So this has been obviously more difficult than I first imagined, just for different reasons. I am now teaching full time middle school orchestra along with my private lessons. 1.6 jobs gets in the way, but here is what I'm learning. I have been composing quite a bit of small ensemble pieces for level 1 and 2 strings and guitars. This has also inspired me to compose a series of Etudes and Rags for piano in various degrees of difficulty. The newly added "Dizzy" is an example. My secret goal is to be introducing and teaching some more modern and contemporary thinking along with the tried and true pieces and methods. The kids seem to love it because it is different and they have more of a sense of being a part of todays music, instead of studying others from the outside. This is a practice I've always done, just not as a structured discipline, and in essence has kept me composing daily. A new and welcomed challenge. It's always been said, composers compose. Write something everyday, no matter what and never discard what you don't "like". I will post any ones that the kids really like and benefit from, maybe someday a collection.
No matter what...
-Thomas