Composing : Why do you want to be a Composer? by Steven Harris Anzelowitz

As a composer in general, I made my career choice in 2003 to leave a 30 year IT career and move into music because I felt a calling and a passion to create and artistic product involving the use of music and sound. I care very deeply about telling a story and creating artistic products that are structured with tunes that are easy to remember (hence way back when I grabbed the domain name - hummabletunes). My priority is not financial (though get some money is useful :) ). I don't necessary follow the trends. For example when I first started, my classical friends critiqued me for not creating more modern music in the vein of 'contemporary classical' using unusual sounds, time signatures, etc. I was told to get my head out of the past and stop writing trios, quartets, and concertos that sounded like Telleman, Haydn, and other circa 1800 music providers. I was told I shouldn't write minuets.

So I am a composer who follows the lyrics of the rock singer (from the 60s and 70s), Rick Nelson. In "Garden Party" there is the famous line/hook, "... I learned my lesson well... you can't please everyone so you've got to please yourself". While I strive in film composing to provide my stakeholders with music they want to hear that fits the film, I still have a sound I am loyal to and I write music I want to hear - I don't follow the pack and write copycat music.

My other initiative at this point in my career and life is to contribute something that will serve as a legacy for me in the future.

Now that is an answer. I posed this question because I am the son of a composer. Even though I write screenplays I have an understanding of how vital it is to have the right music to move the story along. And I agree with Ricky Nelson's words: Sometimes you have to please yourself. A pleasure to hear from you sir. Only wish you lived in NYC so we could work together. But good luck

Lived as a child on J & 22 in Brooklyn. Learnt to bike ride in Bklyn college parking lot. I consider myself a native ny'r. headed to West Orange on wed to be with extended family. I scored for Denver and California in the last two years. Just as easy to score for NYC.

Ok. Kinda a long story but here it goes. When I was little, like five or six, I played piano for a while. My older sister had been almost ten years, and she took it upon herself to give me lessons. Everyone in my immediate family actually played an instrument at one time or another. My oldest sister played piano and clarinet, my middle sister played clarinet, and my parents both played trumpet. But, being a little boy of six or so, I thought that piano wasn't "cool", so I stopped playing.

A while later, in high school, a friend of mine decided to throw a house party, so a couple of guys and I decided to do what anyone in that situation would do: we started a band. The only problem is, none of us knew how to play. So we learned to play, poorly, and played the party. But, by that time, the house party had morphed into an all-day, outdoor, music festival. It was us, and a dozen or so other bands, as our first show. After a few years of playing gigs, and starting college, I enrolled in a "Fundamentals of Music Theory" class, thinking it would help me write for the band. After completing the course, my professor suggested that I become a music major, I said that I would think about it, never actually considering doing it. At the end of the semester was a performance by the head of the music department, an old Jazz guy named Sparky. My professor said to come to that performance and just talk to Sparky. I agreed. When the performance was over, my professor introduced me to the head of the music department.

"This is Brian, he wants to be a music major."

Sparky reluctantly proposed letting me take the final for Theory I, and if I did well then he would let me get into Theory II the following semester. I took the test (I kinda felt like I was being forced to do so), and turned it into the head of the music department. When he came back after grading it, he said I did better than some people who actually took the class. And that was how I became a music major. I eventually went to a different university and double majored in Composition/Theory.

How I came to actual film composition is growing up, my Mother and I would always stay up late and watch movies on the weekend. Old horror, sci-fi, whatever, we watched it all. Some scores stuck with me since I was a child, like Goldsmith's Planet of The Apes. I have always been a fan of movies thanks to her, and when I became a composer, I found film as a way to collaborate and make art with other people. I like being able to add another character, music, to a film. And now I can't see myself doing anything else.

Never had a choice.

Brian- Just listened to your soundcloud recording. Most impressive. Also like that you enjoy JERRY GOLDSMITH. He is up there with my favorites such as ELMER BERNSTEIN and JOHN WILLIAMS. As you can see from my bio my development of my screenplays and the creatives I work with are limited to Metro NYC/THE NETHERLANDS. If I ever come in too large scale funding for any of the films I want to make COMPOSERS will be the first creatives I will consider because I am the son of an ASCAP musician and composer. You have an incredible talent. You are blessed.

Steven Harris Anzelowitz Thank you so much for taking a lesson and all of the kind words!

Andrew- Look forward to working with you on 'HOPE SAVES MANHATTAN'.

Hi Steven! I'm a composer because I love creating music. It's the best feeling ever being able to capture an emotion and enhance what's happening on screen. I've been making music the majority of my life and nothing makes me happier then when I'm working and creating.

Because, if I can come up with an unexpected sound, unusual chord change, a new melody - there’s no better feeling

Also want to surprise myself and surprise others and not repeat myself

Other times, a melody will come to me out of the blue and I need to record it

Because I love my Muse, and I love my music dreams :-) If you want to know more, just read my article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/muse-music-inspiration-issue-manuel-marino/

The mind never stops creating and it's the only work that keeps me smiling to see everyone singing or dancing to my tunes or lyrics.