My last of 4 posts is up at New Music Box, the website of New Music USA, where I’m their September guest-blogger. I’ve had a great time writing these, and my thanks go to editors Frank Oteri and Molly Sheridan for their help. I work in just a little composer terminology—a mixolydian here or there—but that’s because the immediate audience is other composers. Generally, for my Fleisher Discoveries or Broad Street Review essays, I try to avoid lingo.
New Music Box is the website of New Music USA, the composer service organization created from the merger of the American Music Center and Meet the Composer. Some folks have already commented on the essays at the New Music Box site, so feel free to join in the conversation.
From the 12 Things I’ve Learned about Composing from Writing Church Music, this last batch—with an assist from Earth, Wind & Fire and an Easter Alleluia—is:
10. Stick to the Text
11. It’s All About the Music
12. It’s Not About the Music
Part One is here:
1. Start Where You Are
2. Write What You Know
3. Write for People You Know
Part Two:
4. Make Them Sound Good
5. Follow the Rules
6. Break the Rules
Part Three:
7. Write Faster
8. Hear It, Change It
9. Churches Do Tons of New Music