competition and attitudes

Hi all :)

I have been thinking again (always a bad sign) about being a composer these days and my experiences and I wonder if any of you people can relate.

When I attended Uni in the UK to study composition I noticed some things and I wonder does this happen in the States or? I also shared a place with another composer from europe who said many of these things, as well as them being a trend in the institution -

how many times did I hear the follow statements:

competitions are fixed. only certain people win them all the time cos they kiss up to the right people

this music (by another composer)is rubbish cos I have seen that exact same type of writing in Ligeti's music

minimalist music is just copy-pasting and is not real art music cos anyone can do it

i have been analysing many scores and have come up with a mathematical theory that I can use to create structures not done before and sounds not produced before

such and such a composer is a joke amoung his peers

greatness in music is about innovation above all else so we need to devise more complex systems

i am following the trends in europe at the moment at such and such a school where the people are brilliant and their ideas are all innovative and highly technical

I found all this in the UK, agreed I was living with a fruitcake maybe lol :)

whatcha think? horrible aint it?

Jaime

I find that their are two types of composers that make comments like that:

Composers who believe their is one type of music that is superior, or composers who feel that in order for their music to rise above others, they need to cut down every one around them. ( And on rare occasions you get a composer who is all of the above)

I have actually read a book that contain comments similar to the ones you posted. By the end of the book it was blatantly clear that his agenda was musical elitist self promotion of his type of music by cutting down all other forms of music and suggesting that his form of music and composers that write like him are the only ones desiring recognition.

It sad when composers go down that path as to cut others down to raise their music up, but its sad fact of life. You can find those type of people in every discipline and the best we can do is to recognize those people and avoid them, because they are toxic people and their methods sometimes work.

Yeah, I agree Jaime. That is sad.

I have to second the opinion I've heard those a lot around the UK and I haven't got to university yet

It's good to hear some support and at the same time sad it is like this. Maybe it will change though - it might be the influence of the previous generation and not the next or the current. To my mind it is very simple - 21st century music means diversity - it means going your own way - it is the age of the individual where everything is questioned from the most avant garde to the most traditional. I'd rather be known as encouraging and helpful than nasty and toxic towards others. Maybe academia will change - it could well be laggin behind.

I don't think it's good to talk about academia in general holding those positions, unless we talk about a specific university. There's lot of great people also in universities that don't have retarded opinions like the ones in that list.

oh yes true SSC but i not naming names ;) but i dont mean all academia the same - is not. anyway is made up of people and some are wonderfully supportive environments etc.

Not only sad, sad as it is, it's down to earth STUPID! :blink: