Eric Whitacre

a) That made me laugh, and b) love that username.

Ha! I have the distinct advantage of living in the era of photoshop.

Silly, isn't it? I think it is because when they teach basic harmony they begin with Bach, who rarely used parallel 5ths. The problem is it becomes a 'rule' in the class, and I am always amazed how few theory teachers say, no parallel 5ths if you want to sound like you are writing in 1750.

I adore trombones - not just the instrument but the whole trombone lifestyle. Would love to write some things for trombone choir.

Oh my god with the hair products.

He's a very close friend. Would be fun to write something with him.

Love it.

It was less about a PR effort and more of a boots-on-the-ground effort. For years I thought of myself like an indie band, traveling to every little town in America, building a fan base one person at a time. I loved meeting all the people and I learned a lot about the business.

It was also great for me because I learned how to conduct every level of ensemble, and I learned to speak comfortably to any size crowd. Those were skills that really came in handy later on.

That's a tough one. Not sure I have a favorite. Each key has a different color to me, a different 'taste' (I don't have synesthesia but I do associate sound very closely with taste, and color). I am often drawn to B flat minor, and to F# major, and D flat major... oh god, I could just go on and on.

THANK YOU.