Recommended Reading
Composition is a deeply personal subect to engage with, and offers the ability to express oneself and engage with others in a way that other art forms cannot. In general, composition is heavily theory based, with a lot of focus on compositional technique. There are huge demands on a composer to be extremely advanced in their technique and practical application of various 'systems' of writing. This overbearing sense of academic advancement sometimes leaves audiences questioning the purpose of new classical music. So how do we make sure our compositions are rich in technique, but ultimately as an aid to structuring our inspiration so that it becomes rich in musicality?
I want to recommend a book that addresses these questions. "The Rest is Noise" by Alex Ross asks exaclty that, is the rest noise? It looks at a broad history of composition from the days of Strauss and Mahler, through to the Darmstadt composers of Schoenberg, Stockhausen and those alike, all the way up to composers of today.
What direction is new classical music heading? Where are the audiences and how to we get them loving new music again?
