InTune

Interview with Georgia Stitt: Composer, Lyricist, Performer

Posted on Sep 25, 2009 by Monica.

In this edition of our Musicnotes.com Songwriter Spotlight, we turn our attention to the multi-talented Georgia Stitt who has worked as a composer, lyricist, arranger, music director, performer, vocal coach and more! Whether she’s on Broadway or working in television, Georgia is a consummate professional with a passion for all things music.

Musicnotes.com is proud to highlight Georgia in this edition of our Songwriter Spotlight. We’d also like to mention we offer a great selection of sheet music for songs by Georgia Stitt or the Alphabet City Song Cycle sheet music for piano and vocals, too!

Is there a difference between writing songs for a stage production versus a movie or a TV show?

Well, yes and no. In both cases you’re writing on assignment, as opposed to writing a song just because you feel like it. When writing for a project, either a stage musical or a TV/film project, you’re trying to capture the essential mood of the scene, the needs and voices of the characters, and you’re trying to take the listener from point A to point B in the storytelling. This is songwriting with a purpose.

Between the musical theater and the film world, there’s a real difference in the expected style of the music, but the essential task of why you’re writing the song feels more or less the same. The real difference is not between writing stage vs. TV/film, it’s between writing theatrically and writing pop music. There are rules in theater music that just go out the window when you’re writing pop songs, and vice versa. For example, in theater music, lyrics have to rhyme perfectly; anything else is considered a cop-out. In theater music, the singer makes a discovery over the course of a song and winds up knowing something at the end of it that he or she didn’t know at the beginning of it. In pop music, songs aren’t structured that way. It’s perfectly acceptable — even desirable — for you to sing about an emotion for three minutes without ever questioning that emotion. Pop songs say “I feel good.” Theater songs say “I feel good but it’s not going to last because you’re married but even so I’m just going to enjoy this moment while it’s here.” They are both unbelievably difficult to get right.

What are some things that you think about when composing choral pieces?

Like writing in any vocal style, I try to find the music within the words. Sometimes the rhythm of the words presents an idea, sometimes there is imagery in the words or I’m just responding to the fact that there are a lot of vowel sounds in these particular words. (Unlike other songs, I have always started choral music with the text first.) And then I have to think about what kind of ensemble I’m writing for. Is this piece for high school voices? Professional voices? Women’s choir only? What are the vocal ranges that limit me? (They’re bigger in professional groups than in high school or youth choirs.) How difficult do I want this piece to be? And because I come from a musical theater background, I’m always looking for ways to make sure the lyrics can be understood even when sung by a choir.

Some choral composers seem to enjoy just writing for the sounds of vowels or repeating words over and over again just because they’re there. (Of course, I love a piece of “Alleluia” music as much as anything else, but so far I haven’t written anything like that.) I want to make sure that at the end of a performance of a piece of my music, the listener has experienced something both musical and verbal.

Can you describe your role as vocal coach for AMERICA’S GOT TALENT in 2008?

“America’s Got Talent” was the third reality show for which I worked on the music staff. The first one was “Grease: You’re The One That I Want” in 2006 and the second was “Clash Of The Choirs” in 2007. On all three shows my job was to be a liaison between the singers and the producers. On the “Grease” show, most of the contestants were trained musical theater singers. They were amateurs, to be sure, but they had been in musicals before and many of them had studied voice in school. They were the musical theater kids. Then on “Clash,” the contestants were choirs. And again, though they were amateurs, these folks, both kids and adults, had experience singing in choirs. They knew if they were tenors or baritones, most of them could hold harmony and read music. They were the choir kids. And then, finally, on “America’s Got Talent,” the show’s contestants weren’t all singers, because it was a variety show. We had dancers, magicians, comedians, gigantic dancing balloons and an Elvis impersonator.

Of the 40 semi-finalists that year, however, 19 of them were singers, and several of those people had never had any kind of music training at all. So I was coaching them (one-on-one, several times a week) about vocal warm-ups, introducing them to concepts like singing harmony, using natural instead of forced vibrato, and musical phrasing. In one case I was desperately trying to get a contestant to quit smoking. (He didn’t.) One of our singers won the whole contest, though, and that was thrilling.

How has your educational background affected your ability to write and arrange music?

I can’t imagine being able to do what I do without having had the education I got. I started piano lessons at seven and played classical piano (competitions, juries, Guild) until I went to college. By the time I got to college I had a deep understanding of musical theory (thanks to my fabulous and diligent piano teachers) and breezed through a subject that was tough for a lot of my classmates.

In college at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music (Nashville) I majored in music theory and composition and had exposure to so many different subjects — orchestration, conducting, accompanying, arranging. And because of the wonderful liberal arts requirements at that school, I had to take classes that had nothing to do with music — philosophy, languages, history, English, computer science, and so on. I remember one of my professors telling me that you couldn’t be a composer unless you had something to write about, and that’s what the rest of your education was for. I will admit that a huge amount of my education since college has come just from doing it — getting hired to do a job and then figuring out what it is I needed to pull off. But I’m eternally grateful for the basic education I got at the beginning.

Have you ever directed performances of your own music? What was that like?

I have played the piano for many performances of my music, and I’ve conducted others. Honestly I have more experience being involved in performances of my own music than I have of seeing other people do it. I do a lot of concerts where I play and sing my own material, and I often invite other singers and musicians to join me on stage. I love pulling those things together, and I love it when a singer teaches me something about my song that I didn’t already know. What’s hard for me is sitting in the audience (or worse yet… watching on YouTube!) when someone sings one of my songs badly. I know that once the songs are out of my hands they’re out of my hands, but in that case perhaps it’s better if I just never know about it.

Which comes first for you – writing music or writing lyrics?

