BCM International ~ View topic

Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 1

I'm a senior in high school, and I'm still undecided as a major. October by Mr. Whitacre has given me inspiration to possibly choose music as it. This piece alone isn't the only reason, though it pushed me more then the other reason. But I am left with a burning question before I even try to decide, What does it take to be such a great composer? I love making things, and I've never really tried composing, even though I've been dying to try. I don't know where to begin. I don't know what it takes. I've been playing tuba since 6th grade, and I've only learned a small amount of music theory. Any and all advice would be great! By the way, Mr. Whitacre isn't the only composer that has inspired me. It just got to me first, and after listening around, honestly, all four of you of BCM are amazing composers.

Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 17

I wouldn't apply to college as a composition major right off the bat if I were you. My advice is to go to a college with a good music program, take some theory and composition courses, take private composition lessons, and then decide what you want to do. It will be hard to jump right into it.

Site Admin Joined: 15 Apr 2003 Posts: 1168

Hmm...

To quote an old friend of mine, "If you think too long, you're wrong."

I think that if you want to compose, you should start today. Just try it. Write what you know, even if it means writing a one minute piece for solo tuba.

I think it's not at all productive (or reasonable) to think that you need to have training to be a composer. Take a small idea, work and work and work on it, perform it in front of real people, and boom... you're a composer.

Of course you'll make mistakes, and sometimes fall on your face, but THAT IS THE POINT. You will learn so much about composing by just trying to compose.

Once you're in school, you'll learn all kinds of things that will broaden your mind as a composer, and all kinds of things that will just mess you up in the head. School will be good for you, and you should go, even as a comp major if you can get in. But it won't turn you into a composer. It will just give you some ideas to try out.

Remember, it's YOUR LIFE. If you are one of the lucky ones who has found something that you love then it's your sacred duty to pursue it until you don't love it anymore.

And by the way, you talked about "not knowing where to start." THAT is composition. I feel that way every time I write something. Just put something down on paper and start working, and working, and working. Read books, look at other scores, talk to composers, drink coffee, whatever it takes to make something that you like. But don't worry, the worst thing that can happen is that you'll make something that SUCKS, and if that happens, well... welcome to the club! Just keep working on it until it doesn't suck, and then try it again. And again. It's a life of joy and reward, I tell ya Wink

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GOOD LUCK!
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I'll chime in a bit more later, but I'll say this. A big chunk of what I write I absolutely do not like, and I end up just stashing it and not using it. Most of the time never to be used again, and thrown away. But it's those little glimmers, that tiny percentage that I do write that I love that makes it worthwhile. Just don't expect every piece to be Water Night, Alchemy In Silent Spaces, Chaos Theory, Metropolitan (to quote the BCM4), Adagio for Strings, Prokofiev's Scythian Suite, Sibelius' 5th, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, Poulenc's Double Piano Concerto... Wagner, yeah don't worry about him. Razz

You get my point, Prokofiev wrote 138 works -- one of them being not-finished. But only 25 or so of his works were considered to be his more vitally important works in his career. That's a small fraction; doesn't mean that the other works were not better or worse, either. So, keep at it if you want to do it; there's no rush into actually being a student per sè, if you have the will to be a composer then you have the desire, work-ethic and love. As Eric said "If you are one of the lucky ones who has found something that you love then it's your sacred duty to pursue it until you don't love it anymore." It's the truth, I see composition as a Love/Hate relationship, sometimes I'm so sick of it. Don't want to do it, I look at the piano and I just want to bash it -- get depressed because I can't come up with anything "good", and in the end think I've beat the horse dead. Then I wake up, or hear an instrument in my head, see something that catches my eye; spontaneous as it may be -- bam! It's back.

The point of my 24-hour-no-sleep-babble is, don't give up, and if you want to compose, then do it. There's no rush to be a famous composer, just write some music, enjoy life and expand your musical mind.

-Travis-
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Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 45 Location: Ithaca, NY

As far as writing music goes, Eric (as usual) told you everything you need. What I have to add is: you're a senior in high school -- don't pressure yourself -- live your life, have relationships, make mistakes, get too drunk*, get angry at people, travel, feel deeply.

Dear God, you're alive. Play the Tuba and be glad you're above the ground.

--Gus

*When you are the legal age of drinking in the United States of America (21). Wink