>Swan Lake</i> at every performance but it is very regrettable that initiatives like John McFall's "New Choreographic Voices" - an initiative that gave me the opportunity to collaborate with Tara Lee on a new ballet piece - seem to be terminated. I can only hope and pray that this kind of regression will be limited to the Atlanta Ballet and be very short-lived. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Amazing moment during the SoundNOW Festival:<br />composer <a href="http://johnlutheradams.net/" target="_blank">John Luther Adams</a> greets his old<br />teacher, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Knox" target="_blank">Charles Knox</a> - the "Dean" of Atlanta<br />composers</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If we turn our backs on modern - even experimental - music, visual art, theatre, cinema, and dance, we risk condemning these art forms to dusty museums instead of vibrant living reflections of our 21st Century reality. I understand that this type of art is not everyone's cup of tea and that presenters do have to think about their audiences when programming performances or curating exhibitions. However, we have pop culture to placate us. True Art needs to <i>push</i> us sometimes. Like a good sermon, Art should comfort those who suffer and challenge those who are comfortable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In early April 2017, two paths were clearly revealed in this city. This is why Atlanta reminds me of a gifted adolescent still stumbling towards full potential. I hope that when this teenager matures, it will embrace a culture that, while cherishing the old, will continue to celebrate the contemporary voices of our time. It is the obligation of every artist in this city - irrespective of discipline - as well as every consumer and patron of artistic expression to ensure this happens. When a culture only looks backward in its art, it ceases to grow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's up to all of us to make sure this does not happen on our watch.</span></span></div>
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Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-63778628168281805592017-03-17T10:29:00.000-04:002017-03-18T09:02:12.362-04:00Snapshot of a Career<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">A couple of weeks ago, I had the good fortune of receiving three performances of my music in the span of two days. The pieces and performance venues were amazingly diverse: a quirky chamber piece performed at a hipster club in downtown Atlanta; a large symphonic wind ensemble premiere given in the outer suburbs; and a saxophone quartet performed in Trento, Italy. This may not seem like a big deal to many. However, unless a contemporary classical composer is of a certain prominent standing within the profession, receiving so many performances in a 48 hour period is somewhat of an anomaly. This occurrence was special enough, in fact, that the conductor of the wind ensemble premiere quipped in a recent Facebook post, “You had a huge weekend - composers don't often get three performances of their works in a month, let alone over a weekend!”</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have spoken in the past of the “feast or famine” nature of a professional composition career within the confines of this blog. The two-day flurry of performances certainly qualifies as period of feasting. However, in thinking over the events of that weekend, I find that those 48 hours were also a fairly good snapshot of my career to date. To be sure, the weekend was not indicative of the frequency that my music is performed on a regular basis. Rather, it was instructive as a model of how at least one composer goes about getting his work heard over the long haul.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first thing I noticed, as noted above, was the sheer diversity of performance venues and types of compositions performed over that weekend. The programmed works included a large ensemble, small ensembles, a piece with an unconventional instrumentation, pieces with standard instrumentation, and performances taking place at local venues and an international venue. This variety suggests a broad portfolio of works and a willingness to seek out as many performance opportunities as possible. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The next thing that caught my attention was exactly how the pieces came to be programmed. Out of the three performances, two of them were made possible due to my friendship with the performers. The third performance was the result of my submission to an online score call. While it might be tempting to infer that I should expect roughly full third of my performances to result from submissions to outside opportunities, this is simply not the case. At best, I usually am successful in these types of submissions somewhere around 10% of the time. The more instructive lesson here is that the <i>majority</i> of my performances during that weekend were the result of <b>personal relationships</b>. I am certainly not the first composer to notice this and am a member of a large chorus singing the praises of composing for one’s friends. Developing good relationships and writing for friends is often the composer’s best way to get music performed. Sometimes - especially if performers feel that the process was collaborative between themselves and a composer - musicians will do far more than simply perform a piece. They might even champion a work, give it many repeat performances, and actually commission new compositions. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chamber Cartel</i> performing <i>So Small Against the Sky</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While writing for friends is extremely important, I still often submit compositions to outside score calls and similar opportunities. I just temper my expectations. I recognize that the majority of my success will not be a result of applying to every opportunity for which I am eligible. Nevertheless, a certain percentage of performances <i>do</i> come out of this kind of activity. Submitting work to outside score calls is not just a way of expanding performance opportunities. If successful, these submissions may lead to the formation of new personal relationships. These relationships then naturally lead into more chances to compose new works and receive performances. This is exactly the case with one performance of my music from the weekend under review. I was very fortunate that my saxophone quartet <i><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=237&i=32" target="_blank">Wandering Into Myth</a></i> was accepted for performance at an international festival during that weekend of concerts. As a result of this acceptance, I learned that one of the performers has become interested in a solo saxophone piece of mine and may now give more performances and make a studio recording of that composition. As a side note, this performer was able to discover my additional music for saxophone by simply visiting my <a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. This is another instance where having a robust web presence has helped my career. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yours truly working with the <i>Gwinnett<br />Symphony Wind Orchestra</i>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another activity associated with my extraordinary weekend involved me simply showing up. Again, this sounds like a small thing, but it is really important for composers to make the effort to attend performances - <i>especially</i> of their own music. While at the Saturday performance of my chamber piece, <i><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=257&i=32" target="_blank">So Small Against The Stars</a></i> given by the new music ensemble <i><a href="http://www.chambercartel.com/#home-section" target="_blank">Chamber Cartel</a></i>, I had an opportunity to meet the performers of another new music group also featured on the concert: the <i><a href="http://www.unheard-ofproject.com/" target="_blank">Unheard-of//Ensemble</a></i> based out of New York. In striking up a conversation with the performers of the New York group, it turns out that I may have an opportunity to collaborate with them and compose a new piece to be premiered next year. At the Sunday concert featuring the premiere of my work for symphonic band, <i><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=260&i=28" target="_blank">Rituals at the Center of the Universe</a></i> given by the <i><a href="http://www.gwinnettsymphony.org/ensembles/wind_orchestra/" target="_blank">Gwinnett Symphony Wind Orchestra</a></i>, I had an opportunity to meet with two conductors attending the concert. As a result of conversations at a post-concert dinner, there might be opportunities for me to compose new works or have existing compositions for symphonic winds and symphony orchestra performed in the near future. Showing up and making connections can never be underestimated. Even if a composer doesn’t have a piece on a particular concert and there are no immediate projects emanating from these kinds of encounters, the seeds are nevertheless planted for future collaborations. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>Gwinnett Symphony Wind Orchestra</i> premiering<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, my rewarding weekend wasn’t all roses and applause. Rejection letters also found their way into my email inbox during those 48 hours. It’s astonishing how quickly - even in the midst of a great run - these kinds of letters bring me crashing back to reality. No matter how much success one experiences, the hard truth is there will <b>always</b> be more rejections than successes and no matter how small they are, they will all hurt and make a composer feel worthless. I actually spent time after reading the rejections in between concerts of my music feeling like my career was in the toilet and that I was a failure. I had to pull myself out of my self-pity and look at the big picture. This turns out to be good advice for a career in general. When rejection comes - as it always does, often in great big batches hard to endure - it’s important to take stock, dwell on what successes have been earned and - most importantly - get back to work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I really appreciated the amazing recent spate of concerts featuring my music and remain very grateful to those who performed and premiered my music. However, an additional gift of the extraordinary 48 hours, was how those performances revealed my career in microcosm. The weekend afforded me the opportunity to stand back, consider a larger picture, and put my work as a creative artist into perspective. Now that the elation of all those concerts has abated, I am challenged to work even harder so that such weekends become less of an anomaly and more the norm. </span></span></div>
<br />Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-53233687513510245472017-02-15T22:12:00.000-05:002017-02-15T22:18:09.346-05:00Just Three Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many composers view success in a
professional career as a prolonged famine broken up periodically by short
bursts of feasting. While this is mostly true for me, I currently find myself in
one of those rare periods of feasting. In January, I was fortunate to have my
work <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=242&i=32" target="_blank">eights shades of metal</a></i> included
in the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://fsufnm.github.io/" target="_blank">18th Biennial Festival of New Music</a></b> hosted by the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.music.fsu.edu/" target="_blank">Florida State University College of Music</a></b>. Just days after this wonderful festival,
I was privileged to receive a premiere of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=259&i=28" target="_blank">Echoes In The Wind</a></i> by the fabulous <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Chamber_Winds" target="_blank">Atlanta Chamber Winds</a></b>. I now look forward to the premiere of my large symphonic
wind ensemble piece <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=260&i=28" target="_blank">Rituals at the Center of the Universe</a></i> on March 5, 2017 to be given by the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.gwinnettsymphony.org/ensembles/wind_orchestra/" target="_blank">Gwinnett Symphonic Wind Orchestra</a></b> – the same date, coincidentally,
my saxophone quartet <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=237&i=32" target="_blank">Wandering Into Myth</a></i>
receives a performance by the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.motocontrario.it/" target="_blank">MotoContrario Ensemble</a></b> at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Festival Contrasti 2017</b>
in Trento, Italy. There are also other scattered performances of my music scheduled
throughout the spring. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXTMwvg7lQFfwax2LPGwVtqrj5ydvcvqS8WYwYWKrYKk4fNS4NP-quoxLcSW4B_txzZPdszv6RU71bG0MuX6VosEydQFOEffd0y44sY_huPVL4Bvd27v1nyVkgSPNsN9-CODrRxKexTy2/s1600/TonoiXI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXTMwvg7lQFfwax2LPGwVtqrj5ydvcvqS8WYwYWKrYKk4fNS4NP-quoxLcSW4B_txzZPdszv6RU71bG0MuX6VosEydQFOEffd0y44sY_huPVL4Bvd27v1nyVkgSPNsN9-CODrRxKexTy2/s200/TonoiXI.jpg" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Guitarist <a href="https://lutherenloe.com/" target="_blank">Luther Enloe</a> premiering <br /> "<a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=251&i=31" target="_blank">TONOI XI</a>"at a recent neoPhonia <br />New Music Ensemble concert.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This period of creative feasting,
coming as it has for me after a very long famine, is not the result of sheer
luck or serendipity. During a dry creative period, there is much to be done by
a composer to ensure another feast will occur. Professional famines just don’t
end naturally by themselves. This point was driven home to me recently at the
Festival of New Music in Tallahassee where I had a brief encounter with a
graduate student. After the usual pleasantries at a concert reception, the
student shared how many DMA programs he had applied to without success before
his acceptance at FSU and how happy he was to land in such a good program. Soon
the conversation turned towards what his future as a professional composer
would look like after graduation. Would achieving professional goals always be
this hard? As this was a social occasion, there was no time to launch into a
long-winded lecture on what goes into a professional career. I had a lot to
communicate to this young composer and a very short window of opportunity.
Given these constraints, I told him that I believe that there are just three
things to keep in mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">1. Work. Hard.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgREjzQ_SQeCxnVc9w8gof0Bi5D47FZR9tBhug8X-BUuIDgyJWutknMu_K76pxh7jP28TYgeGFovP5BHXw3ctaF_-KhbhV6oWKDzpPCXVtJb5Hd1rOlESVhlyHJgyBPWWRWMPh9u0FShGr/s1600/Echoes+Flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgREjzQ_SQeCxnVc9w8gof0Bi5D47FZR9tBhug8X-BUuIDgyJWutknMu_K76pxh7jP28TYgeGFovP5BHXw3ctaF_-KhbhV6oWKDzpPCXVtJb5Hd1rOlESVhlyHJgyBPWWRWMPh9u0FShGr/s320/Echoes+Flyer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My students know my simple
three-word mantra: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Write Every Day</i>.
There is just no getting around the fact that a composer must compose. This is
an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">activity</i> and not a theoretical
discussion. Most of the time, writing daily can be difficult. A composer’s time
is very limited and it is easy to succumb to the pressures of outside demands.
Nevertheless, to be successful, a composer must learn to work every day in some
fashion. We cannot afford to leave musical ideas unattended for days on end and
expect to be productive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s also not good enough to simply
scribble notes on a page just to feel that something was accomplished. The work
must be of excellent <u>quality</u>. A composer should never take short cuts in
the creative process nor settle for anything less than his or her very best
effort. This goes for the preparation of scores and parts as well. A composer
must sweat <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every</i> detail – no matter
how small. I am reminded of the story of Steve Jobs who, upon the launch of the
iPhone, called an engineer at Google on a Sunday morning with a design
complaint. It turns out that the hue of the color in the second “o” of the
Google logo was not of sufficient quality. Jobs politely, but firmly, asked
that this flaw be corrected. This is the type of attention to detail and dedication
to quality it takes to be a good composer. If there is one musical phrase, one
misplaced articulation or dynamic marking, or even one tiny note nestled within
a myriad of notes that is not “quite right” a composer must take the time to
correct his or her work. It doesn’t matter that an audience member might not
perceive the flaw immediately. If one is inspired to create a work of Art, the
craftsmanship behind communicating that inspiration must match the heights of
the inspiration. Inspiration without good craft is just as bad as good craft
without inspiration. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This leads me to a final part of
working hard: feeding that inspiration. I refer to this inspiration as the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">aural imagination</b> and part of working
hard is encountering art, literature and ideas that are bigger than yourself.
The composer must read voraciously, visit museums, and attend concerts, opera, the
theatre and the ballet as much as possible. Good composers have a thirsty
curiosity that, when addressed, fuels the aural imagination and leads to the
creation of quality music. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">2. Be a “YES” Person.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4QWSaxI0X7TX9_wxNerMsxoFNXpkrPvrwVi1ln3-j5gT6gnA6Y06r-sqvJmh4Z3aVDnQy2SjZ-Jdo2PdKKBSXGxwRemUN3d1a3Zdfg-2BBq4S52ky8KPmedYLFo6ndqWMgS_vDkq_phL/s1600/cool+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM4QWSaxI0X7TX9_wxNerMsxoFNXpkrPvrwVi1ln3-j5gT6gnA6Y06r-sqvJmh4Z3aVDnQy2SjZ-Jdo2PdKKBSXGxwRemUN3d1a3Zdfg-2BBq4S52ky8KPmedYLFo6ndqWMgS_vDkq_phL/s320/cool+kids.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hanging out with the cool kids at a recent <br />concert reception in Tallahassee. (L-R):<br /><a href="http://amywilliamsmusic.com/" target="_blank">Amy Williams</a>, yours truly & <a href="http://www.lansingmcloskey.com/" target="_blank">Lansing McLoskey</a>.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Within reason</i>, a composer should agree to almost everything related
to the creation of new music. If a performer, conductor or presenter asks a
composer if there is interest in a project, the answer should almost always be
yes! Assuming a very good work ethic (see above), the composer should have a
good idea of his or her creative abilities and how long it will take to
accomplish a project. If there is a realistic expectation of successfully
fulfilling a request, and the request is not somehow contrary to a composer’s
ethics, a composer should agree to the project. No matter what it is!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Quick anecdote: after a
successful first commission for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nashville
Chamber Orchestra</i>, I was fortunate enough to be commissioned for a second
work. I was asked by the conductor if I would be willing to compose a double
concerto for Celtic Fiddle and Bluegrass Fiddle and – by the way – the
Bluegrass player could not read music like a classically trained player. The
orchestra needed the score in three months. “You in?” the conductor asked. Of
course, at the time I didn’t have the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">slightest</i>
idea of how to write idiomatically within these genres. I had some passing
familiarity with the styles but that was it. This was a request <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">way</i> outside my comfort zone working with
musical styles I had heretofore had no interest in. To pull this off, I would
have become very fluent in the styles and solve the logistical problem of
writing music for a consummate world-class Bluegrass performer (<a href="http://www.stuart-duncan.com/" target="_blank">Stuart Duncan</a>)
who, nevertheless, did not read music like a classically trained performer.
This would take a LOT of work and be a very risky career move. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I said, “Yes, of course! No
problem!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSEtabziLvzDK5RW29icJ5Fpiql7oxan8mpn6ofnsYomQO5O_kmiz9U1EU7coZqYrXVIwfKCXlxRHUm6Nes6EM1nf7OTxJ9wThGTSUtitUdfhWMz_oeRUPD5b1va6zHCrOj9FKyKVLYRr/s1600/Long+Journey+Home_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSEtabziLvzDK5RW29icJ5Fpiql7oxan8mpn6ofnsYomQO5O_kmiz9U1EU7coZqYrXVIwfKCXlxRHUm6Nes6EM1nf7OTxJ9wThGTSUtitUdfhWMz_oeRUPD5b1va6zHCrOj9FKyKVLYRr/s320/Long+Journey+Home_COVER.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then I panicked! Once I said yes,
I was now obligated to complete the task! Therefore, after the panic attack
subsided, I went to work researching Celtic and Bluegrass musical styles,
taking a Celtic Fiddle orchestration lesson, and composing daily. I made it
happen. Not pursuing this commission would have possibly made sense but taking
it on resulted in one of my favorite works, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=162&i=27" target="_blank">Long Journey Home</a></i>, which has enjoyed a performance life outside the original
commission. Composing this piece enabled me to grow significantly as an artist.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lastly, being a “yes” person
presupposes a positive outlook and a humble spirit. Perhaps more important than
anything is being a kind and caring artist; generous with your time and
supportive of your colleagues. Nobody wants to work with a selfish or difficult
person. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">2. Show Up.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I believe composers lead
professional lives that are at times very solitary. That a composer needs
solitude to create music should not be too surprising. The composition of
contemporary classical music is rarely collaborative at the writing stage. To
be sure, there is much room for collaboration once music has been written.
However, at the outset, a composer is faced with what I often refer to as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the lonely moment</b> when he or she stares
at a blank page and must summon ideas from somewhere. While the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aural imagination</i> is a great reservoir
from which to draw ideas, the composer must still ultimately grapple with
creation alone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZf-NlLCpZfXiaNRzHIc1rbCay4Z-0zmJmeADVskmnISPt5kFY_elfawpuxID82_y3qmF0qnzvRj1onOJjVMupQDQDpkHwjj79uwotZE9B78Ey41nI3c2CJR2YHHi2uIT-B-zHs2wgnQiK/s1600/8shades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZf-NlLCpZfXiaNRzHIc1rbCay4Z-0zmJmeADVskmnISPt5kFY_elfawpuxID82_y3qmF0qnzvRj1onOJjVMupQDQDpkHwjj79uwotZE9B78Ey41nI3c2CJR2YHHi2uIT-B-zHs2wgnQiK/s320/8shades.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Faculty & students at FSU performing my "eight shades<br />of metal" at the 18th Biennial Festival of New Music.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Outside of the creative process,
however, it is a different story. I believe it is of great benefit to all
composers to be very extroverted within the field. That means attending as many
Arts events – especially concerts – as possible. Not only does this type of
activity feed the aural imagination, attendance of as many events as possible
allows for the composer to be visible to peers, audience members, performers,
conductors and presenters. Being “seen” gets the composer involved in the field
and allows for the opportunity for future collaborations. There have been many
times that a new creative project has been hatched at a reception of a concert
where my music wasn’t even being performed. I simply was an audience member.