I usually start with an idea for a song. I try to find a point of view or an expression of an idea that I’ve never heard anyone else say quite the same way. Sometimes it’s the title, or the hook of the song, sometimes it’s a musical idea, a rhythmic or melodic theme. Either way, once that original gesture is in place it’s completely back and forth between the music and the lyric.

In my world, it’s absolutely important that the rhymes are perfect rhymes, so I spend a lot of time trying to find just the right words to express the idea without forcing the rhyme. And lately, I’ve been trying to make sure I don’t just regurgitate the same musical ideas over and over again. I find my fingers on the piano want to go to the same chords over and over again, so I challenge myself to write away from the piano, or to try something different just to see where it leads me. The best thing about writing both the music and the lyrics is that if you find yourself veering off in a different direction than you originally intended, you just let yourself go there. That’s where I always discover the best work.

Can you talk about the songwriting process for ALPHABET CITY CYCLE?

Sure. Marcy Heisler is a musical theater lyricist I have long admired, and I approached her about the possibility of finding something for us to write together. She gave me a file-folder of poems she had written that weren’t exactly theater songs but weren’t exactly art songs, either, and told me I was welcome to take a crack at anything in there that seemed appealing. It was like a treasure trove of possibility. There were so many fantastic words. Some of the songs lifted right off of the page; others required a bit of re-structuring to turn them into the pieces they became. But the twenty-minute, five song cycle (for soprano, violin and piano) that resulted is a special little gem that’s unlike anything either of us has written with anyone else.

Kate Baldwin recorded the songs so beautifully (for PS Classics and available on iTunes), and I’m thrilled that other singers are discovering them and responding to them so positively.

Is there a difference working in Broadway or stage productions now versus five or ten years ago?

Probably, but I’m just here in my studio plugging away. The economic state of America (and of Americans) has been a huge problem for Broadway. If people view theater as a luxury item then it’s one of the first sacrifices they make when their budgets tighten. In some ways it feels like Broadway has become so much more commercial than it used to be. A show won’t sell tickets unless it has a TV star in it, a title won’t appeal to the masses unless it’s recognizable because it was first a famous movie, a show that strings together a bunch of hits from a faded rock band sells more tickets than an original musical drama. It’s enough to make writers really discouraged, and then every season there’s at least one truly original, fabulously dramatic and beautifully-crafted new musical, and it keeps us all inspired and writing.

Do you have any advice for aspiring vocalists? Songwriters?

Find the thing that makes you unique and make sure you know how to showcase that to the best of your abilities. I grew up thinking it was so important to be well-rounded, and in my life, that has proven to be true. But in my work, the more sure I am of my own voice the better my songs tend to be. A singer/actor who can do everything well often winds up being the understudy. The star is the person who is so original you can’t imagine the show without her.

What to you is the most important element of a song and why?

Honesty. When a person tells me my songs are honest I feel like I’ve gotten it right. We all steal from musicians in the past, we all are the products of the music we’ve listened to all our lives, and we all are trying to write something that will appeal to a wide-spectrum of listeners. But if the choices you make are watering down your material, making it more generic or more derivative, then you’re not being honest. Sometimes the most honest and original voice winds up being the most universal.

What’s Next for You?

On the professional front, I’m finishing up a musical revue that I’ve been writing with songwriter David Kirshenbaum, and we’re hoping to start development on that in 2010. Cheri Steinkellner and I have a 30-minute musical piece that will be presented in NYC around the end of the year, and I have two book musicals that I’m shopping around: THE WATER (written with Jeff Hylton and Tim Werenko) and BIG RED SUN (written with John Jiler). Finally, I’ve started recording a new album that I’m really hoping to release in 2010 on PS Classics, the same label that released “This Ordinary Thursday” in 2007. On the personal front, however, I’m having a baby in October and that’s pretty all-consuming right now!

Musicnotes.com would like to thank Georgia Stitt for taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer our questions. We would also like to extend our thanks for the photos she supplied to us and would like to mention that Maia Rosenfeld took the photo featured in this post. The photographers for the main image are (from left to right) Maia Rosenfeld, Mike Rozman and April Mills.

For more about this talented songwriter, be sure to visit the official website of Georgia Stitt or visit Musicnotes.com for our catalog of sheet music by Georgia Stitt.

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Gavin Mikhail Interview and Song Debut

Posted on Aug 28, 2009 by Monica.

You may recall that we recently made an announcement about how Musicnotes and Tunecore Team Up To Offer Sheet Music. Gavin Mikhail, the most recent songwriter to be featured in our Songwriter Spotlight, is one of the Tunecore artists we just recently started adding sheet music for.

Among Gavin’s sheet music offerings is his piano version of the Death Cab For Cutie favorite I Will Follow You Into The Dark, which has become a hit with fans of the movie Twilight.

Gavin revealed that, “I’ve always loved playing the song, and although I’d never intended to record it, we went ahead and filmed a one-take performance our last night at Peter Gabriel’s studios. Not only did the people in my camp end up loving the arrangement, but fans of the ‘Twilight’ series discovered the track, and we’ve been flooded with emails asking if I created it specifically with Edward and Bella in mind. Although that isn’t the case, I’m honored that they connect with the song on such a deep level.”

Gavin is a shining example of how an independent artist/songwriter was able to leverage new technology to build a following of fans. For almost five years, fans have been able to follow him through the Gavin Mikhail on MySpace page, the official website of Gavin Mikhail and even a blog for Gavin Mikhail, too. Recently, he launched a YouTube channel for Gavin Mikhail to attract listeners and offer devoted fans exclusive videos as well. Although Gavin wrote songs, produced and recorded music professionally prior to launching his online presence, once he did, the quality and clarity of his music shined through, garnering him an average of 800 to 1,000 new followers per day. The online success of his album Like Normal People Do subsequently reached overseas to Japan, where he was able to sign a licensing deal to sell his music there. One event in particular that helped Gavin launch his career was the Real World Studios contest, in which fans voted for their favorite artist to record their next album in England at Peter Gabriel’s studios. (Be sure to read “Richard Marx, Peter Gabriel, and the Real World Studios Contest” which is a blog post written from Gavin to his fans. The post details his appreciation for their support and his deep connection to Peter Gabriel’s music).

