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I give love to my family ( husband, three sons & their wives, & three grandchildren) & friends, & send love of music & sounds to the public who enjoys listening to music.
Music is a tough profession & people who do not "need" to be in music should do something else that is more rewarding both financially & emotionally.
The best way to learn about music is to listen.
I went back to Peabody Conservatory of Music to get my composition masters degree, when my children were mostly grown, finishing when I was 43 years old. My earlier Bachelors degree from Peabody was in piano. I taught piano in the Peabody Conservatory Preparatory Department during the 1950s. I knew that to make an impact in music, I would have to live a long time, as I began so late. Because I do not have as much time as most composers, I make each piece count. Each one is different & I spend a huge amount of time on each work.
My credits to date include winning the Standard ASCAP award every year since 1987 & First Prize in the 1986, 14th International Electroacoustic Music Competition, Bourges, program division, for WITH LOVE, a fantasy for live cello & decorated cello cases, (prepared tape). It received straight 10's. The dialogue in WITH LOVE has been translated into 5 languages. The music continues to receive numerous performances around the world. I was the first woman to win a first prize in the Program Division of the Bourges competition and the first American woman to win any first prize. WITH LOVE is on the Bourges honors CD with the 16th year competition and is also available from this composer.
I won First Prize in the International Double Reed Society Composition Contest, solo division in 1977, for KADDISH solo bassoon, my full orchestra music, FORCE III was the first orchestral work by a Maryland composer performed in the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, December, 1982, Sergiu Comissiona conducting & I was Featured in the May, 1989 issue of KEYBOARD MAGAZINE.
The best way to get through school when you have a husband & children is to let their needs come first, because if you don't, you'll be too upset to work well. If you go back to school, BE PATIENT! Spread out your courses so you can keep a husband & help your children grow up with a mom. Note:The "new" type of women will probably disagree. To each their own style...
I have had to "make my own way" through this maze of composing & getting performances & recordings.
When I was recently out of Peabody,1980, I thought the gap between the composers & audience was too great, so, I began Res Musica, a new music organization that became Res Musica Baltimore & Res MusicAmerica. The purpose was to help the concert audience better understand new music styles. What actually happened was that I learned to understand the audience & their need for accessible music.
Our high quality concerts, performed to full houses with excited audiences! Our performers & composers were from diverse ethnic backgrounds. I worked around the clock getting money & creating PR, in addition to programming. We had full houses in our performances, mostly at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Otto Luening came in 1984 for our "84 in '84 concert" He conducted his Potawatomi Legends, at 84 years old!
In the 1980's, I noticed male composers were conducting their works, so, I took conducting lessons & conducted sometimes in Res MusicAmerica concerts. I had to work VERY HARD to conquer fear. I took"How to overcome stress lessons" for musicians. I did overcome my fear. When I conducted in the international music festival which I also founded & directed, I was fearless.
Being Artistic Director/Producer gave me unthought of benefits. It gave me respect in the music world who knew about the concerts & power to hire & perform peoples music.
I learned how to control my temper in dealing with people.
Women are judged differently then men when losing tempers. If a woman loses her temper, she is Well, you know the word....I think people, both men & women, can't stand to hear a woman be angry at them, because they think of their mothers when she was angry at them, & they become upset. If a man gets angry & loses his temper, it's macho, & ok, & you had better listen......
So, I asked my husband how to handle a situation that created anger & how NOT to lose my temper, because the goal would be to get what I wanted, & he said to "Lower my voice & state the facts." I did this in some highly aggravating circumstances & worked extremely well!!!!
While my music was performed in Res MusicAmerica concerts, it was probably performed less then other Baltimore composers as I was not the goal.
If the financial resources of the USA had remained growing, as it had done previously, we would have continued, but all groups were being cut & funding changed. While we went on recession sabbatical in 1991, I can still bring Res MusicAmerica back when desired, & may do so, if I can think of a way to develop new funding.
Without ResMusica, I have been better able to spend time to seek & get more performances of my music, plus spend more time composing. I canvas the notices of call for scores from organizations that I have joined, especially calls by performers who are looking for music by instrumentation, and send out as much music as possible for consideration of performance. Two years ago, I had 26 performances, last year 19.
I compose as much time as I can, although, I certainly could be spending more time. When I am working on a piece, it gets almost my full attention. An electronic piece could be written almost around the clock because I can hear what I am working on it becomes compulsive to create the piece. When I compose an acoustic work, it takes much longer for me & I always get a performer to try this or that to make certain the music can be performed.
Then I try to get together enough performers to test the piece before sending it out just to be copied. Copying is expensive, so younger people should learn how to do it themselves!
I need to have a decent tape to send out to performers. This is a major challenge, especially if it's a large work. Most people compose by commission. I haven't done that & so far it has worked out alright.
I have been asked to be guest visiting composer at various colleges & enjoy giving master classes & lectures. One favorite lecture, different from most composers, is my lecture on, "How to begin & develop a small arts organization." I have enough material to give many lectures on that subject & have videos to show of favorite performances, plus contracts & PR materials etc. as samples. Conducting master classes for composing students has been fun for me & students seem to enjoy my fresh approach to music.
It was more difficult when my children were young. Now that they are grown & have children, I do babysit & have them over for dinner etc. I just love being with them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love my husband of 40 years & work hard to keep him happy.
My challenge in life seems to be how to balance both lives.
I am happy.
Best of luck
Vivian Adelberg Rudow, sometimes called Vickie
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Copyright September 1996,
updated February 2004.
Kristine H. Burns,
Florida International University
Questions? Contact me.