General Questions:

Why this project?

Because nothing quite like it yet exists. Current reference guides for piano (or any) repertoire naturally favor older, more “established” composers. I want to focus on and discover what young composers are writing now.

Why 1970?

Why not? The idea to focus on young composers necessitates choosing a cut-off date. Yes, it is somewhat arbitrary, but with the projected finish somewhere around 2010, it translates to “composers under 40.”

Are you planning to complete the whole project using only the forms that we fill out?

No, I am doing my own independent research as well, to fill in gaps, to check facts, and to help form an overview.

Will this document be published as a reference guide?

I hope so. I’ve discussed it with people in the scholarly music publishing world, and there is interest. Before I can proceed, however, I will need a sizable collection of sample entries. I will certainly make an announcement when there are developments in this area.

Do you really intend to include as many valid entries as you can?

Yes.

What do I get out of participating?

Well, you get to be included in a reference guide intended for pianists looking for new solo repertoire, so there is certainly the possibility of increased exposure and performances of your music. If this project goes well and is published, this reference potentially could sit in music libraries across the country.

What will the format of the guide be? Are you going to reprint my music?

No, I will not reprint, publish, or distribute your music. You are not giving up any rights to your work by sending it to me. The main body of the guide will be a long list, organized alphabetically by composer, with brief annotations for each composer and title and contact information for each composer (see below for more information). As this is a dissertation, I will also write a scholarly analysis and summary of the research. If I decide to use any score examples in this section, I will obtain specific permissions from individual composers.

But will you make copies of my music?

I will make archival copies for security, and I will have to make scores available to faculty readers (and editors, if the work is published). Other than in those circumstances, I will not copy or distribute your music.

How can I trust you to describe my music accurately? Can I write my own annotations?

As I said in the Call for Scores, my annotations will be neither subjective reviews nor analyses; they will be very brief descriptions that focus on broad features and pianistic demands. I will truly strive to be impartial and to represent each composer and work accurately. Furthermore, I am accountable to my advisory committee at Northwestern, which is made of faculty who will read the document and check to see that I have done what I said I would do. In the interest of maintaining a single authorial voice, I will need to write each entry. However, composer-authored program notes are certainly helpful in distinguishing one piece from others with surface similarities, and I will take them into account and include what I can.

Who is on your faculty advisory committee?

Professor Marcia Bosits is chair of the committee. The other members are Professors Ursula Oppens and Lee Hyla.

You say in the Call for Scores that the forms are available as PDFs. Where can I find them?

They are in progress and will be posted on the site when they are done. My priority has been getting the online system up and running.

Where can I find references to this project on the Northwestern School of Music site?

The following page forwards directly to this site: http://music.northwestern.edu/pianoproject. In addition, there are linking banners on these two department pages: http://www.music.northwestern.edu/programs/piano.html and http://www.music.northwestern.edu/programs/pianopedagogy.html.

Composer Eligibility:

I was born at 11:59 pm on December 31, 1969. Can I submit scores?

No.

Why are you limiting this to American composers and those living in the United States?

This is purely a practical consideration. A worldwide project would be wonderful, but it is outside the scope of a doctoral research study. By focusing on American composers I can achieve a greater comprehensiveness than would be otherwise possible, and by opening the project up to composers of other nationalities who are living/working/studying in the U.S. during the time of the research, I hope to get a sampling of international work.

I don’t have a composition degree, but I am an active composer. Can I submit scores?

Yes. This is not a competition, and there are no degree requirements.

I’m still a student. Is that okay?

Yes. I’m expecting that students will make up a sizable percentage of the included composers.

I don’t have any pieces for piano now, but I probably will soon. Can I just send my bio and be included as a composer?

No, you need to have at least one qualifying piece to be included.

I work full time in another field, but I like to write music in my spare time. Can I submit scores?

It’s fine if you’re a part-time composer—I know many very excellent musicians who have gone on to other careers but still find outlets for musical activity. However, this project is for composers who are active in the musical community. If you compose for your own enjoyment and satisfaction, but aren’t really pursuing music-related goals in life, this project is probably not for you.