However, performers and fellow composers usually appreciate and remember the
support. Being “seen” and active is the first step in the necessary work of
creating one’s own opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Showing up in the real world is
very important but the composer should not forget about the virtual world as
well. I tell my students often that they should be professionally active
online. Composers can be visible by contributing socially responsible items of
interest to social media outlets, by reading blogs devoted to the field and
engaging authors via comments, and by prowling online listings of composition
opportunities (<a href="http://www.composerssite.com/">www.composerssite.com</a> being a great resource) and submitting to
as many score calls as possible. It is one of the great regrets of my
professional life that I did not submit to more opportunities when I was
younger. While it is true that you cannot build a career off the hopes of
success in such submissions, the occasional award or performance opportunity
due to a successful submission becomes a new avenue to make meaningful
connections with performers, conductors, and presenters in the field. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’m sure that the time it took
read this entire blog post is longer than my actual conversation with the grad
student in Tallahassee. I hope I was succinct enough to effectively communicate
my belief that forging a professional career as a composer and keeping a
creative famine at bay boils down to just three things: working hard, saying “yes,”
and showing up. Sounds easy enough. However, it’s not just glib small talk at a
reception. Like most meaningful endeavors, success in the simple things
sometimes takes a lifetime of practice. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-34774652489106493822016-12-28T11:32:00.000-05:002016-12-28T11:32:32.734-05:00Becoming Music<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For many, 2016 cannot end soon enough. While the last twelve months have been widely considered an extraordinarily tumultuous period of time, has this year <i>really</i> been worse than others in recent memory? Why do so many feel that way? The year certainly saw its share of natural disasters and the continued ugliness of injustice and violence around the world. Sadly, it’s hard to single out 2016 as noteworthy in this respect. These things occur far too often to be unique to any one year. Maybe the feeling that 2016 was somehow more disruptive than most years can be traced to significant world events such as the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union as well as Donald Trump’s improbable victory in a very contentious American presidential election. It is safe to say these were events that very few thought even remotely possible this time last year. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv58kqMxXLRS7d3jaIoyixsnr1Oz7WwsvCNZ7yasEWhcuo9rE6cg7teF7TzLwoXX6qqQ6p248DRqCp5jV0Sz0qnCvNwupHfYGANgDOEX_YGt_9kucnK4IihXK6oE7kxBiAiWcVTJJwjo3/s1600/Boulez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv58kqMxXLRS7d3jaIoyixsnr1Oz7WwsvCNZ7yasEWhcuo9rE6cg7teF7TzLwoXX6qqQ6p248DRqCp5jV0Sz0qnCvNwupHfYGANgDOEX_YGt_9kucnK4IihXK6oE7kxBiAiWcVTJJwjo3/s1600/Boulez.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pierre Boulez: Became music on Jan. 5, 2016</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, I personally don't believe natural disasters, injustice, violence, or even massive tectonic shifts on the geopolitical stage have fueled the sense that 2016 is a year somehow different than most in recent memory. Rather, it is the perception that an inordinate number of extraordinary persons have left us this year. While the world mourns many important figures from the world of politics, science and sports who died in 2016, it is the loss of an artist that we feel almost personally. As a musician, I can’t help but remember how I felt when I heard that <b>David Bowie</b>, <b>Glenn Frey</b>, <b>Leonard Cohen</b> and <b>Prince</b> had each passed. Each news bulletin seemed to be like a punch in the gut. More than that, this kind of sad news seems to keep recurring in rapid succession. To prove the point, since I began working on this blog post, singer <b>George Michael</b> and Hollywood legend C<b>arrie Fisher</b> both passed within days of each other. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7DideLYWupP3dEXCSg_kep5F_WyVhssby4L2pRvN_jXwIC09MLcBMznRYQlZJjscvce6zCrxmjXAUZHms_vjPEaBygPLuoB9xC_lMEUVpYsT_vMViz9LsQ7A9EyZso1MQrl1hZmix-rL/s1600/Stucky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7DideLYWupP3dEXCSg_kep5F_WyVhssby4L2pRvN_jXwIC09MLcBMznRYQlZJjscvce6zCrxmjXAUZHms_vjPEaBygPLuoB9xC_lMEUVpYsT_vMViz9LsQ7A9EyZso1MQrl1hZmix-rL/s1600/Stucky.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Steven Stucky: Became music on Feb. 14, 2016</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since all art enters our senses in deep and personal ways, the loss of an artist can sometimes hurt more than even the loss of an important world figure. Artistic creation is a deep and abiding solace during the endless cycle of tumult in our world. It stands against the grain as an essential act of creation amid a world that seems determined at times to destroy itself. Therefore, the loss of so many great musicians, as well as important artists from other disciplines (including author <b>Harper Lee</b>, playwright <b>Peter Shaffer</b>, and actors <b>Alan Rickman</b>, <b>Gene Wilder</b>, and the aforementioned Carrie Fisher among many others), seems to overshadow the news stories of the year. This concentration of artistic loss in 2016 is why I believe so many look forward to turning the calendar page and rebooting in a few days.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuQzIUUXR8hjPvmpmH7jdPUbGFtiH3BNqg6RHNizxnKC_C4ef_Kfg6LeNaNPEjyBCzFeUWuJ9eZweljqxR_R7TFcoKtprT-BVPuKuikHvkn5cO4ZZ0I9uhGfLddvKKhwhffKkelgvGM60/s1600/Bassett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuQzIUUXR8hjPvmpmH7jdPUbGFtiH3BNqg6RHNizxnKC_C4ef_Kfg6LeNaNPEjyBCzFeUWuJ9eZweljqxR_R7TFcoKtprT-BVPuKuikHvkn5cO4ZZ0I9uhGfLddvKKhwhffKkelgvGM60/s1600/Bassett.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Leslie Bassett: Became music on<br />Feb. 4, 2016</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The community of contemporary classical music is, unfortunately, not immune to loss. While much of the world mourns the passing of beloved celebrity icons, those of us who compose art music find ourselves reeling from what also seems to us to be the passing of an inordinate number of extraordinary composers. A quick look on the internet brings up a stunning list of significant composers who died in 2016: <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Boulez" target="_blank">Pierre Boulez</a></b> (January 5), <b><a href="http://www.lesliebassett.com/" target="_blank">Leslie Bassett</a></b> (February 4), <a href="http://www.stevenstucky.com/" target="_blank"><b>Steven Stucky</b></a> (February 14), <b><a href="http://www.maxopus.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Sir Peter Maxwell Davies</a></b> (March 14), <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einojuhani_Rautavaara" target="_blank">Einojuhani Rautavaara</a></b> (July 27), <b><a href="http://paulineoliveros.us/" target="_blank">Pauline Oliveros</a></b> (November 24) and <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Husa" target="_blank">Karel Husa</a></b> (December 14) among many others. The list doesn’t read so much like a roster of names as it does a catalogue of some of the most important and influential composers of the 20th and 21st Centuries. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is probably too soon to truly calculate the abiding<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlx-UBDZ3_EQffNLIA3kopGV-IaDDKP-lum4NzpSs3rdlMwbNYrxQ2ICpAgT2lcN5VX6DtulbVIzpubLBNs1bI8FYJIez3FDzR2U1maL1hKicRzO1SIZPJjn-_o3lU8d1FKo32f8wryp-D/s1600/Oliveros.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlx-UBDZ3_EQffNLIA3kopGV-IaDDKP-lum4NzpSs3rdlMwbNYrxQ2ICpAgT2lcN5VX6DtulbVIzpubLBNs1bI8FYJIez3FDzR2U1maL1hKicRzO1SIZPJjn-_o3lU8d1FKo32f8wryp-D/s1600/Oliveros.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pauline Oliveros: Became music on Nov. 24, 2016</i></td></tr>
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significance of these composers and how their legacy will impact future generations. This is something better suited to music scholars and an endeavor that will certainly take many years to unpack. Sifting among the dying embers of 2016 however, I am just left with two simple thoughts. While seemingly unrelated, 2016 has given these thoughts a special connection and significance for me. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYGg_4QlfmsGFY-uMUlOd0CEY-ELUztKpJOXOuJySrWpTMyRjrEjlZz0oouJN12_tuO2fvsHoZQ2I2OBPMQHKv8Nu9pNGq4UOOp7x6V-PfmPueYNXUTd9VQoJHLHYva8i4P4ZUmhXFWMP/s1600/Husa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYGg_4QlfmsGFY-uMUlOd0CEY-ELUztKpJOXOuJySrWpTMyRjrEjlZz0oouJN12_tuO2fvsHoZQ2I2OBPMQHKv8Nu9pNGq4UOOp7x6V-PfmPueYNXUTd9VQoJHLHYva8i4P4ZUmhXFWMP/s320/Husa.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Karel Husa: Became music on Dec. 14, 2016</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first is a memory associated with the great composer Karel Husa. He is the only composer among the luminaries who have passed in 2016 with whom I had a meaningful interaction. It wasn’t even a long personal association. Sometime in the early 1990s, Husa was in residence as a guest composer at the <a href="https://www.cim.edu/" target="_blank">Cleveland Institute of Music</a> where I was working on my DMA. As a grad assistant, it was my job to drive guest composers and performing artists around the city as well as back and forth from the airport. After his residency, I drove Husa back to the airport as was my duty. However, it was no simple obligation. The short period of time spent in the car with Husa was a joyful experience. He was very warm and engaging while we traveled; asking me questions about myself and at least appearing to take a very real interest in my responses. When the time came for him to leave my beaten up old Honda Civic, he thanked me for the ride as if I had provided some sort of extraordinary service and told me that if I ever needed anything from him, to please contact him anytime. He then reached into a bag and pulled out a signed copy of the score to his third string quartet and gave it to me as a keepsake. I will never forget his generous spirit and kindness. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sir Peter Maxwell Davies:<br />Became music on Mar. 14, 2016</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second thought I have as 2016 draws to a close is a quote from a popular cable television show. In the HBO science-fiction series <i><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westworld_(TV_series)" target="_blank">Westworld</a></b></i>, Anthony Hopkins portrays the character of Dr. Robert Ford, one of the geniuses behind the creation of a futuristic theme park populated by life-like androids. I’m a sucker for good science-fiction shows and enjoyed the first season run of <i>Westworld</i>. However, there is a quote that the character says on the final episode of the season that I find most relevant considering the important composers who have recently left this earth. At one point near the end of the episode, Dr. Ford says, “"Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin never died. They simply became music.” There is some debate online whether this is an originally scripted line or an actual quote from another source. For me, it doesn't matter. The quote deeply resonates with me and is how I think about the recent losses of Boulez, Bassett, Stucky, Maxwell Davies, Rautavaara, Oliveros and, of course, Husa. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTty8LhGXofSEupb92QIROVhTOo4U38lJLDktnRGCKT0lpHuosTqDeLaFkeS_Y_q1XAaoYGZ9VmgBKFgLxjrpk-Z8_gUzzBQV2Dfy-s5GrO2joUG8Hc8CwyC5QdBahNrhCduPtobAgBaz/s1600/Rautavaara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTty8LhGXofSEupb92QIROVhTOo4U38lJLDktnRGCKT0lpHuosTqDeLaFkeS_Y_q1XAaoYGZ9VmgBKFgLxjrpk-Z8_gUzzBQV2Dfy-s5GrO2joUG8Hc8CwyC5QdBahNrhCduPtobAgBaz/s1600/Rautavaara.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Einojuhani Rautavaara:<br />Became music on Jul. 27, 2016</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I contemplate these seemingly disparate ideas, it occurs to me that more than even becoming music, the imprint of kindness upon another sojourner on this planet is the most significant of legacies. There are two lessons that 2016 can teach me if I will simply pay attention. First, I must remember to always be as genuinely kind as Karel Husa. Secondly, I must continue to work hard at creating - rather than destroying - so that I may be transformed into something as beautiful as music instead of being hard-hearted and becoming just another cog in a selfish world. </span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I can take these two lessons to heart, maybe 2016 will not have been such a bad year after all.</span></span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-66414926445137415192016-08-27T15:06:00.001-04:002016-08-27T15:41:27.889-04:00Hopeful Signs<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There
is no doubt that we live in turbulent times. As of this writing, the
state of Louisiana is drowning under catastrophic flooding while southern
California is on fire. The world is reeling from one savage act of violence
after another on an almost weekly basis. As if all this were not enough, the
American people are embroiled in a bitter Presidential election cycle that is
dramatically polarizing our society. It is easy to despair in such times. One
looks somewhere…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anywhere</i>…for the
slightest glimmer of hope and good news. Here within the local confines of
Atlanta, at least within the Arts and the Music community in particular, there
are some encouraging signs. Three pieces of musical news have recently buoyed
my spirits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First,
there is the great turnaround in the fortunes of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.atlantasymphony.org/" target="_blank">Atlanta Symphony Orchestra</a></b>; certainly a crown jewel of the musical
arts community here in Atlanta. It was only two years ago that the symphony had
locked out its musicians for nine weeks, delayed the start of the concert
season (canceling many performances) and sought to reduce the number of
full-time orchestra members to 76. Management insisted that due to a dire
financial situation, these actions were absolutely necessary if the orchestra
was to survive. Those on the other side (including the musicians, community
members, the national press and even this <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2014/09/killing-mahler.html" target="_blank">blog</a></b>)
argued that the cuts were too Draconian and that if implemented, there would be
no orchestra left – at least not at the same caliber it had been. The acrimony
on both sides was so intense that the ASO’s president resigned and the future
of this great orchestra looked bleak.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What
a difference two years make! A few weeks ago, as detailed in a recent article
in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.artsatl.com/news-aso-hits-firmer-financial-ground-records-budget-surplus-row/?utm_campaign=music%2Bnews&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social%2Bmedia&utm_content=Atlanta%2BSymphony%2BOrchestra%2BScott%2BFreeman" target="_blank">ArtsATL.com</a></b>, the ASO announced
that it had closed its 2015-16 fiscal year with a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">budget surplus</b> for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">second
straight year</i>! In more good news, the ASO Musicians’ Endowment Fund had
raised over $20 million on its way to an expected $25 million goal this year. The
grim outlook for an important cultural institution in the city, as well as the
nation, suddenly has a much brighter forecast.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfVsfM5y3FFaIYvgONI5nOLVDA5yV_nziOnXcFVyuEAa0HuDSGrAUs_jeI5ZSnLwboeL7365ADZQ27MRTH5Ua4bulIlUJ52f5T3oC7B0FLFXRtbxdTXUN9xJcCe38Ksi6SlSCGVMAi8Fa/s1600/overhead-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfVsfM5y3FFaIYvgONI5nOLVDA5yV_nziOnXcFVyuEAa0HuDSGrAUs_jeI5ZSnLwboeL7365ADZQ27MRTH5Ua4bulIlUJ52f5T3oC7B0FLFXRtbxdTXUN9xJcCe38Ksi6SlSCGVMAi8Fa/s320/overhead-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra - back on track!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From
a wonderful and hopeful turnaround at the city’s artistic heart, I am thrilled
with some good news coming out of my place of employment, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.gsu.edu/" target="_blank">Georgia State University</a></b>. I have been a faculty member at this
institution for well over 20 years. In all that time, the dream of truly elevating
the Arts seemed nothing but wishful thinking. However, several years ago, as
part of the university’s Strategic Plan, the creation of a new <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">College of the Arts</b> was mandated. July
1, 2016 marked the official beginning of this newly created College. (For more
details, check out the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://news.gsu.edu/2016/05/11/georgia-state-university-to-create-college-of-the-arts/" target="_blank">press release</a></b>.)
For a long-time faculty member such as myself, this hardly seems real. Georgia
State University has recently catapulted itself into one of the largest
universities in the country with an enrollment just over 50,000 students. Its
reputation for innovation within an urban environment is rising throughout
academic circles nationally. It is clearly a rejuvenated institution on a
mission. That the Arts would now be elevated within this context is extremely
significant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Atlanta
has already become a very hot destination for film and TV productions with such
big budget movies as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America:
Civil War</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spiderman: Homecoming</i>
as well as highly rated TV series such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Walking Dead</i> filming in town and helping to make the city another great
center for the entertainment industry. With the turnaround of the ASO at the highest
professional artistic level and the creation of the new College of the Arts
within the state’s largest university located in the very heart of the city –
just two train stops from the Woodruff Arts Center – Atlanta seems poised to
also become the next great <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">artistic</i>
center in the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While
the changing fortunes of the ASO and GSU are a bit outside my personal pay
grade and influence, there is a personal endeavor with which I am associated
that I consider another very hopeful sign for the cultural life of the city.
