Stephen P Brown

Music Done Differently

Stephen P Brown
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  • Conductor Composer Maestro Stephen P Brown / Swedish Chamber Orchestra
    Articles

    How I compose: Step 2 – Instrumentation

    A couple of weeks ago I shared how I start composing each of the pieces in my composition quest. It seemed to be a popular post! So after I’ve read the psalm, understood its meaning through commentary, and established the structure for my piece, the next step in composing music for me is choosing the instrumentation. Instrumentation. The purpose of this quest is to improve my composing skills. One of my dream goals is to finish the quest by writing a piece of music based on Psalm 33 for large chorus and full orchestra. That’s a lot of people and parts, and like an Olympic Triathlete or Astronaut, there is a…

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    Why understanding (not replication or competition) is the key to learning and winning

    Why understanding (not replication or competition) is the key to learning and winning

    August 22, 2021

    #PsalmQuest 10 – Mirror 2 for solo harp

    October 11, 2013
    Conductor Composer Stephen P Brown's "Bagatelle for violin"

    Next Piece #7: Bagatelle for Violin

    August 16, 2013
  • Articles

    Dedication.

    This week I came across a fascinating exploration of the history of King Arthur’s England. There is so much myth and legend surrounding our dreamy esteem of this perfect man that I’ve often wondered if he really existed. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy the knights in shining armor adventures, and one day hope to rid my inhibitions, dress up as a medieval knight, and accompany my wife to a Renfaire (a common American festival that revives many periods of history and fantasy into an entertaining exhibition complete with audience participation, jousts, mead and glass blowing, etc). But until that day arrives, I’ll just basque in the occasional archaeological documentary and…

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    How our health really affects our ability to unleash spectacular performances

    How our health really affects our ability to unleash spectacular performances

    September 19, 2021
    It's up to us.

    Who is responsible for creating opportunities to participate in live music?

    August 19, 2020

    Quest #9 – Perspective

    October 4, 2013
  • Conductor Composer Stephen P Brown
    Articles

    Tried something new recently?

    This new routine is tough! Getting up an hour earlier every morning isn’t like an on/off switch – it is taking lots of discipline but you know what? I’m getting a lot of work and reading done. But that’s just one new outcome of this Psalm Setting Quest. Another one is being adventurous. If you look through my list of compositions they are mostly for percussion (including piano) and wind instruments. There are a handful of string pieces and one or two that include brass instruments. For some reason, ever since writing a tacky piece for brass quintet, percussion and narrator in college, I’ve avoided composing for brass instruments. So,…

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    I’ve got 7 years left – #PsalmQuest Compositions

    May 3, 2013
    What copyright permission do musicians need?

    When permission is needed from copyright owners.

    October 25, 2018
    How labeling people creates a "box" that doesn't actually exist

    How labeling people creates a “box” that doesn’t actually exist

    August 15, 2021
  • Articles

    Do you ‘wing it’?

    Setting up a plan of action really does seem to work, wouldn’t you agree? As the Psalm Setting Quest was formulating, for fun I figured out a way to determine in which order I would use the psalms to compose music to. A few columns, sorts and ranking formulas were added to a spreadsheet and “voilà!” an evenly mixed distribution of each psalm type. There’s actually one psalm type (Prophetic) that has just one psalm in it and I know this ranking system works when that psalm (#50) appears right in the middle of the list, as the 75th piece of music I will write. An added benefit of using…

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    Stephen P Brown's recommended books to read

    12 books for the growing career

    January 10, 2014
    Conductor Composer Stephen P Brown

    Tried something new recently?

    May 17, 2013
    Letting down the whole team by staying in our comfort zones

    Letting down the whole team by staying in our comfort zones

    September 26, 2021
  • Articles

    I’ve got 7 years left – #PsalmQuest Compositions

    Some of my compositions were recently submitted as materials for another Masters-level qualification which would permit me to teach higher education in the USA – something my experience and approach is well suited to. The application was not approved, and that hurt. When I shared the assessor’s report with my select circle, most of the reactions were along the lines of “These comments make no sense,” and “I haven’t got a clue what he’s on about.” One comment suggested how the assessor seemed to be looking for negative things to say and ended up saying the same thing about each piece that was submitted. There is no recourse to appeal the…

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    Evelyn Glennie marimba

    Piece #8: Sonata 2 for Viola, Marimba, Piano

    September 13, 2013
    Me and my Dad on my wedding day in NJ

    Five times I should have listened to my Dad

    February 17, 2020
    Letting down the whole team by staying in our comfort zones

    Letting down the whole team by staying in our comfort zones

    September 26, 2021
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Conductor Stephen P Brown
“There’s more to music than music!”
Stephen P Brown arrives at the Gershwin Theater on New York City's Broadway
Hello! I'm Stephen P Brown and I help individuals, companies and organizations accomplish far more than they ever thought possible, by sharing my international experience and insights as a transformation expert, project & event manager, team leader, and conductor. You are very welcome to find out more about me here!
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