Our Interview with Gavin

From winning this fan-based contest to having his music appear on MTV, VH1 and ESPN, Gavin is a savvy independent artist who’s always looking toward the horizon. Even though Gavin is a popular independent artist today, his story originates in his love for music and songwriting many years ago. Please join us as we ask him a few questions about his origins in music and some exciting new opportunities on the horizon! After you read his responses, be sure to watch Gavin Mikhail performing his interpretation of I Will Follow You Into The Dark, which debuts this week!

What was the turning point for you from amateur to professional musician/songwriter?

That’s a great question, Monica. Unlike some artists, I can’t really point to a specific moment in time. My career has definitely been one loooooong slow build. (just ask my wife *smiles*) But, if I had to pick a turning point, it would probably be early 2006… that’s when the MySpace thing really started to take off. Prior to that, in all honesty, I had very few fans. Like anyone starting out, I was just a guy writing songs in his basement in the hopes that someone might connect. As social networking grew in 2006, my exposure increased exponentially, and for the first time, I was able to actually describe what I was doing as a ‘career.’ I really can’t thank my friends and fans enough for that. Truly an unbelievable year for me.

What message do you have for aspiring songwriters and musicians today?

As simple and cliché as this might sound… take the time to find your own voice, and you’ll do great. Everyone has something to say, and in order to really do justice to your music and your message, you have to find your own voice. Often it won’t feel like you’re getting anywhere, but with time and effort, one day you’ll wake up to realize you’re actually pretty good at this thing you work so hard at. (haha) Seriously, as “un”-new-agey as I can make this sound… the planets will kind of align for you. At the same moment you realize you’re getting somewhere, everyone else will start to realize it as well… As a side note to that, we’ve all seen the YouTube phenomenon – a kid doing Coldplay karaoke with 15 MILLION views… That kind of exposure is an amazing byproduct of technology (and a tempting ’shortcut’ to success), but if you look at the most successful artists, in general, they aren’t the YouTube kid. I guess the point I’m making is that it’s better to work at your craft, and find your own voice FIRST… THEN go for the exposure. If you’ve taken the time to develop, people will respond to you. They really will.

Can you tell us about the song history behind “Brave?”

Given that the story behind Brave is about my wife… and today’s our anniversary? Absolutely. (haha) Seriously, I’ll start by saying that my wife is an amazing person. This has been a long hard road for both of us, and throughout she’s been a constant source of support and inspiration. Brave, as well as the rest of the Like Normal People Do record, was written during her pregnancy with our daughter, Fiona… definitely one of the most soul-searching times in my life. Between doubts about my career and the stresses brought on by having a child for the first time… I was feeling pretty lost. We had a conversation one night in which I basically said I wasn’t sure I could do this (be in music) anymore. That maybe it was time to let go. Her response to me is the song itself. Even today, it’s hard for me to talk about without tearing up, but she essentially said… “I love you, I believe in you, and you need to keep doing it. You’ll get there…” I owe her everything for that.

What was it like recording “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” at Peter Gabriel’s studios?

Indescribable. Truly indescribable. Peter Gabriel is hands down my favorite artist, and not just because of his music. He’s a positive force in the world. From his songs to his soundtrack work to his studios to his philanthropic efforts, he’s a phenomenal human being and most definitely my template for success. Just BEING at the studios was overwhelming for me, but getting to record there affected me on a truly visceral level. I’ve always been a perfectionist when it comes to my music, but the studios somehow lessened that perfectionism, and the acoustic tracks we did there were, without a doubt, the most honest work I’ve ever done. Not controlled… just… laying it out there. I Will Follow You Into The Dark is, to me, probably the most beautiful love song ever written. To say to someone – I love you so much I would follow you into the afterlife… unbelievable… let’s just say I hope I did the song justice. *smiles* Anyway, the engineer Dom, my video producer Kyle, and I went back into the studio by ourselves late the last night, and we recorded that song as well as my cover of Peter Gabriel’s Secret World and the acoustic versions of my songs Brave and Sight Unseen. They were all one-takes start to finish, and I can honestly say I’ve never been more in-the-moment than I was with those songs. We released them as ‘The Real World Sessions – Volume I‘ in April of this year, and they stand as some of the work I’m most proud of in my career.

How long does it take you to produce a song versus an album?

Great question… I’m definitely a songwriter first and foremost, so I tend to write pretty quickly. It isn’t uncommon for me to go from inception to finished piano-vocal recording in one or two days time. That said, I’m excruciatingly SLOW when it comes to production. (Just ask my fans! *smiles*) Idolizing people like Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, Pierre Marchand, Trent Reznor… I believe in taking the time to craft arrangements that take a song to the next level. Add to that my perfectionism, and yeeeeeaaaah… doesn’t make for speedy.

How has the internet affected your ability to song-write and produce music?

That ties in well with your previous question, actually. The internet has radically changed not only the way music is delivered, but even more so -- the SPEED with which people demand it. As sad as it is to say, I think the days of epic production albums are going away. Attention spans are shorter, and most people aren’t willing to wait around for the ‘masterpiece to be unveiled.’ So, to me, that’s the negative side of the internet revolution. The positive side is that people are completely accepting of (and even craving) raw content. In a society oftentimes driven by image over substance, they’re looking for something real. And, that presents an unbelievable opportunity for independent songwriters and musicians. If you’re honest, and you’re willing to put yourself out there… people will respond. What all that translates into (to me at least) is not to put out albums, but instead, focus on single-song releases. I’ll be announcing next week that, moving forward, I’ll be releasing SOMETHING on the second Thursday of every month… for the next few years, at least. Whether it’s the fifteen new full-production songs from the Peter Gabriel studios trip, acoustic versions of new songs, the concerts we recorded in Munich and Chicago last year… whatever. Constant content. Although the releases will be download only, if enough people want physical copies, we’ll try to accommodate that. Maybe for every five songs, we’ll do a digipak and roll in extra content – additional footage from the trip to England, new songs, etc. Lots of options, for sure…

The bottom line is that this is an exciting time in music. If you’re reading this, and you’re an aspiring artist, songwriter, or musician, realize that the direct line to the people who will appreciate your music has never been more readily available. Just take the time to develop your voice, and then… put yourself out there. If you can think you can, you can.

