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Congratulations to my flute student, Harshatha!

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Harshatha recently took part in a Tamil event called “Fetna.” She was able to participate in the winds and string competition, and got second place in her category! She will be doing her Level 8 CM examination this year.

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Introducing iiCoCo, the international interactive Composers Collaborative:

We began as a group of composers who met as composition students at the Juilliard School in New York City. Current hybrid approaches to music transcend traditional genre boundaries and how music is heard. These days concerts range from through-composed to improvised and in-person, to streaming performances. At the same time, new business models for the arts are coming into being. Composers now have interactivity and collaboration options. iiCoCo was founded to discover, explore, and integrate these new dimensions and evolve new business models for the arts to support composers in delivering their works.

#1 Alone together

I am a music teacher, musician…and now a composer.  I have been listening to, teaching, making and studying music since I was 6 years old.  To my utter delight (and surprise), I discovered in my late forties that I love to compose, and the discovery has been life-changing.   

I’ve found that creating music from scratch, with the express purpose of having it performed, is a unique challenge.  Having a solid foundation in music theory, performance skills, and a deep understanding of different musical styles undoubtedly benefit me as a composer.  However, it doesn’t necessarily make the process of composing any easier.

One of the things I’ve learned through my own experiences is that it’s important to be patient and persistent in the face of the challenges that come with composing. It can be frustrating when the music in your head doesn’t seem to translate to the page or the instrument, to put it mildly.  To keep working at it and not give up is essential, and to do so requires tenacity and focus unlike anything else.  On the one hand, I’m constantly driven to improve and refine my work. On the other hand, it can be easy to fall into the trap of self-doubt and criticism to the point where it becomes counterproductive. I’m still trying to strike a balance between pushing myself to do better, and recognizing and celebrating my successes.

I have been so lucky to have found a supportive community of creative outliers in iiCoco. Having a group of like-minded creators to share your work with, including the emotional work involved, has been incredibly helpful in the creative process.  I am looking forward to our journey together.

I performed in an informal concert of Fortnightly Music Club, playing some of my own compositions. Being part of a concert in which my own music is played, is a mind-blowing experience! A big shout-out to everyone, including all the talented performers and organizers, who made this possible.