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Allow the words to unfold, reading and creating with a deeper understanding and purpose.

As a composer of sacred and secular songs and choral works, the texts I set are ever present and foundational elements to the music. I was reminded in my devotion this morning about the importance of gaining a fuller understanding of words as they relate to one’s faith, and, as a musician, to the enrichment of the compositional and performance processes.

Even if you are just reading your favorite poem, or sharing a quote, taking a moment to examine just a few of the words in greater detail will enhance your comprehension and overall experience with the text.

For example, take these four words, “green pastures,” and “quiet waters” from Psalm 23. How would the material in the image of this post help in your understanding of the overall text or in performing a musical setting of the psalm?

You may be surprised at what you discover.

If you are at all interested in the business side of composition, check out this super fantastic resource:

The Portfolio Composer

You can find the podcast at:

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Last spring (April 2014) I began a second piece based on a challenge from Facebook. The idea was to occupy Facebook with art, breaking the monotony of photos of lunches and selfies. Whoever would like or comment on the post would then be given an artist to share via Facebook. I was given Albrecht Dürer by Matthew Peterson.

For this second piece, “dance of the mill,” I chose Dürer’s painting, “Wire-drawing Mill” which can be found on SoundCloud:

About the Music:

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) travelled extensively during his lifetime. One of Dürer’s earliest documented excursions was to the Italian city of Venice. As he neared Nuremberg, Dürer very well may have passed through the first industrial development of the city. Yet again, his surroundings inspired a rich watercolor painting.

“Wire-drawing Mill,” depicts a copper wire workshop, along with other mills, nestled on the bank of the Pegnitz, outside of Nuremberg. Some scholars think this painting was created around 1489/90, while others believe it to have come during his return trip home to Nuremberg in 1494. Regardless of the original inception of the painting, the moving inner workings of these mills and the vibrant colors of the painting sparked the creation of this second Albrect Dürer inspired piece, “dance of the mill.” The composition was written for either solo guitar or guitar duo and various percussion.