Over the summer, I spent three very long and productive meetings setting up the
strategic plan for the nascent <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://adamscottneal.com/soundnow/" target="_blank">SoundNOW Contemporary Music Festival</a></b>. As a co-founder of the festival, it was a
desire of mine to spotlight the great work being done in contemporary classical
music by the many professional chamber ensembles in the city of Atlanta devoted
to the music of our time. It is a simple idea. Set performances by the various
groups in town to occur within a one-week period of time to draw attention to
not only the great local performing artists in Atlanta but also to the city’s
diverse and excellent community of composers. You can read about the first
festival in a recent <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.artsatl.com/preview-atlantas-music-ensembles-gear-inaugural-soundnow-festival/#sthash.tjukfKhF.dpuf" target="_blank">ArtsATL.com article</a>.</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPlmt49uZHuGYjuPJlaqA6Tvb48PtBYeJRSeYfuamIoI130TzY5HVovFGpaVZt_9IFDM2JwZZLJcWXJ39Cz_Kv4T2lVyUWPo5o_U6qMhorcynmcijup7nPm8eiBsH2fQ5uYAwKc-S5i1w/s1600/SoundNOW_08.16.16.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPlmt49uZHuGYjuPJlaqA6Tvb48PtBYeJRSeYfuamIoI130TzY5HVovFGpaVZt_9IFDM2JwZZLJcWXJ39Cz_Kv4T2lVyUWPo5o_U6qMhorcynmcijup7nPm8eiBsH2fQ5uYAwKc-S5i1w/s320/SoundNOW_08.16.16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The SoundNOW Artistic Board at a recent strategic planning<br />meeting! (Pictured L-R: yours truly, Caleb Herron, Brent<br />Milam, Olivia Kieffer & Amy O'Dell</i></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is
a wonderful sign that the inaugural festival was very successful given its
initial scope and mission. However, as laudable and interesting as this event
was, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> trick is to replicate,
sustain and grow this initiative. With the amount of strategic planning I and
the other members of the artistic board have put in over the summer, coupled
with the fact we have already set the dates and booked initial groups for our
second festival (April 2-9, 2017), I am very optimistic that this annual event
has the potential to elevate contemporary classical music in Atlanta in much
the same way that the ASO and GSU are elevating the Arts in general within the
city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From
the highest echelons of the Woodruff Arts Center all the way down to our
personal initiatives, hopeful signs abound in Atlanta. But, so what? What does
all this matter? What difference can these small, albeit hopeful, signs within
one American city possibly make amid a world tortured by violence, political
rancor and natural disasters on an almost biblical scale? I firmly believe that
the Arts are one of the great civilizing forces in human society. However, the
Arts are very difficult to nourish and maintain. It is always easier to destroy
than it is to create. It is always easier to hate than to love, forgive and
listen past our own prejudices to truly understand where our neighbor is coming
from. The hard work of creative expression is an important exercise we must pursue
in order to better our society and, yes, even our natural environment. A
civilization truly sensitive to creative expression does not easily slip into practices
that harm our world. That is why the Arts are so critically essential to
humanity. That’s why they should be celebrated, cultivated and taught to our
children. Budget surpluses in an orchestra, re-organizations within a
university and the development of grassroots artistic endeavors in and of
themselves are not really important. Taken by themselves, they are, at best,
anomalies within a dreary environment. However, when considering them together,
a pattern emerges. These types of hopeful signs describe what deeply motivates
a community. To persevere and create great Art as well as make it possible to
reach higher creative heights <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">despite</b>
all the bad news crashing in around us tells the story of at least one city’s
optimism and desire for a better and more peaceful society. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Good
news and hopeful signs in our little corner of the world may yet translate to
better news for a very troubled world in the long run. We all have the power to
make it so.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do
we have the desire? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 26px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 208px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 26px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 208px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-61817788775969405952016-07-28T12:39:00.000-04:002016-07-28T14:15:54.304-04:00Summer Circuit<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Professional
musicians and academics share a similar yearly cycle.
Most musical groups work within a season that begins in the fall and ends in
the late spring/early summer. For those musicians – and in my case, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">composers</i> – who work within the academy,
there is a similar yearly schedule. Given this fall/spring season, many tend to
assume (if they even think about artists and teachers at all) that musicians
and academics simply “take the summer off” lounging at the pool and binging on
Netflix for three months. How often I have heard the sentiment “wow…I wish <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i></b>
had my whole summer off…” by friends and family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Truth
is – there is very little time off during the summer months. For academics,
this very short time-span is the single best period to further research that affects
chances for promotion and tenure. For composers in the professional world
(Mahler famously comes to mind) the brief summer months may simply be the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> time to compose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseZcoxMw62gMHc57NBexo5rBJjPZziH9eCPhKgaA4SzOWzzyQp6oguhmnWHkGywM8L-nQ_c4VMUt5dGF9MQV-4_k7x1t1N0iZIes8RM9v-opC3NaOhed_dwH-2B3XzGx_FImD2WG8-yBT/s1600/Athens+Quartet_Cypress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseZcoxMw62gMHc57NBexo5rBJjPZziH9eCPhKgaA4SzOWzzyQp6oguhmnWHkGywM8L-nQ_c4VMUt5dGF9MQV-4_k7x1t1N0iZIes8RM9v-opC3NaOhed_dwH-2B3XzGx_FImD2WG8-yBT/s320/Athens+Quartet_Cypress.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Athens Saxophone Quartet in concert - <br />May 7, 2016 • Nicosia, CYPRUS</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet,
for many professional musicians (in or out of academia), summer does not
actually afford the opportunity to recharge after the considerable demands of a
performance season. Most of the time, summer is a time to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">continue</i> performing at music festivals. Throughout the summer
months, music festivals (large and prestigious as well as small and energetic)
dot the landscape of our country as well as around the globe. Many of these
festivals tend to mimic programming found in established ensemble seasons –
meaning there is often a disparity between presenting older more “established
repertoire” as compared to featuring contemporary music. However, there are still
many festivals and conferences during the summer where a composer may find
opportunities for performances of newer pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am
grateful to be included among many other composers during the summer of 2016 who
have received performances of pieces during the “off season.” For me, three particular
events come to mind. First, I had the great fortune of having my work for
saxophone quartet, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=237&i=32" target="_blank">Wandering Into Myth</a></i></b>, performed at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.euc.ac.cy/en/events/wind-orchestras-in-cyprus-and-greece--reality-and-prospects" target="_blank">International Conference: Wind Orchestras in Cyprus and Greece</a></b>
(May 7, 2016 in Nicosia, Cyprus). Sadly, I could not make the trek to Cyprus
but having heard previous performances by the group that commissioned the work
(the fabulous <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.athenssaxophonequartet.com/" target="_blank">Athens Saxophone Quartet</a></b>)
I have no doubt of the quality of its presentation.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy8K_pM1JgJN9_bEfMdKSb5InxSvzCWN2PyrDAze5xILiD_9kFdKhKK2tazyANYIQ2kMlKBTG8XPbc0_rvhtMeLxkW0CoPeT7HHzDHEMwOJEjMkht3Tc7b8Lh86jomCgZP8924HtleHKY/s1600/Two+Tapestries+performance_Monroe%252C+LA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy8K_pM1JgJN9_bEfMdKSb5InxSvzCWN2PyrDAze5xILiD_9kFdKhKK2tazyANYIQ2kMlKBTG8XPbc0_rvhtMeLxkW0CoPeT7HHzDHEMwOJEjMkht3Tc7b8Lh86jomCgZP8924HtleHKY/s400/Two+Tapestries+performance_Monroe%252C+LA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My "Two Tapestries for Brass Quintet" performance at the New <br />Music On The Bayou Summer Festival - June 3, 2016</i></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Next,
I was pleased to attend the inaugural <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://newmusiconthebayou.com/" target="_blank">New Music On the Bayou Summer Festival</a></b> (June 1 – 4, 2016, Monroe, Louisiana)
where my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=214&i=32" target="_blank">Two Tapestries for Brass Quintet</a></i></b> received a really wonderful
performance. In addition to the thrill of hearing my music performed at a very
high level, the festival provided me with the opportunity to meet many new
composers and performers from not only around the country but from around the
world as well! I was amazed that talented composers from as far away as Italy
and Mexico attended this festival. (This made me feel a little guilty for not
making more of an effort to hear my work in Cyprus earlier!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41aNQ1g59VFd1cfFcYTL1n8XGkAIG7_7r0X4XnKk8tAr5Pm1i5c-7codzL5InWFwdQ-MPKmS4WKuTkGwG2cn_oEkzXCi0A7f5DZ_S43AhcqzVVuXBs3mK_CXbFH7aIs0l-n0kJGEHpcKE/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41aNQ1g59VFd1cfFcYTL1n8XGkAIG7_7r0X4XnKk8tAr5Pm1i5c-7codzL5InWFwdQ-MPKmS4WKuTkGwG2cn_oEkzXCi0A7f5DZ_S43AhcqzVVuXBs3mK_CXbFH7aIs0l-n0kJGEHpcKE/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lara Saville Dahl (oboe), Tania Maxwell Clements (viola)<br />and Tatiana Musanova (piano) performing my "Suite for<br />Oboe, Viola & Piano" at the 2016 IDRS Conference.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Later
in the month of June, I was in the audience when my <b><i><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=209&i=32" target="_blank">Suite for Oboe, Viola and Piano</a> </i></b>was performed at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://music.columbusstate.edu/idrs/" target="_blank">2016 International Double Reed Society Conference</a></b> in Columbus, Georgia (June 28). I was doubly
honored to have my music presented at this event not only because the piece
itself was selected but also because my wonderful colleague, oboist <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://shared.cas.gsu.edu/profile/dr-lara-saville-dahl/" target="_blank">Lara Saville Dahl</a></b>, made the work part of her
proposal for performance at the conference. I am forever grateful to the
wonderful friends and colleagues in my life who regard my music high enough to
include on their respective programs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally,
while not strictly speaking a performance at a summer festival, I was
nevertheless just as thrilled to learn that the new recording on <a href="http://www.ablazerecords.net/new-choral-series/new-choral-voices-vol-1" target="_blank"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABLAZE Records</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New Choral Voices, Vol. 1</b></a>, featuring my
SATB a cappella work <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&id=176&i=29" target="_blank">Every Good & Perfect Gift</a></i></b>, was
released in the late spring of 2016 both in physical and digital formats. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuO9mXgSPSZseTqHgl9RrwmSI_P-BrNjxYg2fwdGeqbtbjPZ1x7qVtLO7-7ZUq_GpgnJ2M75Cu74DT1EopqSPz4HctxDBfJFW3tDqUBLMQHzjTnjRkndCN1RbGQKYyeWJLyj1cYd1sAQV0/s1600/ar-00027_New_Choral_Vol1_Front_300pix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuO9mXgSPSZseTqHgl9RrwmSI_P-BrNjxYg2fwdGeqbtbjPZ1x7qVtLO7-7ZUq_GpgnJ2M75Cu74DT1EopqSPz4HctxDBfJFW3tDqUBLMQHzjTnjRkndCN1RbGQKYyeWJLyj1cYd1sAQV0/s200/ar-00027_New_Choral_Vol1_Front_300pix.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After
a busy first half of the summer, I have settled into my more rigorous writing
routine that has seen the completion of one new chamber work and the start of
new work for symphonic wind ensemble commissioned by the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.gwinnettsymphony.org/ensembles/wind_orchestra/" target="_blank">Gwinnett Symphony Wind Orchestra</a></b>. This routine, however, will be
very short indeed as the new academic school year is barreling towards me like
a runaway train. Wait…summer is nearly over already…?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One
last mention – in case any reader may (rightly) feel that a good portion of
this blog post was a thinly disguised self-promotional newsletter – I write
this article as a form of therapy after receiving FOUR rejection letters for
opportunities I really desired this past week (two yesterday alone). So there’s
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From feeling unconquerable one moment to
regarding myself as <u>the</u> <i>worst</i>
composer ever in the next moment, I never cease to be reminded of the constant
ebb and flow of an artistic life. </span></span><!--EndFragment-->Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-27182302144535195202016-06-09T10:28:00.000-04:002016-06-25T12:58:25.010-04:00Roommate Issues<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Success
is often compared to a journey leading to a destination. People are said to
have “made it to the top” and business plans cite “milestones” to mark
progress. However, I don’t think about success in terms of a journey or a goal.
Rather, I tend to think of success as a companion with whom I have a
relationship. Like any healthy relationship, a significant amount of work is
necessary to make the connection last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
problem is that success is only an infrequent guest. My true artistic companions
– the roommates of my creative life – seem to be disappointment and rejection. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUKlmOhXEHc1bfRSGW_qZ3-e4eua4_5x76BaD7a0AUl5lCdxlTYYcOClfV5WoTHxxUti0D7eN0x3PfXSvXvU8jJcdDyesKtcGVD1_6gv9LuOxqQ4t0T4Z4nSr4MFEvnj68cEBAAjGs_bV/s1600/Birth+of+SoundNOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUKlmOhXEHc1bfRSGW_qZ3-e4eua4_5x76BaD7a0AUl5lCdxlTYYcOClfV5WoTHxxUti0D7eN0x3PfXSvXvU8jJcdDyesKtcGVD1_6gv9LuOxqQ4t0T4Z4nSr4MFEvnj68cEBAAjGs_bV/s320/Birth+of+SoundNOW.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A good way to court success: create your own music festival! <br />Here is the Artistic Board of SoundNOW the evening we<br />formally created the event (Feb. 2016). (L-R): Caleb Herron, <br />Amy O'Dell, yours truly, Olivia Kieffer & Brent Milam</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There
are, of course, many definitions of “success” that go beyond an artistic career.
Outside my calling as a composer, I do feel very successful in my personal life.
However, within the context of a professional career in the Arts, it is simply
a truth that all artists must come to terms with rejection and disappointment at
various points in their lives. All artists, especially composers, are well
aware of their frequent visits. They show up so frequently for me that I have
stopped thinking of them as “visits” altogether. Artistic disappointment and rejection
have moved into my creative life as roommates. Yet, I am not alone in sharing
my life with these unwanted housemates. Many artists have them hanging around,
taking up space and using up valuable energy. After a certain amount of time,
dealing with disappointment and rejection ceases to be “romantic” or a weirdly
narcissistic badge of honor for the martyred artist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After
awhile, it just gets old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
believe I am safe in assuming that there are thousands of composers within the
United States with more being churned out of conservatories and music schools every
year. I’m also not going out on much of a limb to note that contemporary
classical music is not very high on anyone’s list of music streams, download
purchases or even physical CD sales (if that is even a thing anymore). We can’t
even agree on what to call our genre! Is it “Alternative Classical?”; “Art Music?”;
“Contemporary Classical?” With so many composers, so few outlets for
expression, no clearly defined genre and – at best – societal indifference to
our work, there is no way success will simply show up on a composer’s doorstep,
much less remain for an extended period of time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohgh56Y1uVBtiL3ywwQYuRVygAeu0B5sbO_qs5zn01s1f6cjrcoG3hkxM_dKmN69iBRByCNTd7gvujaPj17ApXkUwJpyqja4kBCVb1KB6yxO3gMury93M7mB_JZV-G1EOiuMywTpTdYpQ/s1600/11215064_10102656615642977_8749332278196855415_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohgh56Y1uVBtiL3ywwQYuRVygAeu0B5sbO_qs5zn01s1f6cjrcoG3hkxM_dKmN69iBRByCNTd7gvujaPj17ApXkUwJpyqja4kBCVb1KB6yxO3gMury93M7mB_JZV-G1EOiuMywTpTdYpQ/s320/11215064_10102656615642977_8749332278196855415_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClibberJonesEnsemble/" target="_blank">Clibber Jones Ensemble</a> premiering my piece <br />Zero Hour. Part of the inaugural SoundNOW Festival!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
initial way a composer goes about courting success in such an environment is by
submitting work to external opportunities such as contests, festivals and
conference score calls with the hope of attracting the desired housemate. I am
a big advocate of this and even highly encourage my students to engage in such
submissions. However, relying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exclusively</i>
on these kinds of opportunities can paradoxically be just the sort of energy
that feeds unwanted guests. The odds are usually long against winning a contest
or having work selected for a festival and invites rejection into the creative
life. Unsuccessful submissions also richly feed disappointment. In order to nudge
these roommates out the door, it’s best not to provide too much hospitality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PYW46-cMVDDpEevCSc5kXB7p8HDD45jnPHUNHahpcyl7zIslQDUf2LOchYcvoHod-J5lf_KUMsVA90XRbf1DMCqEiJo964lxeU7btEaXihpeIZt7lupTYxrGOUL5mV_OYu6ObpHK3MeQ/s1600/Chamber+Cartel_So+Small+Against+the+Stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PYW46-cMVDDpEevCSc5kXB7p8HDD45jnPHUNHahpcyl7zIslQDUf2LOchYcvoHod-J5lf_KUMsVA90XRbf1DMCqEiJo964lxeU7btEaXihpeIZt7lupTYxrGOUL5mV_OYu6ObpHK3MeQ/s320/Chamber+Cartel_So+Small+Against+the+Stars.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.chambercartel.com/" target="_blank">Chamber Cartel </a>premiering my piece So Small Against The<br />Stars. Part of the inaugural SoundNOW Festival!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
artist who tires of disappointment and rejection faces three options: redefine
“success”; make a life so barren of creative activity that disappointment and
rejection leave out of sheer boredom; or actively refuse to serve these lousy roommates
and make their environment inhospitable in order to force them out. For me, the
first option seems like a cop-out and the second option is essentially a form
of artistic suicide. The third option, while certainly more work, not only
keeps unwanted roomies at bay but actively courts the very roommate I desire:
success. Yet there’s more to simply refusing to serve rejection and
disappointment. Should these undesirable guests finally leave but the “creative
house” remains empty, they will return with greater ferocity. Their absence
must be replaced. It is important for an artist to therefore </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">actively pursue</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> success. While courting
success will still involve submitting work to outside score calls, there is an
additional, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and more pro-active</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, way
to attract this more appealing roommate: </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a
