Michael Cooke

The Interlude of Busyness:
The orchestra’s recent performance consumed my days and nights, leaving scant moments for reflection or updates. With the concert behind me, a brief pause in the composition allows me to turn my attention to lingering tasks and the anticipation of our next concert in May.

A Harmony of Endeavors and Earnings:
Amid the whirl of concert preparation, royalty checks from my publisher and ASCAP arrived, a modest 🤣 but appreciated acknowledgment of my work.

Given my publisher’s focus on high school band and small ensemble pieces, there’s a dissonance between their specialty and my current creative direction. This disjunction sparks a thought I should compose more small ensemble works, potentially bridging the gap between my musical evolution and their publishing niche.

Composing the Tapestry:
A significant milestone was reached in the development of my latest composition—the completion of the “tape” portion’s rough first draft. The third section, infused with themes of hope and the potential for change, interlaces quotes from its predecessors, culminating with Reagan’s iconic call to “tear down this wall,” thus leading us into the coda. I’ve merged my two different files into a singular narrative, setting the stage for orchestral integration through Finale.

Reflections and Revisions:
Despite the progress, feedback from a composers’ forum on the phase section remains unaddressed. My strategy? To draft the composition in its entirety before revisiting these insights, ensuring a holistic view of the piece before embarking on adjustments.

Orchestrating Emotions:
The journey into the orchestral part of the composition has begun, with progress on the opening segments. After the introduction, the initial section of the first part is a meditation on societal fear in a post-9/11 world and its push toward authoritarianism. The orchestra marks this by the ominous Dies Irae theme, resonating with the echoes of “fear.” My current focus lies in transitioning into the subsequent, more positive segment, seeking a balance that mirrors the complex emotional landscape of our times.

As this symphonic journey unfolds, the blending of life’s crescendos with musical cadences continues to challenge and inspire. Stay tuned for further updates as I navigate these chords of creativity and reflection.

This past week has been a whirlwind of activity, stretching my time across various fronts – from the meticulous preparations for the much-anticipated memorial concert on March 16, to essential updates in my studio, and diving into engaging video projects. Amidst this bustling schedule, my latest composition has been a constant beacon, drawing me back to the creative fold, albeit with the wish for more uninterrupted time to devote to it.

Progress Amidst Pressures

I’ve reached a pivotal point in my composition, rounding off the second section and venturing into the third. Yet, there’s a whisper of concern in the back of my mind about ensuring the orchestra’s voice isn’t overshadowed. The third section’s inception has also brought its own set of challenges, notably aligning my initial vision with the unfolding reality of the material at hand. Aiming for a substantial three-minute section feels just out of reach with the current content, prompting a reassessment of incorporating more orchestral breadth, which I’m currently navigating.

Drafting and Redrafting

The path forward seems to lie in drafting this section with flexibility, allowing for the organic integration of the orchestra as the piece evolves. This iterative process, balancing between the tape and orchestral elements, promises to be an intriguing journey of adjustment and discovery.

Feedback and Reflections

In a quest for fresh perspectives, I brought this evolving work to a composers’ forum last week, particularly highlighting the short variation I wrote for the memorial concert and the in progress one featuring presidential quotes. Through the Looking-glass with Mark was received well and the session was illuminating, with the debate on the final chord’s tonality—major for an uplifting resolution or minor for depth—capturing the essence of creative divergence.

However, introducing my new work proved to be a lightning rod for reactions, with its content stirring a mix of negative responses. While intended to provoke thought, the intensity of the feedback was a stark reminder of the fine line between challenging perceptions and crossing into realms some might find uncomfortable. This balance between provocation and respect, intention and reception, is a delicate dance.

Looking Ahead

Fueled by the forum’s feedback, I’m now contemplating subtle adjustments to ensure the piece remains provocatively engaging without alienating listeners. This process of refining and reevaluating is the heart of creative evolution, an endeavor made richer by diverse perspectives. Navigating through these complexities adds to the challenge of meeting the May concert deadline for this work, especially if significant revisions are necessary. I already sense that I’m behind schedule.

I plan to seek additional feedback by having others listen to the piece and gather diverse opinions. I might be reaching out to you, my readers, for insights, this piece’s journey is a testament to the complex tapestry of modern composition—where every note, every pause, and every feedback loop weaves into the broader narrative of our shared human experience.

Stay tuned as I continue to navigate these creative waters, seeking that harmonious balance where music not only resonates but also sparks meaningful dialogue and reflection.

This week has been incredibly productive for my latest composition project. With fewer competing tasks, I’ve been able to dedicate more time and energy to this creative endeavor. Here’s a glimpse into my journey this past week.

