Composition Professor Leads Group Masterclass (LIVE)

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Welcome to my channel! I’m Saad Haddad, a conservatory-trained composer and the founder of "The Composer’s Brain," an online collective dedicated to advancing the craft of serious composers. Here’s a bit about my journey:
Age 7: Inspired by a book about Mozart, I knew I wanted to become a composer.
Age 15: Joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Composer Fellowship Program, mentored by Steven Stucky.
Age 22: Earned my B.M. in Composition from USC, studying under Donald Crockett, Stephen Hartke, Frank Ticheli, and Bruce Broughton.
Age 24: Completed my M.M. at Juilliard under John Corigliano.
Age 29: Named Composer-in-Residence at the California Symphony.
Age 30: Graduated with a D.M.A. from Columbia University and joined their faculty.
Age 31: Premiered “Aysheen” with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and founded The Composer’s Brain and its LITE version.
Today, I have a growing catalog of over 50 compositions that have been performed in China, Brazil, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, South Korea, Austria, Sweden, Canada, and the United States. These works include pieces for orchestra, chamber ensemble, vocalists, soloists, and electronics.
It took me 25 years to get to where I am today. Loving music is not enough. It takes doing the work that no one sees in the hopes of attaining an outcome that is not guaranteed.
If you love to compose as much as I do, then you’ll never stop doing it.
Let's go compose,
Saad
🕒 Timestamps
00:13 Microtonality
13:46 What slows down composers?
18:00 Resources
20:16 Networking
22:52 Writing just to write?
28:33 Teaching undergraduate composers
34:22 How to start composing
37:30 What are the core music theory concepts for composers?

[@saadhaddadmusic]

Join for free & learn to compose ✍🏽 with craft: www.skool.com/composersbrainlite

[@ericleiter6179]

Thanks for sharing this session...I personally have a few takeaways from this one; the attention to medieval music/counterpoint-which I too, am guilty of ignoring-then the idea of just going up to a musician or small ensemble and saying "I would like to write something for you"-then hopefully swap contact info, and perhaps get a commission...and finally, the idea of finding that equilibrium of study and composing-I am also guilty of over studying certain composers and their works that I like...almost to the point of stalling when it comes to starting something new of my own...any suggestions of knowing when to make that break??? Because, we are in a field where there is never going to be a case of, "OK, I finally know everything about this craft/art"...I mean even Beethoven was studying Bach's B minor mass and Handel's Messiah when he died, these scores were on his desk...so you can be a BEETHOVEN in your field of work, and still feel that there is more to learn all the way up to your last breath!!!

[@saadhaddadmusic]

I mean I actually think it’s really freeing to admit you don’t know everything. It means there is more excitement out there than there is in your head ✍🏽 but that’s just my voodoo senses talking 🤣 and that commission story is not typical but I could happen

[@ericleiter6179]

@saadhaddadmusic I agree it is freeing... and I understand your case with getting those commissions via a cold call approach was unusual and perhaps very lucky...you've had a few of those haven't you??? But, no I know... I remember seeing your video where you listed off all of your rejections too!!!

[@saadhaddadmusic]

@@ericleiter6179 yes and they still keep coming those rejections :)