WEBVTT
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When it really hits, it's just like wow.
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There are a few things that every composer and conductor needs to get right.
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Peter Askin has the answers.
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He's a composer, conductor, educator, former orchestral bassist, music director of the Wilmington Symphony, and the founder and artistic director of the next Festival of Emerging Artist, where young musicians work directly with living composers to bring new music to life.
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That gives them a rare view of what happens when new music enters the rehearsal room.
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In this conversation, we talk about how composers earn the trust of an orchestra, how conductors help musicians believe in a new piece, why clarity often matters more than complexity, and what young composers need to understand before they walk into a room full of professional musicians.
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We also talk about what happens when you start to feel numb to the thing you once loved and what it takes to find your way back.
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I'm Von Veneer, and you're listening to Beyond the Notes.
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Peter, thank you so much for being on the show.
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Thanks so much, Vaughn.
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This is really great.
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I'm glad to be here.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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Uh so first of all, for people who don't know uh too much about your work, what does your musical life uh right now actually look like for you?
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Yeah, so I would say it's a really full musical life.
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So I have a bunch of uh bunch of gigs.
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Um so my day job is that I'm on the faculty at the North Carolina State University.
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I'm the orchestra conductor there.
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I have a couple orchestras and teach composition and some um some new music things there.
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Um I'm the music director of the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, which is on the coast of North Carolina, a really great professional group there.
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This is the first season there for me as music director.
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I run and started a new music festival called the Next Festival of Emerging Artists up in New York, um, up in the Hudson Valley in New York City.
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And um just kind of making a lot of things happen.
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I'm a composer and a conductor, or a conductor and a composer, depending on which day of the week it is.
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Um and I'm a recovering orchestral bass player.
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That was that was my day job for a really long time, but I haven't I haven't done that for a little while.
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But that's that was kind of my trajectory.
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So would you would you lean any specific way when it comes to feeling more like a conductor or a composer or a teacher or anything else?
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You know, that the my favorite two weeks of the year actually is when I'm doing all three at the festival that I run, um the next festival.
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So I'm conducting there, but also usually do some of my music and doing a lot of coaching and mentoring and and working with um younger musicians who are interested in contemporary music.
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So that's my that's that's my happy place.
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Is there anything from your career or or path as uh uh composer and conductor um that took you years to learn just about the world of music that uh a lot of these younger people still have yet to learn for themselves?
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Yeah, I think it's really so much about relationships.
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Um and I grew up kind of being allergic to the word networking, and I still get like crazy, creepy, weird feelings about that word.
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But on the other hand, um, who do I like to work with?
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You know, I like to work with people that have the same interests as me and that kind of have the same goals and that we get along and we like to make the same kind of music.
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Um, and a lot of the great things that have happened have been these kind of interconnections of of people that I met in strange, random ways.
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And here we are, you know, 15 years later working on a crazy project.
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And that's what I think I didn't really realize so much.
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I was kind of locked away in a practice room.
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Um, but I, you know, what in my bio now it's a collaborative connector or creative connector is one of one of the things that I that really resonates with me.
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Um so I think that's that's something that I've that I've learned and um not only become comfortable with, but that's that's what the fun part for me is like yeah, meeting the meeting the right person for this project and just coming up with something pretty crazy that'll probably fail but might not.
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Yeah.
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Well, definitely.
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And I uh I I've heard the word networking a a lot.
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Um I still I still break out.
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Yeah, I think in the world of music, especially, where uh sure you're meeting people who will probably advance your career, but also it's just these sort of genuine human relationships and and doing something very human and emotional, like music.
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Uh yeah.
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The word networking feels just very purely professional.
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Yeah.
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And you know, I just I guess I would just add that um the more kind of titles that I accumulate and the more groups that I run, the more uh totally random, unsolicited emails that I get.
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Um and you know, the one I it's easy pretty easy to tell the ones who were just blanket emailing and the ones that actually think, oh, like that there is some kind of connection there that might be something really interesting.
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Um you know.
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Yeah, I think it's about it's about finding the right match of people, not just like blanketing random people with stuff.
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We we've had guests in the past in composition who uh went on to be very successful and and early on um did things like that where they sent their music to like a bunch of different orchestras.
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Uh and for me as a young composer who's just looking for any opportunities uh myself, right?
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What do you think is the best way to actually make that happen?
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Is it to do the sort of blanket thing where you just ask like a thousand orchestras, or is it some other some other way to get those types of opportunities?
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I don't know.
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I would say it's probably different for every conductor and every orchestra.
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But for me, the thing that resonates most with my life is, you know, I I was working with my peers growing up, you know, coming up as a composer, like, hey, I've got this new piece, would you play it?
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Um, and kind of working with the people that I knew, and then eventually the people that you know will get bigger and bigger jobs.
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Um but I, you know, that's just the my particular path and the thing that feels resonant to me.
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You know, definitely going to shows, um, like engaging with people.
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Uh, you know, if you send somebody a message, like know who they are and what they do.
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And that's like one of the things that I love about you is like, you know, you're not just like, hey, random dude uh who does some kind of job that I don't know what it is.
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You want to be on my podcast?
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Like, no, you you did your research and I was like, oh, okay.
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This this feels good.
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Yeah, we could have a good time, if that makes sense.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Absolutely.
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Yeah.
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Uh yeah, and it it feels like definition.
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Yeah.
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Right, right.
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With those, with those types, that type of approach, it's easier to get sort of a higher hit rate, if that's the way to look at it in general.
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Right.
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Um Do you do you have any other thoughts?
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Um, especially when it comes to the conducting side about uh just broader wisdom on orchestral music and and what you've learned as a conductor over the years.
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Uh in terms of in terms of for composers or just in terms of well, both, both in general and and for composers.
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Sure.
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Well, I I guess I'll start as a composer because I feel like my particular background, I'm a sort of at this intersection, like I'm part composer brain and part performer brain and part conductor brain.
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Um and so I'm kind of on a mission to connect all three of those and to to help composers connect all three of those.
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I see kind of myself as kind of like a composer sherpa in a way.
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Um you know, I just think a lot about how you show up as a composer and how you um show the musicians that you're serious and and you respect them.
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So for instance, um parts and scores, you know, um really trying to show the musicians that you respect them by show giving them good materials, you know.
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Yeah.
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In a way it seems to a young composer might maybe kind of superficial, but um if you are, let's say you're an orchestra bassoonist, you've been practicing five hours a day for 15 years, right?
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When you're writing for somebody at that level, the way to show them that you respect them and value them is to do your homework.
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You know, if they've played their scales every day, you know, you figure out 11 by 17 formatting, you know, and and uh, you know, how to most clearly notate what it's in your head.