composer must create his or her own opportunities</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscOf4wEkDpsAvAXGTrbYz_T7ezUmKa1Vr3Y7j6QgyVhcNCnB2U4eEfGAHt4k9JWWUQODynCGCfg5YHHIhUK13gTB-zxMW2ip9VMavxE-fhM5wH4Kn-Mct3fPnnSr5PM1Gd5f9sd8vo7_b/s1600/PeachPocolypse+FA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscOf4wEkDpsAvAXGTrbYz_T7ezUmKa1Vr3Y7j6QgyVhcNCnB2U4eEfGAHt4k9JWWUQODynCGCfg5YHHIhUK13gTB-zxMW2ip9VMavxE-fhM5wH4Kn-Mct3fPnnSr5PM1Gd5f9sd8vo7_b/s320/PeachPocolypse+FA.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not
getting your music performed as much as you would like? Organize your own
concert! Conductors and performers are unaware of your work? Promote yourself
tirelessly online and in social media! No one is commissioning you to compose a
new piece? Make friends with performers and write for them! Sometimes, substantive
opportunities are nothing more than a flash of inspiration that one is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not afraid</i> to pursue. This is precisely
how the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://adamscottneal.com/soundnow/" target="_blank">SoundNOW Contemporary Music Festival</a></b>, a brand new festival I am involved with, got off the ground. Click
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.artsatl.com/preview-atlantas-music-ensembles-gear-inaugural-soundnow-festival/" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> to read more about the creation
of this endeavor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Creating
a successful contemporary music festival certainly kept disappointment and
rejection away this past spring. What really attracted the more desirable
companion of success, however, was maintaining control over my own creative
life. The success of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SoundNOW</b> was
not dependent upon the subjective whims of an adjudication panel but rather
through hard work. The same can be said of the group I founded back in 1996, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://music.gsu.edu/performanceensembles/new-music-ensembles/" target="_blank">neoPhonia New Music Ensemble</a></b>. Both activities have yielded
success in my personal artistic career. Of course, engaging in these types of
activities is risky and a bit daunting at first. It also takes lots of work to
create a robust presence on the web and in social media; another very
pro-active way to create opportunities. However, these types of actions nurture
a relationship with success. Any healthy relationship always involves risk and
hard work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Disappointment
and rejection will always be a part of my life as a composer. Selection panels
will always be subjective and there are always better composers out there that
will edge me out of opportunities. However, creating my own opportunities goes
a long way to flipping my roommate paradigm. By taking control of my own
artistic career, I should only need to put up with occasional visits from
disappointment and rejection while enjoying the companionship of success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s
really up to me. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-30845342253880159412015-11-05T11:47:00.001-05:002015-11-05T14:06:36.231-05:00Taking This Show on the Road<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s
always great to learn that someone is actually reading these blog posts. In the
case of my friend, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/aristides-ioannides/7/ab1/723" target="_blank">Ari Ioannides</a>, the President of Emerald Data Solutions, the
blog was more than simply read. After coming across my posting on <a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2015/03/three-ways-to-escape-cul-de-sac.html" target="_blank">Three Ways to Escape A Cul-de-sac</a>, Ari invited me to speak on these ideas at the 2015
eGovLIVE! Conference held just outside of Chicago, IL in early September 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
following video is my 35-minute keynote address that not only references my
posting on the creative Cul-de-sac but also incorporates ideas articulated in my July blog post on
<a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-it-takes.html" target="_blank">What It Takes</a> to be successful as a composer. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-57207694957544926562015-07-31T13:14:00.000-04:002015-07-31T16:44:40.544-04:00What It Takes<div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As
the summer days quickly pass away, I’m beginning to accept the inevitability that
a new academic year will soon arrive. It won’t be long before I find myself
standing in a classroom filled with young composers trying to help them master
their craft, find their respective artistic voices and establish meaningful
careers. In gathering my thoughts on how to once again approach these topics,
there are two events that provide me some direction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The
first event was a conversation I had with a graduating composition student this
past spring. For a final lesson, this student simply wanted to spend some time
over coffee talking about what comes next. The conversation began with a simple
question: “How do you know if you are successful?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70-11i3sgADf7PJ6_NALuGxviKwRrmDf01fw9GMB8s9iNCRFtaqIEk-5nyIUE1llzwYoHKisFJsFjaCwP797-jMniPZTFV8uhiNz67dKhKCJ-QUGNJKEjS-RugLiwTV_Zcxw1JjsSCBs8/s1600/What+It+Takes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70-11i3sgADf7PJ6_NALuGxviKwRrmDf01fw9GMB8s9iNCRFtaqIEk-5nyIUE1llzwYoHKisFJsFjaCwP797-jMniPZTFV8uhiNz67dKhKCJ-QUGNJKEjS-RugLiwTV_Zcxw1JjsSCBs8/s320/What+It+Takes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The
second event was actually a series of short trips. This summer, my wife, daughter
and I made several college visitations. My daughter, a rising high school
senior, is interested in pursuing a career in Musical Theater. This desire is
at least as daunting as my own desire was at her age to become a composer –
perhaps more so. I can certainly relate to being strongly drawn to an artistic
field that is ruthlessly competitive and offers little in the way of financial
security. The administrators of the various musical theater programs we visited
all spoke about the admission requirements and, more importantly, how their
respective degrees would aid our young performer in getting on Broadway. Listening
to these administrators, I couldn’t help but notice that many of the basic
points in their respective conversations were very similar to the response I
gave to my graduating composition student. The necessary tools for achieving
success, it seems, may be the same irrespective of discipline. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After
thinking a bit more about the similarities between my conversation with a
student and an administrator’s conversation with my daughter, I believe there
are four major components to a successful professional career: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">1. Talent</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtjrgaHlcQR0pg-P0HvRZOdTXDY1GWyhUfcUh1ytjBdnChgVJWwi7uAwW4b5uDSgiw2XuwjOknRI39nkd4DIaIPpxQY39NYmHGAlWw7BkcGKQIze-jYVIVvHn8V7Sg4MzSgpvTuv_YsNF/s1600/Jen%252C+Georgia+%2526+NJD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtjrgaHlcQR0pg-P0HvRZOdTXDY1GWyhUfcUh1ytjBdnChgVJWwi7uAwW4b5uDSgiw2XuwjOknRI39nkd4DIaIPpxQY39NYmHGAlWw7BkcGKQIze-jYVIVvHn8V7Sg4MzSgpvTuv_YsNF/s320/Jen%252C+Georgia+%2526+NJD.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Whatever talent I may have is made to look better by<br />surrounding myself with super talented folks like<br />DJ/Composer Jennifer Mitchell (L) and Conductor <br />Georgia Ekonomou (C) - Photo taken after the premiere of my<br />commissioned work, "Eyes Wide Open" - April 27, 2015</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whether
it is a composer holding a fistful of commissions or a Broadway actor holding
an Equity Card and a contract for a long-running show, talent is the first and
primary component for anyone who wants to be successful in the Arts. Sadly,
this is the one component that no one can simply acquire via education and hard
work. One is either born with the necessary creative aptitude or one is not. I
love baseball, but no amount of wishing or training would have ever allowed me
to throw a 95 mile-an-hour fastball. Possessing innate talent, however,
certainly does not guarantee success. It is simply the prerequisite that allows
one in the door. It’s not even enough to have the talent and <i>the desire</i> to develop one’s gifts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">2. “I can’t <i>not</i> do this.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETXVMM2yBEPjllb5dljGBfyOkyyGJESLziutj_-rYEp4lFzZbWpkaDg8dMWJHJ70pp4jphO0di1XfauHw_jYBf94pCux8jkKxf0H7AkJE0EWLIhrXg8y7oG94wXBRhaVUy5VwhVtfFphC/s1600/LSCO+Promo_07.09.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETXVMM2yBEPjllb5dljGBfyOkyyGJESLziutj_-rYEp4lFzZbWpkaDg8dMWJHJ70pp4jphO0di1XfauHw_jYBf94pCux8jkKxf0H7AkJE0EWLIhrXg8y7oG94wXBRhaVUy5VwhVtfFphC/s320/LSCO+Promo_07.09.15.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Recent performance of my "Long <br />Journey Home" given by the Lake<br />Superior Chamber Orchestra. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I
believe that a successful artist must be absolutely <i>compelled</i> to engage in their discipline. When I was a senior in
high school, I was briefly torn between pursuing a degree in music composition
and another field outside of music altogether. As I contemplated entering the
non-musical field, I found my mind constantly devising ways that I would still
be able to compose. It soon became apparent to me that I was going to find a
way to write music no matter what the “day job” might be. For me, composing
music is not just an enjoyable activity; it is as necessary as food and drink.
It’s irrelevant whether I enjoy or desire certain foods. I am absolutely
compelled to nourish my body or perish. While it may sound a bit dramatic, the
creative drive approaches that level of importance for a successful
professional artist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Often,
students receive the advice to “do what you love.” This is not entirely
accurate. There are many times that I agonize over a piece of music I am
writing. In those times, I can promise that am not experiencing joy or doing
“what I love.” In fact, sometimes, I actually <i>hate</i> the drudgery of the process. However, I simply cannot <b><i>not</i></b>
compose. This is different than “wanting” to compose. Despite creative agony,
societal indifference to my endeavors and low pay, I nevertheless continue to write
music anyway. There are joyful payoffs to be sure. However, my engagement in the
field runs far deeper than simply “doing what I love.” I have always been <i>driven</i> to hone any talent I was given at
birth and develop it to its full potential. This drive gives me the strength to
make the considerable <u>sacrifices</u> necessary for a successful professional
career. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">3. Thick Skin</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJVFJ7nxldOOTGvervDgVP6ngLP2C9t85qewiP9wpW6RJoysu_XJ5lGgoJ7OhRsac61RrF2QFbSlif-aqYFCHPCFC3mzqZqf8v-oj35RkUspD6YgtxaSQZ_dUnz8D3oyjga_Ps4ECxfwb/s1600/Sonic+Horizons+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJVFJ7nxldOOTGvervDgVP6ngLP2C9t85qewiP9wpW6RJoysu_XJ5lGgoJ7OhRsac61RrF2QFbSlif-aqYFCHPCFC3mzqZqf8v-oj35RkUspD6YgtxaSQZ_dUnz8D3oyjga_Ps4ECxfwb/s320/Sonic+Horizons+Poster.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>For every great opportunity like this, there<br />are many rejection letters!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many
people think that being an artist means one is “sensitive.” This may be true
when discussing a person’s relationship to the natural world, the world of
ideas or the creative process. However, artists cannot harbor for long any
sensitivity about their personal successes or failures with respect to their
work. I’ve written about rejection before in this <a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2010/12/dear-composer.html" target="_blank">blog</a>. It’s never easy, of
course, to get the word that your work has been passed over. However, it is a
fact that there are far more failures than successes in the careers of most
artists. This is certainly true for an endeavor as esoteric as contemporary
classical music composition. Most professional composers do not receive major
commissions, grants, prizes, recordings and stellar professional performances
of their music on a regular basis. Often,
it seems that success is only an occasional visitor making brief appearances in
the life of the composer while rejection is a constant and unwanted companion. So
how does one push onward in the face of seemingly constant disappointment? In
addition to the drive to create (described above) I believe it’s important to also
perform a bit of a personal and honest artistic inventory: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Do I truly
have the talent?</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Sure, my
family and close friends may think I’m the next Beethoven but what outside objective validation from a broad group of <u>professionals</u> in my field
(teachers, performers, music critics, presenters, conductors, etc.) attests
that I do, indeed, possess the basic tools?</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">What is my
level of commitment?</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Do I view
my art as a hobby or side interest?</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Do I have
a job outside of my creative pursuit that prohibits my constant and
uninterrupted pursuit of artistic expression?</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">What am I
prepared to sacrifice for my art?</i></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Honest
answers to these questions will help determine an artist’s level of commitment.
This honest inventory will also lead naturally to either the formation of a
thick skin or to a realization that a professional career in the arts is not
one’s true path in life. Rejection may always hurt, but that is just one of the
<i>many</i> sacrifices an artist makes. Peer
review of work can be a subjective process but it never hurts to also acknowledge
that there is <i>always</i> someone more talented out there. A better response to rejection should be, “What am I prepared to do
now?” I also find it helpful to remember a famous quote attributed to Theodore
Roosevelt: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">4. There is No Plan B</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even
if one has the necessary talent, the relentless drive to create and a thick
skin there is one last component that most successful professional artists must
have: no Plan B. One of the consistent takeaways my daughter heard in her
college visitations was that to be successful in the audition process, a person
must be <i>all the way in</i>. There is no
dipping in a toe or easing slowly into the water. There is no hedging of bets
and keeping several disparate irons in the fire – just in case. A successful
artist never had a Plan B because it simply never occurred to them that they
would not be successful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXZ76rSyM7xh4409EqEyXM4Yph5ilzLaa6YrO7hiVZ88Z1CptZPX6ZoqzZ50g98v0_-hpDeHhccQRJa_DTYP10edx0A0UBzsU602TaZTGySJnr1weOih1weXo21qNaiXPwdmp9rVhiqb1/s1600/EWO+Rehearsal.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXZ76rSyM7xh4409EqEyXM4Yph5ilzLaa6YrO7hiVZ88Z1CptZPX6ZoqzZ50g98v0_-hpDeHhccQRJa_DTYP10edx0A0UBzsU602TaZTGySJnr1weOih1weXo21qNaiXPwdmp9rVhiqb1/s320/EWO+Rehearsal.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The wonderfully talented students of the
<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'; font-size: 10pt;">Paideia Chamber <br />Orchestra rehearsing</span> for the premiere of my piece,<br />"Eyes Wide Open" this past April. </i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In
presenting these four components to success, I stress that I am speaking of
what I believe it takes to be successful in a <i>professional</i> career. I’m speaking to those who forsake a “regular”
life in favor of pursuing their art exclusively as their primary vocation. I do
not mean to suggest that only professionals should engage in art or that the
Arts should only be taught in rarified Ivory Towers for the Gifted. Quite the
contrary! I believe <i>many</i> people are
born with various artistic talents and gifts. They use these gifts as an
integral part of their non-artistic vocations or contribute to the general
health of artistic expression in various non-professional or semi-professional
settings within their respective communities. They may just simply love and
support the Arts. For these reasons, and for the general health of a civilized society,
I believe a vibrant Arts education is <i>essential</i>
for <u>everyone</u>. But that’s a topic for another blog post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOmUg_c9jfaYBvTW4turGp8418KHcPKzKT1B6MF0xabz-7UnXCJIaD2oexqC8zv3EAdtUvzK9G9A5acEQ8iibTg6gX512KGdIIfjPstpvJ2d01MH5Us30Eipti18_EBVSe4mvUAJmeFzk/s1600/Zervos_Tonoi+X_France_07.10.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOmUg_c9jfaYBvTW4turGp8418KHcPKzKT1B6MF0xabz-7UnXCJIaD2oexqC8zv3EAdtUvzK9G9A5acEQ8iibTg6gX512KGdIIfjPstpvJ2d01MH5Us30Eipti18_EBVSe4mvUAJmeFzk/s320/Zervos_Tonoi+X_France_07.10.15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A tangible measure of success - Athanasios Zervos performs<br />my "Tonoi X" for solo soprano sax at the
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">17<sup>th</sup>
World Saxophone <br />Congress – Strasbourg, France • July 10, 2015</span><!--EndFragment--> </i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What
separates successful <b><i>professional</i></b> artists are the levels
of commitment and sacrifice they are willing – no, <i>compelled</i> – to give to their art. Such commitment will usually
result in some tangible measurement of success. Ultimately, there is also
another way that I think any artist can be reasonably sure of true success: there
must constantly be an <b>acceptable
dissatisfaction</b> with one’s career. Acceptable dissatisfaction never falls into
self-pity, envy or jealousy. For the composer, being acceptably dissatisfied
with a career simply is the grateful recognition of past successes (no matter
how meager) and a belief that the next piece will be better; that the next
composition will somehow do a better job of articulating a personal artistic
voice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite
what a trophy case may or may not reveal, I believe that true success is the
result of talent, hard work, a thick skin and a single-minded devotion to the
creation of art. Given this foundation, how did I answer my graduating student
when I was asked, “How do you know if you are successful?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am
successful so long as I remain grateful for my gifts, confident in my
abilities, diligent in my work ethic, unconcerned with comparing myself to
others and realize that there is always much to learn and more room to grow. The
rest always takes care of itself.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-32602174220136735262015-03-19T12:38:00.000-04:002015-03-19T12:38:33.438-04:00Three Ways To Escape A Cul-de-sac <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I
live on a cul-de-sac in a relatively quiet northeast suburb of Atlanta. It’s a
lovely little section of the street; quiet and safe from this city’s raging
traffic (attributes that were especially important when my children were
small). Besides its practical benefits, I’ve always preferred a cul-de-sac to a
road that abruptly reaches a dead end. The design just strikes me as a more
thoughtful and aesthetically pleasing way to end a street.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
However,
whether it’s a circle or a sudden dead end, the road is still going nowhere.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFamdWMZFkY3TZO8ufYY12B34DtyJDu7zxjQ9FmFOW1BJWkhyphenhyphen69VuZIlt_Zvn9Nx07eTg3q_X1xSp6zGkHD_hmmiOkjyERZt5eaLw8C64ciRZbpSJawRfFKuYtm0OCYqmQMZFKGPsjYhW/s1600/B3+CULDESAC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFamdWMZFkY3TZO8ufYY12B34DtyJDu7zxjQ9FmFOW1BJWkhyphenhyphen69VuZIlt_Zvn9Nx07eTg3q_X1xSp6zGkHD_hmmiOkjyERZt5eaLw8C64ciRZbpSJawRfFKuYtm0OCYqmQMZFKGPsjYhW/s1600/B3+CULDESAC.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
For
the past few months I have been thinking about how my creative life resembles a
cul-de-sac. As a composer, being creative is a prerequisite for success.
However, as a composer working in academia, I often find that my creativity is
rerouted. Instead of composing new music, I find that I use my creative muscle
more often in service of committee work or in solving petty office politics.
