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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to commission a work?
Depends. Who is the work for? Where will it be performed? Who is performing it? How long will it take me to write? When do you need it completed? - These are just a few questions I have to consider before quoting a price.
For a basic guide on how to commission music, provided by Meet the Composer, go here.
How long does it take to write a piece of music?
The creative process is extremely hard to judge. For incidental music for theatre, which usually isn't full orchestra, I can average as much as 3 to 4 minutes a day, depending on the instrumentation and complexity of the cue. For full orchestra I average about 2 minutes a day. Fast or slow, I've never missed a deadline.
What is the design process for writing music for theatre?
Every Director and Composer has their own way of working. Some Directors are very hands-on, others are not. But this is how I'm used to working:
First, I read the script and become extremely familiar with the storyline and try to get the overall feel of the play. I look at set-designs, costume renderings, attend production meetings, anything I can do to get immersed in the world of the show we're creating. I like to write a few concept cues, not only to give the Director a better idea of where I would like to take the music conceptually, but to help me put down my first impressions of the piece. Those first impressions are very important to me. Oddly enough about 80% of those concepts end up making it in the show in one form or another. I also work with the Sound Designer to talk about the overall soundscape of the play. Afterwords we meet with the Director in what is called a spotting-session; it's where we decide where music should occur within the show. The real writing doesn't begin until rehearsals have started and scenes are being set. I watch the rehearsals, time the scenes and start writing. Normally the scenes I watch and write for that day will be set against the actors the following day (or when ever those scenes are rehearsed again) and adjusted, rewritten, or, in worse-case-scenerio, the cue gets cut altogether. The deadline is usually just before tech rehearsals begin.
That's the gist of it.
How long does the design process take?
That depends on the theatre and when they decide to bring me into the project. Some start early on, some wait till the week of tech rehearsals.
Why do you wait till the actors have started rehearsals to start composing?
If you were a tailor, would you start sewing a suit before you took any measurements?
More FAQ's to come |