Can I fill submit an entry on somebody else’s behalf?

In the event that an eligible composer is deceased or physically incapable of participating himself/herself, please contact me for a special form for submitting posthumous entries. Otherwise, you should not submit information for other composers (although you may certainly encourage them to participate).

Title Eligibility:

Can I submit pieces for prepared piano?

Yes, pieces employing extended techniques are welcome. In fact, I will likely include an appendix to cross-reference these works.

Can I submit pieces for electronic keyboard?

While piano works that incorporate electronics (or tape/CD) are welcome, music written for a digital or electronic instrument are outside the scope of this study.

I have a piece that requires the page-turner to hold down the pedal while the pianist plays inside the piano. Is this still considered “solo piano”?

Certain pieces that use assisting players may be included, but they should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The above example would be okay, but if the role of an assisting player is such that it borders on chamber music, it should not be included.

Why are you excluding teaching pieces, music for worship, and transcriptions? Aren’t they important?

Yes, they are important, but they are, by and large, distinct bodies of repertoire and therefore beyond the scope of this project. My target audience, so to speak, is the concert pianist looking for recital repertoire. And although transcriptions are often performed on recitals, I have decided to focus this project on original works.

Filling out the Composer Form:

Which contact information should I include? Will you publish everything?

I need some form of contact information to publish with your entry so that readers will know where to find your scores. An e-mail address for you or your publisher should be the bare minimum. If you have a website, it should be listed. I will not print your mailing address or phone number unless you specify that you would like them included.

Why is the “E-mail address to print” field required?

I want to make sure everybody leaves some form of contact information I can print to let readers find your music, and an e-mail address that you would use for professional correspondence seemed to be the most universal. If you have entered a different form of contact info and would prefer I not print the e-mail address you entered here, just specify this in the “Other contact info” field.

I don’t have a publisher. Can I just leave that part blank?

If you don’t have a publisher, you are in the majority. Leave it blank. If you self-publish under your own imprint, you should say so.

What are professional affiliations?

First of all, if you are a member of ASCAP or BMI, make sure to say so. This is important information for anybody wishing to perform your music. Beyond that, you might want to indicate membership in such organizations as the American Composers Forum, the Conductors Guild, etc.

I just won a competition or got a new commission. Can I edit my information?

Yes, you can go back into the form (by clicking on “edit”) to add or change information. Just make sure to save your changes.

Filling out the Title Form:

Why do you only accept score uploads in PDF format? What about Finale or JPEG files?

One of the requirements for a score to be eligible for this project is that it is ready for distribution. While various types of music notation software files are common currency among composers, they are not a universally distributable file type. As for graphics files such as JPEG, they tend to generate large file sizes and require separate files for each page. This would be too cumbersome to deal with in large quantities.

Why are the maximum file sizes so small?

The maximum file size for PDFs is 10mb, which should be sufficient for most scores. The maximum for mp3s is 15mb, which we realize may not accommodate longer pieces. There are certain limits built into our hosting service that limits uploaded file sizes. Please keep in mind that I can also accept CDs by mail.

I have a new score or recording of my piece. Can I replace an uploaded file with another?

Yes, you can. While on the “edit title” page, first delete the existing file by clicking on the “x” by the filename. Then you can add another file.

My piece calls for the pianist to play with a prerecorded sound. Do I need to send this recording to you?

Yes, please send all the materials a pianist would need to perform your work (with the exception of objects used to prepare the piano). Please contact us about unusual cases.

Why didn’t my files upload?

First, please make sure you clicked on the Save button at the bottom of the form and that you did not interrupt the upload by browsing away from the page. A confirmation page will show that the page has been saved and files have successfully uploaded (or not). If uploads are failing and you are sure that the files are within the allotted size, please contact us.

How can I delete a title?

If you would like to withdraw a title, please contact us. Titles can only be deleted administratively.