Archived Introductions

Hi, I'm Mike, from the UK. I play the piano and have been composing ever since I can remember, though properly since I was 13.

What about you?

Hi, I'm Nick, I'm 18. I graduated high school last year and took a year off, to compose and save money! I am going to the Peabody Conservatory of Music (of the Johns Hopkins University) in the fall. I will be studying Composition under Christopher Theofanidis.

I've been composing since I was around 14, when I taught myself how to read music using a book of Scott Joplin rags my Dad had. I started writing my own rags, none of which I still have. *tear* But then I started to move on to larger works. I composed a lot of video game music. I compose every single day and wish it stays that way.

I also sing. Recently I won third place in a local Young Artists Competition. I was the highest placed vocalist, so I count myself as the first-place winner, since those violinists have been playing since they were 5, and I've been singing baritone only for about 2 and a half years!

I also play the piano and the organ. I'm more skilled at the piano, only because I just picked up the organ(not literally...) a couple of months ago. The feet are still having some troubles... But I play every week for my church choir. I accompany them on the anthems, either on organ or piano. Tonight we will be starting practice on a piece I wrote, it's the Two Psalms I put up in my compositions thread. I'll be on the organ, of course.

I also do musical shows here and there and will be working as musical director of children's shows this summer for a local performing arts center.

I think that's all. Oh, and I talk a lot!

My name is Mike and I'm 18. But you'd probably better stick to aerlinndan so we don't confuse me with our wonderful board operator. :happy: Anyway, I just graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy, where I was a music composition major for three years. I played trombone for several years before 10th grade but piano is my principal instrument. I have played it since I was five but only in the past two years have I truly gotten serious about it.

I'm going to start a thread for my recordings and my performances soon. Very soon. Just as soon as I get around to it. I did a senior recital at my school in May and I played Bach, Beethoven, and Ravel, and a few of my compositions were performed. I, like Nick, also like to talk a lot, and I love hearing compositions of other young people like us.

IF YOU NEED A PIANIST TO RECORD YOUR PIECE LIVE, I AM YOUR MAN.

Good. I think that about covers it.

Where did you get the name aerlinndan from, out of interest?

Hi. I'm Brandon, 17, so still in highschool (junior). I've played violin for six years, am a member of a local orcheastra (www.gcyo.com), and play piano (self-taught). I love minimalism in teh style of Philip Glass. I will join the crowd of people that love to listen to other's works. Especially my own age :happy:. I hope that I can learn a lot about composition itself and how to cnjoin my ideas into real music, which seams to be my biggest pitfall at teh moment. I always have ideas, but no way to expand or elaborate on them.

So... See you around :)

Jojodi

Nice to have you on the forums, jojodi! I can see that my little advertisement over at GFF was not in vain after all.

Where did you get the name aerlinndan from, out of interest?

Hah, my screenname. I'm quite proud of it as it unites two of my biggest obsessions under one dorky, yet clever screenname that I now use for EVERYTHING online. In Sindarin Elvish (Tolkien, Lord of the Rings):

aerlinn = song, hymn

dan = smith (extracted from Sindarin words for goldsmith and blacksmith)

aerlinndan = song-smith = composer

So there you have it! :happy:

IF YOU NEED A PIANIST TO RECORD YOUR PIECE LIVE, I AM YOUR MAN.

I have an arrangement of Peaceful Days from Chrono Trigger that I would like you to play. Are you up for it? :) I see that you're also learning People from the Far North - fantastic piece, but I never quite got all the right notes (the sheetmusic is lousy).

As for me, I'm Simon. I'm 18 and I'm in the middle of doing my A-Levels, so I shouldn't be here. I'm from London and have been playing piano since June/July 2001, so I have actually forced myself to become a pianist and composer through sheer will and determination. Maybe not. :) Just interest.

Unlike others, I rarely talk until I'm talked to or is imperative to say something. It's probably because I don't have much BS to chat about. :unsure:

That's about it for me.

Hi. I'm Jacob. I compose music concentrate. To make music, just add water.

