Queens-based composer, music theorist, and pianist David Schober is one of three winners of the Con Edison Musicians’ Residency: Composition Program**. As his residency at Flushing Town Hall comes to a close, he took some time to tell us a little more about himself and what he’s currently working on.
What instrument(s) do you play? When did you begin composing?
I started learning piano at the age of six. (There are other instruments in my checkered past, but let’s not talk about them!) I began composing within the first year of my piano studies.
What kind of work have you been able to accomplish during your residency thus far?
Flushing Town Hall has been a great complement to the other places I compose, particularly the small studio space in my apartment. I still do some of the conceptual planning at home, but the gallery space at Town Hall has been great for fleshing out details and allowing them to breathe. There’s a beautiful Steinway piano there, and the space is used for a variety of performances, so it’s much easier to get a sense of what my music will sound like in a concert setting.
Please tell us about the extended work for wind ensemble that you have been working on.
I’m writing a wind ensemble piece in response to a flood that hit my hometown of Rushford, Minnesota, two years ago. I was shocked at the extent of the damage but have been even more impressed by the remarkable recovery the community has made since then. I’m writing the piece in fulfillment of a commission from Tim Weiss, director of the wind ensemble at my alma mater, Oberlin College. I’m also working on a guitar/flute piece for Arc Duo, based here in New York.
How has the Con Edison Residency helped you?
The residency, by providing a beautiful work space, has helped me to focus on my projects. Small apartments in New York City are not necessarily the most conducive environments to creative work. I also expect to have a good time organizing a public program at Flushing Town Hall for the wider community.
What has been your greatest success to date?
I’ve been fortunate to have many fine musical opportunities, but I’d say the most rewarding have been my collaborations with eighth blackbird and the Miró String Quartet. I attended Oberlin with members of both groups, so we’ve been friends for a long time.
What’s challenging about being a musician working in NYC (and/or in Queens)? What is a positive aspect of it?
There are so many great musicians and musical opportunities in New York that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. At times, it seems difficult to stand out from the crowd when there’s so much going on in one place. Of course, there are also the neighbors who are less than enthusiastic to hear my music-making at odd hours. I think the important thing is to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to have fun with it.
Is there any advice that you would give to a musician and/or composer at the start of their career?
Young composers should do whatever they can to hone their performance skills while they’re in school. It’s also important that they befriend performers and collaborate with them, as these musicians will often become colleagues for life. Recently, I’ve also been urging my students to study abroad if they can. During my undergraduate years, I spent some time living and studying in Korea. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
What’s next on your professional horizon following the end of your residency?
I resume my teaching duties for the fall term at Queens College, and then in January I’m off to southern France for a four-month artist residency through the Camargo Foundation.
How can we learn more about you and your work?
My website needs updating (alas!), but it’s a good place to start: www.davidschober.com. Stay tuned, also, for events I’ll be involved with at Flushing Town Hall.
**Each of the three winners of the Con Edison Musicians’ Residency: Composition Program received use of composition and rehearsal space in Flushing Town Hall for a three-month period, as well as a stipend. The winners were selected through a competitive review process by panelists from the New York City music community.
The Con Edison Musicians’ Residency had its genesis in NYC Performing Arts Spaces’ 2008 study “Where Can We Work?”, an examination of how access to workspace in New York City impacts musicians’ ability to compose, rehearse and perform. The study was made possible by a seminal grant from the New York State Music Fund.
Funding for this pilot program comes from Con Edison, the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation, The Amphion Foundation, and the Reed Foundation. NYCPASpaces developed and administered the program, and expects to expand this residency program, serving both performing artists and cultural facilities, to other locations and boroughs. To receive the first announcement of future residencies at Flushing Town Hall, sign up for our email newsletter.
