For the first six or eight months at Juilliard I felt paralysed. I didn't know what I was doing. Eric Whitacre More Quotes by Eric Whitacre More Quotes From Eric Whitacre The terror of performing never goes away. Instead, you get very, very comfortable being terrified. Eric Whitacre composer going-away feelings I don't know if it is a spiritual, physiological or psychological phenomenon, but I believe now more than ever that singing is a universal, built-in mechanism designed to cultivate empathy and compassion. Eric Whitacre compassion spiritual believe Write the music your inside-you needs your outside-you to hear. Eric Whitacre writing needs Nerves, stress and the pressure to perform are a part of life. You don't have to conquer these feelings; just learn to live with them. Eric Whitacre nerves stress feelings When I had my first experiences of choral singing, the dissonance of those close harmonies was so exquisite that I would giggle or I would tear up, and I felt it in a physical way. Eric Whitacre singing tears way When I think of people I am close to, I genuinely feel that I can include Josh Lyman, Toby Ziegler, C.J. Cregg and Sam Seaborn. Eric Whitacre community people thinking I think [the virtual choir] speaks well to a benevolent future for the Internet. Eric Whitacre internet speak thinking To have a live choir there on the stage and then these singers from different countries signing with us in real time through Skype, it's as if there aren't borders anymore. Eric Whitacre live stage real time People in chorus tends to be much more emotional or at least wear their hearts on their sleeve. They are generally the kind to hold hands and cry. It's just a different personality type. Eric Whitacre cry personality hands people With vocal and choral music, first and foremost, it's the text. Not only do I need to serve the text, but the text - when I'm doing it right - acts as the perfect 'blueprint', and all the architecture is there. The poet has done the heavy lifting, so my job is to find the soul of the poem and then somehow translate that into music. Eric Whitacre job architecture music soul I can't write music unless I'm deeply connected to it and that connection almost always comes from some experience that I have had or am having. Eric Whitacre connection always experience music The virtual choir would never replace live music or a real choir, but the same sort of focus and intent and esprit de corps is evident in both, and at the end of the day it seems to me a genuine artistic expression. Eric Whitacre day me music focus Many composers use software to write music - programs like Finale or Sibelius. There are also recording programs. I should say I'm still very old-fashioned, I still use pencil and paper. But almost every composer I know does it the 'new way.' Eric Whitacre new know music way As a composer, I know that all sorts of sounds I hear are making their way into my brain and soul and later sneak into my music. Eric Whitacre music soul brain way I'm not an atheist, but I'm not a Christian, either. Eric Whitacre either atheist christian I write music that sounds complex but isn't. I frankly never think in terms of theory. Eric Whitacre write never think music A really good poem is full of music. Eric Whitacre full really good music For me, the virtual choir has taught me that, if anything, the Internet builds these post-national tribes, people finding each other anyway they can. Eric Whitacre finding me internet people I happen to be one of the people who believe that the Internet is a force of good, and I'm very optimistic about it. Eric Whitacre good internet believe people There must be four or five hundred choirs here in London alone. In a way, there's nowhere else on Earth I could go and get this level and passion for singing in the one place. Eric Whitacre alone place singing passion
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