What I learned from Morten Lauridsen

Last week, American composer Morten Lauridsen was composer-in-residence at the University of Aberdeen, where I am studying choral composition. Over the course of the week I heard him speak at the Composers' Forum and at two concerts, as well as having a 45-minute personal tutorial. Dr Lauridsen and I come from very different backgrounds musically. He has been an academic for his entire career,...