Contemporary Composer Questionnaire

Hello! My name is Amy Blowers. I am studying towards an MA in Music Composition and am currently researching into the Compositional Approaches of Today's Contemporary Composers.
I would be very grateful if you would participate in my survey of approximately 50 fellow composers. It should take about 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire.
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary, and you are free to leave questions unanswered.
Your survey responses will be strictly confidential and data from this research will be reported only in the aggregate. Your information will be coded and will remain confidential. If you have questions at any time about the survey or the procedures, you may contact me by email at the email address specified below.

Thank you very much for your time and support. Please start with the survey now by clicking on the Continue button below.

Which of the following is usually the main stimulus to begin a new composition?

Paid Commission

Competition

Performer/ensemble request

Personal choice

Other

Where do you usually gain inspiration for your musical ideas?

Other music

Other artistic media

Historical/current world events

Personal experiences

The environment

The community

Other

When do you consider your musical work to be in existence?

at moment of inspiration

when musical ideas can be heard internally

when musical ideas are on paper

when musical ideas are played

Other

Please rate the level of influence of the following factors on the development of your current compositional practice

During the compositional process do any of the following factors influence the way in which you compose?

	Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree
Britten believed (in 1963) that it was a composer's duty to "speak to or for his fellow man". Do you?

How do you think today's composers are valued by society?

Highly

Moderately

Hardly at all

Other

Which of the following, in your opinion, most accurately describes the purpose of contemporary music in today's society?

To make people feel good

To allow people to escape their everyday lives

To make people fell something they cannot feel in other areas of life

To educate

To provide spiritual enrichment

To entertain

Other

Which levels of society do you believe your music to speak to?

All levels

The musically educated

Music lovers (not necessarily educated)

A Minority

Other

	completely	mostly	slightly	not at all
To what extent would you say you are 'true to yourself' in your compositions?

What proportion of your total income would you say is derived from composing?

75-100%

50-74%

25-49%

0-24%

Name and short biography (not obligatory)

Anything else you may wish to add!

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions regarding this survey.