How to Actually *Learn* Composing - Composition Pedagogy with David Conte
A Composer's Journey - Learn the Art of ComposingShow Notes
This is one of the most illuminating conversations on music I have had in living memory. Our guest today is David Conte, who is Chair of Composition at the San Francisco Conservatory, student of Nadia Boulanger, and apprentice of Aaron Copland. He's a successful composer with over a hundred published works, many of which are becoming staples of the modern repertoire.
In this interview, he talks about:
The key points he learnt from Nadia Boulanger
The skills he finds most valuable for a composer to learn
His thoughts on the "chief job of a composer"
What originality in composing really means, and where it comes from
The utility of learning traditional harmony and counterpoint
Why Nadia Boulanger's music is receiving newfound attention
And much more. I'm not exaggerating when I say I was fascinated by David's thoughts, which stem from his decades of experience teaching and learning composition at the highest level.
I really think you'll enjoy this conversation, and you'll learn a lot too.
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