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Um and I, you know, there's a there's a world in which, you know, as a younger composer, you think, oh, well, I just somebody should discover me and want to spend the time.
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But um if you show up and you you've done your homework and you what you present to them is kind of showing them that you value their time, you know, I think you'll get a lot higher um hit rate, like you said.
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Yeah.
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So I think I think just coming with an attitude of respect and like they've done their homework, you've done yours, and you know, you show that you their time is valuable to you.
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Um with conductors too.
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Right.
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Of course.
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And I think beyond parts and scores in the the full score, uh almost the the human aspect aspect more deeply of I've I've been taught in the past that uh like sort of first impressions as a composer to to to be really friendly right off the bat and and uh because as a composer you really establish the sort of mood and and positive energy when an orchestra is working on a new uh on your piece.
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So what are your what are your thoughts on on that and how to approach that side of things?
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Yeah, I mean it's a it's a interesting relationship.
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I mean, and it depends very much on is this a chamber piece you're writing, is this a chamber orchestra piece with one on the part, or is this like a symphony orchestra piece and what is the conductor like?
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Um you know, is the conductor very into very much into inviting you into the orchestra space, or does the orchestra does he he or she want to talk to you and then talk to the orchestra, you know, and just trying to suss that out, um being, you know, caring desperately about your music but not being annoying.
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That's that's always a tight road to walk, you know.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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And trusting trusting the conductor and the musicians to do their best with your music and showing appreciation.
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Yeah.
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If that all if that all makes sense.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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But um I think sorry, I I just one other thing is that I think people can sort of sense when you're not being yourself, you know, um and when you're trying to be nice because somebody told you to be nice versus whether you're just nice and excited.
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And um, you know, I I think I think orchestras in particular with conductors and composers.
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I remember when I was playing, you know, maybe even before the conductor got up on the podium, I was like, oh, this is gonna be a long week.
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Or like, oh, okay.
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You know, it's just how you show up and those first impressions.
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Yeah.
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I guess I guess many people have experienced the the tyrant conductor, um, but it maybe there's something to be said about not being the tyrant composer too when it comes to to to new work is uh is always helpful.
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Um I think both are both are kind of going away.
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I don't really believe that's true.
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Yeah, um that's not the way forward in my mind.
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Yeah.
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So when you um when you work with an orchestra, I I have a whole a whole lot of questions around what what what that feels like, first of all, and and what it feels like just to to uh kind of control the orchestra and and see how they feel about the music.
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So first of all, when it when a new orchestra piece really works and takes off when you're conducting, do you usually notice that and and how does that feel from your end?
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Yeah, I think it every piece feels different and you know, depending on level of difficulty and notation and how the orchestra, you know, the whole background of the orchestra and the relationship with the orchestra.
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Um again, I think my job as a conductor is to sell it to the orchestra and the audience um and to believe in it deeply.
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So the first thing I would say is like I don't program things that I don't believe in because I want really want to build trust with the orchestra.
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I really want to build trust with the audience.
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And if I'm if I don't believe in it, then I can't get it behind it a thousand percent.
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So I think about programming a lot, and I think about picking those pieces that will work for that orchestra, for that audience, for that occasion.
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And there's a whole kind of sense of puzzle making um around that.
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So that's what the first thing that I would say.
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Then when it gets in front of the orchestra, um presenting it in the right way, um, rehearsing it in the right way, and just encouraging that everybody withholds judgment until we're actually playing what the composer wrote, um, which happens at a different phase for different levels of orchestra, different difficulties of orchestra piece and different notations.
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Um kind of a long-winded answer of saying that when all of those things come together, when the notation is clear, when I really believe in the music and can convey that, and the orchestra musicians trust me enough to rehearse it enough so that it starts sounding like something uh when it really hits, it's just like wow.
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You know, I can really sense the the change in the room when people go, Oh, okay, it's okay, it's not just notes on a page.
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Um, this is coming from a real person, you know.
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And I I love to involve the composers as much as possible when a player sees that this is a real person and not just some random notes that are being put on their stand, you know, then they're like, oh, okay.
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Yeah, that's interesting.
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I want to find out who this person is through their music.
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Uh-huh.
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Do you what what do you think makes musicians genuinely excited to learn a new piece?
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I think it's, you know, it's a combination of all of those things.
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You know, everybody's bringing their own self and their own day that they had and their own car problems.
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And um but when those relationships feel right, where they feel respected and they feel trusted by both the composer and the conductor, and they feel like their time is valued.
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Um they feel more open, I think.
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You know, and every orchestra is different in that way, and every orchestra sort of has its own DNA of how they've been treated for the last 25 years.
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Yeah.
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Um But I think, you know, real people trying to make real music uh goes a long way.
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You know, and they can sni they can sniff out the the things that aren't genuine, I think.
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Do you approach composition from that perspective as a composer in a different way or uh in a particular way, like especially in an orchestral context from from what you've learned as a conductor?
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Yeah, I think so.
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I mean, I think as a less experienced composer or a composer that was trying to be established or trying to become successful, trying to write what I thought people wanted to hear, or trying to in a way show off or be very complicated, or you know, those are not really my successful pieces.
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Um and, you know, again, I'm just talking about myself and my own trajectory.
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But when I write the music without kind of pretense and just try to be real, you know, there's a piece that I won't wrote in a weekend for a youth orchestra.
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That's like my most performed piece.
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Um and actually I've found that some of the works that I write for less experienced orchestras are super clear because they have to be.
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And those end up being really taken up by professional groups a lot.
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And the places where I was trying to like be super cool or super complex, they haven't hit as much, you know.
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So I don't have that secret sauce of being fancy.
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Yeah.
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When you say clear, what exactly do you mean?
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So not unnecessarily complicated.
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Complicated can be great if it's you know in in search of something, but if it's complicated musically or notationally, or just trying to be something it's not, um, you know, when you write for less experienced players, it kind of makes you distill what you're saying into like the most easily comprehensible emotionally and notationally and technically.
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Um at least it has for me.
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You know, it's got it makes me kind of get to the core of what it is I'm trying to say.
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Do you do you have any advice?
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Uh I I've been in the position a lot of times of giving during the rehearsal process, giving musicians commentary or thoughts about what to change and and how to improve um what they're doing.
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So do you have any advice on navigating that process from again the the perspective as of a conductor and a composer yourself and also a performer?
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Sure.
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Yeah.
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I mean, I think it also depends on the situation, right?
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So is there a conductor and is it better to go through the conductor to talk to the orchestra?
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Or you know, whereas in a chamber group of people who are your peers um or who've invited you in, you know, you you can speak to them.
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And again, like the more that you can be clear about what you want and what you hear, you know, that's a whole art, right?