Ok… yeah… that last part sounded like a self-help seminar. I’ll shut up now. Thanks for listening.

Be sure to download sheet music for Gavin Mikhail through Musicnotes.com or order his music through his website located at www.gavinmikhail.com. We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Songwriter Spotlight, and we’re excited to share with you Gavin’s brand new video!

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Interview with Peter Cincotti

Posted on Jun 05, 2009 by Monica.

Pianist and songwriter, Peter Cincotti began his songwriting career at the age of 9. Only 25, Peter is currently on tour opening for legendary performer Seal and has released a brand new album earlier this year called East of Angel Town.

Peter has enjoyed international success, and has been garnering fans on both sides of the Atlantic who love piano music. We’ve often received requests for Peter Cincotti sheet music, and we’ve been delighted to work with Peter to get you your songs.

In this interview, we asked Peter to open up and tell us what his favorite song is, who his musical influences have been and more!

Peter Cincotti Q & A with Musicnotes.com

What prompted you to start recording your own songs, as opposed to recording your renditions of traditional jazz standards?

It just happened. I had been writing for a while, but during the tour of my second record writing just took over. It’s a door that, once opened, is tough to close.

Who have been your biggest influences as a songwriter or as a performer?

As a songwriter everyone from Stevie Wonder to Sting to Randy Newman, to many of the all-time greats like Johnny Mandel, Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Alan Jay Lerner, Fred Ebb, Richard Rogers. As a performer I like people who really put on a show- everyone from The Rolling Stones, to Tina Turner, to Elton John.

Which do you enjoy more: writing music or performing your songs?

There’s a certain point when I like performing my songs best – somewhere soon after the moment they are written, but not soon-when you know the song well enough, but not too well. There’s a sweet spot in there that’s hard to pinpoint. As far as writing, I hate writing. I just like the feeling of having written.

Do you have any stories to tell about your experiences touring with Seal or in Europe?

There are quite a few stories that go along with 5 guys traveling across the country in a van for 5 weeks. None of which I’d like you to print.

For your new album “East of Angel Town” you collaborated with award-winning lyricist John Bettis. What are some of the highlights from your collaboration experiences?

Every time I write with him is a highlight. Collaborating with John is its own thing. Separate from anything else I do, or will do in the future. I’m lucky to have found a collaborator like him, and I’m very proud of the work we’ve done together.

Do you have a message for your fans that you’d like to share?

Thanks for hanging in there with me through all the record company delays of my last record. Wish I could have moved it along faster. I hope within the next couple years I will get to see a lot more of you.

Of all the songs you’ve recorded and performed, which one is the most memorable to you and why?

“The Country Life” seems to stand out from the rest. That song is sort of an emotional prediction. And many years from now, I hope to re-listen to it to see if I got it right.

What’s next for you in your musical career?

Writing and recording my next record. Have no idea what will come out, but I can’t wait to get in the studio.

Musicnotes.com would like to extend our thanks to Peter Cincotti for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. If you are a fan of Peter, we encourage you to visit the official website of Peter Cincotti or download sheet music for Peter Cincotti. Our sheet music catalog for Peter is up-to-date, and we do have the sheets for his latest album, East of Angel Town.

Thanks for sticking with this edition of our Songwriter Spotlight. We hope you enjoyed this interview and encourage you to support your favorite songwriter or composer today!

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“Before You Go” a Patriotic Song’s Story

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Monica.

Whether you’re honoring our veterans for Memorial Day or celebrating the Fourth of July, you might want to stop for a moment and think about the song, “Before You Go.” With lyrics written by Doctor Sam and music composed by John Melnick, this one song has been viewed over twenty million times and played around the world. Although “Before You Go” is a widely-shared song, the story behind how this song evolved truly shows how there is a song for each and every one of us.

At the heart of this story is a retired doctor named Dr. Sam, who leads the group “Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Blues Band,” specializing in entertaining and humorous songs for the health care industry. In 2002, Dr. Sam was leaving an airport parking structure in Florida and handed his money to an older gentleman who worked as the parking attendant. The attendant muttered, “Gee, I took two bullets for this country and look what I’m doing.” Dr. Sam thanked him for his service, and the veteran started to cry. Shaken up by the experience, Dr. Sam drove home and wrote the lyrics to “Before You Go.” For three years, Dr. Sam searched for someone to set his powerful lyrics to music but couldn’t get anyone interested. As luck would have it, lifelong musician John Melnick joined Dr. Sam’s band in 2005. When Dr. Sam asked John whether or not he’d be interested, John had no idea how powerful this song would become. Two weeks after John sat down with Dr. Sam and the lyrics, “Before You Go” was finally finished.

You can listen to the song “Before You Go” here: http://www.beforeyougo.us/

After the song was finished, Dr. Sam put together a pictorial to illustrate the song’s lyrics and emailed the link to about a hundred friends and family. The effect of that one, single email was phenomenal. What started out as a few visits a day to http://www.beforeyougo.us snowballed into an average of sixty thousand daily visitors who have all listened to the song for free.

