Living Music

I'm sitting at SLC International and thinking about the phrase "Living Music," the theme of the 2013 Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium. What is "living music?" Living music, in my opinion, is music that happens in the here and now. At this festival, composers will premiere old and new pieces. I composed a new piece for the OBF.

All music is living. When you hear Beethoven's Op. 131 and it moves you, that is living music. Living music ultimately is something that moves and changes us as individuals and people.

New music, right now, is in a state of flux. Composers and musicians, right now, are struggling more than ever in order to make a living. Orchestras are folding across the country and opportunities to make music are scant and few.

This is a strange conundrum. I'm not sure why we we've arrived at this point, but I wonder if there is a solution for it. I think that solution comes with making "living music." Musicians form some of the best communities that I've ever been a part of. Communities bring about vibrant and wonderful change.

I like to think that musicians are the ultimate problem solvers. In fact, I think that we succeed at solving most of the problems that are placed in front of us.

I'm looking forward to meeting some people at this festival who once shared a sense of community with me. Some of the people I know at this festival went to Utah as colleagues with me. One of them is from my hometown.

I'll check back in later when I land in Eugene. Have a great Wednesday.