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Like, how can you hear your 20-minute orchestra piece or your 10-minute orchestra piece and know like the four things that you can say that'll make a difference?
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That's hard.
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And that takes practice, I think.
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Um, you know, comes up with like how how are you gonna take the notes to find that like if you're talking to an orchestra, like literally you can probably say three or four things.
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Like, what are those things gonna be?
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How are you gonna remember them?
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Um you know, what's gonna make the most difference?
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Some of this you just learn through experience, I think.
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You know, just hearing like this is what I'm hearing, or this is what um I recommend, you know.
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It's just that's part of being a composer too, is being able to quickly and quickly come up with those three gems that really are real, right?
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Like actually in Measure 73, that was a B flat.
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Um you know, those kind of things.
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Yeah, it's it's it's challenging.
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Yeah.
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Um, but again, you know, showing up and showing appreciation.
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Um, but also having your your end of the deal put together, right?
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Like knowing what you wrote.
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Yeah.
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Um, it seems like it should go without saying, but like, yeah, knowing your score and like just kind of going like, yeah, yeah.
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Being able to answer questions as they come up and not being threatened by it.
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Just be like, oh yeah, yeah, I guess, well, that is unclear.
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Like it no, actually it is a B flat kind of thing.
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Yeah.
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Of course.
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Beyond note Well, yeah.
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So I I was gonna say, beyond notation, are there any like especially among young composers, common mistakes that as a conductor you've found just happen a lot that um just make everything more difficult?
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In the rehearsal process?
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Well, I'll say, I'll just say what I a friend of mine who's a very successful conductor told me about being a conductor, but I think it can be applied to being a composer too.
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He said there's like literally no one in the world who is the ideal conductor.
00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:20.400
Because you have to do so many things, right?
00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:39.279
There's people who are great technicians who maybe are not great raising money, or you know, like people who really are super musical but can't conduct, you know, they don't have the tools or you know, or don't know how to program or talk to audiences, or like there's just so many variables.
00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:42.559
And so I think the same thing is true with composers.
00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:45.359
There's so many different skills.
00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:50.640
Um, you have to really know your instrumentation cold, you know.
00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:57.440
Like if you write a low B for the viola, it'll come up, you know.
00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:05.440
Either, either it'll come up or they'll just say, okay, this person doesn't know what they're doing, and then they won't, you know, put that extra 10% in.
00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:10.400
Um, so I it's I guess it's knowing the the the tricks of the trade.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:19.920
Um one thing that makes every live musician crazy is like when somebody says, and well, it it didn't sound like that on the MIDI.
00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:35.279
Uh I can guarantee you that like if if you come in and somebody's complaining that something's too hard and you say, Well, the the the the MIDI could do it, um they're gonna just tune out and phone it in for the rest of the whole session.
00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:42.720
Um I don't know if those are the kind of things that you're thinking about, but those are the kind of things that I that I see is Yeah, yeah.
00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:43.200
Yeah.
00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:55.440
So you've worked with musicians from uh a wide array of different levels of experience, uh, from very seasoned players to just people starting out.
00:23:55.759 --> 00:24:03.599
Um first of all, what what's different uh A about teaching and about the players themselves at those different levels?
00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:12.960
And um is there any sort of unifying factor among them, any any anything that happens or or works for all of them?
00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:18.480
You know, I think even even among different groups of the same level, they need different things.
00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:27.279
Um so there may be a group that needs X but doesn't need Y, and a comparable group needs Y but doesn't need X.
00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:37.359
Um the younger the players are, the more kind of pedagogical knowledge you need to have.
00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:44.319
You know, I mean there are some like great professional conductors who I just don't think would be successful with younger players.
00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:51.359
I mean, if you're working with string players at a certain level, you need to know how to tell them how to play harmonics, you know.
00:24:51.920 --> 00:25:00.160
If we're talking about, you know, educate in the educational, um, you need to learn how to teach them how to play rhythms.
00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:06.799
Now you don't need to do that with um you know progressively more professional groups.
00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:21.920
Um but I think in any group that is genuine, like you know, that hasn't been abused, I think in the past, they want they wanna they want to sound good.
00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:31.039
You know, so that anything that you can do to help them to sound good, um I think you know conductors are facilitators.
00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:36.319
The you mentioned the conductor tyrant, and I I don't know.
00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:38.960
I I they're they're still there.
00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:47.119
I that doesn't resonate with me, and I really had a hard time calling myself a conductor because I just didn't buy into that thing.
00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:51.599
But what I do like is like, oh okay, I can I think I can help you with that.
00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:59.839
Like here, if you listen to this and you think this and I give you a good cue, I think we can make it work.
00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:02.240
And that's how I try to think, you know.
00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:19.839
Um so for me coming in with a like really clear vision of what the music the goal of the music sounding like and serving the music, I think that's that's the thing that each group tends to respond to.
00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:25.599
Like really I'm there to make it them sound better, and I know how to do that.
00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.319
Yeah.
00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:30.960
Um I think a group, whatever level, responds to that, you know.
00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.079
Right.
00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:38.799
They're they're there for a reason too, and they're they're in many cases doing it because they want to.
00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.440
Right.
00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:50.720
Yeah, and even if they're just you know, here's a here's a anecdote is I was conducting a a session um out in Hollywood, a Capitol Records, like a film session.
00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:55.359
And the players came in and they were like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, dude, it's another gig.
00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:58.799
And like, can we have the click track on the 16th note so we don't have to look up?
00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:04.720
And I was like, well, let's give this a try because I think this is great music.
00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:08.240
And um they're like, What do we have to match the MIDI?
00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:10.720
And you know, what are the pre-records and all this kind of stuff?
00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:13.119
And they were just like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever, whatever, whatever.
00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:19.359
And I said, Well, you know, before we go there, let's just make some music.
00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:31.759
And then I could see like progressively their eyes would open, and then they kind of they sat in a different way because it was it was actually real, real music that asked asked them to be musical.
00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:43.759
So that for me was proof that like the most jaded musician on a gig can find their earlier love for music if it's if the situation is right.
00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:45.359
Yeah.
00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:46.000
Yeah.
00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:46.240
Yeah.
00:27:46.559 --> 00:28:00.559
Does do you feel like that happens a lot to professional musicians where just eventually just because it's over and over and over again, and if you do it for 20 years, let's say it it just feels like another piece rather than something that needs to be.
00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:02.319
Yeah, I mean, that happened to me.
00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:07.519
You know, I I think I mentioned I was I was a professional player in an orchestra.
00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:26.720
Um, and I just I grew to hate music, you know, because if you have five programs a week, you know, we had a Pops concert, we had two kids' shows, we got, you know, the the Christmas show, and we got two masterworks, you know, going on at the same time.
