Is there a correlation between your “space” and the music you create?In search of answers on music creativity, I decided to read the biographies of some of our greatest composers. Since I like the letter “B”, I started with Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. I wanted to learn as much as I could about each composers everyday life. I was looking for clues on just where this masterful music was inspired. Although I learned a lot, specifics did not surface from which to draw a conclusion.For my music, I believe there is a correlation between the physical space you’re in (both living and working) and the music I create. Many of my compositions are reflections of large and interseting rooms and surroundings. As a child, I loved improvising on both the piano and the pipe organ at our church. The extra reverb and feeling of freedom gave rise to many early compositions. Later, during college, I had the keys to the wonderful space at Hamline United Methodist Church. This allowed me to be alone whenever I felt inspired to write a song. It was quite the feeling being alone in this huge, magnificent space at 10:30pm on a Friday night….Cool?When my life was really changing, I found myself composing in unusual places - on a trail with no piano, on a funky old piano in the basement of an apartment and in an airplane flying overseas. Enter Summit Avenue. My most productive phase of music writing came during the “fix the big money pit” era. For 12 years I have again been a “lucky guy” and have been part of restoring 2 massive old houses on St. Paul, Minnesota’s historic Summit Avenue. Both homes have a large piano area with amazing views of the city and other inspiring architecture. Like the song, “If These Walls Could Talk,” I feel strongly that there is indeed a correlation between “myspace” (ha, ha) and the music I create.  With that said, I also recognize that creativity is a true gift and reflects many, many aspects of our universe.                                                                                                       Click to hear sample of “Scenes From Summit”.

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