Alex Shapiro

YouTube video by Alex Shapiro LIQUID COMPASS, by Alex Shapiro: University of Kentucky, 2/24/25

Conductor Adam Miller recently captained the University of Kentucky Symphony Band through the tricky waters of my electroacoustic tone poem LIQUID COMPASS, taking his musicians and audience on a magical cruise. As I listened to this performance, I was grinning from C to shining C! bit.ly/3RU6lNO

Alex Shapiro speaking at an ASCAP EXPO event in Hollywood, CA.

Next to gorging myself on ice cream, I’ve always loved speaking up for my peers, and for their rights as creators and publishers. I'm honored to have been re-elected for the 6th time as the sole Symphonic & Concert music composer representative on the board of ASCAP, on which I've served since 2014.

I loved getting to talk with these terrific students! Thank you so much for inviting me to the class and making counting to ten, 9, 7, or 5, really fun!

You are a fabulous musician, a treasured friend, and an equally wonderful host, Dylan! It was a complete joy to engage with so many students in so many different ways— and it was great to finally meet Kristan!

It often takes a few years for a new concert work to gain traction, and when it finally does, its composer is very happy! I’m delighted that one of my favorite recent pieces, my second symphony SUSPENDED, is making the rounds. I’ll get to hear its first, intense “concert-opener" movement, AIRBORNE, at Carnegie Hall this Tuesday the 11th!

It often takes a few years for a new concert work to gain traction, and when it finally does, its composer is very happy! My 2nd symphony SUSPENDED is currently making the rounds. I’ll get to hear its first, VERY intense “concert-opener" movement, AIRBORNE, at Carnegie Hall this Tues. the 11th!

As a NYC kid, if enough of us were jumping rope on the sidewalk, we’d team up with TWO and take turns hopping in. The timing was everything; without a good sense of rhythm, you'd get hit by the ropes (plus a wave of embarrassment). Like double Dutch jump roping, when it comes to social media during an ongoing world crisis, timing is tricky. A lot of artists like me haven’t posted much lately due to a combo platter of doomsday paralysis and a fear of appearing to fiddle while Rome burns. Part of a creator's role in society is to hold a mirror up to it and offer a reflection filtered through their unique lens. We cannot allow a hateful regime to take away our power to share beauty, joy, and information. I’m going to make an effort to post more frequently: my island window views, my musical and advocacy life, and my heart. The ropes of the world churn relentlessly. Let’s jump in together!

Congratulations to Rob and to all the dedicated individuals who have worked hard to make this amazing resource a reality!

WTF!

I share the mood of this Bald Eagle I snapped:
W.T.F.
(actually, we all see exactly WTF is going on, so it's a rhetorical question)

YouTube video by Alex Shapiro DEEP, by Alex Shapiro; Braydon Ross, French horn

One musician.
One French horn.
One very cinematic audio track.
A collective need to exhale and release our anxieties for just a few minutes.
Please enjoy Braydon Ross’s recent, beautiful performance of my piece, DEEP.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgmJ...

LOVE the north side!! We stayed there for two weeks last time we were on the island, and drove up to spend a day there this time as well.

The Prophecy; Shake It Off (talk about contrast!).

[turn up the volume!]

In a time of crisis, we need to exhale, and point our gaze to something contrasting. Calming. Beautiful. I invite you to take a break for 59 seconds. Join me, and several stunning creatures usually beyond our view, in the wild Pacific ocean off of Kaua’i, where Dan and I just spent two weeks. Ahhh!

You're doing it! :-)

Today the U.S. fired the starting gun for a race to see how fast it can cross the fascist oligarchy finish line. So, I focused on something helpful for those in my field whose music is not heard prominently enough: I updated the 100s of links on my Programming Resources page! bit.ly/2j4yDow

The enormous number of Southern California music-makers I know whose lives have suddenly been turned upside down is staggering. If you or someone you know is an ASCAP member and needs assistance, please tap into the resources ASCAP has set up and click this link! www.ascap.com/lafirerelief

Trains of Thought: Alex Shapiro; DePaul Wind Symphony Trains of Thought Alex Shapiro, composer Live performance, October 20, 2024 DePaul Wind Symphony Erica Neidlinger, conductor DePaul University Holtschneider Performance Center Gannon Concert Hall 2330 North Halsted Street Chicago, IL To read about this piece: https://www.alexshapiro.org/Trains_of_Thoughtpg1.html

Feeling moody? Broody? Attitude-y?
Need a personal soundtrack?
Here’s a favorite pensive offering, TRAINS OF THOUGHT, in a DePaul Wind Symphony concert last month conducted by Erica Neidlinger. These wonderful musicians sound great no matter what state of mind you’re in. bit.ly/4ga2fuZ

Hey there fellow indie composers and publishers: I love Bluesky, but I still need to point you over to Facebook whenever I post anything pithy. Which is my euphemism for “loquacious.”

In this case, loquacious, but very helpful with regard to our catalogs. Have a look!
www.facebook.com/alexshapiro/

Everyone needs a rainbow. Especially now. Watch this space for more of 'em! And music. And helpful music biz info. And more nature. Among other things. #seekingbalance