To Create is to Be Alive
I paint to remember and to forget. To celebrate and to mourn. To rage and to be still. In all of these I want to affirm life and gratitude for … Continue reading
Joyful Surprise
By all calculations I should not have a good day. Yet I woke up with a renewed strength and a desire to face obstacles on my path to creativity. Give … Continue reading
Endless Immersion Installation
Endless Immersion Installation – the colors morph, merge, dissolve, and drift away. Just like the music. I’ve had a great response to a private showing of the installation. Each guest … Continue reading
Cello – A Guarded Love
The more I play the cello, the more I love it. But if it loves me back, it does so in a guarded way. I have to spend many hours … Continue reading
Endless Immersion – New Album of Experimental Music
Endless Immersion, a new album of experimental music is set to release on April 9, 2015. Endless Immersion – The Concept I want to challenge the traditional way we listen … Continue reading
Sweet Baby – Choral Premiere in New York
Premiere of Sweet Baby, my new choral piece, performed by the members of C4 under the direction of Fahad Siadat. New York, Composer’s Voice, June 29, 2014, Jan Hus Presbyterian … Continue reading
Every Composer’s Dream
Would you like to know what’s it like to work with world-class musicians? It’s like this: I draw for them a black-and-white drawing and they transform it into a 3-D … Continue reading
Composer’s Diary – Writing a String Quartet – Part 2
Life, death, ecstasy, discarding two weeks worth of work, and starting over – I talk about it all. I’m taking you behind the scenes of composing my new string quartet … Continue reading
Too Much Fun Around Here – Invasion of Clowns – Brass Quintet
The Presidential Brass Quintet at the Valdosta State University performed my crazy fun piece entitled “Invasion of Clowns” yesterday. http://www.dosiamckay.com/music/clowns.shtml Listen to a demo here: http://dosiamckay.com/mp3/DosiaMcKay_Invasion_of_Clowns.mp3
Enchantment from Lacrimosa
It’s an enchanting day today! A preview of one of the tracks from my debut album Lacrimosa. Hear more music and download the album here: http://www.dosiamckay.com/lacrimosa.shtml
Studio Visit – New Music for Vibraphone and String Quartet
Jason DeCristofaro is visiting my studio to look at the vibraphone piece I wrote for him. The fast runs and intervals in both hands seem to work well. I will … Continue reading
First In Flight – New Music for Vibraphone and String Quartet
“First In Flight” is the title of my new composition for vibraphone and string quartet. I wrote it for vibraphone player Jason DeCristofaro who regularly performs classical music and jazz. … Continue reading
New Piece for Vibraphone and String Quartet
I am writing my new piece for vibraphone player Jason DeCristofaro. Jason is a talented musician both in the classical field and jazz. He is also a published composer. The … Continue reading
New Music for Vibraphone and String Quartet
My new piece for vibraphone and string quartet is taking shape. I don’t remember when was the last time I put so much joy and vibrant color into a composition. … Continue reading
Dosia McKay – Composer Portrait – Part 2 – Lacrimosa
Here is the second part of my documentary in which I discuss the birth of my album Lacrimosa. If you missed the first part, you can watch it here.
Dosia McKay – Composer Portrait – Part 1
If we have not met in person, this might be the second best. In this candid video I discuss my pathway to composition, the sources of inspiration for my music, and … Continue reading
Two Moods for Clarinet and Piano – 2. Wind Chimes
And here is the second movement of my Two Moods for Clarinet and Piano performed by Steve Loew and Daniel Weiser in a house concert in Arden, NC. In this … Continue reading
Who Needs Art?
