Friday, February 6, 2009

Open Question: I want to be a composition major- but I haven't composed anything yet. What do I need to do?

tl;dr: Why do you have to have composed to apply for undergraduate composition? I haven't composed yet but I want to get in to competitive schools- what do I do? Full version: I'm 16 and have only recently admitted that the only thing I'll really be happy doing is composing. I mean, there are other things I enjoy, but I really connect to music in a powerful way. I know everyone says that, but I don't know...I seem to be more serious about it than my friends, and I'm connecting to more serious music than they are. (I only listen to music that falls under the rubric of 'classical'. Mostly from all over the Baroque but I like music from the ars nova to Arvo Part. It's not a snob thing, it's just what I like.) I'm an early-intermediate pianist. I haven't composed anything yet. In part it's because my theory is only rudimentary, and it's in part because the only places I can work will have people listening and critiquing...people without formal musical training, I might add. I'm working on building up a thick skin to work through it anyway, but I feel very vulnerable when I'm trying to create something artistic -I'm kinda repressed like that- so that slows me down. Also, I'd like to go to college around where I live, and I live in NYC. So far I've been looking Juilliard (who doesn't?) and the Manhattan School of Music. So all the schools I could go to are the schools that everyone wants to go to. I'm homeschooled, so I'd have an edge on the diversity front, but my lack of composition or notable musical endeavors makes me nervous. What should I do to give myself the best possible chances of getting in to a really good composition program? And, though this might sound like a stupid question, what can I do after I get my major? The ideal job for me would be something like a court musician, but that doesn't exist anymore. I don't want to compose for TV shows or anything; I want to compose real music that communicates something meaningful. (I have a whole philosophy I don't feel like getting in to.) I suppose I could try to teach for a while and attempt to save up enough money to support myself while I composed what I wanted to...but seriously, what could I do? alli, Apocalyptica is a metal band. They play on cellos. All my friends are metalheads. I know about metal. I don't like metal. If I wanted to play metal, I would join a band.

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