Introduction

I'm Daniel. I'm a composer, and this is going to be my place for writing about music. I'll write about things I'm working on, things I've written, and whatever general thoughts I have about music that I feel like writing down.

I should say some things about me so that people who find this blog will know who I am. So here are some things about me:
1. I was born and raised in Wisconsin.
2. I have a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
3. My composition teachers there included Joel Naumann, Steve Dembski and Laura Schwendinger.
4. I live in Ellensburg, WA, with my partner Lynn.

Okay, that was the boring part. Now I'll tell you why I'm making this blog. I'm making this blog as a motivational tool. In my last year at school, I was just starting to really "find my voice," as they say. And I was proud of what I was writing, not just because I liked the stuff. (Of course I would like what I'm writing. Why else would I write it?) I also felt it had some real merit.

But at the same time I didn't want to go to school anymore. I felt I needed a break from academia. And I was finally coming to accept the fact that I didn't want to ever be a teacher, which is pretty much the only job you can get with an advanced degree in composition. So after I graduated, I stopped going to school. Unfortunately, I also stopped writing seriously. In the two years after school, I didn't finish a single piece of music.

That's where this blog comes in. You're my imaginary audience. Having an imaginary audience will give me a sense of purpose. At the very least, it will be a way to share what I do with my friends -- and maybe with some electric friends as well.

And finally: Why is this called "The Watermelon Works?" That's a reference to In Watermelon Sugar, a book by Richard Brautigan. It's a book with an aesthetic I aspire to. If you want to know about that, you should find a copy and read it.