After awhile, I find that being creative in this manner is akin to driving
around a cul-de-sac. There is the illusion of forward progress but I’m not
really getting anywhere. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Unlike
real cul-de-sacs, creative dead-ends are harder to escape. The obligations of
the academic life obscure the exit. Because I must exercise my creativity
everyday, I am lulled into the aesthetically pleasing circle of the cul-de-sac
and tricked into thinking that I am being inventive or, at the very least,
productive in some menial way. However, this is not the kind of creativity I
signed up for at the conservatory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Given
the realities of my situation, it becomes important for me to constantly be on
the lookout for exit routes from the circuitous path I sometimes follow. Exit routes are usually always there – it’s just a matter of recognizing them. While
there may be others, I have found that there are usually three big
activities that serve as exits from the cul-de-sac.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">1. Surround yourself with inspiring people.</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlB6Dxja7c5ncukjV2IqT2KSbBl31ENw-3L0S81opMZFl8fD7bgDqMActSgyQ2FKSuCgRCa0oeZSQV86RztMMP8GLuuGp4zvedHUzHiO0SLRNdfM0BiYB5AR2SHcMhCWg6nJAyjpv_XH9/s1600/The+BAND.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlB6Dxja7c5ncukjV2IqT2KSbBl31ENw-3L0S81opMZFl8fD7bgDqMActSgyQ2FKSuCgRCa0oeZSQV86RztMMP8GLuuGp4zvedHUzHiO0SLRNdfM0BiYB5AR2SHcMhCWg6nJAyjpv_XH9/s1600/The+BAND.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My epic lunch with some fabulous composers.<br />(L-R: <a href="http://www.alvinsingleton.com/" target="_blank">Alvin Singleton</a>, <a href="http://www.alexshapiro.org/" target="_blank">Alex Shapiro</a>, <br />yours truly & <a href="http://www.carmanmoore.com/" target="_blank">Carman Moore</a>)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
If
the bulk of your interactions are with others who are trapped in the same
cul-de-sac with you, it’s easy to descend into bitterness and endless
reflection of every nuance found along the never-ending path of the circle. I
was recently reminded how important it is to make contact with those who are
outside that environment. A few weeks ago, I went on a business trip to New
York City teaching a master class at New York University and attending a
meeting of a board I sit on. My master class and board meeting were separated by
a day. Therefore, I took advantage of the time to schedule a lunch on the off day with
some wonderful composer colleagues who I had not seen in some time. Originally
scheduled as a long 90-minute lunch, our time morphed into an epic five and a
half hour reunion. Lunch spilled over into dessert then spilled over again into
afternoon cocktails. The conversation had nothing to do with committee reports,
office politics or any other non-artistic minutia. We talked, laughed and
engaged in ideas that covered topics as broad as the art form we all work
within. Five and half hours may seem like a very long time to sit in
conversation with anyone about anything. However, nourished with such great
artistic discourse, I felt that I had only been with my friends for minutes – not
hours. The cul-de-sac of dreary academic work was but a distant memory. After
it was over, rather than feeling exhausted and “talked out,” I felt light and
very energetic. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Interactions,
such as the unique lunch I had in New York, are a fantastic way to escape the
cul-de-sac. I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to be in the company of
those that will inspire me both intellectually as well as artistically.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">2. Encounter great Art.</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuXAc4cIiCPFGCb0vkZfpNVRAcE6s8AJgEbxJKSWWlmhsfcWPD8wbXLEMRkpCp3EFBARMXGH5zY6H-QzHnkKCDEoZW-jELmGh5RHM1NPiGZnDgZ65t7Txc0ICbHWv0YViI7gXDXJ0crIf/s1600/IMG_1292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuXAc4cIiCPFGCb0vkZfpNVRAcE6s8AJgEbxJKSWWlmhsfcWPD8wbXLEMRkpCp3EFBARMXGH5zY6H-QzHnkKCDEoZW-jELmGh5RHM1NPiGZnDgZ65t7Txc0ICbHWv0YViI7gXDXJ0crIf/s1600/IMG_1292.jpg" height="320" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
While
trudging along the cul-de-sac, it is easy to become fatigued. I sometimes find
myself opting to stay at home and regroup rather than attend a concert. As soon
as this happens, I know that I have fallen into the trap. Sometimes it takes
effort to get off the couch and encounter great Art – especially after a long
day of paper pushing. However, the rewards of making this effort are well worth
it as I discovered on that same trip to New York a few weeks ago.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
It
was bitterly cold the day of my insanely long lunch with friends. As we sat and
talked throughout the afternoon, temperatures descended into the 20’s and at
least five inches of snow blanketed the urban landscape. It so happened that
there was a concert of contemporary music taking place that same night up at
Columbia University’s Miller Theatre. Given that I was at Lincoln Center and
given the bitter cold, the trek up to Columbia University seemed formidable. It
would have been much easier to hail a cab and get back to my hotel
on the East side. Yet, I had been very inspired by my conversations during the
afternoon and decided to attend the concert despite my longing
for a warm drink and soft bed. I’m so very glad I took the time and made the
effort to go. The concert was one of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Composer
Portrait</i> concerts given at the Miller Theatre focusing on the work of a
single composer. That evening, the famed <a href="http://www.jackquartet.com/" target="_blank">JACK String Quartet</a> and the wonderful
<a href="http://www.thirdcoastpercussion.com/" target="_blank">Third Coast Percussion Ensemble</a> from Chicago were on hand to perform the music
of the great American composer, <a href="http://www.augustareadthomas.com/" target="_blank">Augusta Read Thomas</a>. In the same way that the
sparking conversation with brilliant composers invigorated me, I was likewise
inspired by the superbly performed work of this extraordinary composer. As the
exquisite music washed over me, I again felt the cares of my academic life fade
into almost non-existence. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
That
concert reminded me of the power of music and that attending such
events – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">especially</i> when I don’t feel
like it - is another critically important exit route from the cul-de-sac.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">3. Just work.</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYqPWuxbemwy3q9oPQC_VbfIveAisMv0H9dZLGqBUFijx2gKyhq42bjAFBRhbgNQXie73FVsGLNLTZbEyJrOCL2oTJD2Yc-dkmCQJqoSbLhyphenhyphencOvRMOWH1Tz32ReGiEnvqL0QHsPN2p_Hb/s1600/Eyes+Wide+Open_COVER-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYqPWuxbemwy3q9oPQC_VbfIveAisMv0H9dZLGqBUFijx2gKyhq42bjAFBRhbgNQXie73FVsGLNLTZbEyJrOCL2oTJD2Yc-dkmCQJqoSbLhyphenhyphencOvRMOWH1Tz32ReGiEnvqL0QHsPN2p_Hb/s1600/Eyes+Wide+Open_COVER-page-001.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Evidence that I can, on occasion, <br />focus on real work: my newly completed<br />work for string orchestra and D.J.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When
I surround myself with inspiring people and regularly encounter great Art, I
find that it becomes easier to discern what obligations can bind me to the
drudgery of the cul-de-sac and away from my true work: the creation of new music and
contributing to the artistic expression of my time. Once I can make the
distinction between my true work and my obligations, a balanced perspective
begins to develop. I know that I must duck into the cul-de-sac for necessary
tasks. However, this is simply an obligatory tangent. Once completed, the tasks
of the cul-de-sac can be released and I am free to exit from that little circle
– despite its aesthetically appealing nature. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Creating Art and dealing with all the impediments associated with this monumental
endeavor is hard work. It’s much easier to craft a long report for a committee
than to write a single <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> musical
phrase. Maybe that’s why I spend so much time draping unnecessary weights upon
myself; to fool myself into thinking I am productive. The reality is I just
need to <u>work</u> on what’s really important. In the end, it is not the
cul-de-sac that ensnares me but I who trap myself. Hiding behind obligations
associated with an academic appointment is no excuse. Surrounding myself with
great people and great Art gives me the strength to properly order my
priorities. It also guides me towards a path of focusing on the work I know to
be important in my life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Now,
that’s a road going somewhere.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-90257282360458865142015-01-05T00:34:00.000-05:002015-01-05T01:03:03.966-05:00Coda & Prelude<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have arrived at a familiar annual benchmark: the beginning of a new calendar year. With the turning of a page in the calendar and a few days of rest between semesters, I can’t help but sift through the remnants of 2014 before plunging fully into this new year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The back half of 2014 was certainly dominated, at least within the confines of this blog, by the lockout of the Atlanta Symphony musicians by the Woodruff Arts Center (WAC) board. A few weeks after my last blog post in October, a resolution to this painful start to the symphony’s 70th season was reached. As far as I can tell, the bleeding has been stopped and healing has begun. The musicians agreed to a new four-year contract and on November 13, 2014, the orchestra was back in business with Maestro Robert Spano leading the the symphony and the ASO Chorus in Beethoven’s <i>Symphony No. 9</i>. I was on hand the next week (November 22) to hear performances of Debussy’s <i>Première rhapsody </i>(featuring principal clarinetist Laura Ardan), Beethoven’s <i>Symphony No. 5</i> and the <i>Symphony No. 3</i> by Atlanta based composer Richard Prior. The symphony was still using many subs as many of the regular ASO members had not yet returned from out of town gigs they had accepted during the lockout. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in Symphony Hall was electric, The orchestra gave a heartfelt and wondrously musical performance and sounded as though much of the rust accumulated by weeks of walking a picket line instead of playing concerts had been shaken off. What struck me about the program selection was that it seemed to be a microcosm of everything that this orchestra does best. It was a concert that first featured a truly wonderful soloist from the very ranks of the ensemble itself. I have had the very good fortune of working with Laura Ardan on several projects in the past and know from personal experience that she is an exceptional artist. It was great to be reminded that this ensemble is comprised of many such exceptional artists throughout. The concert also spotlighted a relatively new composition. The programming of contemporary orchestral music has long been a hallmark of Robert Spano’s tenure at the helm of the orchestra. As a composer, I have always admired this significant facet of the orchestra’s artistic vision. Finally, the concert reminded us all once again that the ASO can deftly move from the contemporary to convincing and riveting presentations of some of the greatest works of Western Civilization as exemplified by Beethoven’s fifth symphony. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As good as it was to be back in Symphony Hall and hearing great music being performed by an elite orchestra, I still could not shake some troubling thoughts. First, the newly inked four-year deal will not guarantee that musician salaries will return to pre-2011 levels or even reach those levels by the end of the contract period. Second, in addition to other concessions, health insurance costs for the players have also gone up. Finally, there are still many questions surrounding the finances of the WAC and how it allocates funding to the symphony. Despite these shortcomings, the musicians did win one significant victory. The WAC board had pushed hard to dictate the size of the orchestra. This was an egregious demand and ultimately, the line in the sand that the players would not cross. The new contract stipulates that the compliment of the orchestra will grow back to near its pre-2011 level of 95 players. While this is still smaller than other major symphony orchestras, the restoration of performers nevertheless allows the group to remain at the status of a top tier professional orchestra. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So if I examine the glass as half full, the orchestra emerged from an acrimonious stand-off with administrators and won a hard fought victory over the size of the ensemble; a critical component to maintaining artistic integrity. Without this victory, the ASO would have been reduced to a regional training orchestra and lose its luster as one of the finest orchestras in the country. If, on the other hand, I look at the glass as half empty, I see a struggle that resulted in lower pay and higher insurance costs for the musicians and a battle that merely returns the group (almost) to where it was back in 2011 in four years time. Then there is the WAC board. It still calls the shots for the orchestra and its chairman, Douglas Hertz famously described the symphony supporters and musicians as “crazy people” (<a href="http://artsculture.blog.ajc.com/2014/10/04/woodruff-arts-center-board-leader-takes-stands-on-atlanta-symphony-crisis/">http://artsculture.blog.ajc.com/2014/10/04/woodruff-arts-center-board-leader-takes-stands-on-atlanta-symphony-crisis/</a>). I can’t help but be nervous about what lurks ahead in four years when this contract ends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still, things could have turned out much, <i>much</i> worse. The ASO musicians as well as the musical soul of the city of Atlanta have been spared. I choose, therefore, to look at the glass as very much half <i>full</i>.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcTm3TRgjSnY9fccumzgEwv2EFgjpBJSudt9ZuPuAoDwy5rnzXiQgYC_tc4Qw2bs37nsC6FJ9FarJ5tOGUuvpc6Vi7mOBDOvtIpQUVzjbrsi29q8N-lJG3IU-OfKieXF7wPR7zJmBhiVF/s1600/A+Free+Bird+Case.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcTm3TRgjSnY9fccumzgEwv2EFgjpBJSudt9ZuPuAoDwy5rnzXiQgYC_tc4Qw2bs37nsC6FJ9FarJ5tOGUuvpc6Vi7mOBDOvtIpQUVzjbrsi29q8N-lJG3IU-OfKieXF7wPR7zJmBhiVF/s1600/A+Free+Bird+Case.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My first film credit!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This goes for 2014 in my personal corner of Atlanta as well. Aside from blogging about the ASO lockout, I spent my year writing music for wonderful musicians, receiving performances at national and international festivals and conferences and even having the great fortune of seeing a commercial film featuring my first significant film score widely released. Yet, I can’t help but ask myself some honest questions. Should I have written more music? Received more performances? Generally, been more active? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The honest answer is yes. I should have done more. That’s why, as I shift my attention from the year now gone and look forward, I am excited by my upcoming commissions, opportunities and scheduled performances of my work. With the lockout of the ASO resolved, I somehow feel as though the creative environment in Atlanta is more secure, at least for the time being. With the musicians back at work, it’s time for me to do the same. The Holidays are over, 2014 is in the books and the manuscript paper is empty!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D4177147400020352409%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D9025728236045886514&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-KHFzqhbQLI8%252FVKohs0xBmbI%252FAAAAAAAABSI%252FKKLZoGKzFQ0%252Fs1600%252FA%25252BFree%25252BBird%25252BCase.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 353px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1296px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D4177147400020352409%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D9025728236045886514&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-KHFzqhbQLI8%252FVKohs0xBmbI%252FAAAAAAAABSI%252FKKLZoGKzFQ0%252Fs1600%252FA%25252BFree%25252BBird%25252BCase.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 353px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1296px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-4407055426256101522014-10-13T17:48:00.000-04:002014-10-13T17:58:41.401-04:00Walkin’ the Walk<div style="text-align: left;">
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uWO052paUSnBR9n30qxhyYoqndmMOBwOWzt9AvS4epNIAcqkgcFLrlfibpfOC7vMr3avuk8NiODLhgXHPGkKNhUmRb1MM3JewUNb8RDlDwLCKGVSKz_NbJd3DdrPG45ScCA11aTN-RXA/s1600/10665910_10205174127536580_5488962461940978397_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uWO052paUSnBR9n30qxhyYoqndmMOBwOWzt9AvS4epNIAcqkgcFLrlfibpfOC7vMr3avuk8NiODLhgXHPGkKNhUmRb1MM3JewUNb8RDlDwLCKGVSKz_NbJd3DdrPG45ScCA11aTN-RXA/s1600/10665910_10205174127536580_5488962461940978397_n.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There’s
an old expression: it’s not enough to “talk the talk,” one must also “walk the
walk.” On Friday, October 10, 2014, student composers and performers from the
Georgia State University School of Music did just that. Having heard about the
lockout of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians by the Woodruff Arts Center
board, the students decided that simply talking about the injustice among
themselves and via social media channels was simply not enough. So on that
beautiful, sunny afternoon, they took to Woodruff Park and the streets of
downtown Atlanta with the purpose of drawing attention to the very damaging
lockout, supporting the musicians of the orchestra and calling for change. For
a solid hour they put on an amazing concert of improvised performances and
demonstrated with homemade signs their support for the orchestra musicians. It
was real old-fashioned, grassroots activism and it was a joy to behold. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHUOctOeVYvWmANXRXhcpQkqA2aElNze2Dje9_3yazx1t0OmnGg2r-Yi8lefpWp4xe3xX0hR0Fnqn-w1zz2hLsVmq0pcvbfd1QuttVEgPJW5iOl4HSBq4mlsPZVC1bTKVRpTyG30XA0wr/s1600/IMG_1120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHUOctOeVYvWmANXRXhcpQkqA2aElNze2Dje9_3yazx1t0OmnGg2r-Yi8lefpWp4xe3xX0hR0Fnqn-w1zz2hLsVmq0pcvbfd1QuttVEgPJW5iOl4HSBq4mlsPZVC1bTKVRpTyG30XA0wr/s1600/IMG_1120.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a
composer and longtime member of the Atlanta musical community, my outrage over
the state of affairs regarding the Atlanta Symphony’s current situation is
understandable. However, students have many issues tugging at their time. They
can be forgiven for sometimes not realizing that a particular moment in time is
significant or, for that matter, even relevant to them. This is what made last
Friday’s event all the more special for me. Here were young people fired up and
enthusiastically taking time away from studies and their own busy schedules to support
a cause bigger than themselves. As a friend to many musicians in the orchestra,
a supporter of the symphony musicians and a performer myself, it was very
gratifying to witness this outpouring of energy. As a teacher, watching the
students and observing their passion for the symphony made me very proud
indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP49q2ZbhQBgtaFKZCgQDMBky-cMmxHSuP1pqpVi1A0pAgL-YgdDlRLnWAy9OGba-ZdFsyVORx7OK0w2622sPdqauXhnFjkengHtOrMeR_7IGAVy4Y2mZ1aHhG8nNjFL4IngJVDnvKpS6f/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP49q2ZbhQBgtaFKZCgQDMBky-cMmxHSuP1pqpVi1A0pAgL-YgdDlRLnWAy9OGba-ZdFsyVORx7OK0w2622sPdqauXhnFjkengHtOrMeR_7IGAVy4Y2mZ1aHhG8nNjFL4IngJVDnvKpS6f/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I
am, however, above all else, a composer. Therefore I couldn’t help but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">listen</i> to the actual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">music</i> being created on the fly that
afternoon. Sometimes silly, sometimes intensely rhythmic, the “piece” being
created by student composers and student performers alike ebbed and flowed with
various emotions during the 60 minute performance. What struck me however was
the very honest music making taking place. I don’t think these students, many
of whom had never really improvised this long in public before, could have
maintained such energy without truly believing in the cause that drew them
together that afternoon. This observation was confirmed for me by hearing the
finale of their improvised concert: student composers and performers together
locked arm in arm singing a cappella the words “Save Our Symphony.” At that
moment, the music turned from rollicking improvisation to a heartfelt anthem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I
doubt I could have composed anything more powerful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
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Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-73076094847288828652014-10-05T23:20:00.000-04:002014-10-05T23:33:49.072-04:00Learning New Changes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Among other musical pursuits, I spent a good many years of my youth playing jazz piano. I was most heavily involved with jazz during my high school and undergraduate college years before concentrating more seriously on clarinet performance and, of course, musical composition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a jazz pianist, I was constantly learning new tunes and trying to figure out the best voicings for the chord progressions found within them on the keyboard. In jazz parlance, this is called <i>learning the changes</i> of a tune. Learning new changes was critical to my development as a jazz pianist. I haven’t thought about this aspect of my musical career in years but somehow, a recent interview that appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution with the Doug Hertz, chairman of the Governing Board of the Woodruff Arts Center (WAC), caused me to see a relationship between learning changes and management’s position in the current lockout of the Atlanta Symphony musicians. Just as I could not be an effective pianist without understanding my art and learning the changes to grow as an artist, so too I sincerely believe that the so-called “arts leaders” in Atlanta - as exemplified by Mr. Hertz - need to grow beyond their narrow conceptions of art. It’s time to learn some new changes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The AJC article has inflamed the internet and the supporters of the Atlanta Symphony musicians. As I read the piece I was struck by how profound the disconnect is between how a “businessman” views the arts and how I, as a musical artist, view the very same endeavor. There are three quotes that have especially caused me great concern. In the first, Mr. Hertz states: </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>“…I think the corporate community and the philanthropic community understands, like any businessperson would, we’re not going to make an investment in a business that keeps losing money.” </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First off, the ASO is not a business. It is a wondrous assemblage of incredible performing artists. Through their collective efforts, these artists create something that goes beyond simple economics; beyond widgets, stocks and profit margins. This miracle of an ensemble resurrects Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Stravinsky. This very same group turns the scribblings of contemporary composers into the compelling soundtrack of the 21st Century. The group takes a room full of silence and transforms it into sound so meaningful that hearts are stirred and eyes are damp with emotion. I believe it stands as the very bulwark of civilization in an age of barbarous hatred. If the WAC truly loved the arts and understood their importance its concern over the bottom line would only motivate it to increase support for these musicians; not lock them out of their music hall, strip them of their health care and dignity and opine about red ink. My children are a “business” that also keep losing me money. Should I lock them out of the house? <i>Do you love the arts that much, Mr. Hertz?</i> Do you understand that you are not running a “business” here? You are charged with maintaining a miracle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In another part of the interview, Mr. Hertz asserts that the WAC has tried to erase the orchestra’s deficit. Because the performers have challenged the efficacy of the WAC’s efforts in this regard, Mr. Hertz says: </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b><i><span style="color: #990000;">“It makes you wonder, you know, are we supporting a bunch of crazy people.”</span></i></b> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How disheartening. In reading these words, my heart sinks. How can you negotiate with someone who calls you “crazy” in public? Obviously, Mr. Hertz does not hold the performing artists in the same high regard as do I and many others like me. How truly tragic it is that he cannot fathom the lifelong sacrifices, the unyielding discipline, years of tedious work, the bitter sacrifices and the uncontainable commitment to ART that it takes to earn a spot in the ASO. Does he understand that if these “crazy” people were wearing numbers on jerseys and competed on an athletic field the same talent and work ethic they possess would garner championship rings, gold medals and salaries that would dwarf his paycheck? Since I really, truly believe what I wrote about the orchestra earlier in this article, it is beyond my comprehension how they can be so glibly labeled. Name calling is a last refuge of those standing in the very shallow end of the pool, bereft of any integrity and awash in pettiness. Professed leaders in the arts should be better than that. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One last breathtaking quote. In discussing the size of the orchestra and who should be allowed to choose, Mr. Hertz says, </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<b></b></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><b><i><span style="color: #990000;">“Well, it’s my impression that our symphony orchestra got the same artistic reviews over this past year as they have had in previous years. We had 116 separate musicians that played with our orchestra (who were) not part of our (88-musician) complement — 116 additional musicians who sat in just last year. Yet no one’s told me that artistically we were any better or worse.” </span></i></b></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>
</b><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHOwSFxL3VRTsIrg3_7VDggIMzVuh6nN-kHRNmL3n4JlITxzKLprZLjf8eJ_P0YSwz_63Mu_G7XeN79qEfkYkhcL8xDluaGdfsbZguO5tqupbkubPwd3Z-K1WZcDlKjVCzBq5DpBfOBR3/s1600/cq2j1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHOwSFxL3VRTsIrg3_7VDggIMzVuh6nN-kHRNmL3n4JlITxzKLprZLjf8eJ_P0YSwz_63Mu_G7XeN79qEfkYkhcL8xDluaGdfsbZguO5tqupbkubPwd3Z-K1WZcDlKjVCzBq5DpBfOBR3/s1600/cq2j1.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A great meme circulating on Facebook!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My God…you don’t <i>know</i>? You can’t tell on your own? You need to be told how the group is doing artistically? Even worse, the comment seems to indicate that you are fine with status quo artistry. Never mind constantly trying to improve and grow (something artist do all the time). Everything is great because no one has informed you that the orchestra is any better or worse. So we’re good, right? </div>
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I walked into any corporate office in America and gave my “impressions” on how the business was operating based on what others told me, having no personal background or training in the field, I would be laughed off the property. Likewise, if you do not personally possess the artistic credentials to make expert calls on this issue on your own and you are being advised by such luminaries as Robert Spano and Donald Runnicles that the long term use of subs - no matter how talented they are in their own right - is not the way world class orchestras operate, should you not heed their words? This comment is astonishing to me because it seems as though you are unconcerned with what the experts in the field advise. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The WAC has to learn new changes. It must change the way it thinks. “Impressions” are irrelevant. The board’s sole job is to keep this miracle known as the ASO performing. This is a critically important, even sacred, responsibility. This is what you signed on to do because, ostensibly, <b>you love this orchestra</b>. If the money happens to fall short, this is a problem for the board, <i>not the musicians</i>. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They have given enough. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzQBH0YWpxEsoJ9hIE9eo6pjS84o4M7lFl70nO6BksacJy8RFwbiQDnjmFlb2YoL3hZuzQ-Dl8H63T6DSMn' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>CODA:</b> <i>A message from some great composers...</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-75643041770780074562014-09-26T01:06:00.001-04:002014-09-26T01:06:12.155-04:00Aftertones of Silence<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A
very deep and profound piece of music was performed on the evening of September
25, 2014. At 7:30 PM, at the very time the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra was to
begin performing the opening concert of their 70<sup>th</sup> Anniversary
Season, orchestra musicians, area students and devoted audience members stood
in utter silence in front of the locked doors of the Woodruff Arts Center. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U608vcBmj-0PzJ56-FKWbRhXGnSrkX1OAaT2i1WgEb1U6jVgDk9Qdz_haOwKAAUp3uuveGpy6Fr5-8vsSPXIbz0e60JVEDCxQZEe9olftbXH9U-hTT487Q7nLZjHY7rxqEYQyYFotNT9/s1600/10411931_585682074869921_5416282560631462936_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U608vcBmj-0PzJ56-FKWbRhXGnSrkX1OAaT2i1WgEb1U6jVgDk9Qdz_haOwKAAUp3uuveGpy6Fr5-8vsSPXIbz0e60JVEDCxQZEe9olftbXH9U-hTT487Q7nLZjHY7rxqEYQyYFotNT9/s1600/10411931_585682074869921_5416282560631462936_n.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The "opening night" program.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I
have been a working composer and performing musician for well over 30 years. I
can tell stories of musical performances that were so moving that I could not
read the music in front of me because of the tears that filled my eyes. I will
add tonight’s event among the very top of these rare and beautiful experiences.
