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This blog documents the creative processes of composers Craig Biondi, Alphonse Izzo and Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn as they compose new works for a concert funded in part through Meet The Composer's Met Life Creative Connections Program in association with the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Since the posts here chronicle a linear progression of a piece's creation, it is suggested that new readers scroll to the bottom of the blog and work their way forward. Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sternfeld-Dunn: Composing Under Duress


In my humble opinion there is nothing more frightening for composers then the dreaded deadline. It sits on your calendar, taunting you and it always approaches much faster than you think. In my case this deadline has crept up significantly faster than I thought and while my work for English Horn and Cello is wrapped up, my solo cello work is still a work in progress.

Whenever I am faced with the blank page I tend to try to grab onto anything I can for some musical inspiration and in the past it has always been some musical thing that has been in my inspiration. Some rhythm, pitch, scale, etc. becomes the momentum for the work. However with the deadline quickly approaching I find that I don't have the same amount of time to really sweat over the beginning of the process like I usually do. Instead I tried to think of descriptive words that would serve as the inspiration for the work. So now I have a three movement solo cello piece in the works titled: Snap!, Crackle!, Pop!

Yes I realize this may be one of the dumbest titles ever, but this is why I'm a composer and not an author.

Posts will come soon sharing audio and

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