PODCAST · music
Music In Progress
by Michael Cooke
Uncovering the depths of the creative processes of composing music. Gain valuable insights with practical tips and techniques. Whether you’re a fellow musician, an enthusiast, or just curious about the world of contemporary music, there’s a rich tapestry of sounds and ideas waiting for you here.
Episodes
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Will This Bassoon Concerto Be Ready in Time?
Will This Bassoon Concerto Be Ready in Time? A bassoon concerto moves from the road draft to performance score as I revise melodies, test the solo part, and prepare for the October premiere.
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Composing on the Road without an Instrument
Can you compose a concerto without instruments? Road trip without instruments, leaning on scores, memory, and notation tools to shape a bassoon concerto draft.
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I Hate the Music I Wrote, Now What?
I hate the Music I Wrote, Disliking a first draft does not mean the idea failed. Sometimes the music needs a new structure before the real piece starts to speak.
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Forging a Fearless Solo Violin Piece Through Collaboration
A look inside the collaborative process of shaping a new solo violin piece through performer feedback, extended techniques, and shared experimentation.
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A Milestone Month of Multiphonics, New Music, & Creative Momentum
A month of composing new music: finishing Riding the Dragon, notating clarinet multiphonics in Dorico, and preparing new solo works.
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A Breakthrough: From Fragments to a Real Draft
Progress on a woodwind quintet: overcoming setbacks, rewriting lost material, and shaping fragments into form using circle-music and rhythmic ideas.
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Taiwan, Beethoven, and a New Quintet
Taiwan, Beethoven, and a New Quintet Early sketches for a woodwind quintet inspired by Chinese & Taiwanese folk music, hocketing rhythms, and an altered folk melody—while the piece’s structure is still forming.
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How Dorico 6 Finally Unblocked My Creative Workflow
How Dorico 6 Unblocked My Creative Workflow Porting an old orchestra-and-choir score into Dorico 6 forced me to confront box notation, cutaways, and long-avoided workflow problems. What started as a technical challenge ended up clearing mental space—and opening a path forward. Download library ZIP
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Closing 2025, Looking to 2026: A New Year’s Reflection
Closing 2025, Looking to 2026: A New Year’s Reflection A candid look back at missed goals, unexpected progress, and the realities that shaped my composing year. Reflecting on 2025 helps me reset expectations, carry projects forward, and plan a more honest, sustainable path into 2026.
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Masterpiece Syndrome
A simple woodwind-quintet idea spiraled into a battle with “Masterpiece Syndrome.” Here’s how perfection pressure quietly kills creativity—and why even Beethoven’s so-called masterpieces weren’t perfect. A reminder that your music deserves to exist long before it becomes great.
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Post-Concert Reflections
Post-Concert Reflections After a thrilling premiere filled with last-minute drama (including an injured oboist!), I swapped the concert hall for a paint-splattered ladder. Now, post-symphony and post-vacation, I’m recharged, reflective, and ready to dive into new musical adventures once again.
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The Work After “The Work”
The Work After “The Work” Finishing the symphony didn’t mean the work was done. From printing scores and preparing parts to writing for the American Beethoven Society and adjusting tempos after feedback, every step reminded me that composition thrives through collaboration, community, and…
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Finishing Touches on the Finale
Finishing Touches on the Finale I spent August refining the finale of my Fourth Symphony—revising problem spots, reworking the beginning and ending, and polishing details. With feedback from mentors and renewed confidence, the piece is nearly performance-ready, and even the American Beethoven...
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Full Circle: Writing the Ending of the Fourth Symphony
A family tragedy delayed my progress, but in quiet moments I found the symphony’s ending. Weaving past themes into the finale, I aimed for both energy and closure—bringing the Fourth Symphony’s journey full circle.
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The Calm Before the Coda
The Calm Before the Coda After a refreshing break, I’m back at work on the Fourth Symphony’s finale—moving into slower variations, layered chorales, and rhythmic twists. With only 24 measures left, the first draft is nearly complete. The finale is just ahead!
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Second Fugue, First Signs of Burnout: The Halfway Report
Second Fugue A dense fugue, a rhythmic twist, and a well-earned milestone—this week’s progress on my Fourth Symphony hits the halfway mark. With burnout looming, I’m pausing to recharge before tackling the final variations and driving toward a complete first draft.
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Marching Forward
March variation, a tipsy waltz, and leading to an inverted fugue—this week’s work on my Fourth Symphony brought unexpected turns and forward motion. With inspiration from Beethoven and Hindemith, I’m hitting my stride again, right on schedule.
