Getting to know composer Susan LaBarr and how she works.
How did you get involved with music, and when did you begin composing?
I have sung in choirs and played the piano since I was little. I'm fortunate that my parents were always very supportive of my music, and there was no question about majoring in music in college. At Missouri State University, I started as a piano performance major, but realized after two years that that wasn't quite the right path for me. I ended up getting a Bachelor of Arts in music with a geography minor and a Master of Music in Music Theory. I had some choral arranging classes and lessons during my time in college, but it wasn't until after college that I really began composing. I had a few opportunities to arrange and compose some music for the choir at my alma mater, and that's really what started my composition career.