What are we composing for?

EnigmusJ4, you and I are in the same proverbial boat.

I would love for my compositions to be performed in front of others - in fact I'd say it'd be my dream come true. When I hear that others on YC have the luxury of getting other musicians to learn their music and perform it in front of actual audiences, I can't help but be rather jealous. However, I have absolutely no social connections to anyone in the music scene, because none of my academics has anything to do with music. In fact, not even my friends or family really know I compose music - they'd be beyond surprised to find out that I've spent hundreds of hours of my life writing music.

At first, when I posted my music on YC, I was a little confused because the majority of criticism was geared towards performance-oriented problems, but I've always only cared about the listening-experience of my mp3's themselves, because that's all I've got.

So, yeah. I'd love to compose for others, but realistically speaking, I only compose for myself. No one else is interested in hearing anything I write.

I have a different point of view here...

I always compose for a specific band - MY band, whatever that may be. I always have some sort of working ensemble for which I'm writing - with specific player and specific strengths and weaknesses. At the moment, it'll all for my own, selfish performance purposes...

I write, so my bands and I have something original to play. Currently, those bands are a quintet and Blunt Object (11-piece).

The most important thing I get to write for are the individual performers. For the Quintet, I'm not writing for tenor sax, trombone, guitar, bass, drums...I'm writing for Ben, Myself, Thom, Damian, and Mark. Blunt is the same way... Writing for the specific player, with their idiosyncrasies and personality allows me to know better how the music will filter through them, how it will react. It's much more organic for me than writing for a generic ensemble without knowing the personality and capabilities...

So far in my career, I've always had the pleasure of leading my own ensembles, and having them at my disposal. It's a wonderful feeling.

I know I compose mainly because I enjoy making new music and making mew music for others. Making music is like a drug for me and the only way I can get high is making more. If I was to stop I dont think I could handle the withdrawals.
The other reason is that its my major in college. I dont think I can major in anything else other than music composition due to the fact that Im not that good at anything else other than music composition. I cant really do music education, unless I am teaching at a college level. I dont do well kids. I also cant really do music performance because I not that good of a performer. And forget any other major, I am really only good at music... its quite sad but good all at the same time.
Another reason, and problebly the more important, is that I need to make this a career. I have plans on either become a film composer. Thankfully at my school they teach us how to write a score for films and we get the opportunity to score films.

If you need opportunities to have your pieces performed, they're tons of competitions out their for young composers in where not only will your pieces performed but get national recognition. You can also join national organizations like NACUSA or CPCC. They would send you flyer's that tell you performances opportunities and conventions where you can get others to perform your music.

I write because I want to write. However, I don't use that as an excuse to just write for ridiculous ensembles, just "because I can." If you are going to spend time laboring over a piece (which is what one does if one truly puts their creative energies into the piece) then you should at least create something that is going to get played. The music doesn't happen until someone brings it to life, be that you, or a soloist, or an orchestra.
The more performances you have, the better you get at judging how to write down what you hear. Performances help in that manner.
The more your music gets performed, the more likely people will hear it, start to recognize your name, and ask you to write music for them. Performance helps in that manner as well.

I honestly think that performance is 'the goal' to keep in mind, though I'd also like to add that composition is a near-endless circle. But without a performance, it's just notes on a page.

Originally Posted by Jamie Whitmarsh

I honestly think that performance is 'the goal' to keep in mind, though I'd also like to add that composition is a near-endless circle. But without a performance, it's just notes on a page.

Originally Posted by MatthewSchwartz

Did something I say disturb you?

I do it first for the sake of creativity, then, for experience, if I ever get "THE JOB" which doesn't seems so imposible, at least at a lower scale... then, to have my "repertory bag", for any use, hahahaha. And last, because I write the music I'd like to hear for the moment

Even tough I could never performe, I guess that wouldn't be at all bad. But I do always worry about any details in the interpretation issues, and actually, I'm pretty personalized with each part of "my ensemble"

Originally Posted by Jamie Whitmarsh

Did something I say disturb you?

I think he means that since he can't get his stuff performed, what he writes doesn't mean squat (according to way he interpreted your words, that is.)

Originally Posted by M_is_D

I think he means that since he can't get his stuff performed, what he writes doesn't mean squat (according to way he interpreted your words, that is.)

Yep.

Originally Posted by M_is_D

I think he means that since he can't get his stuff performed, what he writes doesn't mean squat (according to way he interpreted your words, that is.)

Haha, oh shit. That's not what I meant at all man! There are obvious advantages to composing even if it doesn't get performed, but one will grow most as a composer if it gets performed. Even if it's just a reading of your piece, it can be helpful.

Really though, the music only can happen the way its' meant to if it's performed. That can be by you at the piano, or the instruments it was written for, or even a sequenced recording (which isn't ideal, but not a horrible way to make it happen.)

I certainly wasn't trying to negate your music or your worth as a composer, at all. I think if you want your music to be performed you should go and make it happen. Even if you think it's bad, so much can be gleaned from a single reading. I understand about not knowing who to talk to to make it happen. I'm not sure where you are in school, but just ask some buddies who you go to high school with. Maybe write smaller ensembles, like a trio, or even a solo piece. I apologize if what I said sounded like I was talking down on your music; I certainly wasn't man. I was just saying that the people who say "I don't need a performance" are a little, you know, wayward, perhaps.