First Semester at Columbia
This will be my first post in a long time because I’ve been so busy. Composing has been taking up the majority of my time (which is a good thing).
I’ve recently completed two pieces, both of which derive pitch material from spectral principles. This was my first attempt in using spectral techniques and since I’m working with Tristan Murail at Columbia, I saw a great opportunity to learn from a true master. Murail is a fantastic teacher. Not once has he tried to impose his way of thinking or working on any student, but instead takes what the student has done and works to make that statement stronger and more clear.
His teaching method paired with his modest, approachable personality makes him one of the better teachers with whom I’ve studied. After only one semester, I feel my music is bridging the gap between the purely conceptual and the artistic.