I'm in the middle of studying composition at Rice University in Houston, TX, but I'm not sure why.

I'm originally from, and currently at, Virginia Beach, VA.

I'm for alternatives, for awareness, for constraints, for change. I've never had opinions until recently, so I may not be very good at defending them.

I like playing more than work, thinking more than doing, listening more than talking. I hope I can break these habits when I need to.

Nice to meet you.

Hi, I'm Lee from Los Angeles, California. I've been a fairly steady member of YC since 2001. I talk a lot, too.

I was an early bloomer. I took up the piano at age 8, and started composing at 9, and performed one of my own pieces in public for the first time at 10. At 12 I began playing the violin. By the time I was 15 I had composed a number of chamber works and piano pieces, many of which were performed. I also organised and directed an extracurricular chamber orchestra.

I continued to compose throughout high school, and organised a string quartet with fellow students. Years later, these people are all still my friends, and we're all professional musicians full-time. I switched to the viola as my main stringed instrument, and also got involved in the school choral program. As a senior, I sang in an all-district competion and won - my first indication that singing was my best talent in performance.

Now I'm a member the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Pacific Chorale, the John Alexander Singers, the Los Angeles Chamber Singers and Cappella, I'm cantor of the choir of St. James' Episcopal Church, and I do a lot of casuals and pick-up groups, as well as some pit orchestras and recording throughout the southland.

Now, if only I could get something going with my compositions! I'm an unapologetic Classical Revivalist - that's part of the problem, but it's the style that is most authentically my own - though I've always experimented with other styles and continue to do so on occasion. I wouldn't say I'm any better a composer now than I was years ago when I started - in some ways I was more imaginative then. Rather, I'm more experienced now, and I continue to hone my music as any craftsman would.

Right now, I'm trying to finish a symphony, and I've nearly finished a collection of light music for adjustable ensemble called "Sundry Dances After The Fashion of the Age of Enlightenment," which I hope to market as background music for social occasions.

That's surely enough for now. Nice to be here.

I'm Marisa, 18, living on the west coast of Canada but heading to the States in August for college. I joined YC in August 2002, and I just talked way too much about my instruments in our instrument thread, so I refer you over there for the details about them. I'd have to say I'm not aiming for a career in composition. Not at this point, at least. It is my favourite pastime, though.

Other interests of mine include: reading; writing; words, etymology, and linguistics (intended major! Yay!); Web design; trivia and other useless esoterica; math; geography; tea; 42; and asterisks/footnotes.

More importantly, my inexplicable obsessions include: postcards, highways, desk lamps, garage sales, and uncommon contractions.

That should do it. Hello all!

Hey. I'm Chris. Live in Texas, land of hicks and George Bush the Younger, which is slightly redundant. Still a kid in High School. I sing passably and play trombone (badly) in band, since I was 11. I'm still waiting on my piano lessons (curse this dependency on those people with jobs and crap!) but I can stumble through a hymn or two.

I spend approximately 49% of my time talking and about 49% writing something or other, and share the remaining two percent among eating, sleeping, and listening to music, though these all occasionally overlap.

I write the occasional pop song but I want to work on real harmony, counterpoint, all that jazz. I'm in the very beginning stages of trying to compose, and I'm still looking for any and all information on what to do as far as musical baby steps, especially trying out forms and structure to figure out what fits my "style".

My obsessions incude acting, singing, musicals, writing of all types, video games and Harry Potter books. The movies kinda suck. Writing music sorta goes without saying.

Hello, my name is Ralph. I've been composing since I was a younging. I too am from Texas and a senior in high school. My main instruments are the guitar and piano. Everything else is just for kicks. hmm I like music and usually am timid in person, but once you get to know me i'm more relaxed.

Greeting.

I'm David (which you might not have guessed from my 'nickname'. I be David Hately BMus (Hons). My CV is available at http://hately.demon.co.uk/david/?topic=CV

I am one of the older members of the board and am also one of the members of the core YC board from way back. I joined YC.com in 98 or something. Maybe a little later than that, but not much. I should find out one day by scanning the old fora.

