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I doubt that we are all familiar with the great living classical composers of today. But we are all bound to have heard at least several of them and to be familiar with their works. So who gets your vote? I will give my opinion (which I have in my mind at present) after I hear several opinions.

I thought it might be a good idea to start this thread as a place to share concerns and vent frustrations related to being a composer and working in the arts. I'm going to start by responding to this thread, which was veering off topic: http://forum.youngco...on/page__st__10 CO, I understand that struggle between goals/dreams and necessities as well. I'm starting to feel like continuing my education in a PhD program is a bad idea. I applied to five programs, was accepted into one, and I was offered zero financial aid. I accepted the offer of admission because it's a public school and much cheaper than most. I'm about to move into Manhattan so that I can be within twenty minutes of my school (I spent the last two years living in a a place where I couldn't have guests and traveling an hour and a half, one way, to get to school, so it's time for a change) and, as you know, this is not cheap. I'm very fortunate to be able work from home as a sheet music engraver. I can essentially work as much as I want and I'm trying really hard to pay for school without taking out more loans (I'm already over $30,000 in debt from undergrad and a master's program), but I don't think I'm going to be able to manage. In order to live in Manhattan, pay for loans, pay for school, and eat I need to work nearly full-time WHILE attending school. I am not looking forward to this upcoming year, in which I'll have to probably put friendships and new relationships on hold. I'm making music my life but I wonder if I'm going to end up feeling resentful and like I wasted my twenties. The thing is with my job I could just walk away from it all and live nearly anywhere in the U.S. I want, have extra money to travel, and actually live a life where I could set music aside at night and spend time with friends or pursuing other hobbies. The catch would be nearly giving up composing or teaching as a career, or coming back to it after years of paying off debt and saving money, by which point I might have a family to think about.