Category: Living Composers

Introducing "More Rhapsodies and Reveries"

2/18/2026

I am excited to share that the fifth volume in my popular "Rhapsodies and Reveries" series is now available at Piano Pronto!

"More Rhapsodies and Reveries" features 9 expressive solos for early to mid-intermediate pianists. These pieces range in style from quite and reflective to fiery and dramatic, and they serve as stepping stones for students who are preparing to make the jump to playing intermediate level pieces in the standard classical repertoire.

See and hear every piece in the new collection HERE!

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Interview for the WFMC "Meet the Composer" Series!

6/3/2024

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I recently had the pleasure of doing an interview with Sam Ecoff from the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs for their "Meet the Composer" YouTube series. This video series introduces piano teachers and students to contemporary composers from all over the country who are currently writing works for piano students.

If you are interested in learning more about me, what inspired me to become a composer, and how I got started publishing and arranging my music--feel free to check out the video below!

Thanks again to Sam Ecoff and the WFMC for including me in this wonderful series!

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Musicianship Monthly #15: The Contemporary Period

3/30/2022

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The start of another month means it is time for a new Musicianship Monthly post!

What is "Musicianship Monthly?" Each month, I share links to free resources you can use to focus on a specific musicianship skill with your students. (Want to see past skills we have covered? Click HERE!)

This month, we will be continuing our exploration of music history with resources that highlight the Contemporary period! Keep reading for fun, accessible resources you can use to introduce your students to this interesting and varied period in music history....

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Living Composer Project--Month 4 Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts

5/30/2019

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Read about the Living Composer project and download the worksheets HERE. Read the Month 1 Wrap-Up HERE. Read the Month 2 Wrap-Up HERE. Read the Month 3 Wrap-Up HERE.

Our semester-long "Living Composer Project" finally concluded this month with an awesome spring recital--and some very sweet letters written by my students to their composers of choice.

I blogged last month about the composers my students would be representing in our spring recital--and everyone did a wonderful job! I shared some of the facts that my students researched about the composers on the back of our recital program, and I think it was fun for the audience to learn a bit more about the composers behind the music that was featured.

Today I wanted to share a few of the letters my students wrote during our final month of this project:

Dear Jennifer Eklund,

My name is Ava, I am 11 years old, and I have been playing the piano for two years. My teacher has been helping me learn about living composers, and I have been learning your pieces "The Calm" and "Nightscape." My favorite thing about your music is how flowing it is and how you use the pedal. One question I have about your music is how do you compose it? Do you have people helping you?

Sincerely, Ava

***

Dear Randall Hartsell,

My name is Miles, I am 13 years old, and I have been playing the piano for five years. My teacher has been helping me learn about living composers, and I have been learning your piece "Raiders in the Night." My favorite thing about your music is that it is so calm and soothing. One question I have about your music is how do you come up with the notes?

Sincerely, Miles

***

Dear Kristen Allred,

My name is Annika, I am 12 years old, and I have been playing the piano for 2.5 years. My teacher has been helping me learn about living composers, and I have been learning your piece "The Prowling Panther." I love it! I learned how to play it a few weeks ago and I'm playing it for the recital! My favorite thing about your music is how fun it is. It is jumpy, like, fun to play and move around. One question I have about your music is how do you come up with your pieces? Do you have any advice for composing a piece? What is your favorite piece you ever wrote?

Sincerely, Annika

***

Final Thoughts on the Project

I really enjoyed seeing the excitement my students had for the music we worked on this semester, and it was enlightening to read in their own words the thoughts they had about the music and the questions they had for the composers. I was introduced to some new-to-me living composers by my students--and it was helpful to know what types of music my students are listening to outside of their piano lessons.

I will definitely continue to make more of an effort to point out to my students who composed the music they are playing, and to encourage my students to read about the composers whose music they are studying. I think it is important that students make the connection that music and art are products created by real people--and that as patrons of the arts we should make an effort to support this important work whenever possible.

It was also exciting for my students to have the opportunity to connect in person with the composers we studied. My students were thrilled to get responses from many of the composers they contacted. In fact, I heard from one teacher who adapted this project for her chorus classroom, and her class wrote and received a response from Alan Menken, of Disney music fame! Isn't it exciting that we live in a world where so much great music, and so many talented composers, are only a click of the mouse away?

What do you think? Did you use any of the "living composer project" materials with your students? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

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Living Composer Project--Month 3 Wrap-Up

4/12/2019

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Read about the Living Composer project and download the worksheets HERE. Read the Month 1 Wrap-Up HERE. Read the Month 2 Wrap-Up HERE.

This month was an important one for our living composer project, as all of my students selected their pieces for our spring recital in May! Each student is playing at least one piece by a living composer. Here are the composers that will be represented on our upcoming recital, grouped by genre:

Pedagogical Composers

Kristen Allred
Jennifer Eklund
Nancy Faber
Martha Mier
Ross Petot
Chrissy Ricker

Film Composers

Klaus Badelt
Alan Menken
Richard Sherman
Charles Strouse
John Williams
Michiru Yamane
Hans Zimmer

Pop and Electronic Music Composers

Deadmau5 (Joel Thomas Zimmerman)
Marshmello (Christopher Comstock)

I am also pleased that two of my students have asked to perform their own compositions at the recital. It will be fun to highlight the music of student composers, too!

This month, students also listened to at least four pieces by one of the living composers they have studied this spring. I am hoping this will build some excitement about potential new repertoire for the summer.

So, what is on the list for next month, our final month of the living composer project? We will:

Write a letter to a living composer we have studied this spring. I will be encouraging my students to write to the pedagogical composers they have studied, since we have a better chance of reaching them via their websites or publishing companies.
Perform our pieces at the spring recital. I will be including some of the facts we learned about these composers on our recital program, as well as sharing any responses we receive from our composer letters.
Listen to a piece by a living art music composer. We have mainly focused on the music of pedagogical, film, and pop music composers during this project, since they are the most accessible to my students. However, I think it would be fun to share a more advanced modern piece by a living composer with my students--perhaps something by Nikolai Kapustin, William Bolcom, or Lowell Liebermann. Any other suggestions for a modern concert piano piece that would be fun for students to watch? I'd love to hear your ideas!

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<<Previous

Introducing "More Rhapsodies and Reveries"

Interview for the WFMC "Meet the Composer" Series!

Musicianship Monthly #15: The Contemporary Period

Living Composer Project--Month 4 Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts

Living Composer Project--Month 3 Wrap-Up

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