Aesthetic Identity

Aesthetic identity—I like that. I’m like that. ...Aesthetic meanings go beyond social signals to personal affirmations of our sense of self.—Virginia Postrel, The Substance of Style

As a young composer I experimented with various stylistic options. Over time I gravitated toward some options, and away from others. Some stylistic qualities continued to intrigue me and suit my purposes; others didn’t. Most of my writings on this site discuss things that I’ve discovered that I like.

The peak experiences that I’ve had as a listener have been triggered by music that typically shares certain general stylistic qualities. These shared qualities became touchstones for my own compositions.

Some of these stylistic characteristics are relatively easy to define. Examples include: a sense of energy and physical motion, some form of tonal or modal organization, and memorable melodic lines. Other traits resist simple definitions. Two such qualities are atmosphere and glamour (including its older meaning of magic spells). Though elusive to define and challenging to evoke, I find these qualities intriguing, especially in the theater.

My goal as a composer is to write music that is rewarding to experience. Working with materials that I love makes the daily work of composing rewarding in itself. I love the challenge of imagining a captivating musical experience, and then translating that imagined experience into musical notation. The test of whether I have succeeded comes when skilled musicians interpret that notation and perform the work for listeners. As I compose I strive to create a score that when performed will be a memorable and rewarding experience for my anticipated audience, as well as my demanding muses.