Performed in the House of Representatives for Flag Day in 2006, this single song of gratitude has touched people so deeply that they’ve sent letters, emails and responses to Dr. Sam and John. For John, this song has a tremendous connection for him because he grew up in the Vietnam era near Long Island, where the community was specifically built for the GIs that returned home from WWII. John expresses that, “My parents grew up in that period of time and this song is a way of honoring their generation.” John also shared with us a chilling reminder: the soldiers who served in World War II didn’t know what the outcome of the war was going to be. Although history books describe the winners of wars around the world, many of the men and women who served their duty were simply lucky to survive.

Although Dr. Sam and John could have capitalized on the song, they’ve decided to offer it for free because it’s the “right thing to do.” The message of honoring the soldiers and their sacrifices is so powerful to them, that they’ve allowed you to create your own pictorial set to the music on their website. In addition to their original video for WWII and Korean War veterans, they’ve also created a pictorial for soldiers who’ve served in Vietnam as well.

We also took a moment to ask John if there were any stories that stood out in his mind. Although every story is meaningful to him, there are a few stories that still cause him to pause and reflect, no matter what he is doing at the time. One letter he received was from a set of twin brothers; one lives in Colorado and the other in Arizona. These brothers were only nine years old when they were rescued from Auschwitz, where they were lost their parents. When Auschwitz was liberated, they were taken by a company of American soldiers who kept them with them for two months until they returned to safety. Although they grew up as Americans and are prosperous and happy now, the twins expressed that they owed their lives to the American soldiers who went above and beyond the call of duty to protect them. John concluded his story by saying, “It’s enough to say ‘Thank You’ as many times as possible before the soldiers leave this earth. Whether we agree with our country’s policy or not, they sacrifice our lives to protect us.”

John and Dr. Sam are still performing together today, and the popularity of their song still amazes them. Musicnotes.com would like to express our deepest thanks to both John and Dr. Sam for allowing us to get the story behind this song and feature it for Memorial Day. We hope you have the chance to listen to or play sheet music for Before You Go to say “Thank You” to a veteran or a soldier today.

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Interview with Composer Kevin Kern for our Songwriter Spotlight

Posted on May 08, 2009 by Monica.

In this edition of our Songwriter Spotlight, Musicnotes.com shines the spotlight on Kevin Kern, an acclaimed pianist, composer and performer who has an interesting story to tell. Even though he was born legally blind, Kevin exhibited his musical talent at the tender age of eighteen months.
After you read our interview with this talented musician and composer, you can find out more about Kevin Kern by visiting his website located at: www.kevinkern.com. Kevin invites you to follow his musical journey through your favorite social sites including: Myspace, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter.

If you’re interested in downloading piano sheet music from this composer, we invite you to visit his selection of Kevin Kern sheet music on Musicnotes.com. At the end of the interview, read a message from Kevin Kern written especially for you!

Can you share with us how you first fell in love with music?

The truth is that I really can’t remember a time when music wasn’t at the center of my life. Believe it or not, I started to play the piano when I was eighteen months old. One day, everyone was watching TV in the den when they heard “Silent Night” coming from the living room. Pretty weird in May. When the family walked in, they saw me standing with my hands over my head plunking out the melody with one finger. Soon, Mom began pulling my high chair up to the piano so I could keep playing. From then on, the music simply kept flowing.

How has your blindness affected your ability to learn and compose sheet music?

I was born legally blind. That meant that while I could see basic shapes and colors, something like trying to read was much more difficult. Everything was letter by letter. Eventually, I simply gave up. I wasn’t able to learn music from printed scores. I could see well enough to distinguish individual notes, but reading music was never practical. I learned all the classical pieces I studied by having my teachers record the music for each hand separately, speaking the fingering as they played. I would then assemble the music by listening to the complete pieces on records. While this was a tedious process, it forced me to develop my musical memory and my ears. It’s just like lifting weights. Eventually, you develop strong muscles by working them constantly. Years of studying classical music and learning thousands of pop tunes from records and the radio helped me to sharpen my listening and learning skills and those skills still serve me today.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you started your career as a composer and professional performer?

My very first role model was the great jazz pianist George Shearing. We met when I was seven. Shearing, who is also blind, showed me that it was possible to excel and succeed in music if one worked to develop the talent and skills. Listening to his intricate harmonic style and marvelous tone complimented my classical training and helped to give me the sound I have now.

I began playing professionally in my early teens. I had a group in high school that warmed up for several major jazz artists including Dave Brubeck among others. I was drawn to jazz both as a player and a composer because it made very few demands on my inability to notate thoroughly. The improviser’s art was ideally suited to a blind musician with lots of ideas but few ways of communicating them effectively. For this reason, jazz has always been special to me and I still love to play and compose music in that style.

As far as composing goes, initially, I would get a good idea and then forget some key part of it before having the chance to put it on tape. Once music production software like Cakewalk and Sonar became accessible for the blind, I could not only hear my melodies, but my orchestrations as well. This last element was crucial because it helped me develop the musical voice my fans know today. However, it wasn’t until Sibelius notation software was made more blind-friendly that all the pieces came together.

What inspires you to write music?

I’m inspired to write music by the simple fact that I’m able to do it. After years of not being able to make my ideas clear, the chance to get it right is inspiration enough. But that’s not where it stops. My ideas come from a number of sources. The first is my classical background. Years of hearing the music of the great classical composers has filled me with a wealth of thematic ideas that I never seem to exhaust. My second major inspiration is the sound of great film scores. The film music I like best has a very orchestral Romantic sound to it and I love hearing how great film composers draw upon the classical tradition to compliment a film with their music. The third major influence is my exposure to the music of the great popular songwriters. From Tin Pan Alley to the great pop writers of today, I’m always listening to what the great melody writers are doing. That way, I never stop learning and my music never stops growing. Lastly, I’m also energized by the sounds of the world around me. I’ve spent many a summer evening in the hammock taking in the sounds of the wetlands behind my home. The songs of the birds and the peepers (little frogs) that come back every spring are just some of the sounds that provide the energy that invigorates my composing process.

