Music I Am #18 – Ivan Enrique Rodriguez, composer
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The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:
There were 2 moments. When, as a little child, I first saw the movie Fantasia with Leopold Stokowski, and when I first played Final Fantasy VII and heard Nobuo Uematsu’s soundtrack for the game. In that moment music never left my head.
An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:
Oh, Easy! Be a nice person. Be kind, helpful, open-minded, and respectful. Think about it. What people you gravitate towards and why? Think of your true friends. Be the person you want to hang out with.
Two ways you stay motivated:
Coffee (Obvi), and leaving prejudices behind. Most of our music knowledge is built on prejudices—what is right, what is wrong, what is tasteful, what is not. But when we leave all that behind, a whole world opens up with so many possibilities that motivation becomes a given.
Also, never lose perspective of who you are. If you follow what you truly want to achieve, despite what anyone can say, you’ll always be motivated because you’re following what you truly believe in.
Latest Project:
I’m working on a short opera, and preparing everything for the premiere of my third symphony.
What inspired it:
Well, the opera is based on a Puerto Rican legend what was artfully put into words by author Carmen Leonor Rivera-Lassen.
The symphony, titled “The Moral Question” is inspired by the barrage of absurdity that is coming out of the supreme court and how that is impacting us but especially non-white folks, and queer folks like me.
Who’s on it:
The opera will be staged and produced by White Snake Projects in Boston! And it will be live-streamed so stay tuned.
The symphony is for brass sextet soloists and symphonic band. The soloists will be The Brass Project and the symphonic band will be from the University of Colorado, Boulder, which they both commissioned the piece.
How do you discover new music?
I usually go to Spotify or Youtube. On Spotify I create a “radio station” based on a piece or song I like and then things appear that I’ve never heard that I end up loving. Also, Releases Radar, there’s always something new there.
One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:
Oh! How to decide…
- Ernst Boehe – Composer
- Pancho Vladiguerov – Composer
- Amazarashi — Rock Band
- Official HIGE DANdism — Pop Band
- Jose Valente — Accordeonist
Where can we find you online?
In all the socials as IvanEComposer: FB, Twitter, IG,
My Website or shoot me an email if you’re bored ivan@ivanrodriguezmusic.com
Upcoming Event you’d like to share?
Oh Yes! If you’re in the Dallas area on June 21st, come and visit me at the Meyerson Symphony hall at 2pm. the Dallas Symphony will be performing my second symphony!
For more info: https://www.ivanrodriguezmusic.com/upcoming-events/2023/3/1/dallas-symphony-orchestra-earshot-symphony-no2