Narrating History Through Music

My primary focus has been on meticulously arranging various presidential quotes to narrate the story I aim to convey through my music. This has allowed me to create detailed notes and a plan for this composition. The process involved not just the selection but also extensive research to find additional quotes that would enhance the narrative. It’s been a fascinating experience, delving into the depths of history, uncovering the words that resonate with the story I want to tell and fit into my musical puzzle.

Beyond Conventional Forms

Breaking away from traditional structures like Sonata Allegro or Rondo, I’m sculpting this piece as a timeline – a musical chronicle, if you will. The base phase loop of the composition takes about 14 minutes to complete its phase cycle, with an additional minute allocated for the coda section. Envision a 15-minute journey, segmented into an introduction, a coda, and three main but interconnected sections:

• The Resilient Nation: The first, and longest, section starts with optimism, drawing from the strength and forward-thinking of Presidents like FDR, JFK, and LBJ, as well as a quote from Bush Jr. It’s a celebration of our nation’s enduring spirit.
• Confronting Our Shadows: Transitioning to a more critical tone, the second section spotlights our failures, selfishness, and moments of corruption, marked by a rhythmic repetition of the word “false” around the seven-minute mark. This section includes impactful quotes from Clinton, Nixon, and new ones from Trump.

• The Dawn of Hope: The final section echoes a message of hope and potential for rectification. It shifts from the previous section with a poignant quote from Eisenhower, followed by optimistic inputs from Obama and Reagan, along with some recurrences from the first section. It’s a musical embodiment of our capacity for change and improvement.

Challenges and Solutions in the Creative Process

This week’s puzzle was seamlessly connecting these thematic sections. The transition from the first to the second section posed a unique challenge. To tackle it, I split my work into two separate audio files. This approach allowed me to focus on the second section, where my ideas were flowing more freely. Once I had a solid draft for the first half of this part, I revisited the end of the first section to smooth out the transition. I’m pleased to say that I now have about nine minutes of the “tape” part of the piece in a good first draft.

Pausing for a Tribute

Temporarily, I’m shifting gears to contribute to a collaborative tribute to Dr. Mark Alburger, a set of variations based on his opera “Antigone.” It’s a project that brings together 6-7 composers, each adding their unique voice to honor Mark’s legacy. So far, I’ve sketched out a few ideas and begun laying out the score. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting collaboration!

Parting Notes

This week has been a blend of creativity, challenges, and solutions, underscoring the ever-evolving nature of composing music. Documenting my notes and plans has been crucial in keeping track of my progress. It’s a reminder that the process of creating music is as much about the journey as it is about the destination. I look forward to diving back into my main project soon, but for now, the tribute to Mark takes precedence. Thank you for being a part of this adventure. Your support fuels this musical exploration. Stay tuned for more stories from this composition odyssey.

Today, I want to share two important lessons from my recent experiences in composing and music notation.

1. The Importance of File Formats and Backups

Last week, my progress in composing was slower than anticipated – I managed to add only about 50 seconds to my composition. This was partly due to other projects taking precedence. One significant task was rescuing compositions for Dr. Mark Alburger, the founder of SFCCO, who sadly passed away last summer. We’re organizing a memorial concert for him titled “Leaving a Mark,” but faced challenges with various music notation software.

Some of his music was in the now obsolete Encore software, while others were in Finale and Musescore. As a regular Finale user, handling the pieces in this format was straightforward, allowing me to seamlessly generate parts. Musescore, having recently undergone an update, has become more user-friendly. However, familiarizing myself with its nuances, particularly in exporting parts, presented a bit of a learning curve that I navigated with interest. The biggest hurdle was the Encore files. I tried several methods, including attempting to compile software tool for conversion. Eventually, the simplest solution was using an old laptop that could run an older version of Encore. This allowed me to convert files into MusicXML for use in Finale or Sibelius.

This experience taught me the vital importance of keeping scores and parts in accessible formats like PDF and MusicXML. I almost lost my first symphony, which was in DOS-based software. Thankfully, I had printed copies, though it still requires re-entering it into a modern music notation program.

2. The Value of Detailed Planning and Notes

The second lesson concerns the current piece I’m writing. I never anticipated such a long pause in its creation, leading to insufficient notes on my plans. While the overarching ideas and concepts were clear, the detailed, section-by-section plans were lost in my memory due to the extended break. This resulted in significant delays as I tried to recall and reconstruct my original plans.

This was a major oversight on my part, as I usually document thoroughly, especially for longer pieces. My usual practice includes taking notes of any good ideas, even for later sections. The key takeaway here for fellow composers is the importance of documenting your plans comprehensively. Ensure that you have enough details about your themes and ideas so that it’s easy to pick up where you left off, even after a long pause. This approach can save you from having to re-conceptualize parts of your work.

Both these lessons have been poignant reminders my approach to composition and music notation. I hope sharing them helps you avoid similar pitfalls and enhances your creative process.

Stay tuned for more updates on my compositions.