Before my grandmother died, I had enough foresight to ask her to write down a few stories from her life. She left a beautiful diary describing her childhood, adolescence, and … Continue reading
Lacrimosa – New Album Now Available on CD
In addition to MP3 downloads of my album on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby, I am now happy to offer compact discs. You can order them directly from me by … Continue reading
Lacrimosa – Now Available on Amazon MP3 Downloads
Amazon categorized Lacrimosa as Modern Classical, Dance/DJ/Electronic, and Miscellaneous. I would say that’s fairly accurate. I hope to ruffle some feathers in the Miscellaneous department! Follow this link to listen … Continue reading
Is Beautiful Out of Style? – Composer Dosia McKay Bets Her New Album It Is Not
Dosia McKay’s debut album Lacrimosa is available for download on iTunes and other major digital retailers. Lacrimosa is a post-classical fusion of Renaissance and Electronic Soundscape music. Dosia McKay’s creative … Continue reading
Lacrimosa – New Album Available for Download
My long awaited debut album Lacrimosa is now available for download at the following locations: iTunes CD Baby More digital distributors, including Amazon to follow and the CD is in … Continue reading
Lacrimosa – New Album To Be Released This Summer
Lacrimosa – The Inspiration The Latin word Lacrimosa opens one of the stanzas in the Dies Irae sequence of the traditional Requiem mass and means mourning or weeping. Although it … Continue reading
Resuscitation
Yesterday I saw a girl Of maybe twenty five springs Clenched between the gutter Of a urine stained sidewalk And an insisting grip Of an assertive hero Compressing her helpless … Continue reading
Cantabile for String Quartet Featured in Brooklyn, NY
I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with the string quartet of the S.E.M. Ensemble under the direction of Petr Kotik in their annual Workshop & Reading of New Works. … Continue reading
Food
In the end only food matters And those who endure your talking With your mouth full Kingdoms rise and fall For the freedom of drinking The right kind of borscht … Continue reading
Hidden Art
A few months ago I went for a walk around the Lower Manhattan’s financial district. I was looking forward to arriving at my final destination – the trendy waterfront boardwalk, … Continue reading
Vasily Kandinsky – It’s Only Art. Or Is It?
“Every work comes into being in the same way as the cosmos – by means of catastrophes… The creation of the work of art is the creation of the world.” … Continue reading
Seven Colors of Love
Love is green Like freshly-cut grass Raw earthy and sour The stiff sharp blades Pierce your bare feet Unapologetically Love is blue Like a mother’s blouse Soft ruffles brush Against … Continue reading
Twenty Years of Dust
Twenty years of dust Mama never was big on Perfect moments Daddy heard No swelling soundtracks When he looked at her Only raw and earthy Belonging When she held his … Continue reading
Jubilance and Lament – New Compositions
I am enclosing links to my latest compositions: The Jubilance and the Lament. Both works were composed to satisfy the final requirement of a counterpoint course in my undergraduate studies … Continue reading
Unfurling
Be still my soul What is your unfurling? Your trembling Your flutter? What is your ache? A void that’s ever empty What is your shape That I may fill it? … Continue reading
Chocolate
Chocolate is sweetest Right before it enters the mouth The silkiness of suspense And vanilla of anticipation Make the cheeks tingle No one likes waiting But maybe the denial In … Continue reading
So This is Happiness
So this is happiness? This breeze from the river That tangles your hair The unexpected wintry sun Painting a grimace on the face Of a fleeting unimportant Moment in between … Continue reading
Beautiful is the Mention of Your Name
Beautiful is the mention of your name Lovely is the shape of its sounds But were it not for the language My lips would call upon it still With velvety … Continue reading
If My Brother Were In Town
If my brother were in town We would waste no time Discussing the weather I would parade him on the waterfront And with a paralyzing gaze I would let the … Continue reading
New Music for Woodwind Quintet
I have finished writing a Woodwind Quintet entitled “Snow Angels”. It was inspired by a breeze of fresh air at the end of a long and humid summer in East … Continue reading
Hearing
I sit in the first row in my Musicology class so I don’t get distracted by other students and can better absorb the lecture. In close proximity to my left … Continue reading
Invasion of Clowns – New Music for Brass Quintet
Invasion of Clowns was not a piece planned in advance; rather it was one that imposed itself at an inconvenient time. While I was busy completing an altogether more “serious” … Continue reading
Music Well - Dosia McKay, Composer, Painter, Writer 