Presentation

[kenjari]

My presentation yesterday went very well. I mostly just played pieces and then talked about them. I played the first movement of my orchestra piece, Ancestral Landscapes, the first two of the four Love Songs for soprano and piano, the Fantasie for Two Saxophones, and the entire Autumn Quintet. I got some very nice feedback from my fellow composers. Apparently I really do have a knack for orchestration, because I got a couple of comments on that. And I was surprised and pleased with the reception of the Autumn Quintet - it's a very difficult piece and thus the recording is rather shaky, but I think everyone could nonetheless see what I was doing there, and they liked it. I do like the things I write, and there are several pieces of mine that I am quite proud of, but it's nice to get confirmation that my music is indeed good.

One of the best things about this experience is getting to have real, meaningful conversations with a wide variety of other composers. I can be very nerdy about music in some ways, and it's been wonderful to talk to other people who think about the same sorts of musical issues and have pondered the same questions. And I think that some aspects of the symposium have been set up to generate these kinds of things, too. Luckily, with the miracles of technology, I should be able to keep in touch with a lot of these people.

Comments

[ivan23.livejournal.com]

That's so cool, Kenjari! It makes me so happy to know that your pieces are getting such good feedback - I still hope one or two sneaks onto mp3 someday ; )

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

I haven't quite figured out the whole mp3 thing yet. However, I would be more than happy to burn a cd for you and mail it out once I get back to Boston.

[ivan23.livejournal.com]

That would rock, or whatever classical composers say to indicate an elevated level of excellence!

[epilimnion.livejournal.com]

I can help you with the mp3 thing. Glad to know that things are going great in Oregon. I always knew your music was good, and I bet the folks at the university know it too. It's always good to have music friends, and that you'll come away with many more. Have you met with Kyr yet?

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't met with Dr. Kyr yet. We're still trying to find time. It's more likely to happen towards the end of the symposium, simply because the beginning is so busy. I'm kind of nervous about it. I really hope that I get good advice and that getting accepted doesn't turn out to be out of reach.

[epilimnion.livejournal.com]

Try not to be too nervous. His reactions indicate that you are likely to get constructive criticism. the best thing to do is go in with an open mind, expecting a positive experience. But also know that the meeting will be a critique, and he will bluntly point out what your application is lacking, there will be criticism. Also remember that none of this is about you as a person. Hell, it's not even really about you as a composer. It's you as a candidate for their program.