I think that a lot of people think that being a composer/writer/painter/poet etc, always means that you always have to be divinely or otherwise inspired in order to create. That is just not the truth. Sometimes it works that way. Sometimes the muse does come a knockin’ so to speak, but often it just comes down to hard work.
There are times when I can’t think of a note to say, and I just have to sit and start writing – almost like brainstorming. It can be as mundane as waking up, going into the studio, and saying, ‘Today, I will, from ‘X’ hour, to ‘Y’ hour, work on music,’ and then using your craft, what you know about how music goes together, to put things down on paper/in the computer. Other days, I just get a melody in my head, start singing and can’t stop. That’s when I grab hold of my digital recorder and catch the inspiration before it goes away. (I have heard stories of famous songs being written that way – of people waking up in the middle of the night, stumbling around for their recorder, knowing that if they don’t get it down on tape straight away, the music will get away from the them.)
My latest piece has come together both ways. Part of it has just sprung up out of the air and begged to be written down, and then…there are the pieces in between. The filling in the gaps that just don’t fill in so easily – well, not as easily as I imagined. That’s where I go back to my schooling and the endless hours I spent at University honing my craft and studying the works of other composers.
Ultimately, at the end of the day, the decisions are up to me. Sometimes that can be really fun and exciting, while other times it can be daunting, especially when there are so many different twists and turns a piece can take. The best thing to do is, to borrow an old advertising phrase, ‘Just do it!’ Notes can always be altered, added, subtracted, phrases built up or knocked down, and the eraser (digital or real) is there for a reason. Try not to be too hasty, however, to get rid of what you have written. I find that a day or two away from a project can allow one to have a different perspective on the music. Oh, and always, always turn that recorder on if you think you have a good idea or two. Sometimes it helps to go back to it to hear what you had in mind originally. It’s amazing how far away you can get from your original idea after brain storming and transposing/altering melody lines and rhythms.
My final advice: Never give up, keep it real, keep trying, and if you’re ever truly stuck, a) go back to your craft, your roots and ask yourself – what is normally possible here with this sequence b) go take a walk, get some exercise, read a book, go meditate, etc for even just 5 minutes – take a break and you might come back with a different perspective on the problem at hand.
PS: Remember, sometimes you will write the end of the piece before the beginning, and that is ok. Sometimes, the middle will come out first. Sometimes, you will even find yourself coming up with an idea for a completely different piece in the middle of writing a work. Trust me, write the idea down and file it in a safe place for later on. When you are done your current piece, go back to it. It’s amazing how many pieces can get written that way.
August 5th, 2011
A few weeks ago I was able to attend a drum circle and this past weekend I went to a local Pow-Wow. The power of rhythm and the drum never ceases to amaze me – especially the big drums that they use for the dancers. Sitting there in the heat, feeling the rhythm, watching the dancers’ bodies and their regalia move is something to be fully present for.
I became especially interested in the grass dancers. The announcer explained what their dancing meant and I think that was the first time I ever really understood the meaning behind their movements. They were amazing in their ability to transform themselves into the once great grasses which covered the plains as well as portraying other representations.
At one point, a social dance was led for all to join in the great circle – men on the inside and women on the outside. It was a time for everyone to enjoy and get a chance to feel and move to the rhythm created by those drumming.
I think that rhythm has always permeated my life from the time I was a child. My first choice of instrument was: drums. It was met with a big ‘No’ from those in charge. Later, I got a drum machine and an amplifier – so much for ‘No Drums!’
I was blessed for a time when I was young to train as a dancer and even got to take a class in African dance. That was just great – plenty of drums. Still, I did not own a drum of my own. It wasn’t until last year, after so much time, that I finally received my first real drum from a Native American healer. I have loved that drum and still love it. I find it to be very healing, whether drumming softly and slowly or quickly and loudly, depending on my energy. One can drum through happiness, physical pain, tears, frustration, etc. and it always seems to help. I think there is an inherent wisdom in picking up the beater and closing one’s eyes only to lose oneself in the rhythm – whatever comes out.
July 28th, 2011
The Alturas Duo played at Towson University’s Kaplan Concert Hall Saturday April 30, 2011. It was an inspiration to hear the music – so alive and played with so much feeling. There were works by Mauro Nuñez, José Lescano, Horacio Salinas, Héctor Soto, Alberto Cumplido, César Palacios, Javier Farías, Alfredo Dominguez, as well as American composers Nolan Stolz, Alexander Silas Walker, and Ben Starr.
El vuelo de tu alma by Javier Farías was by far the most haunting and intense of all of the works. It left me silent, hanging in the moment of the music. In contrast was The Suite Atacama – my favorite piece being Rosita de Pica by Héctor Soto. All of the works in the suite, however, were absolutely wonderful. As a listener you could close your eyes and almost see the vision of what the composers were trying to represent through the music.
The first piece in the Suite Americana was a tribute to Jimi Hendrix entitled ‘And the Wind Cries Jimi’ by Nolan Stolz. It is true that I have never heard music for viola and guitar in the style of Hendrix! ‘How I Long For’ by Alexander Silas Walker was a piece which surprised me with its’ beautiful musical lines – well done and well played. ‘Grooves’, by Ben Starr, was my favorite. I would love to hear it again.
The last pieces (combined into one) Campanitas/ mis llamitas by Alfredo Domínguez were a great way to end the evening, with the duo playing off of each other – challenging the other to play as fast – in a sort of duel. It was very fun to watch.
Happily, after receiving a standing ovation, they came back out to play the piece one more time.
Beyond the wonderful playing, I appreciated that Scott Hill talked to the audience about the pieces before they were performed. It gave even more insight into the music and allowed the stories behind the music to come alive. Carlos Boltes’s explanation of the many different Chilean instruments was wonderful and I liked how he and Mr. Hill added humor into the stories about the history behind them. The poor Armadillos!
If you ever get the chance to see this duo perform, don’t miss it!
Special thanks to the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society for presenting this concert in their 2011 concert series.
May 2nd, 2011
