Posted by steelecomp99 on October 8, 2014 · 1 Comment
“Oh, you’re a composer. So, what kind of music do you write?” I’m often asked this question when meeting new people. It’s usually either preceded by, “so, what do you do,” or if they know I’m involved with music, “what instrument do you play.” To the latter, I usually playfully respond, “I play the composer.” “What … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with broadway, categorization, classical music, coins, composing, Conversations, devil, experimental, impressionism, listen, listener, minimalism, modernism, modernist, post-minimalism, post-modernism, postmodernism, rock, romantic, Scott Steele, Scott Steele composer, sound mass, symbolist
Posted by steelecomp99 on September 15, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Recently, I was asked to list 10 books that have left an impression on me. Many of the writers in the list are connected through common interests and influences. Rushdie, Eco, and Calvino were all influenced by Borges and are magical realists. Some have concerned their writings with expressing moral and social issues. They have not been afraid to … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with amazon, beauty, bibliophile, biff, book list, book lists, books, borges, calvino, christopher moore, composer, david foster wallace, east of eden, favorite books, gospel, if on a winter's night a traveller, in the name of the rose, infinite jest, justice, labyrinths, lamb, literature, lolita, magical realism, midnight's children, nabokov, reading, rushdie, satanic verses, Scott Steele, Scott Steele composer, slaughterhouse-five, steinbeck, truth, umberto eco, Vonnegut
Posted by steelecomp99 on August 29, 2014 · 2 Comments
I often find myself charmed by olde things. I owe the discovery of Uqbar to the conjunction of a mirror and an encyclopedia. Late one night, as is often the perfect time for fantastic discoveries, I happened upon an obscure, lost country while searching articles on Mirrors. (The Mirror is an ongoing artistic fascination/project of mine. … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with "A tale of nine coins", armenia, art, “upward behind the onstreaming it mooned”, borges, cello, clarinet, composer, Composition, discoveries, ficciones, fiction, gnosticism, greece, history, idealism, inspiration, investigation, iraq, literature, marimba, mirrors, new music, parable, parthia, persia, premiere, quotes, Scott Steele, tlon, trio, turkey, uqbar
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Posted by steelecomp99 on August 12, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Back in May, I was honored to have two pieces premiered during the 2014 Pittsburgh Festival of New Music. Trillium Ensemble opened Saturday’s concert with Conversations w/ Ligeti & Heidegger & Mom in the Background. Listen to their premiere performance here: https://soundcloud.com/scottsteele/conversations-w-ligeti-heidegger-mom-in-the-background-1 Trillium has also performed and recorded Silent Spring by Mark Fromm. Also on the … Continue reading →
Category Premieres, Uncategorized · Tagged with alia musica, alia musica pittsburgh, Conversations, Duo scordatura, Heidegger, Ligeti, Mark Fromm, mom, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Festival of new music, Pittsburgh Soundpike, premiere, Trillium ensemble, trio
Posted by steelecomp99 on August 7, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Recently, I received a recording of my solo glockenspiel piece, the situation is…, performed by the commissioner of the work, Brett Dietz. Inspired to expand the repertoire, he has commissioned new glockenspiel works from many composers, including one of my former teachers David Stock. Brett’s mission is bold. As he stated in an article he recently wrote … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with bells, brett dietz, brett william dietz, commissioning, composing, concordance, david stock, glockenspiel, new repertoire, percussion, recordings, Scott Steele, Scott Steele composer, solo, the situation is
Posted by steelecomp99 on July 9, 2014 · Leave a Comment
A few weeks ago the New York Times published an article on a Connecticut opera company opting to replace its musicians with MIDI recordings. I don’t have a problem with a radical retake on a classic. It’s usually interesting whether I love it or despise it. I don’t mind if someone wants to try out electronic timbres … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with beethoven 5, borges, interpretation, midi, mirrors, new york times, opera, ring cycle, Scott Steele, shakespeare, wagner
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Posted by steelecomp99 on June 28, 2014 · 1 Comment
Reflecting on Percussion Lessons Today, I read an article featuring one of my former percussion instructors, Andrew Reamer. Andrew is the principal percussionist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and a professor at Duquesne University. During my years at Duquesne, I had the pleasure of studying with him and Chris Allen, PSO associate principal percussionist. I … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with andrew reamer, andy reamer, bach, chaconne, chris allen, christopher allen, composing, duquesne university, lessons, percussion, percussion lessons, performing, Pittsburgh, pittsburgh symphony orchestra, playing, pso, Scott Steele, Scott Steele composer, timing
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Posted by steelecomp99 on June 21, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Thailand International Composition Festival Last year I had the pleasure of attending the Thailand International Composition Festival. It was a delightful time of meeting new friends, hearing fresh and exciting new music, sharing ideas and adventures, and eating a lot of great food!!! Next week marks the beginning of this year’s Festival. I send them … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with alia musica pittsburgh, bald mountain breakdown, bernard rands, federico garcia de castro, mara gibson, michael hall, narong prangcharoen, thai food, thailand, thailand international composition festival, ticf, tyler capp, viola
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Posted by steelecomp99 on May 23, 2014 · Leave a Comment
On the Pittsburgh Soundpike Tomorrow is the Pittsburgh Soundpike, a part of the Pittsburgh Festival of New Music. I’m honored to have two pieces on the program. My Conversations w/ Ligeti and Heidegger (and Mom in the Background) opens the program. It’s being exquisitely performed by Trillium Ensemble (http://www.trilliumensemble.com/), who commissioned the work. Duo Scordatura (http://www.duoscordatura.com/) will … Continue reading →
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with alia musica, Cage, Christine Burke, Conversations, Duo scordatura, Eclectic Laboratory Chamber Orchestra, Freya, Heidegger, Ligeti, Mark Fromm, Pittsburgh Soundpike, prong, Reich, Reza Vali, Scott Steele, Scott Steele composer, Trillium ensemble
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Posted by steelecomp99 on May 19, 2014 · Leave a Comment
The Avoidance of a Word (KC Performance) I composed The Avoidance of a Word for Music From China. We premiered the work last October in NYC. Toward the end of April, we performed the work again in Kansas City. https://soundcloud.com/scottsteele/the-avoidance-of-a-word-1
Category Uncategorized · Tagged with Avoidance of a Word, cello, drums, erhu, gongs, kansas city, music from china, percussion, Scott Steele, Scott Steele composer, torture, whispering
Scott Steele 