00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:39.599
It's like that's I mean, I could play all those notes, but it just got to be um, especially for me as a section string player, it just felt like, well, I could I'm totally replaceable.
00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:44.000
I'm not, you know, somebody else is telling me when and how to play my music.
00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:49.200
Um I don't have any agency about like even when I start my note.
00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:55.920
Um, and you know, there's a lot of really mediocre conductors because it's hard to do.
00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.759
And yeah, I I just grew to really not like it anymore.
00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:05.359
It was only when I stepped back from that that I realized that I still love music.
00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:12.160
Um yeah, doing it, doing it day in and day out in kind of less than ideal circumstances.
00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:21.680
And part of what what I grew to not like was just it sounded fine, but it wasn't it didn't sound good most of the time.
00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:23.680
It was fine, it was totally fine.
00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:26.319
And that just kind of killed me after a little while.
00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:34.960
Well, everybody wants to sound great, you know, and have that experience they had in youth orchestra growing up, you know, from the player's side.
00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:39.200
Yeah, so I I totally get how people get jaded because that that was me.
00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:54.559
So to to on a on a different note, um, as we start to wrap up here, um you're obviously someone with a lot of uh different experiences in the in the world of music.
00:29:55.200 --> 00:30:13.519
Um what what do you think musically uh and just sort of uh I don't know as a person uh just beyond the the technical aspects of being a musician, should I be doing right now to to improve and and grow my mind in that regard?
00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:21.039
Lots of listening, um, lots of studying scores, going to lots of concerts.
00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:27.119
I don't know if you're still in Jackson or how many concerts are out there, but in the summer that's pretty great.
00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:42.160
Um just being kind of omnivorous, you know, uh read, go to movies, go to museums, go to dance performances, listen to all kinds of music, try to figure out how it works.
00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:50.960
You know, all of the all of the stuff you feed yourself is gonna come out in one way or another, you know, eventually.
00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:51.440
Right.
00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:55.440
So like they say with with computers, you know, garbage in, garbage out.
00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:59.200
Like whatever goes in is what you're feeding yourself.
00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:04.720
Um and I'm saying this as much to my to myself as I am to to you, you know.
00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:09.279
I mean, at the end of the day, I'm tired and I end up doom scrolling too much, right?
00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:15.920
But that's not that's not uh that's not looking at the the big picture and the long game there.
00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:46.160
That's that's what I that's what I personally think is like reading and a lot of my ideas for music come from other art forms, you know, and a lot of my context for working with an orchestra is telling an anecdote, you know, whether it's about um, you know, some German conductor that I worked with, or whether it's about K-pop demon hunters, you know, it's just having a broad range of stuff to to draw from.
00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:48.960
Um yeah.
00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:50.480
Absolutely.
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:59.039
Do you have any upcoming concerts or events that you're doing that you're really excited about that are you know keeping it fresh for you?
00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:02.079
Yeah, there's there's a bunch that's coming up.
00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:12.960
So in June, the festival that I run, the next festival of emerging artists, we are doing uh, as always, a program of all living composers.
00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:29.119
Um we're doing kind of as a kind of commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we're doing a program of all women immigrant composers that I'm really excited about.
00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:33.599
We're commissioning a new double concerto from Andrea Casarubios.
00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:45.680
Uh we're commissioning um a new uh orchestration from Nilafar Nurbosch, and then also Adele Feitsulina, who's uh an alum of our festival.
00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:48.559
Um so that's really that's really fun.
00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:54.240
That's that's giving me a giving me a real focal point to work towards.
00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:59.759
And that'll be on June 5th and 6th in Hudson Valley in New York City.
00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:02.880
Well, Peter, it's it's been a it's been a blast.
00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:11.359
Is there um how how should people best contact you or find your information is that or in your your work?
00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.079
Sure.
00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:21.519
Yeah, so I'm kind of easy to find, but um my personal website is www.peteraskim.com.
00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:25.680
Um also easily google googlable.
00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:31.519
I'm on Facebook and Instagram as much as I can be and still get work done.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:45.440
Um and the website for the festival that I run, uh, the next festival of emerging artists is www.next-fest.org.
00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:48.559
Next-fest.org.
00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:54.720
So there's a lot of a lot of stuff is coming up on then on those sites.
00:33:54.960 --> 00:34:06.720
Um, you know, lots of stuff coming up with Wilmington Symphony, um and uh and also with uh the Raleigh orchestras too, Raleigh Civic Orchestras.
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:14.239
Um yeah, it's I'm easy to find and happy to hear from people if they have comments or questions or want to reach out.
00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:16.159
Well, thank you so much again.
00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:22.079
It was it was great to hear your insights about the world of orchestra and composition today.
00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:24.960
Uh and and thank you just so much for for being on with us today.
00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:26.159
Yeah, it's been a blast.
00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:27.360
Thanks so much for having me on.
00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:28.320
I really appreciate it.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.919
When it really hits, it's just like wow.
00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:06.080
There are a few things that every composer and conductor needs to get right.
00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:08.400
Peter Askin has the answers.
00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:25.519
He's a composer, conductor, educator, former orchestral bassist, music director of the Wilmington Symphony, and the founder and artistic director of the next Festival of Emerging Artist, where young musicians work directly with living composers to bring new music to life.
00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:30.960
That gives them a rare view of what happens when new music enters the rehearsal room.
00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:49.039
In this conversation, we talk about how composers earn the trust of an orchestra, how conductors help musicians believe in a new piece, why clarity often matters more than complexity, and what young composers need to understand before they walk into a room full of professional musicians.
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:56.640
We also talk about what happens when you start to feel numb to the thing you once loved and what it takes to find your way back.
00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:00.799
I'm Von Veneer, and you're listening to Beyond the Notes.
00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:03.520
Peter, thank you so much for being on the show.
00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:04.879
Thanks so much, Vaughn.
00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:05.599
This is really great.
00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:06.560
I'm glad to be here.
00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:08.159
Yeah, absolutely.
00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:16.159
Uh so first of all, for people who don't know uh too much about your work, what does your musical life uh right now actually look like for you?
00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.000
Yeah, so I would say it's a really full musical life.
00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:22.879
So I have a bunch of uh bunch of gigs.
00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:28.400
Um so my day job is that I'm on the faculty at the North Carolina State University.
00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:30.000
I'm the orchestra conductor there.
00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:35.760
I have a couple orchestras and teach composition and some um some new music things there.
00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:43.599
Um I'm the music director of the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, which is on the coast of North Carolina, a really great professional group there.
00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:47.040
This is the first season there for me as music director.
