Ben’s advice
NSW DEC Copyright 2015
Viewing guide
In a small group:
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share an experience of composing that you’ve had. What was difficult? What processes did you follow? What worked well?
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think of questions you would like to ask someone like Ben Northey about composing if you had the chance. What advice might he give?
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What is Ben’s advice to young composers? Note down the key points as he speaks.
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Why does Ben think being up with the technology is an ‘important side of having a career as a composer’?
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Discuss the advice that Ben offers students who want to compose.
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What might you gain from following his advice to ‘just keep writing’.
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What advice does he give that resonates with or appeals to you?
[Music: No Aphrodisiac by The Whitlams performed with the Sydney Symphony Sinfonia]
Freya Lombardo (interviewer): What advice have you got for students who might want to compose?
Ben Northey: Just keep writing, I mean that’s the most important thing. Be prolific. I think it’s the same with song writing. I’m sure Tim would have the same experience. There are times in your life where things just flow and you’ve got a billion ideas and other times where it’s much harder to be inspired all the time when you’re writing a piece of music. And working through those times I think is important. Being up to speed with, particularly in the classical world, the technology which has greatly assisted the art of composing and made it a lot easier than it ever has been before. I think that’s a really important side of having a career as a composer, but the most important thing is to keep writing, keep developing and exploring new ideas, listening to other music, studying scores. It’s just an endless artistic life journey.
[Music and applause]