How has your blindness affected your ability to arrange your sheet music for others to play?

For most of my life, I wasn’t able to arrange music for others to play at all. In fact, if I couldn’t make my ideas sound good with one piano and two hands, I was simply out of luck. I’ll never forget trying to write a big band arrangement when I was at New England Conservatory. There I was listening to these excellent sight readers trying their best to make sense of my horrible handwritten parts. I knew the ideas worked but I couldn’t hear them played correctly because the parts were too hard to read and the performance suffered because of that. That was 1982. It would take more than twenty years before personal computers, notation software and special adaptations for the blind would come together to make it possible for me to put my music on the page the way I heard it in my head. To sighted people, this is probably no big deal. To me, it’s a life changing event that I celebrate with joy every day. That’s where you guys come in. Musicnotes has played a critical role in making my piano arrangements available to fans all over the world who have been asking for them for more than a decade. I’m looking forward to expanding my Musicnotes catalog for my fans.

As a composer, you’ve also written for film in addition to producing your own CDs. What is the most rewarding aspect of working with other musicians?

Actually, while many of my songs have been used in movies for television and in commercials, I’ve yet to write an entire film score myself. Through the years, I’ve spoken with film directors and others who have all commented on how my music has a cinematic quality that’s made for film. I consider that a great compliment. Now that I’m able to put my music on the page, I’m hoping that the film score of my dreams won’t be far behind.

To answer your other question, the greatest part of working with other musicians is hearing my ideas come leaping off the page exactly the way I imagined them. I feel as though the world has been unlocked for me. The exhilaration that hearing my music played by others brings me is simply indescribable. Whether I’m hearing students play my music in their end-of-year recital, or rehearsing my arrangements with local professional musicians in a concert hall half way around the world, the thrill of hearing my notes come back to me is simply one-of-a-kind. I don’t imagine I’ll ever quite get over it.

We can’t imagine what it would be like to write music without clear vision. How do you do it?

I use a combination of software that speaks the contents of the computer screen in a program like Sibelius. I can place my cursor in a given staff and measure of a score and the screen reader will tell me everything that a sighted person would learn by looking at the screen. That combined with being able to play the score from any given point gives me access to all the information I need to write the score and parts.

One song that a lot of Musicnotes fans really enjoy is “The Enchanted Garden.” Can you share a little history about the song?

“The Enchanted Garden” was the title track for my debut album released in 1996. The song was inspired in part by the view of the garden I saw from my window as I composed. It was one of those rare things where I simply woke up one morning and sat at the keyboard and began to sketch. The ideas kept flowing and flowing. I first thought of the key of D Flat, a key that most people don’t use very often. As I looked out the window, I started hearing the opening phrase. The melody just seemed to flow from there. Remember that I couldn’t write anything down in the 90s, so the idea had to be complete on solo piano. To make “the garden” lush, I filled it out with the sounds of an orchestra for the CD. In the end, the key was to translate the sights and sounds of the world around me into the language of the piano. I feel my best music expresses my world in the piano’s native language.

A Message from Kevin Kern

Kevin Kern would like to know which of his songs you would love to have sheet music for. As Kevin described, offering you the chance to play his sheet music means a lot to him, and both Kevin and all of us here at Musicnotes.com enjoy fulfilling your sheet music requests.

After you’ve reviewed the Kevin Kern sheet music on Musicnotes.com, we invite you to suggest sheet music for your favorite Kevin Kern song so that we can arrange it for you.

Musicnotes.com would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to Kevin for the time and energy he devoted to this interview. We wish him continued success on his musical endeavors!

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Innovations in Songwriting Lead to Web 2.0 and Beyond

Posted on Mar 25, 2009 by Monica.

In our continued efforts to support songwriters everywhere, we’ve been able to connect with some really interesting people. This time, our efforts crossed paths with a songwriter, producer and savvy Web 2.0 professional named Dean Whitbread. In this article we’ll share with you a little bit about Dean’s background, and talk about an area where he is blazing trails in songwriting – for podcasts.

Dean comes from a musical background steeped in the sounds of jazz – his father was a jazz trumpet player in the hip late 1950s London circuit. Dean had early formal musical training but didn’t enjoy the classical music he was learning. Switching from private lessons to school, he studied trombone, guitar and choral singing, meanwhile practicing Elton John hits on his church’s organ when he thought nobody was listening. He picked up his first review aged 11 for an original piano composition, and resumed formal piano and theory lessons again between the ages of sixteen and eighteen during exam time. It wasn’t until he went to art school that his music developed into serious songwriting, making recordings using the equipment he found there.

“I found abstract ways of creating sound in art school. When I began, I was multi-tracking using digital delays and tape, but with the computer technology of the Fairlight, any songwriter could take a sampled sound and make it into music,” says Dean Whitbread. “But it was expensive, for rock stars and Pierre Boulez only. Then AKAI and Casio came out with much less expensive models, and the price of samplers suddenly dropped from 20k to 2k. Cheap technology helped drive innovation in music.”

From his days experimenting with new technology in art school, it’s easy to see how Dean has naturally drifted toward Web 2.0 technology. Dean is one of the founders of the UK Podcaster’s Association located at: http://ukpodcasters.org.uk/ Just two months after the formation of UK Podcaster’s Association, Dean was involved in the campaign to prevent World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO, a UN Mandated Organization) from enforcing TV regulations on internet media.

“If the treaty had gone through, it would have meant that meant if someone rebroadcast your online content on their TV station, they owned it,” says Dean.

As soon as the UK Podcaster’s Association was formed, it attracted a number of members and the Association is still going strong today. Dean has been able to stretch across borders and connect with other groups. Dean was quick to point out that presently, there is still no official “U.S. Podcaster’s Association.”