00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:57.439
I run and started a new music festival called the Next Festival of Emerging Artists up in New York, um, up in the Hudson Valley in New York City.
00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:01.120
And um just kind of making a lot of things happen.
00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:08.479
I'm a composer and a conductor, or a conductor and a composer, depending on which day of the week it is.
00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:13.199
Um and I'm a recovering orchestral bass player.
00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:18.080
That was that was my day job for a really long time, but I haven't I haven't done that for a little while.
00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:20.000
But that's that was kind of my trajectory.
00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:29.360
So would you would you lean any specific way when it comes to feeling more like a conductor or a composer or a teacher or anything else?
00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:37.919
You know, that the my favorite two weeks of the year actually is when I'm doing all three at the festival that I run, um the next festival.
00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:49.520
So I'm conducting there, but also usually do some of my music and doing a lot of coaching and mentoring and and working with um younger musicians who are interested in contemporary music.
00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:52.000
So that's my that's that's my happy place.
00:02:52.719 --> 00:03:09.280
Is there anything from your career or or path as uh uh composer and conductor um that took you years to learn just about the world of music that uh a lot of these younger people still have yet to learn for themselves?
00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:14.719
Yeah, I think it's really so much about relationships.
00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:24.400
Um and I grew up kind of being allergic to the word networking, and I still get like crazy, creepy, weird feelings about that word.
00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:28.639
But on the other hand, um, who do I like to work with?
00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:38.240
You know, I like to work with people that have the same interests as me and that kind of have the same goals and that we get along and we like to make the same kind of music.
00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:47.199
Um, and a lot of the great things that have happened have been these kind of interconnections of of people that I met in strange, random ways.
00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:51.280
And here we are, you know, 15 years later working on a crazy project.
00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:54.719
And that's what I think I didn't really realize so much.
00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.199
I was kind of locked away in a practice room.
00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:08.400
Um, but I, you know, what in my bio now it's a collaborative connector or creative connector is one of one of the things that I that really resonates with me.
00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:26.639
Um so I think that's that's something that I've that I've learned and um not only become comfortable with, but that's that's what the fun part for me is like yeah, meeting the meeting the right person for this project and just coming up with something pretty crazy that'll probably fail but might not.
00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:27.360
Yeah.
00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:28.319
Well, definitely.
00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:31.839
And I uh I I've heard the word networking a a lot.
00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:34.959
Um I still I still break out.
00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:51.759
Yeah, I think in the world of music, especially, where uh sure you're meeting people who will probably advance your career, but also it's just these sort of genuine human relationships and and doing something very human and emotional, like music.
00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:53.360
Uh yeah.
00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.279
The word networking feels just very purely professional.
00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:57.920
Yeah.
00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:13.279
And you know, I just I guess I would just add that um the more kind of titles that I accumulate and the more groups that I run, the more uh totally random, unsolicited emails that I get.
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:29.040
Um and you know, the one I it's easy pretty easy to tell the ones who were just blanket emailing and the ones that actually think, oh, like that there is some kind of connection there that might be something really interesting.
00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:31.120
Um you know.
00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:40.319
Yeah, I think it's about it's about finding the right match of people, not just like blanketing random people with stuff.
00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:54.480
We we've had guests in the past in composition who uh went on to be very successful and and early on um did things like that where they sent their music to like a bunch of different orchestras.
00:05:54.639 --> 00:06:01.360
Uh and for me as a young composer who's just looking for any opportunities uh myself, right?
00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.319
What do you think is the best way to actually make that happen?
00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:13.920
Is it to do the sort of blanket thing where you just ask like a thousand orchestras, or is it some other some other way to get those types of opportunities?
00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:14.800
I don't know.
00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:19.600
I would say it's probably different for every conductor and every orchestra.
00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:32.319
But for me, the thing that resonates most with my life is, you know, I I was working with my peers growing up, you know, coming up as a composer, like, hey, I've got this new piece, would you play it?
00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:40.639
Um, and kind of working with the people that I knew, and then eventually the people that you know will get bigger and bigger jobs.
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:47.199
Um but I, you know, that's just the my particular path and the thing that feels resonant to me.
00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:52.879
You know, definitely going to shows, um, like engaging with people.
00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:58.160
Uh, you know, if you send somebody a message, like know who they are and what they do.
00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:08.399
And that's like one of the things that I love about you is like, you know, you're not just like, hey, random dude uh who does some kind of job that I don't know what it is.
00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:09.920
You want to be on my podcast?
00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:13.680
Like, no, you you did your research and I was like, oh, okay.
00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:14.879
This this feels good.
00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:17.439
Yeah, we could have a good time, if that makes sense.
00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:18.079
Yeah.
00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:18.319
Yeah.
00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:19.120
Absolutely.
00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:19.519
Yeah.
00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:21.680
Uh yeah, and it it feels like definition.
00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:22.160
Yeah.
00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:22.879
Right, right.
00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:30.160
With those, with those types, that type of approach, it's easier to get sort of a higher hit rate, if that's the way to look at it in general.
00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:30.639
Right.
00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.240
Um Do you do you have any other thoughts?
00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:45.759
Um, especially when it comes to the conducting side about uh just broader wisdom on orchestral music and and what you've learned as a conductor over the years.
00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:53.759
Uh in terms of in terms of for composers or just in terms of well, both, both in general and and for composers.
00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:54.399
Sure.
00:07:54.560 --> 00:08:06.959
Well, I I guess I'll start as a composer because I feel like my particular background, I'm a sort of at this intersection, like I'm part composer brain and part performer brain and part conductor brain.
00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:14.720
Um and so I'm kind of on a mission to connect all three of those and to to help composers connect all three of those.
00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:20.000
I see kind of myself as kind of like a composer sherpa in a way.
00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:35.279
Um you know, I just think a lot about how you show up as a composer and how you um show the musicians that you're serious and and you respect them.
00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:47.840
So for instance, um parts and scores, you know, um really trying to show the musicians that you respect them by show giving them good materials, you know.
00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:48.159
Yeah.
00:08:48.399 --> 00:09:02.159
In a way it seems to a young composer might maybe kind of superficial, but um if you are, let's say you're an orchestra bassoonist, you've been practicing five hours a day for 15 years, right?
00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:10.639
When you're writing for somebody at that level, the way to show them that you respect them and value them is to do your homework.
00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:25.600
You know, if they've played their scales every day, you know, you figure out 11 by 17 formatting, you know, and and uh, you know, how to most clearly notate what it's in your head.
00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:34.799
Um and I, you know, there's a there's a world in which, you know, as a younger composer, you think, oh, well, I just somebody should discover me and want to spend the time.