I've just finished a four year BMus (Hons) at Birmingham Conservatoire having taken three years out of education due to a change in mind. I originally intended to study theatrical lighting design in Rose Bruford, London. Three years later I decided to try my luck at the Consevatoire and they welcomed me with open arms. I officially graduate in December(!).

I play the Bassoon to a high standard and have differing abilities on the Flute, Clarinet and Violin amongst other related instruments.

I am younger than Stefan by ten days, just for the record.

Hello,

My name is Kristel and I'm originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, however; at the moment I'm living in Leeds, England where I am studying composition at the University of Leeds.

I have been musical all of my life starting with Choral singing and Piano lessons. My training is predominately as a mezzo-soprano although I play some piano and even less trumpet and flute as well. My experience growing up had much emphasis in musical theatre (singing, acting and dancing.) I went to a high school for the performing arts where I started my classical vocal training. In order to deviate I also sang jazz standards throughout high school and sill enjoy jazz singing.

Composition is a means in which I express myself or as a reaction to life and social ideas. I will be happy to be finished my university studing this fall because I am very sick of being told how to compose.

Other things I enjoy include acting, dancing, camping, rock climbing, sewing and reading (a relatively new discovery for me, considering I used to hate reading.) I am also a movie buff.

Cheers!

:(

Hey everyone!

Looks like i'm one of the younger ones here. I'm about to turn 13 in August. :(

I tried playing the flute in 4th grade but hated it so i quit. Then i took it up again in 6th grade (i was 11 then) at my school's band and loved it! not sure why the change. then during Christmas of that same year, my aunt gave us her old piano. I started messing around on it....my parents bought me a book to learn out of and now i've been playing for 1 1/2...self taught. I started composing just a few months ago toward the end of seventh grade. (12 years old). I've written two pieces for the piano and am having quite a bit of difficulty on my 3rd...i'm having composer's block. dangit.

i have 8 brothers and sisters (no lie) and no dogs (we're getting one soon...our other one died...i never liked him though).

Welll.....that's about it!

Just noticed this thread.

I'm Andrew, 22, from the Houston area but living in Pasadena, California. I'm also a longtime member of the old forums - in fact I joined about a day before Marisa did, saving her the trouble of starting an introduction thread for herself. :(

I don't plan on going into any kind of musical career; I graduated from Caltech a year ago with a degree in biology, and am going to medical school at the University of Southern California in August, having spent the last year doing experimental psychology research. (Shaver would get a kick out of it. But I digress.) I'm somewhat of a latecomer to composition, having only started my first piece three years ago, and in that time I've only written two-and-a-half pieces. At the moment my big musical project is a piano quartet that I've been working on for nearly two years, on and off. My username tells you exactly what my main instrument is... like Marisa, I've talked enough about my instruments in the other thread, so go look there if you want more details.

Other interests: soccer (I played for Caltech for three years, and also follow the LA Galaxy and US national team pretty fanatically); cooking and wine; sailing; science fiction; political satire; locksmithing; Linux; linguistics; history, particularly science history and military history; political science; caffeine; and general crackpottery.

Hrm, that should be about it. Hello to all the new people. Chris and Ralph - what part of Texas?

I'm also a longtime member of the old forums - in fact I joined about a day before Marisa did, saving her the trouble of starting an introduction thread for herself.

Yes indeed. It was very considerate of you. * laughs *

I graduated from Caltech a year ago with a degree in biology, and am going to medical school at the University of Southern California in August, having spent the last year doing experimental psychology research.

Huh. I was actually accepted there for undergrad, but for various reasons (no aid to international students, etc.) didn't end up choosing it. Well, all the better in one sense; LA has a pretty high concentration of YCs already, so it might've become dangerous otherwise. * laughs *

And now it's time for me to get all excited at a mention of my intended major. Yay for linguistics!

