Dreaming and Thinking in Music

Harnessing his wide-ranging experiences as a composer and educator, the author tackles one of the more elusive questions in music composition: how to get from technical ability to creative creation. Unlike standard composition textbooks that focus on writing melody, harmony, counterpoint, and rhythm, this resource guides readers to explore the rarely discussed problems of how to get ideas as well as how to follow up with the appropriate techniques to realize those ideas. Exercises throughout the book prepare readers to receive, recognize, and seize moments of inspiration or musical vision through a variety of methods to prompt imaginative musical thinking. Essays introduce and further explore topics such as hypnagogic dreams, improvisation, personal voice, composing based on lived experiences, and the influences of visual art, poetry, film, theater, and science. This playful and accessible approach serves as a guide for any composer, musician, or student interested in exploring their musical creativity from a nontechnical viewpoint.