00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:50.399
But um if you show up and you you've done your homework and you what you present to them is kind of showing them that you value their time, you know, I think you'll get a lot higher um hit rate, like you said.
00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:50.879
Yeah.
00:09:51.360 --> 00:10:02.639
So I think I think just coming with an attitude of respect and like they've done their homework, you've done yours, and you know, you show that you their time is valuable to you.
00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:05.039
Um with conductors too.
00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:05.519
Right.
00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:06.320
Of course.
00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:39.840
And I think beyond parts and scores in the the full score, uh almost the the human aspect aspect more deeply of I've I've been taught in the past that uh like sort of first impressions as a composer to to to be really friendly right off the bat and and uh because as a composer you really establish the sort of mood and and positive energy when an orchestra is working on a new uh on your piece.
00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:45.360
So what are your what are your thoughts on on that and how to approach that side of things?
00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:50.799
Yeah, I mean it's a it's a interesting relationship.
00:10:50.960 --> 00:11:01.600
I mean, and it depends very much on is this a chamber piece you're writing, is this a chamber orchestra piece with one on the part, or is this like a symphony orchestra piece and what is the conductor like?
00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:23.360
Um you know, is the conductor very into very much into inviting you into the orchestra space, or does the orchestra does he he or she want to talk to you and then talk to the orchestra, you know, and just trying to suss that out, um being, you know, caring desperately about your music but not being annoying.
00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:26.399
That's that's always a tight road to walk, you know.
00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:27.039
Yeah.
00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:27.679
Yeah.
00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:36.639
And trusting trusting the conductor and the musicians to do their best with your music and showing appreciation.
00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:37.600
Yeah.
00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:39.600
If that all if that all makes sense.
00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:41.279
Yeah, absolutely.
00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:59.120
But um I think sorry, I I just one other thing is that I think people can sort of sense when you're not being yourself, you know, um and when you're trying to be nice because somebody told you to be nice versus whether you're just nice and excited.
00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:05.519
And um, you know, I I think I think orchestras in particular with conductors and composers.
00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:13.360
I remember when I was playing, you know, maybe even before the conductor got up on the podium, I was like, oh, this is gonna be a long week.
00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.759
Or like, oh, okay.
00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:20.480
You know, it's just how you show up and those first impressions.
00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:21.360
Yeah.
00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:36.080
I guess I guess many people have experienced the the tyrant conductor, um, but it maybe there's something to be said about not being the tyrant composer too when it comes to to to new work is uh is always helpful.
00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:39.120
Um I think both are both are kind of going away.
00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:41.360
I don't really believe that's true.
00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:44.159
Yeah, um that's not the way forward in my mind.
00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:44.720
Yeah.
00:12:45.759 --> 00:13:06.960
So when you um when you work with an orchestra, I I have a whole a whole lot of questions around what what what that feels like, first of all, and and what it feels like just to to uh kind of control the orchestra and and see how they feel about the music.
00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:17.200
So first of all, when it when a new orchestra piece really works and takes off when you're conducting, do you usually notice that and and how does that feel from your end?
00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:34.559
Yeah, I think it every piece feels different and you know, depending on level of difficulty and notation and how the orchestra, you know, the whole background of the orchestra and the relationship with the orchestra.
00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:47.519
Um again, I think my job as a conductor is to sell it to the orchestra and the audience um and to believe in it deeply.
00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:57.919
So the first thing I would say is like I don't program things that I don't believe in because I want really want to build trust with the orchestra.
00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:00.320
I really want to build trust with the audience.
00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:05.919
And if I'm if I don't believe in it, then I can't get it behind it a thousand percent.
00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:15.200
So I think about programming a lot, and I think about picking those pieces that will work for that orchestra, for that audience, for that occasion.
00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:20.399
And there's a whole kind of sense of puzzle making um around that.
00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:22.639
So that's what the first thing that I would say.
00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:47.200
Then when it gets in front of the orchestra, um presenting it in the right way, um, rehearsing it in the right way, and just encouraging that everybody withholds judgment until we're actually playing what the composer wrote, um, which happens at a different phase for different levels of orchestra, different difficulties of orchestra piece and different notations.
00:14:47.840 --> 00:15:13.600
Um kind of a long-winded answer of saying that when all of those things come together, when the notation is clear, when I really believe in the music and can convey that, and the orchestra musicians trust me enough to rehearse it enough so that it starts sounding like something uh when it really hits, it's just like wow.
00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:21.600
You know, I can really sense the the change in the room when people go, Oh, okay, it's okay, it's not just notes on a page.
00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:24.480
Um, this is coming from a real person, you know.
00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:39.279
And I I love to involve the composers as much as possible when a player sees that this is a real person and not just some random notes that are being put on their stand, you know, then they're like, oh, okay.
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:40.480
Yeah, that's interesting.
00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:43.039
I want to find out who this person is through their music.
00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:43.679
Uh-huh.
00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:49.759
Do you what what do you think makes musicians genuinely excited to learn a new piece?
00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:53.759
I think it's, you know, it's a combination of all of those things.
00:15:53.840 --> 00:16:01.679
You know, everybody's bringing their own self and their own day that they had and their own car problems.
00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:16.399
And um but when those relationships feel right, where they feel respected and they feel trusted by both the composer and the conductor, and they feel like their time is valued.
00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:21.600
Um they feel more open, I think.
00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:31.039
You know, and every orchestra is different in that way, and every orchestra sort of has its own DNA of how they've been treated for the last 25 years.
00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:31.679
Yeah.
00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:40.960
Um But I think, you know, real people trying to make real music uh goes a long way.
00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:49.519
You know, and they can sni they can sniff out the the things that aren't genuine, I think.
00:16:51.679 --> 00:17:07.440
Do you approach composition from that perspective as a composer in a different way or uh in a particular way, like especially in an orchestral context from from what you've learned as a conductor?
00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:08.960
Yeah, I think so.
00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:35.119
I mean, I think as a less experienced composer or a composer that was trying to be established or trying to become successful, trying to write what I thought people wanted to hear, or trying to in a way show off or be very complicated, or you know, those are not really my successful pieces.
00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:41.119
Um and, you know, again, I'm just talking about myself and my own trajectory.
00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:55.119
But when I write the music without kind of pretense and just try to be real, you know, there's a piece that I won't wrote in a weekend for a youth orchestra.
00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:57.680
That's like my most performed piece.
00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:08.000
Um and actually I've found that some of the works that I write for less experienced orchestras are super clear because they have to be.
00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:13.440
And those end up being really taken up by professional groups a lot.
00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:23.680
And the places where I was trying to like be super cool or super complex, they haven't hit as much, you know.
00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:29.039
So I don't have that secret sauce of being fancy.
00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:29.839
Yeah.
