St. Martin's Chamber Choir

Composers Forum

Question #17 - This may tie in to the previous question, but overall, what are your greatest challenges as a composer?

MSB - M. Susan Brown;   SH - Steve Hahn;   TK - Tim Krueger;   TS - Terry Schlenker

 
MSB - I am challenged to stay focused on writing what is in my heart, no matter what is going on outside. There are many distractions. I suppose it’s a little like the Pilgrim in Pilgrim’s Progress, where even well-meaning souls somehow divert one from the path that one must take.

SH - Keeping inspired to write for limited audiences. I haven’t found a lot of people who will come out regularly to hear innovative, progressive music on an unusual instrument such as the Chapman Stick.

TK - I think my greatest challenge is myself. I’m hyper-critical of my work and it causes me to abandon some (about 25 percent) of my compositional projects. If I sense that a piece is not going anywhere, I just toss it.

TS - Finding the attitude I spoke to in the previous question. Living a life free of expectation, and living in gratitude for the gift of God’s expression through me, regardless of the result.

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