It was a privilege to be standing shoulder to shoulder with so many people who
love this orchestra and are truly devastated by the shabby treatment world class
musicians are receiving at the hands of merciless administrators. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As
we stood in huddled silence around the musicians, dressed in their concert black
and cradling their precious instruments, I think we all instinctively knew that
this was a seminal moment for this orchestra. More than that, it felt like a
seminal moment for the entire city of Atlanta. This line drawn in the earth;
this powerful deafening silence ringing through the skyscrapers of Midtown
Atlanta; this flowering of support in a desert of despair - all bore witness to
the resolve of many against the few arrogant forces seeking to undermine true
artistry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuD2VSsQeijcMJnC65KRHgF0DIap3s80DJZ3cGM42fCvbxLMW8o9xZk_3a5UoIsFbS18hkBW369d57f5Q8q-R89yuLIU1T_IN2gb4Y1ez2OKY7V-YEApkQ8_1GKN5eMy2T7WHTya0N-47N/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuD2VSsQeijcMJnC65KRHgF0DIap3s80DJZ3cGM42fCvbxLMW8o9xZk_3a5UoIsFbS18hkBW369d57f5Q8q-R89yuLIU1T_IN2gb4Y1ez2OKY7V-YEApkQ8_1GKN5eMy2T7WHTya0N-47N/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The scene in front of the Woodruff Arts Center: Sept. 25, 2014</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When
the silence reached its climax, the assembled began to applaud. And they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">continued</i> to applaud. One by one,
orchestra members turned and faced their audience. Many of them were visibly
moved by this display of love and support. What a powerful moment! What a
memorable performance! If we hadn’t really known before, we all knew then and
there that the power of music to transform was real. It was real because we all
stood transformed by silence <i>and the mere memory of music.</i> In that one moment,
it was clear that lockouts and threats were powerless against the simple
silence of principle and deep integrity. As a friend of mine in the orchestra
reminded me this morning, this is a true existential moment for all of us who
love the arts in this city. Though administrators may hide behind spreadsheets
and budget reports, this conflict is not about money at all. This is a conflict
between those who wish to control the transforming power of music and those who
have dedicated their lives to liberating it for us all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Normally,
it is a composer that creates music that musicians perform. Tonight, however,
the plaza of the Woodruff Arts Center rang with a piece of music that no
composer could hope to match. It was a composition written in the hearts of the
men and women of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It
is a work of art I will never forget.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-12078863562785253612014-09-16T00:17:00.000-04:002014-09-16T01:08:06.838-04:00Killing Mahler<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m taking a break in this blog from my ongoing series, <i>The Outer Artist</i>, to comment on the ongoing lockout of the <b><a href="http://www.atlsymphonymusicians.com/" target="_blank">Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians</a></b> by management. If you follow me on any number of the social media platforms where I regularly post, you know that this is a topic that has been weighing on my mind of late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A lot of ink has been spilt outlining the situation; much of it from outside Atlanta. For a detailed report of where we are as of this writing, I encourage you to read an excellent article posted by Jenny Jarvie in ArtsATL.com: <a href="http://www.artsatl.com/2014/09/news-aso-lockout-enters-second-week" target="_blank">http://www.artsatl.com/2014/09/news-aso-lockout-enters-second-week</a>. To quote Jarvie’s article: </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“A major sticking point — one the musicians say they are unwilling to negotiate on — is management’s refusal to commit to a certain size of the orchestra. This would break with decades of U.S. orchestral history; all of the nation’s top companies have long specified the number of musicians in their collective bargaining agreements. Under the management proposal, the company’s president and CEO, Stanley Romanstein, would have final say on whether to fill orchestra vacancies. Romanstein, who declined requests for an interview last week, has said he is simply searching for a more “prudent” approach: under management’s proposal, any time a musician retired or departed, Romanstein would engage in a strategic conversation with music director Robert Spano about the importance of the vacant position. Romanstein, however, would hold the ultimate decision-making power.”</span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPA9NzmckEgkH6dzmw9PGGIIA9oqsESoPsn_7gKasGoxLfVCh1CB3cXi85-_msWFEZ6UiqjF8gRlOipiEvxeDbah6Cx_ZKF8CmjD38Pf-CHkt_GgThgPi8U36nsq3Dk-EjQRRpZZpYWM8/s1600/ASO_picket-MG_1990_cropped-credit-Mark-Gresham-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPA9NzmckEgkH6dzmw9PGGIIA9oqsESoPsn_7gKasGoxLfVCh1CB3cXi85-_msWFEZ6UiqjF8gRlOipiEvxeDbah6Cx_ZKF8CmjD38Pf-CHkt_GgThgPi8U36nsq3Dk-EjQRRpZZpYWM8/s1600/ASO_picket-MG_1990_cropped-credit-Mark-Gresham-2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>ASO musicians on the picket line. Photo by <a href="http://www.markgresham.com/home.html" target="_blank">Mark Gresham</a>.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So why should a <i>composer</i> care about this? After all, most major orchestras are not exactly beating paths toward contemporary music and relatively unknown composers. So does a composer really have a stake in the lockout of orchestral musicians? Does the compliment of players in the ensemble really affect a typical, non-famous, run-of-the-mill composer out there?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Obviously, I think it does or I wouldn’t be taking the time to write this. There is no need for me to catalog all the many injustices being heaped upon the orchestra players. These are well documented, easy to find online and worth your time to read. I’d like to approach this growing catastrophe from a different angle. Although I do quite a bit of performing, I am in no way able to truly speak from the perspective of an artist the caliber of any member of the ASO. However, I can offer one composer’s perspective.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First, let me backtrack by drawing an analogy. Aside from being a composer, I am a Grade-A class nerd. I’ve collected thousands of comic books, been to my fair share of comic book conventions over the years and have been known to indulge in science fiction/fantasy movies, TV shows and books on occasion. Really, I’m just one step away from dressing up and joining the parade at <a href="http://www.dragoncon.org/" target="_blank">DragonCon</a>. As a nerd, it’s no surprise then that many of my analogies are based on Star Trek. This to much eye-rolling from my students and family alike. What does something as inconsequential as a TV program have to do with the very real and serious issues a facing the arts community in Atlanta? For an answer, I turn to the final episode of the venerable series <i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i>. In an episode entitled <i>“All Good Things…”</i> Captain Picard encounters a phenomenon that disrupts not only the present but the future and the past as well. If left unchecked, the phenomenon would cause devastation to the entire universal timeline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Without trying to be too melodramatic (or nerdy), I believe that’s exactly what the consequences will be for the Atlanta arts community if this highly destructive lockout is not ended as quickly as possible. It’s literally destroying our art here in the present, in the future and in the past.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmzv0ppScav2rIpRb9uRoJFdhM8qUr1mpnAMpTB5I8YTI6JOE48hRUiRUe44RQHbDk_BJ_plwxVNHXj4o_5YZ4JL5XmDSIq-kmFzp6SBmFl-brXcdwxSJuGRVZFoOHUUqMEdM7itq3mOG/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmzv0ppScav2rIpRb9uRoJFdhM8qUr1mpnAMpTB5I8YTI6JOE48hRUiRUe44RQHbDk_BJ_plwxVNHXj4o_5YZ4JL5XmDSIq-kmFzp6SBmFl-brXcdwxSJuGRVZFoOHUUqMEdM7itq3mOG/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let’s look at the present. As I write these words, there are men and women facing very difficult circumstances. Their very lives and the lives of those they love are being affected by management’s actions. Right now, instead of preparing for the opening of their 70th Season, they walk a picket line. They are without a job. In a week or so, their season will begin to be dismantled – one concert at a time. At the end of the month, their health benefits will cease. These men and women are not unskilled laborers being treated poorly. That would be bad enough. No, these are <b>artists</b>. These are people who have sacrificed much and devoted their lives to perfecting their talent. Through indescribable hard work and determination they have earned a seat in one of the preeminent orchestras in the country if not the world. Their very presence in this city not only enriches our city’s culture from Symphony Hall but from all the various outside chamber ensembles and teaching venues where they can also be found. The symphony is, quite simply, the hub for an entire artistic eco-system. Moreover, world-class symphony musicians also draw more like-minded and talented artists to them, further enriching this city. Proof? Would <a href="http://www.robertspanomusic.com/" target="_blank">Robert Spano</a> have taken a job with a second rate regional orchestra? All that <i>was</i> happening and now it is not. For me, the work of world-class performing artists like the ASO musicians is a balm that soothes an increasingly savage world. Now, that balm has suddenly been removed and we are all already feeling the discomfort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What about the future? If management gets its way, these artists will begin fleeing the city of Atlanta in droves. Moreover, any new talent that had eyes on Atlanta will quickly look elsewhere. There is evidence that this is already happening. Please read the compelling article by bassist Andrew Goodlett. He is a young double bass player who had hopes of coming to Atlanta but is now rethinking this course of action: <a href="http://slippedisc.com/2014/09/if-atlanta-fails-there-goes-the-southeast-usa" target="_blank">http://slippedisc.com/2014/09/if-atlanta-fails-there-goes-the-southeast-usa</a>. The future looks increasingly bleak for the Atlanta arts scene if great young players like Andrew take a pass on moving here. If the orchestra simply becomes a AAA or AA farm club for the pros, how long will it be before the other arts in the city follow suit? To quote Andrew Goodlett, <i>“I completely stand by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians when they say they are an incredibly important part of the arts in their city. But I think America needs to understand they are their flagship arts organization not just for the city of Atlanta or state Georgia, but an entire region of the country.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the present and future look grim, surely the past is secure, right? Not really. If management – not Robert Spano - gets to determine the size of an orchestra, it then becomes very easy to value-engineer Mahler, Bruckner, Stravinsky, Berlioz and even Tchaikovsky (among many others) right out of existence in Atlanta. Why pay all that extra money in musician fees for Mahler’s <i>Symphony No. 2</i> or Stravinsky’s <i>Rite of Spring </i>when you can program a nice compact little Mozart symphony far more cheaply? This is not meant as a pejorative statement about Mozart, however if economics – not artistic vision – exclusively determine what can or cannot be programmed, a significant portion of our rich musical past may simply disappear. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a composer, this disruption to the timeline is not a plot out of science fiction. It’s very real. How can one get new music performed in the present climate of uncertainty? What kind of future will there be to get new works performed if no one is left to commission new pieces? What happens when vibrant chamber ensembles where orchestra players perform vanish? Who will be left to teach the next generation? What happens to the arts eco-system when the hub is irreparably degraded? It’s also disheartening for a composer to potentially watch Mahler disappear from Atlanta. If the past can be disposed of so easily, what are the chances for a modern composer?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I urge all composers – in and outside of Atlanta; student or seasoned pro alike – to lend whatever support you can to the ASO Symphony Musicians. This fight is all of our fight. Here are three ways to help: </span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Share, tweet, and retweet articles about the plight of our musicians to all your social media networks as often as time allows. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Like” <i>Save Our Symphony Atlanta </i>on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Our-Symphony-Atlanta/763900620340800" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Our-Symphony-Atlanta/763900620340800</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are able to help out financially, visit: <a href="http://www.icsom.org/news/20140910_call-to-action.php" target="_blank">http://www.icsom.org/news/20140910_call-to-action.php</a> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Every little bit helps. We cannot allow the ASO to be degraded and its musicians broken and scattered. Our musical present, future and even past depend upon supporting this wonderful orchestra.</span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-61194142572588007752014-08-29T12:21:00.000-04:002014-08-29T17:36:19.875-04:00The Outer Artist - Part 6: It’s Not About You - It’s About What You Do<div>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">Sixth in a series on the “business” of being a composer…</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In my previous post, I shared a not-so-secret desire that most composers possess: the longing to get their music “out there.” It’s not enough to merely write music. Having spent weeks, months or sometimes even years composing a new work, most composers are not content to simply sit alone and experience the fruit of their compositional efforts by listening to computer generated realizations of acoustic instruments. Even for purely electronic compositions, most of us want to share our art with others. Therefore, to varying degrees, composers are always on the lookout for more opportunities to write that next piece and get it performed in front of an audience. As mentioned last time, I just happen to have six strategies for getting my compositions “out there.” These are strategies that have helped me along the way. In last month's <a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-outer-artist-part-5-getting-out.html" target="_blank">blog post</a>, I wrote in some detail about the first three of these strategies. Once again, these first three - for those not scoring at home - are: </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">1. write for your friends; </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">2. students: your composition recital is not just a hoop; and </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">3. send your scores out to as many opportunities as you can. </span></b></div>
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There are an additional three actions that round out my top six strategies for getting one’s music performed. These strategies, however, are in my list due to an uncomfortable realization. It’s not about you - it’s about what you do. To paraphrase Officer Jim Malone (the character brilliantly portrayed by Sean Connery in Brian De Palma's 1987 film, <i>The Untouchables</i>): “You said you wanted to get your music performed. Do you really wanna get it performed? You see what I’m saying is, <i>what are you prepared to do? </i>” </div>
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Well, here is what I am prepared to do:</div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">4. Think like a presenter.</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrt65BekN08Lq2SKa5Q_S1GqQc8nHDvuJXSlWrhU6NLzs-jqSURW2TEKaEslvrfp0Tlsd5DiHmlB4ZfOOJ8iJmozTTJHTUpyC_PWQWM-f-Qy2uumiLSl7iY5ox-jVHXoDXvQk3uZ6fBB3f/s1600/10357464_10100330188707512_5733399234119851595_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrt65BekN08Lq2SKa5Q_S1GqQc8nHDvuJXSlWrhU6NLzs-jqSURW2TEKaEslvrfp0Tlsd5DiHmlB4ZfOOJ8iJmozTTJHTUpyC_PWQWM-f-Qy2uumiLSl7iY5ox-jVHXoDXvQk3uZ6fBB3f/s1600/10357464_10100330188707512_5733399234119851595_n.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A recent work that poses no major <br />logistical problems for presenters.</i></td></tr>
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It takes a certain amount of hubris to be a composer. After all, a composer assumes that what has been written is so important that it warrants a group of strangers to leave their homes, deal with parking and other transportation issues, sometimes even part with money and then give up a portion of their lifespan in order to sit quietly and attentively listen. A composer also assumes that the music written is so compelling that it warrants a casual expectation that musicians will devote hours and hours of their time and energy to practicing the new work then give up an evening of their life to perform the music all for the perk of being grossly underpaid (if paid at all) for their trouble. Finally, the composer is often blissfully unconcerned with how a new piece might integrate with other works on a program or with any logistics associated with its presentation</div>
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Composers may not think this way consciously, of course. However, on some level, I must admit to having held each of these assumptions myself. Over the years, experience taught me that to truly get my music performed often, I had to lay aside many of these assumptions and selfish expectations. Once I began to understand that it is impossible for a composer to successfully (and consistently) receive performances without the help of others, I began to stop thinking exclusively of my own desires and began to take into account other factors. I stopped thinking exclusively as a composer and began also thinking like those upon whose help I depend to get my music heard.</div>
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First and foremost, a composer is dependent upon a <b><span style="color: #990000;">presenter</span></b> to program his or her music on a concert. The presenter could be a conductor trying to put together a program. The presenter could also just as easily be a performer or chamber ensemble. The presenter could even be another composer hosting a conference or festival and responsible for filling slots in a series of concerts. What are the issues that presenters commonly think about? </div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Instrumentation and technical requirements. </span></b></div>
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Are pieces easy to program or do they require a lot of extra work? Does the score call for instruments not readily accessible by the group? Are there lots of parts that require doubling? (If professional players are employed, doubling requirements result in higher fees and may even include additional cartage fees.) Are you using percussion? If so, does your score call for 27 different percussion instruments including a full set of timpani, chimes and every drum known to the civilized world? Who has to cart all that gear? How long is it going to take to set-up and tear-down? Beyond percussion, does the score call for an intricate technical set-up involving computers, proprietary software, effects processing, lights, the presence of audio engineers and hours of pre-concert set-up time? </div>
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Or, are we talking about a simple woodwind quintet? </div>
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When composing a new work, I try to always consider how my choices in writing might affect the decisions of future presenters. The more difficult I make it to perform a piece, the more likely a presenter might take a pass on my score. The music itself might be brilliant but the logistics necessary to perform the piece could be insurmountable for some presenters. Of course, there are many well-known composers out there with reputations for writing extremely difficult and technically demanding music. But for me, that’s the point. I am not well-known. I don’t have the luxury of fame. Fame in our field often removes shackles and allows a composer to do whatever he or she wants. Relative obscurity makes such demands a possible impediment to repeated performances. This does not mean that a composer must exclusively write technically and logistically simple music. It simply means that one should <u>pay attention</u>. Think about what a presenter has to do to mount a piece of music. It might behoove the less well-known composer, if possible, to present a musical idea in a simpler way <i>as long as artistic integrity is not compromised</i>. </div>
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How long is the composition? Total duration often signals where a piece may be slotted in a program order. It is useful for a composer to imagine where a presenter might place a piece on a concert. Is the work 5 minutes or less? If so short, why even program it? Perhaps it would serve as a fanfare or small overture in relation to the other pieces on a concert. If so - market it that way. The current “Goldilocks” range for contemporary music is approximately 10 minutes in total duration. Most contests and score calls seek works of this time frame (give or take a couple of minutes). It's always handy to have a bunch of pieces with this duration in one’s catalog. A piece lasting over 15 minutes tends to be considered more of a major work. Given that most concerts contain well less than two full hours of actual music (not counting an intermission or set-up between pieces), a single piece lasting 15 minutes or longer could constitute 20% or more of the total music offered on one concert. Why would a presenter devote so much time on a program to just one composer? If you have won major prizes and enjoy high recognition in the field, it makes sense. If your awards are more modest and your visibility not quite as high, then a long piece might be a harder sell. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw55S4EhljYGFneTN2pxDuajzlf6GwiOG8i3COjkQ5_-4b3ZM9oaMqQM9EC1VR6GAbFSpYztrmqtgR5Bl2HC0FLeKJFp2naCk5EE03TeHaaVqXdPudLNXb-2qD4844V_6PHYss5gbyDrP/s1600/md7dss002ih.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw55S4EhljYGFneTN2pxDuajzlf6GwiOG8i3COjkQ5_-4b3ZM9oaMqQM9EC1VR6GAbFSpYztrmqtgR5Bl2HC0FLeKJFp2naCk5EE03TeHaaVqXdPudLNXb-2qD4844V_6PHYss5gbyDrP/s1600/md7dss002ih.jpeg" height="182" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://md7.org/Eng/home.html" target="_blank">Ensemble MD7</a>. Grateful for their recent commission<br />& premiere of my music. Photo: Mira Herak Usenik</i></td></tr>