00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:33.680
When you say clear, what exactly do you mean?
00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:39.279
So not unnecessarily complicated.
00:18:39.839 --> 00:19:06.559
Complicated can be great if it's you know in in search of something, but if it's complicated musically or notationally, or just trying to be something it's not, um, you know, when you write for less experienced players, it kind of makes you distill what you're saying into like the most easily comprehensible emotionally and notationally and technically.
00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:09.599
Um at least it has for me.
00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:13.839
You know, it's got it makes me kind of get to the core of what it is I'm trying to say.
00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.559
Do you do you have any advice?
00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:31.359
Uh I I've been in the position a lot of times of giving during the rehearsal process, giving musicians commentary or thoughts about what to change and and how to improve um what they're doing.
00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:41.039
So do you have any advice on navigating that process from again the the perspective as of a conductor and a composer yourself and also a performer?
00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:42.000
Sure.
00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:42.559
Yeah.
00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:46.720
I mean, I think it also depends on the situation, right?
00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:51.440
So is there a conductor and is it better to go through the conductor to talk to the orchestra?
00:19:51.599 --> 00:20:03.680
Or you know, whereas in a chamber group of people who are your peers um or who've invited you in, you know, you you can speak to them.
00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:11.519
And again, like the more that you can be clear about what you want and what you hear, you know, that's a whole art, right?
00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:20.079
Like, how can you hear your 20-minute orchestra piece or your 10-minute orchestra piece and know like the four things that you can say that'll make a difference?
00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:22.000
That's hard.
00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:24.160
And that takes practice, I think.
00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:34.480
Um, you know, comes up with like how how are you gonna take the notes to find that like if you're talking to an orchestra, like literally you can probably say three or four things.
00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:36.319
Like, what are those things gonna be?
00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.000
How are you gonna remember them?
00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:41.440
Um you know, what's gonna make the most difference?
00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:44.960
Some of this you just learn through experience, I think.
00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:52.880
You know, just hearing like this is what I'm hearing, or this is what um I recommend, you know.
00:20:53.039 --> 00:21:04.400
It's just that's part of being a composer too, is being able to quickly and quickly come up with those three gems that really are real, right?
00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:07.839
Like actually in Measure 73, that was a B flat.
00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.240
Um you know, those kind of things.
00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:13.440
Yeah, it's it's it's challenging.
00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:14.000
Yeah.
00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:18.240
Um, but again, you know, showing up and showing appreciation.
00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:22.799
Um, but also having your your end of the deal put together, right?
00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:24.400
Like knowing what you wrote.
00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:24.960
Yeah.
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:31.119
Um, it seems like it should go without saying, but like, yeah, knowing your score and like just kind of going like, yeah, yeah.
00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:36.000
Being able to answer questions as they come up and not being threatened by it.
00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:38.720
Just be like, oh yeah, yeah, I guess, well, that is unclear.
00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:41.200
Like it no, actually it is a B flat kind of thing.
00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:42.640
Yeah.
00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:43.599
Of course.
00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:45.680
Beyond note Well, yeah.
00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:59.759
So I I was gonna say, beyond notation, are there any like especially among young composers, common mistakes that as a conductor you've found just happen a lot that um just make everything more difficult?
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.920
In the rehearsal process?
00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:11.519
Well, I'll say, I'll just say what I a friend of mine who's a very successful conductor told me about being a conductor, but I think it can be applied to being a composer too.
00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:17.680
He said there's like literally no one in the world who is the ideal conductor.
00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:20.400
Because you have to do so many things, right?
00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:39.279
There's people who are great technicians who maybe are not great raising money, or you know, like people who really are super musical but can't conduct, you know, they don't have the tools or you know, or don't know how to program or talk to audiences, or like there's just so many variables.
00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:42.559
And so I think the same thing is true with composers.
00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:45.359
There's so many different skills.
00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:50.640
Um, you have to really know your instrumentation cold, you know.
00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:57.440
Like if you write a low B for the viola, it'll come up, you know.
00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:05.440
Either, either it'll come up or they'll just say, okay, this person doesn't know what they're doing, and then they won't, you know, put that extra 10% in.
00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:10.400
Um, so I it's I guess it's knowing the the the tricks of the trade.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:19.920
Um one thing that makes every live musician crazy is like when somebody says, and well, it it didn't sound like that on the MIDI.
00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:35.279
Uh I can guarantee you that like if if you come in and somebody's complaining that something's too hard and you say, Well, the the the the MIDI could do it, um they're gonna just tune out and phone it in for the rest of the whole session.
00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:42.720
Um I don't know if those are the kind of things that you're thinking about, but those are the kind of things that I that I see is Yeah, yeah.
00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:43.200
Yeah.
00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:55.440
So you've worked with musicians from uh a wide array of different levels of experience, uh, from very seasoned players to just people starting out.
00:23:55.759 --> 00:24:03.599
Um first of all, what what's different uh A about teaching and about the players themselves at those different levels?
00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:12.960
And um is there any sort of unifying factor among them, any any anything that happens or or works for all of them?
00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:18.480
You know, I think even even among different groups of the same level, they need different things.
00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:27.279
Um so there may be a group that needs X but doesn't need Y, and a comparable group needs Y but doesn't need X.
00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:37.359
Um the younger the players are, the more kind of pedagogical knowledge you need to have.
00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:44.319
You know, I mean there are some like great professional conductors who I just don't think would be successful with younger players.
00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:51.359
I mean, if you're working with string players at a certain level, you need to know how to tell them how to play harmonics, you know.
00:24:51.920 --> 00:25:00.160
If we're talking about, you know, educate in the educational, um, you need to learn how to teach them how to play rhythms.
00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:06.799
Now you don't need to do that with um you know progressively more professional groups.
00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:21.920
Um but I think in any group that is genuine, like you know, that hasn't been abused, I think in the past, they want they wanna they want to sound good.
00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:31.039
You know, so that anything that you can do to help them to sound good, um I think you know conductors are facilitators.
00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:36.319
The you mentioned the conductor tyrant, and I I don't know.
00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:38.960
I I they're they're still there.
00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:47.119
I that doesn't resonate with me, and I really had a hard time calling myself a conductor because I just didn't buy into that thing.
00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:51.599
But what I do like is like, oh okay, I can I think I can help you with that.
00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:59.839
Like here, if you listen to this and you think this and I give you a good cue, I think we can make it work.
00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:02.240
And that's how I try to think, you know.
00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:19.839
Um so for me coming in with a like really clear vision of what the music the goal of the music sounding like and serving the music, I think that's that's the thing that each group tends to respond to.
00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:25.599
Like really I'm there to make it them sound better, and I know how to do that.
00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.319
Yeah.
