Voice and Piano Transcriptions
I was able to carve out some time for a song cycle I composed in 2019 for mezzo-soprano, flute, bassoon, and guitar. The piece was commissioned by visionary flutist Kate … Continue reading
New Music for Cello Solo
The first draft of the new cello piece went out to D. Scot Williams who commissioned it. Seven and a half minutes of music exploring all registers of the instrument, … Continue reading
Groundless – New Album
When two of your babies share the same birthday, tensions and compromises are to be expected. My album Glossolalia has already received much love in the past weeks but Groundless … Continue reading
Hello There, Music
No one knows I have begun working on the cello solo piece, not even Scot Williams who commissioned it. Earlier this week I casually began drafting the shape of the … Continue reading
On the Rooftop of the Kennedy Center
It was never my dream to have my music performed at the Kennedy Center. I simply did not believe in dreaming outrageous, impossible dreams. Yet the improbable happened, all the … Continue reading
New Music for Cello
I am thrilled to be commissioned by D. Scot Williams to compose a new work for cello. Not a stranger to contemporary music, Scot has previously commissioned several other composers, … Continue reading
Earthrise for Symphony Orchestra
I am alarmed by humanity’s fascination with destruction. We consume hundreds of films and video games devoted to natural disasters and cataclysms. We entertain ourselves with graphic depictions of gore, … Continue reading
Earthrise – English Horn Solo Excerpt
Before I share with you my new orchestral piece, let me tease you with a short excerpt of the English horn solo. I have never written for this instrument before … Continue reading
Synesthesia
When I talk about color in music (besides being a composer, I am also a painter), I am often asked whether I have synesthesia. I do not, and I am … Continue reading
Fragility
A year ago, during great personal distress, I composed Fragility. Now I am haunted by the same feelings as are so many of my family and friends. One might have … Continue reading
New Orchestral Music
I am nearly finished writing my latest orchestral piece. It has taken me to colorful harmonic places I have not encountered before. Principal English horn players will find a blissful … Continue reading
Patience
At the end of last year, I worked intently on a new orchestral piece but then Christmas and New Year, predictably, broke my stride. Music composition is like long-distance running … Continue reading
Serenity
This new sleek meditation app will help me find more serenity in my life. The speaker’s voice is so soothing, I can already feel myself floating gently as I am … Continue reading
The Guiding Light
Producing an album often seems like driving a car from the back seat. Theoretically, if you know where you want to go and are able to communicate clearly, and if … Continue reading
Fragility Official Music Video
Fragility official music video is out on YouTube. Fragility is the opening track of my latest album entitled Groundless. The video concept and editing are mine but the amazing videography … Continue reading
Groundless
https://dosiamckay.com/music/groundless/ I have made ambitious plans for international travel in 2020. I was considering Japan or Korea but a friend strongly suggested China. I had already purchased the plane tickets … Continue reading
Waiting for the Titles
I spent the last few days editing tracks for my upcoming album. One darling was killed in the process and the rest had to justify to me why I should … Continue reading
Endless Immersion 3 is Here
iTunes | Amazon | Bandcamp | Spotify https://dosiamckay.com/music/endless-immersion-3/ The next installment of the Endless Immersion series and another full hour of seamless, immersive musical experience is here. As always, I have a difficult time categorizing my music. This … Continue reading
Endless Immersion 3
Before I release my brand-new album, I will first release the 3rd installment of Endless Immersion. Originally conceived in 2015, Endless Immersion was a soundtrack to an art installation in … Continue reading
Composer Desk Again
I am documenting this makeshift set up before the arrival of my new desk. It looks convoluted but ergonomically speaking, it works very well. It is actually my drafting table … Continue reading
Composer Desk
I am reinventing the wheel again, that is, I am reexamining the ergonomics of my music studio setup. The three main elements always are the MIDI keyboard, the computer keyboard, … Continue reading
At Peace
The score has been spiralbound and the parts have been taped according to the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association’s guidelines. All that remains is to send the materials to the Knoxville … Continue reading
The Flow – Chapter 2
If you missed the first chapter, you can read it here: https://wp.me/p6Qr0-127 The first thing she noticed upon entering was the smell. It was the fragrance of aged wood and … Continue reading
“Watercolors” for Orchestra to be Premiered by the Knoxville Symphony
I am delighted to share that my “Watercolors” for Orchestra will be premiered by the Knoxville Symphony on the Masterworks Series concert in October. Although I was not born in … Continue reading
