The following post is by my friend and mentor, Dr. Nickitas Demos, Professor of Composition and Coordinator of Composition Studies at the Georgia State University School of Music. Nickitas is a prolific composer of music spanning multiple genres. He’s found the sweet spot where meaningful music and everyday life beautifully collide. He’s a brilliant composer […]
How 18 Composers Give and Inspire Through Their Art
For years, finance experts have agreed that there are three things you can do with money – spend, save, and give. Giving of our resources is important. But it’s not the only way to give. I know many people who give of their time and talent on a consistent basis. They inspire me. So how […]
Inspiration, Don’t Wait On It!
Let’s talk about inspiration. Webster’s dictionary describes it as, Something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create. I used to wait for inspiration. I’d wait and wait and wait. And then I’d wait some more! Okay, let’s be real. That’s called procrastination. Why […]
Aspiring Composers (A Resource for Parents)
What does a composer do? Why does he do it? The composer and his art form are elusive, to say the least. Stories of Beethoven busily composing in the wilderness and Mozart meticulously composing entire compositions in his mind before notating them are among the grand stories youngsters first learn in music history class. These […]
5 Reasons Why You Should Be Programming New Music
Plan, program, plan, program. This endless road lies ever before us church musicians. It’s easy to get “stuck in a rut.” How many times have you planned that all too familiar choral anthem this year just because your choir knows it well? (Trust me, your congregation is catching on.) How often do you resort to […]