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Composing After Chaos: Symphony No. 4 Got Its Groove Back
Composing After Chaos: Symphony No. 4 Got Its Groove Back Beethoven meets Hindemith in the latest progress on my Symphony No. 4. This post explores fugues, rhythm, and how detailed planning—and the right tools—helped me jump back into composing after a long break. Momentum is building again!
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How Things Get Off Track — and the Importance of Notes
How Things Get Off Track — and the Importance of Notes After a month-long break caused by unexpected life events, I’m returning to my symphony project. Thanks to detailed notes and a clear plan, I’m able to jump back in smoothly—highlighting why keeping documentation is crucial for creative...
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Best Laid Plans of Mice and Composers…
Best Laid Plans of Mice and Composers… A last-minute scramble to replace two missing compositions on an SFCCO concert turned my schedule plans upside down. I revived "Triangles", a guided improvisation piece from a decade ago, refining instructions and parts to fit our current ensemble—reminding…
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Back from the Islands and Back to the Symphony
Back from the Islands and Back to the Symphony Fresh off a trip to the Channel Islands, I dive back into Symphony No. 4—reworking a bold theme inspired by Beethoven and Hindemith, with surprises from Lutosławski and Ruggles. A behind-the-scenes look at shaping a symphonic finale.
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Circle-Music, Score Migration, and a Return to Symphony No. 4
Circle-Music, Score Migration, and a Return to Symphony No. 4 A busy spring season brings progress on solo Circle-Music pieces, score migrations into Dorico, and a long-awaited return to Symphony No. 4. With new drafts completed and fresh momentum building, the path ahead is full of creative...
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New Music, Score Migrations, and Bassoon Experiments
New Music, Score Migrations, and Bassoon Experiments January was packed with travel and celebrations, but I made progress on my bassoon circle-music piece, refining multiphonics, phrase connections, and triplet-based rhythms. I also finalized the Love Letters collection’s move to Dorico and…
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A New Year, New Objectives
A New Year, New Objectives After completing a new Love Letter piano composition in December and transitioning six more works from Finale to Dorico in January, I’m setting ambitious goals for 2025. Plans include finishing my Solo Circle-Music collection, completing Symphony No. 4, and exploring…
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New Music for the Love Letters Collection
Returning to composition, I revisited my Love Letters collection, transitioning works to Dorico while creating a new piano piece inspired by my anniversary trip to Turkey and Greece. Combining cultural influences, Romantic styles, and binary form, the piece nears completion.
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Post-Concert Reflections: Challenges, Adjustments, and Hard-Won Successes
Post-Concert Reflections: Overcoming personnel changes, venue issues, and last-minute adjustments, I prepared for our November 2nd concert. Despite delays and limited rehearsal time, the performance was successful, and audience feedback was positive. I’m now reflecting on the experience and…
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Moving Music from Finale to Dorico
Migrating my music from Finale to Dorico proved more complicated than expected. I faced challenges with importing scores, from titling, beat groupings, to restoring microtones. Despite that, I’ve managed to save four compositions, and learned valuable lessons along the way.
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Concert Preparations: Practicing, Promotions, and Problem-Solving
Concert preparations are in full swing as I balance practicing, promoting, and solving last-minute personnel issues for the November 2nd concert. Collaborating with musicians to refine compositions and address notation challenges has been key. Embracing feedback ensures smoother rehearsals and an...
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Final Preparations: Score, Collaboration, and Upcoming Challenges
Final Preparations The past few weeks were spent preparing for the November 2 premiere of my “tape” and orchestra piece. I revised the score, refined parts, and addressed feedback from musicians. With printing and logistics underway, I'm finalizing the digital "tape" and testing equipment for...
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Composer’s Dilemma: Progress and Digital Disruptions
The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of progress and challenges. Significant strides were made with orchestration tweaks, polishing transitions, and refining my tape and orchestra piece. However, frustrations arose as I grappled with replacing Finale, my longtime music software, now unsupported.
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Crafting the Dawn of Hope and Coda
Writing the "Dawn of Hope" section of a tape and orchestra composition, focusing on orchestration, melodic development, and the creation of the coda. The author reflects on the creative process, upcoming revisions, and the excitement of nearing completion.
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Aspen Conference 2024: My Experience
Attending the 2024 Aspen Composers Conference was a mixed experience: while it offered valuable insights and networking opportunities in a more intimate setting, it fell short in terms of attendance and organization. The trip was costly, but the experience had its highlights.
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Crafting Music Out of Rhythms and Hope
Crafting Music Out of Rhythms and Hope This past week, I progressed on my "tape" and orchestra piece, refining rhythms and introducing motifs in the "Confronting Our Shadows" section. Moving to the "Dawn of Hope" section, I crafted hopeful chord progressions to fit an Obama speech. Feedback...
