Mastering the Art of Music Composition: A Comprehensive Guide to Interview Success

Interview with Kevin Costley, Part 1

Thank you to all the students and teachers who submitted questions for the interview with Kevin Costley. All of the questions were interesting and thought provoking. It was easy to find 10 questions that at least touched on everyone’s interests because some of them were similar. Here are the first five questions and Kevin’s answers.

Kevin’s History:

1. What made you want to become a composer? How old were you when you started writing music? Did someone inspire you? Which composer has had the most impact on your writing?

I became a composer quite by accident. In the late 1970s, I wrote a few arrangements of hymns. A helpful friend who taught piano helped me polish my early drafts. She taught me a lot about correct rules of notation. I laid these arrangements aside and paid no attention to them for years. Every year, I would take my own piano students to our local piano festival. Every year after returning home, pieces would roll around in my head. I thought, “I think I can write a piano piece. ” Yet, I never sat down and wrote one. Finally one year, I went home from the festival and actually wrote five pieces. A dear, published composer friend, Glenda Austin encouraged me to publish these pieces. She said, “They are good!” After these pieces were published, my wife was very supportive of my writing. Though I used Glenda’s pieces as examples when I wrote, she told me to look at the solos by the famous composer William Gillock. She said that “Everything you need to know about pedagogical composing is in Bill Gillock’s works. ” And so I did refer to him frequently during those early days of writing.

Kevin’s Ideas:

2. How do you come up with fresh ideas for your pieces?

I must say that I am very fortunate to never want for an idea to write. Most of my compositions come from inspiring locations, themes, or memorable events. 99 percent of my pieces begin with a title; I then build the piece around the title. It’s not often that I write a piece and then think, “What am I going to call this piece?” I get ideas from the sights and sounds around me. I find motivation in what people do for enjoyment. I like to write about the beautiful earth where we live. I like to write about human emotions (i. e. “Remembering” – a romantic piece). I like to write to the heart of people. If a piece is about people, teachers will use it and it will sell.

Kevin’s Technique:

3. How do you first approach your composing? Do you have a checklist that you use (i. e. title, form, performer level, etc)?.

As stated in an earlier question, I usually have a title and a scene or in my head. As I write, I slowly add to that scene until I reach the ending I want, one that I think the audience would want to experience. The audience in this case includes piano teachers, students, and people who just listen to these pieces. I don’t use a list when I write, but as a major writer for the FJH Music Company, I do follow Helen Marlais, FJH’s keyboard director, when I level (i.e. e. early elementary, elementary, late elementary, early intermediate, intermediate, late intermediate, early advanced). Because of this, I always have these important checklists with me when I’m writing my own projects and “assignments for hire” (tasks given to me by FJH). I check it carefully to stay within the chosen level. Some people might think that this criterion stifles the composer’s creativity. Actually, the opposite is true for me. Leveling a piece is hard, even for the most skilled and experienced composer. But there is still a lot of room for creativity within a certain level. There can still be ‘creativity within limits. “I think that people who are just starting to write music should start by writing simple pieces with limits and then move on to writing more complicated music.”

4. Do you usually get an idea for a title before you start writing something, or do you write the music first and then think of a title that fits?

How do you come up with titles?

I have a title book where I save some titles. Titles come from many places (i. e. roadmaps, signs, sights, sounds, travel brochures/magazines, children’s books, catalogues, etc. ). However, although I have many titles in my “Title Book”, I don’t use them all. The point is: never lose a good idea; it might serve the composer well later on in writing. After going through something great or emotional during the day, I’ve written a lot of pieces in the middle of the night. While in Boston several years ago, I rode the trolley. In the middle of the night, I wrote, “Old Town Trolley” and “New England Getaway. If you look at all of the songs in my duet collection, “Travel’s for Two,” most of them were inspired by the places I’ve been. Sights and scenes motivate my very best and most imaginative writing.

Kevin’s Routine:

5. Do you write every day? If so, how often? Do you write with pencil and paper and then type your work into a notation program, or do you write in the notation program itself?

At this point in my composing career, I have no routine at all. Most of my work at this point is “work for hire” for the company. In essence, major writers spend much time writing collaborative projects together at different levels. I also submit some of my own personal works and will continue to do so in the future. As soon as I started writing, I became hooked. I would often get out of bed in the middle of the night to write. I no longer do this. I know how to shut off my creativity (like a water valve) when I need to in order to get other things done in my busy life. I write most all of my compositions with an erasable pen on staff paper. I occasionally compose first on the Finale, yet very rarely. The grunt draft is the hardest part! My plan is to write it first, then get my original ideas on Finale right away, and then make changes to my draft several times based on the Finale copy before sending in the copy for publication. The best publications aren’t sent in right away; the best writers work on them for a few days and then send them in again, making sure of every detail!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this interview with Kevin Costley, coming Wednesday!

Interview with Kevin Costley – Part 1

Composer Music interview questions

What questions do music composers ask in an interview?

The interviewer will want to know about your experience, musical training, and the type of music you’re interested in composing. You may also be asked to sight-read or play a piece of music on an instrument. To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of common music composer interview questions and sample answers.

What skills do you need to be a music composer?

Use your answer to highlight some of your most important skills, such as creativity, problem-solving, communication and teamwork. Example: “I believe that a music composer needs to be highly creative because they are responsible for creating new songs or compositions.

What questions do interviewers ask a musician?

Interviewers want to know that you’re knowledgeable about the type of music you’ll be playing or creating. This question allows them to assess your familiarity with the genre, as well as your ability to adapt to different styles. It also gives them a better idea of the kind of sound they can expect from you.

How do you answer a song interview question?

How to Answer: The best way to answer this question is to provide an example of a song that you wrote and recorded, and then walk the interviewer through your creative process. Talk about how you come up with ideas for songs, what techniques you use when writing lyrics or music, and how you go about recording them.