In addition to his work at the UK Podcaster’s Association, Dean Whitbread has spoken at several PodCamp conventions and has been able to leverage his musical experiences effectively through Talkingvoices.com, a business that specializes in offering legal music for podcasts. Talkingvoices.com offers a customized experience for professional podcasters and businesses, by helping match sound with brand. If a sound doesn’t fit, this company will provide uniquely-written songs that endear a podcaster or a brand to their listeners.

Writing songs specifically for podcasts is an exciting development in music. One of the podcast that Dean recommended was called the “Contrast Podcast.” This music-filled podcast has a special focus on today’s songwriter, and offers podcast episodes where “musicians introduce their own songs.”

At the end of the interview, Dean spoke passionately about supporting songwriters and music lovers everywhere. He told us how musicians and songwriters can embrace the internet to encourage fans to come to live shows, and spoke about the value of interactive engagement with audiences.

Musicnotes.com would like to extend its sincere thanks to Dean for taking the time out of his extraordinarily busy schedule to speak with us. We wish Dean the best with his musical career, and admire his passion for music and technology. As Dean expressed to us, “Music is a fantastic experience that hasn’t lost its value, it’s changing.”

One of his latest musical ventures is to write a song for Earth Hour.org. Watch the videocast at: http://www.mogulus.com/riseandshine.

We hope you are inspired by this article to experiment with your own music. For more about Dean’s songwriting and music-filled life, visit his blog located at: http://funk.co.uk/music/.

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Interview with Carter Burwell, Composer for Twilight, A Knight’s Tale and More!

Posted on Feb 26, 2009 by Monica.

Carter Burwell is a man of many talents whose abilities range from the technical to creative. During the course of his professional life, Carter has pursued the art of animation, software development, music performance and–of course–composing music for movies. Interestingly enough, he also enjoys other forms of composition which involve writing music for dance and theatrical performances.

As a composer, Carter Burwell wrote the theatrical score for over fifty films including Rob Roy, A Knight’s Tale, Hamlet, and Burn After Reading as well as his most recent work on the film Twilight.

Recorded in a London studio, Carter Burwell composed, orchestrated and conducted the musical score for the film about a girl who falls in love with a vampire. As an experienced songwriter, Burwell has been able to translate mood into music, marrying fear with love. One such song in the soundtrack that has gotten rave reviews from Twilight fans and music lovers is the song, “Bella’s Lullaby.” We’d like to provide you with a quote about the origin of this song in Carter Burwell’s own words:

Years ago I was in love with an amazing and challenging woman named Christine Sciulli. She left me, I was heartbroken, and I wrote a piece of music that tried to express the thrill and pain of having my heart pierced. She wouldn’t speak to me, so I sent her the music to speak in my place. QUOTE: Carter Burwell’s Notes on Twilight

If you read the story of how Bella’s Lullaby evolved from the version that Carter Burwell first wrote for the woman that would later become his wife, you can see how complicated writing music for films can be. For the first time in his work on films, Carter performed his original work for the movie executives who didn’t fall in love with the song right away. In the end the song evolved to the form that you know if today.

Carter has been very open with the composition process on his personal website located at: www.carterburwell.com. We were fortunate to ask him a few questions and would like to share these with you today.

You’ve worked on several different types of films from dramas to action movies and love stories like Twilight. What is your favorite type of movie to score and why?

My favorite type is the dark comedy, just because it matches my view of the world pretty well.

Some fans believe that “The River Flows in You” by Yiruma is the “true” version of Bella’s Lullaby? Can you clarify this for your fans?

The book Twilight had been popular for many years before I started working on the film, and many readers had their own ideas about “Bella’s Lullaby.” Some people liked the song “The River Flows In You” and it, along with others, was tagged as “Bella’s Lullaby” on YouTube. You have to remember that anyone can post anything on YouTube – it is not a source of information, but a source of entertainment.

What would be your advice to musicians or songwriters interested in writing music in today’s market?

The good news is that it’s so much easier to be a musician than an architect or dentist – you don’t need someone to give you millions of dollars, or offer to let you in their mouths (e.g. the dentist). And with current technology it’s easy to record music and post it on the internet – even sell it there. The parts that are still hard are learning how to write and record well – and I can only suggest that one work with people you admire, and learn from them – and getting yourself noticed – for which I have no good advice.

When you go to a movie now in the theaters, do you automatically hone in on the score?

If the film is good I don’t pay any more attention to the score than most people. If the score gets my attention it’s not usually a good sign.

How many instruments do you play? Are you a singer?

I play keyboards – piano, synthesizer, accordion. I play other instruments, like guitar and bass, badly. And I can sing really badly.

What do you like to do when you’re not making music?

I play with my kids. And I occasionally run marathons.

Any plans to release the “Best of Carter Burwell” CD?

I’m waiting until I really don’t have anything better to do. And I’m hoping that won’t happen for a while yet.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on a film version of Where The Wild Things Are with a singer / songwriter named Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

Musicnotes.com would like to extend a very special “thank you” to Carter Burwell for the time he took for this interview. We wish him well in his life’s endeavors and hope that he continues making great music! If you’re interested in playing the movie sheet music that he has composed, visit Musicnotes.com to see sheet music composed by Carter Burwell.

We hope you enjoyed this interview with Carter Burwell. To find out more about him, visit the official website of Carter Burwell.

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Musicnotes on the Scene in 2008

Posted on Feb 02, 2009 by Monica.

Earlier this month, we reflected on all the things we’ve done this past year for our customers and music fans everywhere. Our marketing director was kind enough to pop by and talk about these efforts in this post entitled, “2008: Highlights from Musicnotes.com. We’ve also took a look at what your favorite songs were from 2008, and found some interesting examples of how great songs are truly timeless.

