Because SOMEBODY had to.
Someone had to demystify the magic of how to give audiences goosebumps — without the usual handwringing about “style” and “voice” and “am I good enough?” and “great music is only for geniuses.”
Someone had to cut through the cynicism, jadedness, and ignorance that too many musicians use as a way to justify their failures and to defend their small artistic turf — and thereby amplify my mentor David Rakowki’s calling out of compositional “buttstix.”
Someone had to shine a light on the mountains of fantastic theory, cognition, and creative process research that, ironically, rarely get discussed in music school (in favor of “the curriculum”).
Somehow had to connect the dots between this research and the many useful skills musicians do learn at university — to show how these two work together not only to create powerful music but also to enable a joyful, fun creative process.
Someone had to show that procrastination, self-doubt, and second-guessing are NOT necessary parts of the compositional process.
Someone had to advocate for all those composers who knew in their GUT they had something worth sharing — but could never quite capture their vision.
(And, from what I've seen, even the Tanglewood fellows and Ivy League PhDs struggle with this sometimes, too.)
So I created a Wizarding School for Composers — so YOU could capture the magic of powerful music and wield it with confidence and fun.
The spring session of the Wizarding School starts next Tuesday, March 8.
There are two spots left. If you hope one of them could be yours, reach out to me — and I'll let you try on the "Sorting Hat" in a no-strings attached call.
