Deeper Dive
I loved listening to Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals when I was growing up. At the beginning was an introduction by Leonard Bernstein, eloquently summing up the purposes of music. The quote inspired my project. This project presents 14 of my favorite compositions (two solo works, six small ensemble works, two large ensemble works, one band work, and three orchestra works), applies them to Bernstein’s quote of the seven purposes of music, and reflects upon the use each piece has in society. They range from a 60- minute symphony, a septet with narration about the summer of COVID-19, a chamber piece intended to raise awareness to child abuse, "Arachnida," a 21-minute tone poem for orchestra that features six types of arachnids, and my two most popular pieces, “Anniversary Overture” for orchestra, and “Salt Creek Tiger Beetle Quintet,” about an endangered insect that’s only found in my home state of Nebraska. Bernstein’s impactful quote inspired me when I was very young, and today, it reminds me of the significance of a composer’s work.
For me, the most difficult thing about composing is time scarcity. The tactics I use to combat time scarcity include what I call “hyper-focus-productive-mode,” flexibility, block scheduling, and, sometimes, saying no.
In assessing the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on my composing, during this time period, my compositional output skyrocketed. I’d spend the morning, afternoon, and night of each day composing and studying scores— often staying up until one or two in the morning. The only interruption to this would be playing outside at dusk for a couple of hours with my cousins in the grassy area adjacent to the grave site of my beloved grandfather, who passed away during the Pandemic. This was my daily routine. It produced my first three complete symphonies, three concertos, and several other smaller works. It’s a time in my life that I’ll never forget.
Throughout each musical era — Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Early Romantic, Late Romantic, 20th and 21st century — every period needs composers to reflect and impact its time. Across all cultures, music has similar functions, like the ones in Bernstein’s quote. There is also no known culture without music, which is further evidence of its societal importance. I aspire to be a composer whose work will be remembered as reflecting and impacting our present time period.