December 27, 2009
Happy Holidays to all! I had some recent success by winning a composition competition at Michigan State. The winners get to have their music read and recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in late January.
My piece that was selected is titled “County Cork,” and is inspired by a study abroad trip in Ireland I took in 2004. During the trip, I studied traditional Irish music on the tin whistle and elbow pipes. Since then, I never used my experience in Ireland in my compositions. I tended to stay away from Irish material, simply because it has been done many many times, and done very poorly by composers. I attempted to capture a more authentic sound, while painting a picture of my experience in Ireland. I used all the 20th century sounds I enjoy using, while continuously exploring new sounds.
Cheers,
Happy New Year!
Phillip
