Music In Progress

Music In Progress

By Michael CookeArtsMusicPerforming ArtsMusic Commentary
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Music In Progress episodes

  • Back from the Islands and Back to the Symphony

    Back from the Islands and Back to the Symphony

    Fresh off a trip to the Channel Islands, I dive back into Symphony No. 4—reworking a bold theme inspired by Beethoven and Hindemith, with surprises from Lutosławski and Ruggles. A behind-the-scenes look at shaping a symphonic finale.

    6 min
  • Circle-Music, Score Migration, and a Return to Symphony No. 4

    Circle-Music, Score Migration, and a Return to Symphony No. 4

    A busy spring season brings progress on solo Circle-Music pieces, score migrations into Dorico, and a long-awaited return to Symphony No. 4. With new drafts completed and fresh momentum building, the path ahead is full of creative promise.

    4 min
  • New Music, Score Migrations, and Bassoon Experiments

    New Music, Score Migrations, and Bassoon Experiments

    January was packed with travel and celebrations, but I made progress on my bassoon circle-music piece, refining multiphonics, phrase connections, and triplet-based rhythms. I also finalized the Love Letters collection’s move to Dorico and updated "Minerva’s Dance" and "G.A.C. for Orchestra".

    5 min
  • A New Year, New Objectives

    A New Year, New Objectives

    After completing a new Love Letter piano composition in December and transitioning six more works from Finale to Dorico in January, I’m setting ambitious goals for 2025. Plans include finishing my Solo Circle-Music collection, completing Symphony No. 4, and exploring new projects.

    5 min
  • New Music for the Love Letters Collection

    Returning to composition, I revisited my Love Letters collection, transitioning works to Dorico while creating a new piano piece inspired by my anniversary trip to Turkey and Greece. Combining cultural influences, Romantic styles, and binary form, the piece nears completion.

    7 min
  • Moving Music from Finale to Dorico

    Migrating my music from Finale to Dorico proved more complicated than expected. I faced challenges with importing scores, from titling, beat groupings, to restoring microtones. Despite that, I’ve managed to save four compositions, and learned valuable lessons along the way.

    7 min
  • Concert Preparations: Practicing, Promotions, and Problem-Solving

    Concert preparations are in full swing as I balance practicing, promoting, and solving last-minute personnel issues for the November 2nd concert. Collaborating with musicians to refine compositions and address notation challenges has been key. Embracing feedback ensures smoother rehearsals and an exceptional performance.

    3 min
  • Composer’s Dilemma: Progress and Digital Disruptions

    The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of progress and challenges. Significant strides were made with orchestration tweaks, polishing transitions, and refining my tape and orchestra piece. However, frustrations arose as I grappled with replacing Finale, my longtime music software, now unsupported.

    5 min

About Music In Progress

From the publisher's feed

Uncovering the depths of the creative processes of composing music. Gain valuable insights with practical tips and techniques. Whether you’re a fellow musician, an enthusiast, or just curious about…