"Paramount Park" wins the ATSSB Composition Contest

Hey, so this is kinda old news by now. But, my little grade 2 piece "Paramount Park" won the first composition contest sponsored by the Association of Texas Small School Bands. This is quite the honor for me. It's my first award of any sort for writing and in a way I think that's validation that I'm doing some things right.

It's pretty easy to get discouraged when you factor in all of the great living composers out there (and well, all the hacks who still get work, too). And, it's pretty easy to start to think, "well, maybe I'm one of those hacks, who doesn't get work." Yeah, that could be a problem!

And marching band commissions don't count. Which, on a side note, my wind arranging business has blossomed and at present I will be writing five shows next year in addition to my (what I can only assume...) full slate of percussion arranging. This is really good news. And in one case specifically, the ATSSB contest helped bring about one of the wind arranging gigs.

So, while marching band commissions don't count, but pay the bills, put food on the table and insures that we buy a Route 44 something from Sonic every once in a while, they have their positives, too.

And, well, think of all of the famous living composers who started out writing for marching band... Well, go ahead... think of a few.

Okay, then. Think of one.

Not even one?

Oh brother... Well, there has to be a first, right?!?