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Balancing Creative Pursuits: Progress Amidst Commitments
Balancing Creative Pursuits: Progress Amidst Commitments I dedicated several days to "Confronting Our Shadows" focusing on matching rhythms from the “tape,” compromising between accuracy and playability. Now preparing for the Aspen Composers’ Conference and composing a new solo flute piece,...
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Confronting Our Shadows: Crafting Tension and Menace
Confronting Our Shadows: Crafting Tension and Menace Composing the "Confronting Our Shadows" section of my tape and orchestra piece. Using decatonic and octatonic scales, I crafted tension and anxiety through high strings and harmonics. The piece progresses with complex orchestrations, leading to…
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Reviving An Old Score: Breathing New Life into Past Compositions
Reviving An Old Score: Breathing New Life into Past Compositions Returning from my travels, I updated my string quartet The Shadows of Japanese Children and other older scores, inspired by lessons from Dr. Mark Alburger's music. This project prepares for automated score sales on my website,...
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Overcoming Technical Hurdles and Creative Breakthroughs
Overcoming Technical Hurdles and Creative Breakthroughs Resolved technical issues in Finale allowed significant progress on my "tape" and orchestra composition. The B-section of the second part includes Gregorian chants, while the intro to the third section addresses self-serving Presidents....
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Serendipitous Moments: Unplanned Brilliance in Orchestral Composition
Serendipitous Moments: Unplanned Brilliance in Orchestral Composition Developing a title for my orchestral and tape composition, I’ve refined sections and transcribed vocal lines into orchestral parts. A serendipitous moment reshaped the piece, highlighting spontaneity’s value. Next steps include...
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Celestial Inspiration: Weaving the Eclipse into Musical Composition
Celestial Inspiration: Weaving the Eclipse into Musical Composition Facing numerous setbacks including illness and travel, I drew inspiration from a transformative eclipse in Texas to craft a new orchestral variation based on my previous work, Sun & Moon. This adaptation, capturing the eclipse's...
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Crescendos and Cadences: My Journey Through Music and Musings
Crescendos and Cadences: My Journey Through Music and Musings Amid a bustling schedule, I've advanced my latest composition, completing the "tape" part and delving into orchestral integration, while balancing concert preparations and reflecting on feedback. This work, exploring themes from hope…
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Juggling the Composition Puzzle: A Week of Multitasking and Musical Reflections
Juggling the Composition Puzzle: A Week of Multitasking and Musical Reflections Amid concert preparations and studio updates, I advanced my composition, facing challenges in balancing tape and orchestra elements. Mixed feedback from a composers' forum prompted considerations for revision. Aiming...
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A Musical Homage: Crafting My Variation for Dr. Mark Alburger’s Memorial
A Musical Homage: Crafting My Variation for Dr. Mark Alburger’s Memorial Detailing the creation of a two-minute tribute for Dr. Mark Alburger's memorial concert, the blog explores weaving influences from Philip Glass to J.S. Bach into a concise piece, embedding personal tributes and honoring...
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Crafting Music: My Week of Progress in Musical Storytelling
Crafting Music: My Week of Progress in Musical Storytelling I delve into the progress of my latest composition, a 15-minute piece weaving presidential quotes into a musical narrative. Breaking traditional structures, it features three thematic sections, each reflecting different facets of…
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Navigating Challenges in Music Composition: Two Key Lessons Learned
In 'Navigating Challenges in Music Composition,' I share two key lessons: the importance of using accessible file formats for music notation, and the value of detailed planning in composition. These insights, gleaned from recent experiences, are crucial for any composer looking to streamline…
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2024 Back into the Creative Endeavor
2024 Back into the Creative Endeavor: I'm diving back into a creative endeavor I began in 2023, a unique tape-orchestra composition inspired by Steven Reich’s techniques. The piece features manipulated audio clips of modern-era U.S. presidents, creating a rich tapestry of sound. It blends phasing...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Uncovering the depths of the creative processes of composing music. Gain valuable insights with practical tips and techniques. Whether you’re a fellow musician, an enthusiast, or just curious about the world of contemporary music, there’s a rich tapestry of sounds and ideas waiting for you here.
HOSTED BY
Michael Cooke
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Music In Progress have?
Music In Progress currently has 45 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Music In Progress about?
Uncovering the depths of the creative processes of composing music. Gain valuable insights with practical tips and techniques. Whether you’re a fellow musician, an enthusiast, or just curious about the world of contemporary music, there’s a rich tapestry of sounds and ideas waiting for you here.
How often does Music In Progress release new episodes?
Music In Progress has 45 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Music In Progress?
You can listen to Music In Progress on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Music In Progress?
Music In Progress is created and hosted by Michael Cooke.
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