June 2012 - Composer's Toolbox

10 Ways to Be a Better Collaborator (Tool #36)

DanLisMusic Posted on June 26, 2012

I have had the fortune to work in many successful collaborations with great collaborators, and these experiences have given me perspective and time to observe the nature of good collaborators. The ratio of my projects with good collaborators to projects with sub-par collaborators has been high, maybe somewhere in the range of 3 to 1 […]

Professional Development Tools for Composers

Commissions: My advice as an “emerging” composer (Tool #35)

DanLisMusic Posted on June 16, 2012

This post was prompted by an inquiry by Sakari Dixion, another composer/musician whose blog you should check out, especially if you’re looking for new music to listen to (she has a “Cool Stuff I’m Listening To” series): http://sakaridixon.wordpress.com/. (As you know, listening is vital to any musical activity, especially composing. Her music is also “cool stuff […]

Issues Opinion

Is “Conceptual Art” Music?

DanLisMusic Posted on June 14, 2012

There’s a large chance that most of you reading this blog know something about conceptual art. For example, “perform a disciplined action” or “draw a straight line and follow it” focus on concept–an abstract idea or formulation of the mind. Some of these concepts are quite interesting, and many are provocative or even controversial. I […]

Issues Opinion Professional Development Tools for Composers

It’s Not About You: Lose the Ego

DanLisMusic Posted on June 5, 2012

Art isn’t a glorification of the creator. In my view, art stands alone, a creation that speaks of truth or some sort of coherence that transcends the limits of understanding. In other words, it’s about the art, and not about the artist. While it’s often spectacular that a human being can create works of art, […]