Trent’s Music

Years ago I was sitting around chatting with some friends about the future. We were nearing high school graduation and were discussing plans. At one point in the conversation I told everyone I was going to be attending Ohio State University.

I was greeted with blank stares.

“Um, you know Trent, Ohio State isn’t really known for its music school. Have you thought about Oberlin? Maybe go a little farther and attend Berklee or Julliard?”

Music school? I was preparing to major in engineering. I hadn’t taken calculus and physics to play music.

But then on the other hand, I only had to look at my schedule.

Third period: band; seventh: choir; ninth: jazz band; after school: depending on season – marching band, pep band or musical; after rehearsal: trying to figure out the piano and writing little songs – it’s hard to believe now, but there was once a time in my life that I spent between 6 and 8 hours every day playing music; often more. I didn’t know how good I had it.

It seems I have always been involved in music. I had three years of guitar lessons starting at 6 or 7, a year of cello at 11 and then trumpet for the rest of my secondary education. That’s not including singing in choirs at school and church. And of course, playing around with the piano.

After high school I did go to Ohio State and did study engineering, later changing to mathematics. But I continued with my music, even playing trumpet while at school and joining a band or two playing keyboards.

Since then I have continued to learn and grow. In the late 1990s I was commissioned to compose a series of compositions for an art gallery. My involvement in contemporary classic evolved from there and included formal composition lessons at the early part of this century.

Yet lately I’ve fallen back to my roots. Although I still play and write contemporary classical, my emphasis has gone more towards jazz, rock and electronica. I’ve posted a few music articles here, but you can visit my blog for a more in depth look at my music.

My Hamlet Symphony is now available as an MP3 download from CD Baby.

Writing on Music
Living in Beethoven’s Shadow (pdf)
Some Random Thoughts on Franz Liszt (pdf)
Hamlet Symphony
Hamlet Symphony, Second Movement
Briseis – That was Yesterday
Trent’s World, The Blog