Advice for Musicians: Three Takeaways from My "Hangout" with Nancy Christensen

Last night I hosted a fun Google Hangout for Polyphonic.org with artist manager and entrepreneur Nancy Christensen, President and Founder of Christensen Arts LLC. Nancy had many great pieces of advice for musicians, and below are three that I especially liked. 1. Be Able to Communicate, and Be Unique Nancy said that when she is considering whether or not to take on a performer as a client, two important factors she considers are communication skills and uniqueness. She talked about the importance of not just being a great performer, but also being able to communicate with an audience, talk with donors after a concert, work with kids in an outreach setting, and more. She also stressed the importance of having something that sets you apart from the many other people that do similar things as you. What about you is different and unique, and why should people be interested in that?

2. Don’t Send People a Bunch of Unsolicited Stuff Being a composer who wants to get my music played and heard, I have definitely been guilty of this one. It is okay to email people you don’t know and introduce yourself. It’s okay to briefly mention what you do. But, you probably don’t want to send them your resume, links to all your performances, headshots, reviews, etc. right off the bat. Nancy talked about starting with just an introduction and trying to avoid overwhelming your recipient (who again, doesn’t know you) with too much stuff.

3. Go to Conferences Whether you want to be a performer, composer, arts administrator or anything in between, go to conferences that relate to your profession. Do your homework and talk to people about what conference(s) might make sense for you – what kind of people you want to meet, what kinds of things you want to learn, etc. For performers looking to meet managers and decide if particular management companies might be a good fit, Nancy suggested the Chamber Music America conference, held annually in New York City in January.

Conferences can be great places to meet people, build professional contacts, and learn about current happenings in the field. When you attend, bring business cards, try to meet as many people as you can (but be yourself - don’t feel like you constantly need to be a salesman or saleswoman) and learn as much as you can. Many conferences have discounts for students or young musicians, and some have scholarships available. You could even inquire with organizers of the conference to see if you could help out in some way at the conference in exchange for a free registration. Be creative!

See a recording of my hangout with Nancy conversation here.

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New England Folk Songs: Choosing Texts

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The past few months I have been writing a new set of songs based on wonderful texts by Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, and Sarah Orne Jewett. My first song cycle, Alcott Songs, features a collection of texts by Louisa May Alcott that I arranged into what seems like a summer day - from morning to night.  I like the idea of having some sort of narrative like this within the cycle, and so for this cycle I decided to use the narrative of the seasons.  Being from New England, I wanted to highlight the beautiful seasons in the region with texts by New England poets.

And so the search for texts began. 

Whenever I look for new texts, I am constantly thinking about whether or not the work is in the public domain, and therefore whether or not I need permission to set the text to music.  If the text is not in the public domain, you must contact the copyright holder for the text, request permission, and receive permission before moving forward.  If the text is in the public domain then you do not need permission to set the text.

There are a couple of really great websites with public domain material - Project Gutenberg and archive.org.  Both of these sites let you see digitized or HTML text versions of complete texts that are often in the public domain.

When I first started searching for texts for this cycle, I did some quick internet searches for New England poets who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.  One of the poets I discovered was Sarah Orne Jewett.  I found much of her poetry to be beautifully crafted, very creative, and full of imagination.  I was drawn to a number of her poems, and found several that seemed to focus on the seasons.  Perfect!  I also found a number of poems related to the seasons by 19th century New England poet, Emily Dickinson.

Last year, I came across a poem of Emily Dickinson that I thought would be perfect for this project.  But, as I dug into the research, I learned that although Dickinson lived in the 19th century, much of her poetry was not published until well after her death, in the early and mid twentieth century.  So, even though the works were written in the 19th century, many were published after 1923, and therefore, still under copyright.

