I was happy to see two Tufts music composing programs that I teach featured, apropos the concert held at Distler Hall on October 16, 2019, in an article written by Sam Heyman for the Tufts Daily (October 17, 2019): ‘How to Fall Slowly’ showcases student compositions“
The programs mentioned are Contemporary Composition (MUS-0118) and Composition Practicum (MUS-0119) for graduate and undergraduate students with performance experience and musical fluency.
“Contemporary Composition is a seminar course which blends composition projects with lectures, musical analysis, visits from guest musicians and more. Composition Practicum takes a more collaborative approach, asking students to share their compositions with classmates and provide feedback on one another’s works.”
Sam interviewed two students, whose works were played in the concert, about the impact the programs have had on them.
For graduate student and experienced musician Bo Konigsmark, they are an opportunity to hone existing skills and cultivate areas of expertise, “the liberated creative environment at Tufts sets it apart from other programs … It’s a judgement free zone. You can bring forth your music, and however you do it … if it’s real and you are showing that you have a genuine, you know, pursuit and purpose in what you’re getting after, then nobody cares if it’s tonal or not tonal … I think in a lot of other places it’s like, ‘This is the system, and you will write this way, and if you do not, we will cringe.’ You don’t get that at Tufts.”
On the other hand, these programs helped introduce undergraduate Sam Graber-Hahn to composing. “I thought I would be pretty bad at composing, … but [Professor McDonald] is just a very encouraging guy and helped me a lot … He’s very good at noticing how you’re restricting yourself and broadening that … So he’ll give you lots of ideas for how to vary things and make stuff more expressive.”
Both remarked at how varied the student compositions turn out, and how it helps them learn. The Tufts Composers concerts give students a space to hear their work performed in public by professionals as well as their peers. “You’ve got world-class performers playing student music … [and] all your friends are [at the concert] listening to their music, and you get to talk to each other about what you’ve written.”
Sam Graber-Hahn especially credited the composition program and the concert series with renewing is interest in classical music “… if it weren’t for the [Tufts] Composers concerts, I would be doing no classical music and very little violin.”