I'm a workaholic when it comes to music, often taking on far more projects than a single human should endure. I start somewhere between ten and twenty pieces of music per week, though no more than a couple per month make it to a second round of writing. At any given moment I'm working on several pieces of music, with about one in three coming to completion and release. The rest are usually stored, as I find that elements of unreleased music often work in current undertakings. Given time, every note that I write finds its way into a released work.
Composition for me is as much a part of my life as eating and sleeping. While I once believed I actually had a need to write music, I've learned otherwise over the last few years. I write music, quite simply, because it's there to be written. There is a constant score playing in my mind as I live my life, and my inspiration is drawn from that. Sometimes the music isn't worth listening to and I write very little, and sometimes the music is too powerful for me to sleep.
I grew up in Abilene, Texas, which is centered in the direct center of the state. I spent most of my years there studying piano and competing in various competitions. Prior to that I lived in Midland, Texas, which is where my tale of music begins. My first piano teacher started me along this road almost twenty years ago there. I'm still living in Texas today, though I play very little in public anymore and prefer composition over performance any day of the week. I do still try to keep up my performance skills, but I'm finding that to be a losing battle.
Yes I do, whenever I get the chance. I've always loved performance, even as a young pianist. The real turning point for me is when I began performing my own compositions rather than the set works of classical greats.
I love the music of Pink Floyd, David Arkenstone, the Dave Matthews Band, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Sarah Brightman, Dire Straits, Enigma, Enya, James Taylor, Rush, the Moody Blues, Robin Trower, Carlos Santana, and Steely Dan, to name a few. I don't know if I would claim to draw style or inspiration from these groups, but I do spend a fair amount of time jamming to their respective works...when I'm not tuned into some Rachmaninoff or Alkan.
A couple of assorted synths, a General Music digital piano, an overpowered computer, assorted racked processors, and way too much cable.