Nico Muhly Explains How He Goes About Composing A Piece Of Music

“For me, every project has three clearly defined phases: the scheming and planning; the writing of actual notes; the editing. The planning process almost entirely excludes, by design, notes and rhythms. … I don’t want to play [the audience] a movie with a clear exposition, obvious climax and poignant conclusion, nor do I want to drop them blind into a bat cave of aggressively perplexing musical jabs … [and] mapping the piece’s route helps me avoid the temptation of the romantic journey or the provocateur’s dungeon.”