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All bets are off for commissions, of course. I just completed a 20 minute commissioned work for a chamber group with a non-standard instrumentation. I was guaranteed not only a premiere (which occurred a few days ago as of this writing) but at least one subsequent performance as well. Since it was an international commission, I decided to pursue the opportunity. However, outside of this commissioning ensemble, I know, in my heart, that the future of this particular piece is uncertain. Nevertheless, I made the conscious decision to proceed with the work anyway. </div>
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Making these types of decisions about a composition brings me to the fifth of my six strategies for getting music off the computer or desk and into the concert hall: <b><span style="color: #990000;">think like an entrepreneur. </span></b></div>
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But more on that in the next exciting installment of this nail-biting series! As always, if you find any of this useful, please feel free to repost or forward to other interested parties. I also welcome comments on anything I’ve scribbled down here! </div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 32px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2133px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 32px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2133px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 32px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2132px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 32px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2132px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-63388769107991453592014-07-15T00:32:00.000-04:002014-07-19T14:43:15.595-04:00The Outer Artist - Part 5: Getting Out There <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fifth in a series on the "business" of being a composer...</span></i><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I was a student, I thought the trickiest part of a composition career was learning my craft and navigating through my degree programs. As formidable as those endeavors seemed to be at the time, they pale before my continuing efforts to build a successful career as a professional composer. Like every creative artist, the composer has a deep desire to create Art and share it with an audience. In the pursuit of that lifelong endeavor, the real trick is to get that next performance, to obtain that next commission, to somehow - once again - have a composition heard by an audience or easily accessible via professional recordings. Never mind pushing oneself to the so-called “next level,” even merely sustaining a career takes considerable ongoing effort. While we all wish to make a comfortable living simply by composing Art Music, “success” in a composition career is rarely defined by income. While awards and accolades are one measurement of success, a better indicator for me is how visible composers are within the field and how widely their music is recorded and performed. Awards are subjective. For me, “success” is not driven solely by income statements and trophy cases but by how well I am able to participate in the cultural and artistic life of my community, my country….heck, even my planet! </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To achieve any modicum of success in sharing music with a wide audience, I believe a composer must work from a solid foundation as detailed in the previous entries in this series. After all, the music must be compelling in some way or why bother learning it or listening to it? Assuming one possesses the talent and the compelling voice, a big question yet remains. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>What do I need to do in order to get my music “out there?”</i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the concern that seems to really preoccupy most composers. Just how does one go about getting more opportunities to write music and hear it performed? Well…this wouldn’t be much of a blog if I didn’t at least try to answer questions I pose. I have six strategies for getting compositions “out there” that have helped me along the way. To keep this post manageable, I’ll present the first three strategies here and the rest in the next entry to this blog.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1. Write for your friends.</b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Performer friends are always your best initial resource. This is true for the student composer as well as the graduate out in the world with some type of degree already hanging on the wall. While still a student, many of your classmates are performers who might be very willing to at least look over a piece. Also, the student friends you have today could become important professional colleagues and advocates in the future. When school days are behind you, friends are area professionals or (if you have landed a teaching position of some kind) faculty colleagues. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't forget about the pro-am artists out there. These so-called “professional amateurs” are dedicated performers, often with high-level training and wonderful musicianship who have non-music or non-performance “day jobs.” Some may even have had past professional experience. Remember, many people probably regarded the composer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ives" target="_blank">Charles Ives</a> as only an insurance agent during his lifetime. Keep your eyes and ears open.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT1FbMX6gj0cr2ju-WfdvB0fi_jrR2C9_GUUrpvRgO1BC6C-p0MKOwfsqGwYFiasxIl2nAOUKYedipi5daY1P7Bu-9hpkuQqfWiirrxtWglQ_uiwslhL5Ye-5hYz_x7chJtj5BXOXozQD/s1600/8+shade+band.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT1FbMX6gj0cr2ju-WfdvB0fi_jrR2C9_GUUrpvRgO1BC6C-p0MKOwfsqGwYFiasxIl2nAOUKYedipi5daY1P7Bu-9hpkuQqfWiirrxtWglQ_uiwslhL5Ye-5hYz_x7chJtj5BXOXozQD/s1600/8+shade+band.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Old & new friends: my pal, <a href="http://www.jonathanwhitaker.com/" target="_blank">Jon Whitaker</a>, fellow <br />trombonists Christian Paarup, Matthew Winter &<br />Russell Ballenger & the <a href="http://www.manaquartet.com/home/Mana.html" target="_blank">Mana Quartet</a> (Thomas Giles,<br />Michael Hernandez, Dannel Espinoza & Cole Belt. <br />Photo taken after their premiere of my work, <br />"eight shades of metal."</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Whether your relationship is with a classmate, colleague or pro-am artist, it is important to </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">be a friend</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> yourself. Don’t be “that” composer who only selfishly views performers as objects; means to an end. Develop real relationships with people. Attend your friends’ concerts and recitals. Support their artistic expression in any way you can. When you feel comfortable enough to ask them to look at your music - or better yet, if they ask you for a piece - </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">collaborate</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> with them. Dedicating a composition to performers is only the <i>very</i> least you can do. Besides just typing in a dedication, allow your friends input into the creation of the work. Ask questions. It’s been my experience that performers know much more about their respective instruments than can be gleaned from an orchestration textbook. They also usually enjoy sharing their knowledge and expertise. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most importantly, respond to their concerns and suggestions. This doesn’t mean you need to check your artistic integrity at the door simply to snag a performer. If your music is unidiomatic for the instrument or just plain near impossible to play, work with the performer. Explain your motivations and compositional choices. The performer may come up with a solution that works better idiomatically and still fulfills your artistic vision. Be open and flexible to that possibility. If, however, the music demands to be performed exactly the way you have presented it, I have found that performers will nevertheless be happy to try and make your music work to the best of their ability. Your openness, however, to their concerns and explanations as to why you might need to stick to your guns in a particular situation will be met with much more acceptance when the player is consulted and respected.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, your music notation must be immaculate. The time and effort you put into preparing a gorgeous and clearly notated part gives the performer a good indication of your level of professionalism, how seriously you take your creative activity and how much you respect them. Great looking parts also save a lot of precious rehearsal time!<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2.</b> <b>It’s not just a hoop.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This strategy is directed specifically to any composition students reading this blog. There are many maddening hoops that students must go through in order to earn their degrees. The higher the degree, the more onerous and sometimes more pointless the hoops become. A composition recital is </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">not</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> one of those hoops. Students who treat the recital as merely one more item to tick off their “to-do” list are missing an important opportunity. Unless you become truly “famous,” there will never be another time that an entire concert will be devoted exclusively to your music. So first and foremost, enjoy the event! However, in planning your recital, think carefully about how the pieces you write for a graduation requirement will still help you in the future. Create a diverse offering of compositions using as many different instrumentations and/or technologies as you can. I always tell my students that the real value of the recital is not the evening itself but the portfolio of scores with well rehearsed and performed recordings of the respective compositions that remain well after the applause has faded away. Spend the necessary time to organize the recital correctly. Don’t wait until the last minute to secure players or begin rehearsals. The documented recordings you get from the recital may well be the only recordings you will ever get of some of the pieces. These recordings are critical when sending pieces off to contests or other opportunities. As an example of how “student” pieces can be of importance later, I don’t need to go beyond my own catalog. Check out <i><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&i=31" target="_blank">Three Gestures for Solo Cello</a></i> or the mixed ensemble piece, <i><a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/index.cfm?pagename=works&i=32" target="_blank">Mnimosinon</a></i>. These were both pieces written for my doctoral recital at the <a href="http://www.cim.edu/" target="_blank">Cleveland Institute of Music</a>. Due to good recordings from the recital, outstanding professional performers later became interested in performing the works and the pieces eventually found their way onto my debut recording, <i><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aegean-counterpoint-chamber/id482716341" target="_blank">Aegean Counterpoint</a></i>. If I had not taken the recital extremely seriously as important for my <i>career</i> (not just my <i>degree</i>), I may not have had the pieces for this recording.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3.</b> <b>The best cold calls are never really cold.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Any professional conductor or performer will tell you that possibly the least effective way to get them to perform your music is to send unsolicited scores. Most unsolicited scores either find their way to some out of the way stack of music in a closet or simply thrown out. Performers and conductors tend to work with composers they know and like on either a professional or personal level. Without this connection, the unsolicited score becomes a very hard sell. So how is a composer expected to get their music in front of <i>new</i> eyes and into <i>new</i> ears? When conductors and performers </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">ask</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> for scores, of course. And they ask for new music quite often. A quick perusal of <b><a href="http://www.composerssite.com/" target="_blank">The Composer’s Site</a></b> alone will find nearly 300 listed opportunities for composers at any one time. I firmly believe that composers should take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible on an ongoing basis. However, composers should also be aware that the very high odds are that most submissions will result in a rejection letter. I know a thing or two about those (see my blog from December 8, 2010, entitled <i><a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2010/12/dear-composer.html" target="_blank">“Dear Composer…”</a></i>). The truth is, one can reasonably only expect to be successful or even moderately successful (coming in second, or getting the dreaded “Honorable Mention”) a small percentage of the time. Maybe I'm a masochist, but I have actually charted my success rate over the years. My submissions are selected or recognized about 10% of the time on average. Thus for every award listed in my C.V., there are nine rejection letters. If you wish to get your music “out there,” you must submit your work regularly. The more you submit, the greater your odds become of something positive happening. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a very personal aside, I also do not have a problem with opportunities that charge entry fees. Many of my colleagues will no doubt disagree with this position. There are plenty of “free” submission calls out there but also a significant number that require an entrance fee. I am always prepared to spend a little for score calls. There are often legitimate reasons why an organization may need to charge an entry fee. The most reputable organizations often spell out what the fees cover. I enter fee based submissions on a case-by-case basis. If the entry fee seems reasonable, I pay it. If it it seems excessively high to me, I’ll take a pass. The comfort zone for payment will, of course, vary with composers and their personal situations. The point is, I do not automatically purge all fee based submission opportunities from consideration. Also remember, like many “free” app purchases on your phone, there can be “in-app” purchase requirements later. Some organizations sponsor free submission to opportunities but if a composer is selected, mandate that the composer join the organization to receive a performance. This usually entails a year-long membership obligation and a membership fee. Other ensembles will not cover travel and lodging expenses for composers who must travel to hear a prize winning performance. Whether upfront or at the backend, composers should be prepared to pay something to submit works. Composers also need to be prepared for disappointment much of the time. I haven’t met the successful composer yet who does not have trunks of rejection letters, multiple bruises to the ego in various stages of healing and some really thick skin.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet, when a submission <i>is</i> successful, it’s not just a new item to place in the C.V. The success of the submission usually results in an accompanying performance of pre-existing music or the opportunity to compose a new work for musicians who up until the time of the score call did not even know your name. Moreover, if you present yourself professionally and are able to start a relationship with the musicians involved in the initial score call, it can lead to additional opportunities in the future. Remember - writing for your friends is always the best way to go. These friends can be your school chums or are new faces met through a successful submission process. The rewards of success in a submission both in terms of the initial project and potential for future collaborations are so great that I believe they warrant frequent submissions to all opportunities. So one must submit, submit and submit again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Composition students often complain to me that they cannot submit to various opportunities because they lack the proper pieces in their respective catalogs. I always remind them that their composition recitals are the perfect vehicle to remedy this situation. If, for example, a composer finds dozens of score calls for choral works but cannot enter due to the fact that he or she has never written for choir, let this be a significant factor in deciding what types of music to include on a recital. The recital is a requirement anyway. Let it work for your future career as well as your short term degree requirement needs. This strategy is critical while you are in school. Once out, unless a composer has a large catalog of diverse works, it becomes more difficult to take advantage of opportunities. I think it is a risky gamble to write a piece specifically for a contest. As mentioned earlier, the high odds are that you will not be successful. Then the piece written becomes orphaned and its chances of ever being heard diminish steadily over time. If you must write on spec for an opportunity, at least have a back-up plan for a performance of the work. Going back to the choral example, do you know a decent choir in your community that might be willing to perform the work? Do you have friends in the group that can advocate on your behalf? Can you secure a performance? If the answer is yes to these questions, proceed with the piece in confidence that your hard work will at the very least result in a performance and (hopefully) a decent recording that you can then use for future submission opportunities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">You may have noticed that the three strategies presented above deal mostly with relationships. Building and maintaining positive personal and professional relationships are absolutely critical for success in getting one’s music “out there.” A solid network of relationships </span>is the result of nurturing existing friendships and making new friends via score calls. It doesn't come quickly.<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">True long term success in the Arts is certainly not for the impatient or the insincere. In the end, like most things in life, "success" ultimately boils down to how we treat one another.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next time, I’ll turn to my remaining three strategies: thinking like a presenter, thinking like an entrepreneur and becoming really visible in the field. I hope you’ll hang in there with me! As always, if you find any of this useful, please feel free to repost or forward to other interested parties. I also welcome comments on anything I’ve scribbled down here! </span></span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-51720907578920687612014-05-30T11:06:00.000-04:002014-06-05T11:17:38.817-04:00The Outer Artist - Part 4: The Teacher After Your Teacher<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Fourth in a series on the “business” of being a composer…</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the scariest moments I ever faced as a composer occurred way back in the summer of 1992. I was working on a short virtuosic duo for bass clarinet & cello entitled <i>Postscript </i>and must confess from the outset to those yearning for a good adventure yarn that nothing really dramatic occurred during the actual composition of the work. Rather, the <i>circumstances</i> surrounding the writing of this particular piece were scary for me. The composition put me at a crossroads in my young career as I was trying out two things I had never done before. First, I decided to use a computer for the notation of the piece. Though it must seem incomprehensible to those younger composers out there reading this blog, there once was a time when composers wrote scores in pencil and then arduously copied the work over using pens, ink, rulers, vellum paper and a fairly robust amount of patience. Given the state of computers and music notation software in the late 20th Century, my trepidation should not seem too odd.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As nervous as I was to use the computer for the first time, there was a second circumstance that caused even greater unease and truly placed me at the crossroads in my career. In 1992, I had just completed my D.M.A. at the <a href="http://www.cim.edu/" target="_blank">Cleveland Institute of Music</a> under my extraordinary teacher and mentor, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Erb" target="_blank">Donald Erb</a>. It was the summer before I moved from Cleveland to Atlanta and began my first academic appointment. On my way out the door, I decided to write one more piece for the road. Thus, <i>Postscript</i> became the first really serious piece I composed completely on my own. Up until the writing of this duo, all my compositions and gone through the scrutiny of my teachers: <a href="http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/Obituary-Roger-Durham-Hannay-19302006/" target="_blank">Roger Hannay</a> during my undergraduate studies and Donald Erb thereafter during most of my graduate work. As <i>Postscript</i> was my fist solo voyage as a composer, I was filled with burning questions: Was I ready to be my own teacher? Could I look critically at my own work the same way Erb or Hannay did? Would the piece be any good not having had a single lesson with a master composer while writing it?