Adventures in composing - introduction

I am a composer who's been writing music for more than 4 decades. I'm one of those people who always has music going in his head. Sometimes it's someone else's piece, but more often it's something original (though often mundane). My challenge as a composer is to take these bits and pieces in my mind's ear and turn them into interesting music. After all this time I'd like to think I've gotten pretty good at it.

I compose to please my own ear. Sometimes what pleases my ear also pleases the ears of others, but sometimes not. I do have a quirky sense of harmony from years of listening and composing. I don't like to sound like anyone else. I leave it to you to judge if my music is pleasing to your ear, I invite you to hear many of my pieces here.
http://composersforum.ning.com/profile/SteveChandler

I also write songs and instrumental music in popular music style, but this blog will be about the music I find most interesting. Classical compositions by living composers, including myself.

Back in college (in the 70s) a woman said to me that I could find just the wrong note to mock a song I didn't like. That ability also helps me enhance the beauty of my music, but instead of going for a wrong note, I go for a spicey note. Of course every piece is an individual creation so the amount of spice varies from mild to thorny.

For my Classical music I've developed a style that's harmonically adventurous, but not inaccessible. I enjoy finding harmonic progressions that sound new and interesting to me. My style is tonal, but more than that I shift tonal centers freely. That's why I refer to my music as being Pantonal, because it crosses all tonalities.

I plan to write about my adventures in composing music, but also the music of other living composers that I find interesting. I'm serious about my music even if the music isn't always serious. I hope you'll listen and I hope you enjoy.