Ruby Fulton and Composition
Wednesday October 07 • 08:05 PM
"It seems so obvious, but it took me a really long
time to figure out that I should write music that I
like. It seems like you would just know that, but
when you're in school in this academic institution
where you're always trying to please other people or
you're always trying to get an "A" or whatever it is,
I just didn't know that for a long time. And then it
dawned on me and it was just like, oh, why didn't
someone tell me?”
-Ruby Fulton
-Ruby Fulton
On New Music Box they interview Ruby Fulton. The main
point Fulton emphasizes is when studying music to do
what you like. Write the music you like and enjoy.
When recounting about her experience in academia,
Fulton talks about how such a large emphasis is on
the academic side of composing and she was forced to
write music she had no interest in writing.
My own studies in composition was somewhat similar but much more subtle. While my teacher allowed me to write what I wished and allowed me to tailor our lessons to whatever suited me, he would occasionally encourage me to write something different than my chosen style. One of the mediums I hated writing in is voice. I always felt there was just too much that had to move to make voice writing interesting and that wasn’t my style. My music didn’t move a whole lot. I wanted one theme and I would explore that theme until it was dead, then move onto another. I finally wrote a short song cycle using poems about the Holocaust and was somewhat exhausted after that project. Then my teacher wanted me to write something for chorus. I never did, but it is something that intrigues me and considering the tons of music I’ve explored since then, a choral piece doesn’t seem so daunting.
It seems to me that a lot of undergraduate teachers feel the purpose of the undergraduate studies is to teach the basics and teach the broad range. This certainly makes sense. As a composition student I studied counterpoint, orchestration, instrumentation, musical forms, etc. all of which is highly needed in order to compose well. It gives a foundation and a set of tools for composers to use. I don’t feel that it inhibits a composer’s abilities at all. It is easy for artists to go backwards in their knowledge but impossible to go forwards. Teaching a musician who has only played by rote how to read doesn’t diminish their ability to play by rote. Now they can read music and play by rote. It is a building of skills, not replacing them.
I heard about a flute student who refused to perform a piece according to traditional interpretation. The teacher insisted she learn the music this traditional way and that later on she can then perform her own interpretation. This student obviously thought quite highly of herself and felt that ‘standard’ methods were below her ability. I side with the teacher. Many graduate teachers have the idea that during those years are used to really explore your styles and establish your voice. Everyone comes out of undergraduate school sounding fantastically the same-I disagree with this a little-and come out of graduate school with their own unique voice. Having never gone to graduate school, I can not really comment any more on this.
The point is, first, learn the basics. Your amazing artistic abilities are not diminished because you learned more standard or different ways of producing. Those same artistic abilities are still there. Second, heavily explore what you like and don’t be afraid to experiment.
blog comments powered by Disqus
My own studies in composition was somewhat similar but much more subtle. While my teacher allowed me to write what I wished and allowed me to tailor our lessons to whatever suited me, he would occasionally encourage me to write something different than my chosen style. One of the mediums I hated writing in is voice. I always felt there was just too much that had to move to make voice writing interesting and that wasn’t my style. My music didn’t move a whole lot. I wanted one theme and I would explore that theme until it was dead, then move onto another. I finally wrote a short song cycle using poems about the Holocaust and was somewhat exhausted after that project. Then my teacher wanted me to write something for chorus. I never did, but it is something that intrigues me and considering the tons of music I’ve explored since then, a choral piece doesn’t seem so daunting.
It seems to me that a lot of undergraduate teachers feel the purpose of the undergraduate studies is to teach the basics and teach the broad range. This certainly makes sense. As a composition student I studied counterpoint, orchestration, instrumentation, musical forms, etc. all of which is highly needed in order to compose well. It gives a foundation and a set of tools for composers to use. I don’t feel that it inhibits a composer’s abilities at all. It is easy for artists to go backwards in their knowledge but impossible to go forwards. Teaching a musician who has only played by rote how to read doesn’t diminish their ability to play by rote. Now they can read music and play by rote. It is a building of skills, not replacing them.
I heard about a flute student who refused to perform a piece according to traditional interpretation. The teacher insisted she learn the music this traditional way and that later on she can then perform her own interpretation. This student obviously thought quite highly of herself and felt that ‘standard’ methods were below her ability. I side with the teacher. Many graduate teachers have the idea that during those years are used to really explore your styles and establish your voice. Everyone comes out of undergraduate school sounding fantastically the same-I disagree with this a little-and come out of graduate school with their own unique voice. Having never gone to graduate school, I can not really comment any more on this.
The point is, first, learn the basics. Your amazing artistic abilities are not diminished because you learned more standard or different ways of producing. Those same artistic abilities are still there. Second, heavily explore what you like and don’t be afraid to experiment.
blog comments powered by Disqus