Since Harvard University Press (HUP) controls all the permissions for Emily Dickinson’s works, I completed their online permission request form (here, for those of you who are interested).  On the HUP site, it says it may take them up to 10 weeks to respond to your request.  Indeed, it was 10 weeks before I heard back, but thankfully, they approved my request.  I will have to pay HUP a percentage of all the income I receive from this work, but I am excited to include Emily Dickinson's work in this cycle!

In addition to the Emily Dickinson poem, I chose four other texts for the cycle - three by Sarah Orne Jewett and one by Louisa May Alcott.  Having just researched Louisa May Alcott’s work in the past couple of years for Alcott Songs, I found a perfect seasonal text to open the cycle.  The poem paints a picture of a snow-covered seed breaking through the ground and blooming into a spring flower.  This poem was published as part of the short story "The Frost King and How the Fairies Conquered Him," in a collection called Lulu's Library, Volume II.  Public domain! Excellent.

The three poems by Jewett that I chose to include in the cycle are "Boat Song," "Top of the Hill," and "A Country Boy in Winter."  "Boat Song" is a captivating poem about a starlit summer evening, "Top of the Hill" is a wonderful reflection on the New England autumn, and "A Country Boy in Winter" is a fun, lighthearted poem that makes winter sound a bit warmer and cozier.

All three of these works were published prior to 1923 - two of them appear in Verses 1916, which you can view on archive.org.  "A Country Boy in Winter" was published in Harpers Young People magazine in 1882.  With a little Google searching, I found a digitized version of the actual magazine on Google Books (see it here).  The internet is truly amazing sometimes!

The cycle begins with the Louisa May Alcott poem and the transition from winter to spring.  Second is the Emily Dickinson text - a fun, springtime adventure involving bees, frogs, and birds.  Third is Jewett’s “Boat Song” to give us a picture-perfect summer evening.  Fourth is Jewett’s “Top of the Hill” to provide a colorful and reflective autumn portrait.  The last song in the cycle sets Jewett’s “A Country Boy in Winter,” closing the work with a fun and witty wintertime adventure!

See the score and preorder your copy of New England Folk Songs here.  The music will be ready to ship by the end of April!

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New Song Cycle for Medium Voice and Piano: New England Folk Songs

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Introducing my newest song cycle, New England Folk Songs!  In this cycle, I explore the New England seasons with texts penned by New England poets.  Written for medium voice and piano, the cycle takes you through all four New England seasons through the lenses of 19th/early 20th century poets Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, and Sarah Orne Jewett.  Read more about the work, see the score, and order online here.

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Next Project: "Vermont State Fair" for Band

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When I was a kid, my family spent nearly every Labor Day weekend in Rutland, VT, where my grandparents and several aunts, uncles, and cousins lived.  It was the unofficial end of summer; afterwards, we would return to Connecticut and start the new school year.  The highlight of Labor Day weekend in Rutland was always the Vermont State Fair, held just a short drive down the street from my grandparents' house. I have vivid memories of walking around the fairgrounds with my family and most exciting of all, sitting in the grandstand and watching the horse races.  My grandfather loved betting on the horse races, and it was a tradition that was passed down to the whole family.  It was exciting and fun - a true American scene. The fair also included games, rides, animals and all manner of fair food, including the famed french fries at Roxies.

The fair provides the perfect inspiration for a new band piece - a fun overture inspired by the horse racing, games, and atmosphere of the Vermont State Fair.

I am just beginning to sketch out some ideas now - stay tuned!

Image credit: Jack Delano [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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New Publications Available!

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I'm pleased to share that three of my works recently accepted for publication are now available directly from the publishers: Augsburg Fortress, Colla Voce Music, and Keyboard Percussion Publications.

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  • Chorale Variations, commissioned by the percussion duo Escape X, is now available from Keyboard Percussion Publications here.
  • Speaking Love, a Christmas Carol for SATB Choir and Piano is now available from Colla Voce Music here.
  • Filled With His Voice, (SATB+piano+alto sax) commissioned by the Bethel College Concert Choir directed by Dr. William Eash, is now available in the St. Olaf Choral Series of Augsburg Fortress here.
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Handbell Music Now Available!

