Hello,
Welcome to my site on 'Musica' Neo.'
My name is E.D.G. Siviter, but everyone calls me Gerry. I work as a self-employed Freelance Composer and musician. I love music, I love composing music, I love listening to music. In fact, my life revolves around music and composing music.
I began playing musical instruments in 1972 and never looked back! In 1977 I attained both the prestigious 'Grade VIII Practical' and 'Grade VIII Theory' awards from the 'Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music.' Later, following a career in the Civil Service, I became the proud owner of a Diploma in Music from the 'Open University.'
I have played, as a musican in various British Brass Bands, Big Bands and Wind Orchestras/Concert Bands. I served as a proud member of two 'Territorial Army' Military Bands: 'The Regimental Band of 'The Queen's Regiment' and 'The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Northumberland).' I have been a proud memeber of 'The Humberside Police Band,' the oldest recognised Police Band in the United Kingdom.
I have a large library of books on the Theory of Music and study avidly all aspects of Music Theory. My personal favourite era of study and listening is the Baroque Era, followed by the Renaissance Era, then the Classical Era and on into the Romantic Era. However, my experience in anaylsis and study covers all major Eras and more recenty. I found some time, to look back in time, to study early music and in particular the music of Hildegard von Bingen, arguably the first female Composer and a person of immense significance of her time.
I feel able to compose in a number of styles and forms, from the past and in contemporary music.
I have a growing portfolio of compositions and arrangements in differing styles for various musical groups and ensembles. I compliment my composing with years of experience, qualifications and skills in the field of music, as a player, lifelong student and theorist. Bringing that together with my active, well travelled experience, is a joy and source of never ending inspiration.
"For me, composing is about making my thoughts, my ideas, my voice heard through music."
I like to think of music as a lifelong pursuit, study and passion, a source of never ending interest. It is a never ending journey in the search for perfection. A journey that will never end, a level of perfection that will never be reached. I am humble enough to realise and understand that, but nevertheless I will never stop trying. My quote on music would be:
"If you ever get bored of music, stop a while and think? If you think you've learned it all, or know it all, stop a while and think? If you know this applies to you, then you don't know music."
I hope to make people think about the music I write. I am very, very lucky in being able to do what I do and my ideas for composing are seemingly endless. My project book now groans with major works for some truly internationally famous and respected organisations. My philosophy for composing music:
"As a Composer, I put my thoughts, my ideas, into music so that I can hopefully stir the emotions of the human soul. I want people to hear, to play, to appreciate my ideas in music for the message my music is trying to portray. My music comes from my heart, the ideas from my mind, not from the pages of a technical bible."
As such, I hope to create music that can be heard as an artistic endeavour, not as a product of a text book exercise. I do not chase fashion, I do not chase the music embedded within the frames of a movie, I do not chase instant stardom. I chase the ideas of my mind, my heart and put them together in pursuit of music that I hope can be appreciated and performed all around the world.
"I walk through life absorbing what surrounds me and translating that into ideas for music."
Thank you for visiting my site on Musica Neo. I hope you will return soon and watch my catalogue of music grow.
E.D.G. Siviter.