Yes indeed. It was very considerate of you. * laughs *

Huh. I was actually accepted there for undergrad, but for various reasons (no aid to international students, etc.) didn't end up choosing it. Well, all the better in one sense; LA has a pretty high concentration of YCs already, so it might've become dangerous otherwise. * laughs *

And now it's time for me to get all excited at a mention of my intended major. Yay for linguistics!

Did you come to prefrosh weekend?

Nope. If I had, I'd've warned you Californians well in advance. Hehe...

Either I had something else to do while it happened, or I had already thought through why it would be more difficult to attend USC than other places where I was accepted.

Nope. If I had, I'd've warned you Californians well in advance. Hehe...

Either I had something else to do while it happened, or I had already thought through why it would be more difficult to attend USC than other places where I was accepted.

Oh, nevermind, I thought you meant Caltech. I wouldn't have been around USC back in April.

Hi,

i'm wolf (real name Vuk) and i have been playing the clarinet since i was 10, and i play it in my high school band and another orchestra. Recently took up double-bass and playing it for a year now. Composing since the age of 14, even though i have no real education in compozition (i mostly study scores made by great composers). I like any sort of music, i plan to study psyhology or philosophy. Oh and i'm from Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, and i just turned 17.

-Removed-

Good morning! I'm paranoid

Hi! My name's Bryan and I'm from Saskatchewan, Canada. (Woo hoo, Saskatchewan!!! ... I'm sure there's nobody else from there here... ;) ) I'm 17, going into Grade 12 and I don't plan on going into music in university... but who knows.

I've played the piano for quite a few years, used to play the organ in church (then I decided Catholicism was evil and stopped going...), I've been playing the violin for five years and I just started the viola about one year ago. I also desperately want to learn to play a wind instrument; I don't like brass though and am thinking about oboe (except it's supposed to be difficult to learn?) or flute (but that's too cliche) or English horn (I don't know anything about it but it sounds nice, methinks). I play in an orchestra (I was principal first violin but gave it up because the conductor kept getting angry at me for my section *ugh* so I just gave the spot up; I feel more comfortable 3rd chair) and I play viola in a quartet.

I've taken music theory and just took harmony informally and then bought and read a second harmony book. I'm hoping to somehow learn more harmony and counterpoint and stuff later on. I don't understand anything about 'modes' or whatever that is. I was interested in composing a long time but felt self-conscious and didn't really know what i was doing at all so I never composed. I've been screwing around in compositions for about 3 months and have just started composing actual playable (possibly useful) things a couple of weeks ago. I love Bach. I'm also a writer (mostly poetry lately) and my english teacher found me, thought I was talented and encouraged me to get into creative writing just last year so I did and that was something I've always been interested in too, but just never did. The first poem I wrote was published in a literary magazine and I'm now going to try to get more published.

Some interests: music (obviously), linguistics (etymology and phonology fascinate me the most right now; but I'm currently reading a small textbook on semantics!), languages (have become serious about learning French and just started learning German a few months ago... jetzt kann ich ein bisschen Deutsch), anthropology, religions, cultures, writing, mythology, ancient history, and some other stuff.

Nice to meet you all!! Sorry for writing so much... :angry:

No problem. We like to get to know new people. Pleased to meet you.

Yeah, I think you're the only one from your area - but then, our Canadian population here at YC is pretty dispersed. (I'm from B.C., although my dad's originally from Saskatchewan, and I've been there a few times.)

And, finally - yay for linguistics! That's my intended major. (I'm just about to start college.)

Guys,

I guess I'm considered a newbie so I'll start out with a little introduction.

My name's Chris, and I'm from Long Island, New York. I started playing piano at the age of three and have been playing since then. I'm now 15 and I still can't "read" music, depending on what your definition of "read" is.

Since I was three, I've done everything musically by ear. I write by ear, and I play by ear. Therefore, if I play it, I memorize it. That's that. :)

I currently play piano and cello. At one point I fooled around with the didgeridoo but considering I don't live in Australia that didn't work out! :)

I'm looking forward to posting here!

Chris