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I am excited to feature a new section of my website dedicated to music for handbell choirs!  These new works are designed to be relatively easy for smaller handbell choirs (2-3 octaves).  Currently, there are three pieces available on the handbell page:

Take a look at the scores and have a listen to the recordings!  I will be posting more handbell selections soon so be sure to check back!

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Book Recommendation - Bernstein by Joan Peyser

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A couple of months ago, I was browsing the floor-to-ceiling stacks of used books at our local bookstore and stumbled across Bernstein: A Biography by Joan Peyser.  I had actually been thinking about seeking out a biography of the renowned American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, so this was a perfect find! I just finished reading the book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about Bernstein’s life and career. Like many famous artists, his story is enthralling, captivating, and powerful. Joan Peyser provides wonderful insight into all facets of Bernstein’s life and career, from his childhood through his many artistic triumphs. Many fascinating stories illuminate Bernstein’s genius, his drive, as well as his sheer celebrity.  An excellent read on a truly remarkable musician.  Here is a link to the book on Amazon.

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Chorale Variations Coming Soon from Keyboard Percussion Publications

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Some of you might remember hearing me talk about a new marimba duo commission and CD release last summer. Escape Ten, the fantastic percussion duo, asked me to write a piece for them in 2013 and I created the five-movement piece, “Chorale Variations.” Escape Ten has a new publication series with Keyboard Percussion Publications (aptly named the Escape Ten Publication Series) and they will be releasing my piece and several other works commissioned by the duo very soon!

I proofed the final draft of the piece just last week.  To tide you over until the piece is available for purchase, here is a video of Escape Ten performing the first movement of "Chorale Variations."

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How Music Brings People Together: In Praise of Marching Band

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High school marching band is a BIG deal many places, and it was a pretty big deal to my friends and I in high school.  I played saxophone in our marching band all four years of high school, and even though my senior year was 13 years ago now (WHAT!?!), I can still remember the feeling of stepping onto the field of competition, under the bright lights, our parents and directors screaming and waving cowbells (ah, the blue and gold cowbells).  It was magical.  We took a great deal of pride in our performance, our collective work throughout the summer and fall culminating in a competition at a local high school each Saturday night. Marching band is a team sport.  For some kids, sports are where they find their place.  For others, it is music.  And many band kids strive for excellence just as much as athletes do, practicing every day, working together, sharing struggles and triumphs, and ultimately building skills and relationships that will last a lifetime.

I have many vivid memories from marching band practices, football games, competitions, etc.  But I think the one memory that comes up again and again is the feeling of pride that we shared as a group.  It was camaraderie; it was teamwork.  The music brought us together into one singular goal - excellence as a group.  It was not about any one individual or section.  When the band gave a great performance, we all knew it - we felt it. And when we gave a mediocre performance, we felt that, too.  It wasn't a result of any one person - it was collective.  We were a team.

I remember trying to play well, "roll step," and maintain straight lines in the heat of the annual Labor Day parade.  That taught me about perseverance.

I remember trying to play in tune and keep feeling in my stiffening fingers on a particularly cold October night.  That taught me about dedication.

I remember, as a senior, trying to set a good example for freshman - teaching them, including them, showing them how much pride we took in this.  That taught me about leadership.

I remember when one of our band members got sick and passed away, and we tried to play "You'll Never Walk Alone" without crying.  That taught me about loss.

Everything I learned through marching band I carry with me to this day.  We represented our school, our band, ourselves, and that feeling of pride and team spirit runs deep.  Sometimes marching bands get the short end of the stick - they are the brunt of jokes.  But it is as serious as sports, as tight knit as any team, and as competitive as any game.  I am thankful for marching band - every experience I had, every relationship I built, every skill I gained.  Band kid for life!