The Flow – Chapter 1
Numbness does not have to be destructive. Its lukewarm embrace can be nourishing, sustaining, prove wonderfully protective. When all other emotions have failed, numbness remains to offer a guiltless escape. … Continue reading
Freakish Intensity
The cover design made it more real. The novel is out with the editor and I am inching toward the release of the book. I am about to enter the … Continue reading
Back to the Novel Writing
Some of you have asked what happened to the psychological thriller I was writing last year. I had to put it aside for the last few months as I worked … Continue reading
From Faint Inklings to Tangible Embodiments
Once upon a time, Kate Steinbeck had a faint inkling about commissioning new music for her ensemble. We had talked about it many months in advance, before she really knew … Continue reading
New Music for Pierrot Ensemble and Percussion
I had a lot of fun creating this graphic animation/representation for my new piece. “Abandon” captures a fleeting moment of forsaking self-imposed restraints in favor of complete freedom and joyful, … Continue reading
Rubble Becomes Art
I have spent the last four months composing a triptych of songs commissioned by Kate Steinbeck and Pan Harmonia, based on the poems of three North Carolina contemporary poets. Although … Continue reading
A Unifying Principle
How do I express this movement musically? And when I hear gripping music, how do I paint it? These two artistic disciplines have been closely related in my creative output. … Continue reading
The Flow – A Psychological Thriller for Artists and Creatives
The Flow, my psychological thriller went out to Beta Readers today. I never thought I would write a book like this. I was only going to outline the plot, just … Continue reading
In Search of Divine Patterns
I have always believed that there is a divine order in all things. Studying calculus in college and diving deep into music theory showed me hidden treasures few people are … Continue reading
Harpsichord Concerto – Work in Progress
The second movement of the harpsichord concerto is now in its final stages. Here I am checking the form for possible structural flaws. In my book, symmetry is always better … Continue reading
Toolbox
You can accomplish anything if you have the right tools. However, the problem often lies in the fact that the right tools may be out of reach, you may have … Continue reading
Harpsichord Concerto
I am presently composing a concerto in three movements for harpsichord and string orchestra (4,4,4,2,1 or larger). The total length of the music will be approximately fifteen minutes. I hope … Continue reading
A Quiet Room with a Large Window
To be perfectly honest, following many of you ultra successful artsy people on social media has been difficult recently. Your premieres, international travel, awards, commissions, exhibits, and accolades–you are in … Continue reading
Awakening for Viola and Piano
Ever since I have heard Rebecca Clarke’s Morpheus, my interest in writing for string instruments was piqued. I have since composed string quartets, a string trio, a piano trio, and … Continue reading
New Guitar Recording of my Music Released
I am delighted to announce that Sergio Puccini, an Argentine guitar virtuoso, has recorded my “Parting” and released it on his new album entitled “Sergio Puccini Plays Paul McCartney’s a … Continue reading
Survived
For those who care or find it amusing, my cello survived the month long cross country journey without an incident. It is only slightly out of tune and very dusty. … Continue reading
Solo
I took a solo hike into the bottom of the canyon and began fantasizing about taking a full solo trip. I crave uninterrupted segments of time when I can fully … Continue reading
Cross Country Journey
I am making a cross country journey from Asheville, NC to Portland, OR. I have uprooted my family, my music studio, and my painting studio in order to start afresh … Continue reading
Goodbye
Dear Asheville, Thank you for everything! The last five years have enriched me with new friendships, scenic natural surroundings, and much inspiration for music composition and art making. I am … Continue reading
A Musical Riddle
I came across this chart today while sifting through some old scores. It was tucked away in “Lush”, a piece I composed for soprano saxophone, and jazz chamber orchestra. I … Continue reading
Treasured Possessions
Some of the most thoughtful gifts I have received over the years have been music scores by other composers. I have many officially released works, as well as a few … Continue reading
A Patch of Blue – Analysis of the Music Score by Jerry Goldsmith
The following is a scholarly paper I wrote during my graduate studies at the New York University in the Fall of 2009, a requirement for professor Ronald H. Sadoff’s class … Continue reading
End of the Chapter
I will be sad to leave my studio at the end of the year. I spent 4 years in this space composing music, painting, writing, playing instruments, and singing. Creative … Continue reading
Limitation as Freedom
I am discussing the concept of limitation in the context of artistic freedom. When I am faced with the whiteness of my creative page, I like to set limiting parameters … Continue reading
Music Well - Dosia McKay, Composer, Painter, Writer 