actually be hurtful. Talk to high schools and colleges in your area. Some
schools take pride in performing works by local or regional composers.
There might be some semi- or non-professional performance ensembles in
your area that could be open to experimentation. It is easier to get a string
quartet played than it is to get a symphony played simply because of the
number of musicians involved.Good orchestral musicians are in the habit of being paid for their services, so
if you have the money you could produce your own performance event. This
is an expensive proposition, so it would be a good idea to have it profession-
ally recorded while it is being performed. The extra cost will be less than
trying to make a recording happen at another time (although you can do this
too, if you like).Composing for Yourself ...............................................................................
Similarly to composing for an orchestra, this is perhaps the toughest road
towards making a living with your music — but the most rewarding road in
terms of feeding your muse and drawing from your untrammeled creativity.
There aren’t any limits or restrictions on what instruments or sounds you
use; you don’t have to stay in a particular key signature; you are not limited
to portraying a particular vision other than your own; you can work with
whomever you please.This is a perfect path for you if you are independently wealthy, infinitely
patient, indomitably persistent, or any combination of these things. Or
maybe you just want to hear your musical ideas played back on a CD and
couldn’t care less about monetary success or fame. There are some very tal-
ented musical minds at work out there who can’t get anyone to listen to their
work. And there are a lot of wannabe composers out there who don’t really
have all that much talent. One might argue that there are a few who have hit
the big time somehow without a lot of talent to back up their success.There are many ways to the top of the mountain, and there are many different
mountains to climb in the music world. You have to define what success means
to you. Don’t let someone else define it for you.The Internet is probably the best marketplace for your work if you are com-
posing for yourself. There are many ways to market yourself on the Internet.
You could create your own Web site and/or start a page on MySpace or
Facebook. You can get an account with download services such as iTunes or
distribute your product through services such as CDBaby.com. No matter
which of these directions you take (maybe all of them), you still have to get
people to go to your music somehow. For that, you might enlist the help of
someone who can optimize your Web presence to give you and your music
greater exposure.216 Part IV: Orchestration and Arrangement