00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:30.960
Um I think a group, whatever level, responds to that, you know.
00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.079
Right.
00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:38.799
They're they're there for a reason too, and they're they're in many cases doing it because they want to.
00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.440
Right.
00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:50.720
Yeah, and even if they're just you know, here's a here's a anecdote is I was conducting a a session um out in Hollywood, a Capitol Records, like a film session.
00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:55.359
And the players came in and they were like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, dude, it's another gig.
00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:58.799
And like, can we have the click track on the 16th note so we don't have to look up?
00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:04.720
And I was like, well, let's give this a try because I think this is great music.
00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:08.240
And um they're like, What do we have to match the MIDI?
00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:10.720
And you know, what are the pre-records and all this kind of stuff?
00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:13.119
And they were just like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever, whatever, whatever.
00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:19.359
And I said, Well, you know, before we go there, let's just make some music.
00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:31.759
And then I could see like progressively their eyes would open, and then they kind of they sat in a different way because it was it was actually real, real music that asked asked them to be musical.
00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:43.759
So that for me was proof that like the most jaded musician on a gig can find their earlier love for music if it's if the situation is right.
00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:45.359
Yeah.
00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:46.000
Yeah.
00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:46.240
Yeah.
00:27:46.559 --> 00:28:00.559
Does do you feel like that happens a lot to professional musicians where just eventually just because it's over and over and over again, and if you do it for 20 years, let's say it it just feels like another piece rather than something that needs to be.
00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:02.319
Yeah, I mean, that happened to me.
00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:07.519
You know, I I think I mentioned I was I was a professional player in an orchestra.
00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:26.720
Um, and I just I grew to hate music, you know, because if you have five programs a week, you know, we had a Pops concert, we had two kids' shows, we got, you know, the the Christmas show, and we got two masterworks, you know, going on at the same time.
00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:39.599
It's like that's I mean, I could play all those notes, but it just got to be um, especially for me as a section string player, it just felt like, well, I could I'm totally replaceable.
00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:44.000
I'm not, you know, somebody else is telling me when and how to play my music.
00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:49.200
Um I don't have any agency about like even when I start my note.
00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:55.920
Um, and you know, there's a lot of really mediocre conductors because it's hard to do.
00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.759
And yeah, I I just grew to really not like it anymore.
00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:05.359
It was only when I stepped back from that that I realized that I still love music.
00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:12.160
Um yeah, doing it, doing it day in and day out in kind of less than ideal circumstances.
00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:21.680
And part of what what I grew to not like was just it sounded fine, but it wasn't it didn't sound good most of the time.
00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:23.680
It was fine, it was totally fine.
00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:26.319
And that just kind of killed me after a little while.
00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:34.960
Well, everybody wants to sound great, you know, and have that experience they had in youth orchestra growing up, you know, from the player's side.
00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:39.200
Yeah, so I I totally get how people get jaded because that that was me.
00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:54.559
So to to on a on a different note, um, as we start to wrap up here, um you're obviously someone with a lot of uh different experiences in the in the world of music.
00:29:55.200 --> 00:30:13.519
Um what what do you think musically uh and just sort of uh I don't know as a person uh just beyond the the technical aspects of being a musician, should I be doing right now to to improve and and grow my mind in that regard?
00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:21.039
Lots of listening, um, lots of studying scores, going to lots of concerts.
00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:27.119
I don't know if you're still in Jackson or how many concerts are out there, but in the summer that's pretty great.
00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:42.160
Um just being kind of omnivorous, you know, uh read, go to movies, go to museums, go to dance performances, listen to all kinds of music, try to figure out how it works.
00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:50.960
You know, all of the all of the stuff you feed yourself is gonna come out in one way or another, you know, eventually.
00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:51.440
Right.
00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:55.440
So like they say with with computers, you know, garbage in, garbage out.
00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:59.200
Like whatever goes in is what you're feeding yourself.
00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:04.720
Um and I'm saying this as much to my to myself as I am to to you, you know.
00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:09.279
I mean, at the end of the day, I'm tired and I end up doom scrolling too much, right?
00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:15.920
But that's not that's not uh that's not looking at the the big picture and the long game there.
00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:46.160
That's that's what I that's what I personally think is like reading and a lot of my ideas for music come from other art forms, you know, and a lot of my context for working with an orchestra is telling an anecdote, you know, whether it's about um, you know, some German conductor that I worked with, or whether it's about K-pop demon hunters, you know, it's just having a broad range of stuff to to draw from.
00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:48.960
Um yeah.
00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:50.480
Absolutely.
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:59.039
Do you have any upcoming concerts or events that you're doing that you're really excited about that are you know keeping it fresh for you?
00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:02.079
Yeah, there's there's a bunch that's coming up.
00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:12.960
So in June, the festival that I run, the next festival of emerging artists, we are doing uh, as always, a program of all living composers.
00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:29.119
Um we're doing kind of as a kind of commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we're doing a program of all women immigrant composers that I'm really excited about.
00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:33.599
We're commissioning a new double concerto from Andrea Casarubios.
00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:45.680
Uh we're commissioning um a new uh orchestration from Nilafar Nurbosch, and then also Adele Feitsulina, who's uh an alum of our festival.
00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:48.559
Um so that's really that's really fun.
00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:54.240
That's that's giving me a giving me a real focal point to work towards.
00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:59.759
And that'll be on June 5th and 6th in Hudson Valley in New York City.
00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:02.880
Well, Peter, it's it's been a it's been a blast.
00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:11.359
Is there um how how should people best contact you or find your information is that or in your your work?
00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.079
Sure.
00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:21.519
Yeah, so I'm kind of easy to find, but um my personal website is www.peteraskim.com.
00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:25.680
Um also easily google googlable.
00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:31.519
I'm on Facebook and Instagram as much as I can be and still get work done.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:45.440
Um and the website for the festival that I run, uh, the next festival of emerging artists is www.next-fest.org.
00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:48.559
Next-fest.org.
00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:54.720
So there's a lot of a lot of stuff is coming up on then on those sites.
00:33:54.960 --> 00:34:06.720
Um, you know, lots of stuff coming up with Wilmington Symphony, um and uh and also with uh the Raleigh orchestras too, Raleigh Civic Orchestras.
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:14.239
Um yeah, it's I'm easy to find and happy to hear from people if they have comments or questions or want to reach out.
00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:16.159
Well, thank you so much again.
00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:22.079
It was it was great to hear your insights about the world of orchestra and composition today.
00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:24.960
Uh and and thank you just so much for for being on with us today.
00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:26.159
Yeah, it's been a blast.
00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:27.360
Thanks so much for having me on.
00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:28.320
I really appreciate it.