In addition to all the things we strive to do for you, our customers and fans of music, we also support the songwriter whenever we can. To this end, we started seeking out songwriter interviews so you could learn a little bit more about what goes into creating wonderful music.

We’d like to take this opportunity to share with you a little more about the event we visit each fall in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame hosts a fantastic dinner to help usher in the inductees nominated each year. This is a very powerful ceremony for a lot of people, because the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame recognizes the beauty of music on a very emotional and in-depth level. An honor for any songwriter, Musicnotes.com is thrilled to be at this event held typically in the fall. 2008 was a momentous year for famed songwriters Matraca Berg, Tom Shapiro and John Hiatt.

We’d like to share with you some of our memories from this occasion.

On Saturday night, before the big event, we visited the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. Fred Knobloch was playing with Don Schlitz (who wrote the songs, “When you Say Nothing At All” and “The Gambler”), along with fellow songwriter Tom Schuyler and musician Jelly Roll Johnson (who’s a killer harmonica player). This was a great start to get Musicnotes in the mood for Sunday’s event, because these singer-songwriters have been playing together at the Bluebird for over 15 years. They basically started a musical format called “in the round,” and their music continues to delight every year. The intimate Bluebird Cafe is a perfect spot for tourists and music lovers everywhere, and has hosted hundreds of big names in music including: Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Kris Kristofferson, T-Bone Burnett, Lucinda Williams, the late Townes Van Zandt, Carole King, the Dixie Chicks and countless others.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony was held the following evening at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. The ceremony’s highlight was the induction of Tom Shapiro, Matraca Berg and John Hiatt. (Hiatt is pictured here with Tim Reiland, the Chairman of Musicnotes.com.) The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation wrote a wonderful article about the evening, including Hiatt’s induction, and we’d like to share some of it with you:

John Hiatt was inducted by BMI’s VP, Writer-Publisher Relations Jody Williams, who said, “I’ve only written one fan letter in my life, and it was to John Hiatt, after hearing his album Slow Turning. His songs are everyday revelations whose brilliance lies in John’s exploration of the mundane to reveal the common thread in all of us.” Shawn Colvin performed “This is the Way We Make a Broken Heart,” before Emmylou Harris performed “Icy Blue Heart,” joined by Jon Randall. Michael McDonald closed out the set with “Have a Little Faith in Me.”

“My dream was not to be in the Songwriters Hall of Fame,” said Hiatt, “but just to learn how to write songs, and this [Nashville] is the epicenter of songwriting. I still don’t feel I know anything about songwriting; it’s a harrowing experience, but to be honored this way makes me feel like I might know what I’m doing.”–SOURCE: Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame 2008

We can’t even begin to imagine what it might be like to not only write a song, but have it be so powerful that today’s top performers share the beauty of them with your friends, loved ones and peers.

Pictured at left is songwriter Casey Beathard. 2008 was a very special year for Casey because he was selected as the 2008 Songwriter of the Year. He is credited as co-author on the 008 hit songs: Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy), Don’t Blink, How ’Bout Them Cowgirls, and Ready, Set, Don’t Go. This award was sponsored by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) as part of its annual Songwriter Achievement Awards. Unlike other award ceremonies that you might be familiar with, this one is particular poignant because awards are nominated by other songwriters within the community. What an honor to be nominated by your peers!

We invite you to read more about the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 2008 Ceremony and hope you are inspired to create your own music and support these amazing people.

Musicnotes.com is a proud sponsor of NSAI, which is a sister organization to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation. We also invite you to visit the NSAI website to learn more about how this organization effectively supports songwriters and their great works. As the NSAI tag-line states, “It All Begins With A Song.”

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Interview with Santa Baby Songwriter, Philip Springer

Posted on Nov 26, 2008 by Monica.

Hang up your stockings and light up your Christmas tree! Musicnotes.com has a special holiday treat in store for all of you today. We had the pleasure of speaking with songwriter Philip Springer who wrote the ever-popular Christmas song, “Santa Baby.”

You probably already know that every song has a story, but did you know that “Santa Baby” has a tale that spans over fifty years? We didn’t either when we first asked Philip Springer about how the song, “Santa Baby,” came about.

The Story Behind Santa Baby from Songwriter Philip Springer

Philip Springer first got involved with the song Santa Baby in 1953, when he was working with Joan Javitts and financed by an older gentleman. Their financier made a deal with Victor Publishing who had asked them to write a song for the legendary Eartha Kitt. At first, Joan was assigned to work on the song but then tapped into Philip’s talents shortly afterward.

The songwriting process was almost instantaneous. Joan had supplied Phil with a single song lyric that read “Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree, for me.” Hearing the music in his head, Phil literally wrote the music for the song in five minutes. The entire process of fitting lyrics to music took only about three weeks.
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Songwriter Spotlight | Interview with William Joseph, Pianist and Composer

Posted on Nov 20, 2008 by Monica.

Today Musicnotes.com brings you an exclusive interview with William Joseph in our first edition of our Songwriter Spotlight.

William Joseph is a pianist, composer and performer who is currently touring internationally. He was gracious enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about composing music, working with an orchestra and his new album, Beyond.

After you read his interview, if you’d like to find out more about William Joseph, listen to his music or see where he’s touring, we encourage you to visit his website located at: www.william-joseph.com or friend William Joseph on MySpace. If you enjoy William’s songs, we invite you to visit his selection of William Joseph sheet music on Musicnotes.com.

All of us here at Musicnotes.com are really grateful we had the chance to ask him these questions, and we hope you enjoy this first edition of our Songwriter Spotlight.

What inspires you to write music?

There are so many things that inspire me to write music… The one thing I can say that inspires me is, “Life”. Whether it is happiness or heartache, love or loneliness… The music that I write is a direct reflection of what I am going through or feeling at the time. Emotion is the driving creative force of my music… I am also heavily influenced by the music that I am listening to at the time.
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