I was born and raised in upstate New York. I remember loving music as far back as I can remember. I used to make up little melodies and harmonies on an old upright piano we used to have. Later, on a little two octave organ someone gave me. Unfortunately for me, no one else in the house was interested in music, so everything that was to follow, I did entirely on my own. I didn't get any real recognition until high school, when a new music teacher decided to audition everyone for our high school chorus. I was in at last. From there, I went on to solo festival, All County Chorus, All State Chorus, Chorus in the Rounds, Chamber Choir, sang in various school musicals, took private voice at the school, taught myself trumpet, and hand copied and transposed much of the music our chorus sang. I received both a creative writing award, and a choral award, upon completion of my senior year.
After graduating from high school, I went on to attend a state university, where I studied various aspects of music, studied piano for a short period of time, took private voice, and performed in various Operas. (I'm a mezzo soprano, by the way.) I also studied voice at two different private colleges, taught voice at a summer workshop, as well as giving private lessons, and singing in weddings. Due to finances and personal problems, I was unable to continue my education, and further my career at that point.
More recently, I have to my delight, discovered the MIDI. I have often tried composing at the piano, but found it absolute drudgery, to physically have to write the notes down. Since I never actually mastered the keyboard, I found it extremely difficult to play either what I had written, or what was in my head, so I never knew for sure, just how it would sound. Since buying notation software, and hearing all the possibilities, I was inspired to try once again, my hand at composing. All my pieces are basically short experamentations, in capturing different moods, scenes, impressions, timbres, instrumentations, or sentiments. I have come to refer to them, as musical snapshots.
Some of my influences in music, came from studying Mozart's operas, and composers such as Stravinski, Barber, Ives, Mussorski, Ravel, and Hindemith to name a few. I have always had a fondness for 20th century music, and prefer if I am able, to ignore rules, if they get in the way of what I am trying to portray. If nothing else, I am gaining experience in writing MIDI files, and am having a blast doing it. Since many of my pieces are quite varied, I would think that most could find something that they liked, and I hope that they do.
