John Rutter recently did a podcast about the 10 questions he gets asked the most. He is a world renowned British composer who is probably best known for his choral works. I was fascinated by those 10 questions as well as his answers. Some were "did you always know you wanted to be a composer?" or "when did you get your first big break?" or "what advice would you give to young composers?" He was very gracious in his answers. I am sure he always tries to give his questioners good information and a lot of encouragement.
But he talked about two things the most.
1. Develop your gift. You either have the gift to compose music or you don't. It cannot be taught. The musical language can be taught, but the genius to create music is a gift. So, do the work to find out if you have the gift.
2. Be true to your gift. Develop a solid core of belief in yourself no matter the criticism. Your music might not be in the popular style of the day or be hailed by the masses. But it needs to be truthful to you. Even if there is criticism, genius will always find an audience.
But he talked about two things the most.
1. Develop your gift. You either have the gift to compose music or you don't. It cannot be taught. The musical language can be taught, but the genius to create music is a gift. So, do the work to find out if you have the gift.
2. Be true to your gift. Develop a solid core of belief in yourself no matter the criticism. Your music might not be in the popular style of the day or be hailed by the masses. But it needs to be truthful to you. Even if there is criticism, genius will always find an audience.
Composers nowadays have many opportunities to get their music heard or performed - self-publishing, the internet, social media, etc. When he was young, there was just one way: get a contract with a big publisher. Composers today are lucky.
He encourages new composers to do everything in their power to get their music performed, even if it is just rounding up friends for a read-through. Nowadays, composers use notation programs that can playback their scores with amazing fidelity. They can even record their music by themselves through the miracle of multitrack recording. (No friends required, but it's seriously more fun in a group.)
John Rutter says that although he enjoys writing for orchestra, he always feels that when he writes for instruments, he is just a guest at the table. But when he writes choral music, he is home. He encourages all composers to write what feels like home to them.
"Where do you get your inspiration?" He says that all composers are standing on the shoulders of giants. There is no shame in borrowing (or even stealing) ideas from the master composers to get started.
Wow! I feel better now.
He encourages new composers to do everything in their power to get their music performed, even if it is just rounding up friends for a read-through. Nowadays, composers use notation programs that can playback their scores with amazing fidelity. They can even record their music by themselves through the miracle of multitrack recording. (No friends required, but it's seriously more fun in a group.)
John Rutter says that although he enjoys writing for orchestra, he always feels that when he writes for instruments, he is just a guest at the table. But when he writes choral music, he is home. He encourages all composers to write what feels like home to them.
"Where do you get your inspiration?" He says that all composers are standing on the shoulders of giants. There is no shame in borrowing (or even stealing) ideas from the master composers to get started.
Wow! I feel better now.
One of my friends told me that I must have been singing a John Rutter piece when I composed this choral "The Keystone of Our Faith." She said I may have borrowed some of his ideas for this one. Maybe... I was just humbled to be compared to John Rutter!
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