</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Donald Erb (1927-2008)</i></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unlike the fear of using a computer, students today may still understand the unease of working alone for the first time. To address my fear while writing <i>Postscript,</i> I constantly tried to imagine what Erb would say about the piece. This was fairly easy at the time as the echo of my teacher’s voice had hardly faded from my ears, much less my memory. Time however can be a cruel companion in life. Over the years, it has become harder to easily remember everything I was taught. I am grateful that I at least paid very close attention during my lessons. This allowed me to retain many of the most important lessons Erb and Hannay had to teach. It has also been extremely helpful that I have become a composition teacher myself. Most of what my teachers taught me is still passed on to my students. However, if my memory still gets a little fuzzy, I simply play my teachers’ music and listen intently. Everyone knows the power of music to transport one back in time. Merely hearing my teachers’ music again instantly brings me back to my lessons. Their voices and admonitions become fresh again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As useful as it is to remember one’s training, however, I don’t think a composer should rely solely on ghosts from the past. In addition to remembering past teachers, I have also come to rely on a <i>new</i> composition teacher. This teacher can be brutally honest and dispassionate to a fault. If I pay attention to this new teacher as keenly as I did my former mentors, I find my professional career moving in a positive direction. If I ignore this teacher, I begin to stagnate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This teacher is my </span><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curriculum_vitae" target="_blank">curriculum<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> vitae</span></a></b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you’ve read any other entries in this blog, you might immediately note that I often draw a big distinction between obligations and work. The true <i>work</i> of a composer is to write music. That’s it. Everything else is an obligation. Maintaining a current CV may seem like the quintessential obligation of a university professor. For the academic, the CV is a necessary tool for obtaining a university position and once secured, providing a formal record for evaluation. So why the emphasis on such a stodgy document? </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A recent performance of my work, <br />"Chasing Time." Always a good item to list in a CV. </i></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Simply put, the CV can be the warehouse wherein a creative artist stores the documentation of all facets of a career in one place. A comprehensive CV allows one to constantly take an inventory of a career. It’s the opportunity for <i>evaluation </i>that I find to be my best teacher. That’s why I believe the CV is important. It’s so important that I believe every composer should have one whether they teach for a living or not. It’s not the university administrator or search committee that is actually the most important reader of the C.V. The most important evaluator of my CV is me.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6IcCzCPZEXJANI3l94-WwRzFcILeK1tHT0TNnx6LFM3BWUR_NtobTm5Sw0GoAwYnhP4hXlEqC3bPeNTSjjuXaMdfvm0BC4wZCCjZaWSa32aB3Agc9jyoZAosH6xMbNYK9sNmCq0qK4VI/s1600/NJD+&+Zervas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6IcCzCPZEXJANI3l94-WwRzFcILeK1tHT0TNnx6LFM3BWUR_NtobTm5Sw0GoAwYnhP4hXlEqC3bPeNTSjjuXaMdfvm0BC4wZCCjZaWSa32aB3Agc9jyoZAosH6xMbNYK9sNmCq0qK4VI/s1600/NJD+&+Zervas.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Another good CV entry: Composer <br />Athanasios Zervas and myself after <br />a neoPhonia Concert on March 25, 2014.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are broad categories that all composition CVs have in common irrespective of format: a catalog of works, lists of awards, commissions, performances, recordings and reviews among others. How do these categories teach a composer anything? Let’s take the example of the first category usually found in a CV, a person’s education. What is the highest degree listed? What degree should be at the top? Many composers try to fill in DMA or Ph.D in that line. Why might this be a good idea? Is it absolutely necessary given one’s personal career goals? How you feel about that first category goes a long way towards answering where your energy should be spent. If teaching in academia is an important career objective, that top line needs to list a doctoral degree. If teaching in a university is not a priority, what’s the alternative game plan? Very few composers make it out there just by writing concert music. If created honestly, what is (and, importantly, is <i>not</i>) listed in a CV can be an good indicator of one’s career to date and its trajectory. Longing to fill deficiencies in education, a catalog of compositions as well as the aforementioned lists of awards, commissions, grants, recordings and reviews helps one to begin to prioritize. If you notice that you only have a few pieces in your catalog, <i>get busy</i> and start writing. If you lack performances of your work, an impressive trophy case of awards, commissions or recordings (or anything else that may be important to you), then <i>get busy</i> submitting to or creating opportunities. When you do find opportunities but learn that they seem to consistently ask for works in genres you have never written for, check your CV and look at your catalog of works once again. It will teach you something. Note the deficiencies throughout this document and do something about them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ll have more to say in the next blog entry in this series about strategies for submitting to and creating your own opportunities. For now, here are a three final thoughts about the C.V. itself:</span></span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Once you commit to creating a CV, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">research formats of similar documents by people you trust.</span></b> These folks could include teachers, classmates or simply composers you admire. Click <a href="http://nickitasdemos.com/media/media/06_Curriculum%20Vitae/00_CV_NJD.pdf" target="_blank">HERE</a> for a peek at my CV. It’s </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">not</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> <b><i>the</i></b> way to format such a document by any means. I make it available here simply as a point of reference and a possible model to use when adapting a similar document to <i>your</i> specific needs. </span></span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Make sure the CV is free of all superfluous material.</span></b> One might not be able to define what “fluff” is in a CV, but everyone sure knows it when they see it. So there is no need to list your fast food retail experience in high-school, your Citizenship Award from elementary school or really anything that takes away from the focal point of the document: an honest presentation of your work as a composer. If you list as much information about work in another field (performance, music theory research, etc.), then the CV becomes confused. A reader may wonder, “Is this person a theorist, a composer or a performer? This person lists as many research papers as compositions. What is the priority?” If you seem to be going in many directions at once and not succeeding at the level you had hoped for in any one of them, an honest look at your CV may provide the reasons. A CV must have a central thrust. By focusing on the discipline you most want to highlight in the CV, you have answered an important question about your professional priorities. For example, when I went through this exercise, I learned that, despite my extensive performance background, what I really wanted to be was a <i>composer</i> who performs rather than a <i>performer</i> who composes. There is a very big difference in these two. One is not better than another, but they are distinct paths and require different priorities in life. You might experience a similar epiphany if you confront your CV honestly. </span></span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once you have created your CV and made sure that it is honest, accurate and free from all fluff, the document serves another important purpose. <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">It becomes the platform from where you can launch a substantive and successful online presence.</span></b> This is a topic for another (hopefully shorter) entry in this series! </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The road to presenting the “Outer Artist” then begins at home with the lowly </span>curriculum<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> vitae. Despite its stodgy name and academic baggage, it’s the first and maybe most important tool in the composer’s toolbox. It's also a great teacher!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As always, if you find anything of use in this article, or any of the others in this series, please feel free to repost or forward to other interested parties. I also welcome comments on anything I’ve scribbled down here! </i> </span></span></div>
Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4177147400020352409.post-86248046543763723912014-03-18T14:24:00.000-04:002014-03-18T14:55:29.216-04:00The Outer Artist - Part 3: Multitasking<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Third in a series on the “business” of being a composer…</span></i></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s not uncommon for students to come into composition lessons brimming with ideas and music. This creative enthusiasm is, of course, most pronounced at the outset of a semester, well before the burdens of the average term begin to weigh a student down. As discussed at some length in my previous blog post, part of the reason that students begin to experience a let-down in creative activity is due to their failure in differentiating their “work” (i.e., composing) from their obligations. However, there is another factor that may contribute to the inevitable slow down of output. Simply put, students may be too discursive in their creative energy. Very often, students will bring in bits and pieces of several pieces they are working on: 10 measures of a string quartet here; a few bars of a piano sonata there; a diagram of the form for their proposed orchestra piece, etc. In showing me all these musical fragments, the student will express frustration in not knowing how to proceed or “being stuck” or even experiencing the dreaded “writer’s block.” Their frustration leads to questions such as, “How can I organize these ideas? How do I overcome this block?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When thinking about <i>how</i> one writes music I usually do not focus on the actual creative act itself. For me, this is a mystery. It is something that is essentially unteachable. One moment there is an empty stave and the next, there are a series of notes; one carefully placed after another. Where did those notes come from? How were they selected? Why are they in that order? Do they have to be in that order? Why are those notes designated for those particular instruments or voices? How is it that one minute there is nothing and the next, music appears? How <i>exactly</i> did that happen?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These are questions I have a hard enough time trying to answer for myself let alone trying to answer for someone else. In fact, I would never try to answer for another composer. Once a series of notes is on the page, I can look at them; analyze them; rearrange them; and begin to discern a pattern. Once there are notes, I can help a student composer begin the process of refining his or her craft. But how to conjure the music up in the first place? As I’ve touched on in previous articles, creating something out of nothing requires a good imagination, the drive to communicate something, having something one feels is worthwhile to say in the first place and the skills to effectively translate ideas to someone else.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Every creative artist knows what I’m talking about when I say there is a very lonely moment early in the creative process where no one can help you. It’s the moment of the blank page. No one can give you creativity. No one can lend you talent or determination. No one can pop open your skull and pour in the imagination and experience you need to draw upon to create. A person is alone in this endeavor and absolutely alone at the moment of creation. This is where the “Inner Artist”dwells.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, this series of articles concerns itself with the “Outer Artist.” So stipulating that I really can’t help someone be “creative,” let me circle back to the point of frustration expressed by student composers. How can they proceed when they are “stuck?” In these cases my advice to the student is always the same: “You cannot actively work on more than one piece at the same time.” Part of the frustration a composer feels may well stem from <i>actively</i> trying to compose several works simultaneously. Inevitably, a composer will begin to drift towards one piece over another. Seeing a look of disappointment in their eyes when I share this view with my students, I quickly add. “I want you to hear me clearly. I do think you can - and should - work on more than one piece at a time. You just cannot <i>actively</i> do so.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So what’s the trick then? For me, it helps to consider that there are five distinct stages in music composition:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• an idea;</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• active writing;</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• notation/score & part preparation;</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• rehearsal; and</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• performance practice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the first stage, a composer is struck with an idea. It may be nothing more than the desire to create a work using a particular instrumentation. Perhaps the idea is to compose a piece for a friend. In my case, an idea is planted in me the moment person or ensemble commissions a new work. I have recently been commissioned to write works by several groups. For each one, my imagination immediately began working on basic ideas of shape, form, duration, timbral possibilities. I find myself shifting my thoughts from piece to piece; rolling ideas around in my mind like beautifully polished gems in my hands. Not a note has been written, and yet - at least imaginatively - I am already “composing.” My aural imagination works quickly, almost effortlessly, fueled by over 30 years of experience in composing, performing and listening. It is also fueled by a lifetime of reading, writing, drawing and viewing as well. The larger the aural imagination, the easier it is to “compose” in stage one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Having developed my ideas internally, I find that when I move into stage two - active composing - the music seems to flow a bit easier. This is the stage where decisions about actual notes happen. It’s the active stage of writing music into blank music staves. Of course, the work does not always progress smoothly in this stage. I often have rolled up pieces of paper lying about my feet and a seemingly endless stack of sketches before working out exactly what I want to say. For me, this is the hardest stage. However, I can’t imagine how much more difficult the process would be if I had not had some initial ideas to prime the pump.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once a piece is completed, I move into stage three: notation. This is a stage that seems foreign to many composers now because so many use a computer to compose music. I am just old enough to have begun my career before computer notation was viable. I learned all about the proper rules of notation from the master music calligrapher, Eric Benson, while a doctoral student at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Since all my compositions began as hand-written pencil manuscripts, it was simply part of the process to spend a great deal of time notating them by hand as well. Even when I moved away from inks and vellum paper and finally embraced computer notation, I never lost the sense that notation was a separate craft from active composition. To this day, most of my music is still hand-written. The advantage of treating notation as a separate activity is that it also serves as another stage in actually composing music. As I carefully notate a piece that has already been hand written, note by note I am essentially proofreading my work as well. Often during this process, significant alterations are made and mistakes are corrected. By making the piece better, I am still composing. For those students who actively write at the computer in stage two, I urge them not to worry too much about notational issues such as formatting pages, correcting weird looking articulations and phrases, etc. If they work at a computer, my advice is to try and write in a landscape view to escape the temptation of integrating format with active composing. Trying to notate while actively composing may slow down the creative process. Allowing for the luxury of a second pass through the piece, once fully written, to deal with proper notational issues provides the same opportunity I enjoy by going from hand-written score to computer notation.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Valuable rehearsal (composing) time! Yours truly pictured <br />at a neoPhonia dress rehearsal on Feb. 17, 2014. We were<br />working on "Cavafy Moods" by <a href="http://music.cofc.edu/about/faculty-and-staff-listing/vassilandonakis-yiorgos.php" target="_blank">Yiorgos Vassilandonakis</a> <br />premiered on Feb. 18, 2014.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once a piece is finished and beautifully notated, the composition process is still not complete. I consider rehearsals to be a very valuable opportunity for refining a composition. It is so valuable that I consider it the fourth stage in the creative process. We all know how awful a computer-generated rendition of acoustic music can sound. Therefore, even though a compeer may think he or she knows what an acoustic piece is going to sound like, a first rehearsal can still be surprising. It is in rehearsal that performers can (and should) be allowed to refine the music. (Don’t worry about conductors. They will most definitely refine the music!) Most often it is dynamics that need to be adjusted. However, I have often made even more substantive changes on the fly during a rehearsal based on conductor or performer comments; altering the actual notes in a phrase; changing octaves; etc. This is still composition! In fact, it is perhaps the most exciting type of composing. It is an opportunity to receive instant feedback. Even if a composer is not present for rehearsals, sometimes just asking the players remotely for their input is valuable. As a composer gains more experience, this stage may become less critical. In fact, I often tell my students that a long term goal should be to reach a point where ideas and clarity of musical notation are so precisely presented that a composer should arrive to a premiere having never worked with performers and still be happy with how the piece sounds. Yet, think about how far so many of us are from that! Only by working with performers and learning in the rehearsal process do we begin towards that lofty goal.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Great way to assess my music! The<br />recently released solo album by <br />trombonist, <a href="http://www.jonathanwhitaker.com/" target="_blank">Jonathan Whitaker</a>. </i><br />
<i>Features my work, "Tonoi VIII."</i></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The final stage in the composition process is a retroactive assessment of a piece. Once a work is performed, the composer hopes for repeat performances and/or a very good recording that can be shared either through traditional distribution channels or via more personal means such as YouTube, Soundcloud, etc. (Always with the understanding that players have agreed to the distribution of their performances.) A good solid recording certainly aids other performers interested in performing a work. However, I always find it fascinating to hear different interpretations of my music in live performance. It is inevitable that different performers will be bring unique elements to a piece. If that were not the case, why are there hundreds of recordings of Beethoven symphonies? While I am not a big fan of major revisions to a piece after a premiere (I tend to preach a “fix-it-in-the-next-piece” approach), I nevertheless can learn from pieces that get several performances. It is in this context that I learn whether or not what I’ve written is simply unplayable and not particularly idiomatic or whether my initial assessment of a work is the result of an aberrant poor performance. This critical listening aids my aural imagination. I am therefore better poised when again entering stage one of the composition process.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, by my way of thinking, it <i>is</i> actually possible to work on more than one piece at a time. My caveat is that each piece should be in <i>a different creative stage</i>. During the course a hypothetical (and extremely wonderful) day, a composer could be thinking about an upcoming piece (stage one), actively composing a work (stage two), working on the notation for a finished work (stage three) attending the rehearsal of another completed work (stage four) and going to concert where an older work, with some kind of performance history, is being performed by players who have never presented the work. Admittedly, that would be a pretty good day. However, I hope it illustrates my point. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“How” to write music is obviously a complex question. Yet, it has been my experience that when students are curious, fill their aural imaginations, embrace the notion that composition is their work, elevating its priority in their lives, and furthermore try to compose within the five stages of creativity outlined above, their music seems to flow better. They have less creative blocks and seem to make real progress as creative artists. Thinking this way sure hasn’t hurt me, either. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, your mileage may vary. It’s not a one-size-fits-all theory; just a way of thinking that seems valuable to me. How does it strike you? Next month, I’ll be back with part four! If this post interests you, be sure to check out the other entries in this series: <a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-outer-artist-part-1-taking-stock_14.html" target="_blank">“The Outer Artist Part 1: Taking Stock”</a> and <a href="http://greekandcomposing.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-outer-artist-part-2-due-diligence.html" target="_blank">“The Outer Artist Part 2: Due Diligence.”</a> As always, if you find any of this useful, please feel free to repost or forward to other interested parties. I also welcome comments on anything I’ve scribbled down here! </span></span></div>
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Nickitas Demoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13113270558669318518noreply@blogger.com1