# Music by Non-Composer Composers?



## ProgRomantik (12 mo ago)

Hi, I'm a noob here - hoping this is the right place to post this.

I work on a programming committee for a local orchestra. Looking for pieces written for orchestra that aren't written by your typical composer. (If you know where I can actually find the pieces, that's a help, too!) Thinking outside the box so that maybe we can draw in new audiences, etc.

For example, folks along the lines of Donald O'Connor, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Frank Zappa - the latter two who of course were musicians but not orchestral, but that's not the issue. They don't have to be. In fact, it's kind of better if they aren't, or at least aren't primarily. I know I've *heard of some others, I just can't *think of their names...

Thanks for any help you can give me!!


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## Nawdry (Dec 27, 2020)

ProgRomantik said:


> Hi, I'm a noob here - hoping this is the right place to post this.
> 
> I work on a programming committee for a local orchestra. Looking for pieces written for orchestra that aren't written by your typical composer. (If you know where I can actually find the pieces, that's a help, too!) Thinking outside the box so that maybe we can draw in new audiences, etc.
> 
> ...


(1) Try your closest university with a music school.

(2) Find a local discussion forum of local musicians (predominantly pop, rock, folk, C&W, etc.) and post your inquiry there. Also try posting inquiry via Twitter, possibly Facebook, etc.

(3) Try other online classical forums (find via Google search). Also post this inquiry to the main Classical Music Discussion forum on Talk Classical.

I dunno if you'll find another Frank Zappa, but there are likely quite a few composer-wannabes out there who would like to have their efforts performed ...


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

ProgRomantik said:


> Hi, I'm a noob here - hoping this is the right place to post this.
> 
> I work on a programming committee for a local orchestra. Looking for pieces written for orchestra that aren't written by your typical composer. (If you know where I can actually find the pieces, that's a help, too!) Thinking outside the box so that maybe we can draw in new audiences, etc.
> 
> ...


I can almost guarantee you will be flooded with proposals if you post on the jobs board at this forum.

https://www.vi-control.net/community/

A lot of members there are amateurs who use orchestral samples and a many have no formal training whatsoever. You could invite demos to be sent in and choose the most suitable pieces. If they are the sort of composer you are after I'll forward your post for you if you wish, PM me if interested.


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## ProgRomantik (12 mo ago)

Aack. So forgot I posted this here!

We have been working on diversity programming issues since I originally posted my question, but this is still on the menu. Thank you, those who answered, for your suggestions. 



Nawdry said:


> I dunno if you'll find another Frank Zappa, but there are likely quite a few composer-wannabes out there who would like to have their efforts performed ...


Where can I find another Donald O'Connor or Sir Anthony? There's the real fun. Someone who dances, but wrote a symphony or a march, etc.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

*Ben Franklin* invented the *Glass Armonica*. The playing of the instrument was banned in some provincial locations in Europe over concerns of the physical and moral dangers it posed to listeners and players.

It was a row of 36 thin glass bowls tuned to different notes of the scale on a spinning spit played with the fingertips.


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Charlie Chaplin comes to mind, though there's some controversy about how much of the music in his movie he actually composed himself.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

TV personality and game show host (Concentration) Hugh Downs was a serious orchestral composer. He lived in the Phoenix area the last decades of his life, was a frequent speaker at Phoenix Symphony events and they played several of his works. He was no untalened hack: he had a real sense of how to write effectively for orchestra and make you sit up and take notice. I don't know if anything was ever published or who has the music. Probably the Phoenix Symphony music librarian would know.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

The first of two artists that occurred to me. As a subscriber to NYCB, I attended this.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

The second. No relation. The composer is a member of the rock group Radiohead.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Rock guitarists Adrian Belew, and Mike Keneally have recorded orchestral projects with the Metropole Orkest. They both got their break in the music business playing in Zappa's band. You can hear some of this stuff on YouTube. Zappa was a genuine orchestral composer. He didn't hire outside help to orchestrate his ideas.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

The author Anthony Burgess of "A Clockwork Orange" fame also composed music.


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