This brief little piece would never have existed were it not for an incidental challenge. While attending graduate school at NYU, I saw a flyer posted on the student center bulletin board advertising a music composition contest. The challenge:  to create a fully developed piece that was less than one minute long.

At the time, I was toiling on a difficult composition project for a graduate school production. So entertaining the notion of entering a little competition should have been out of the question. Plus I had nothing that met the requirements in the short period of time I had to apply for the contest.

However, intrigued and inspired, I rode the train home thinking about it.  After I got home, I found myself drifting on a daydream about the sky for no particular reason. As a persistent melody from the dreaming sky, captured my reverie …… well, anyone who feels like their talent is like breathing, can see how little creative wonders can tumble out of the void of the unconscious and into the world. This fully formed work literally dropped into my head and flowed through my fingers straight to the keyboard.  When I presented my new little piece, Sky Dreams, to my composition professor and advisor, she approved it, saying it was complete as is, then encouraged me to signup for the competition.

With the official stamp of approval, I eagerly submitted Sky Dreams into the contest and went about my scholarly business. After a few days, I was contacted by one of the promoters of the competition. What he told me was not what I expected to hear. It turned out that the “music competition “ wasn’t real. That’s right - it was a fake contest.

A little disappointed but unfazed, I recognized that it was all good.  After all, I got a sweet little jewel box of a piece out of the deal that I’m proud to share. Another outcome, that challenge kind of subconsciously inspired this online series, Just One Quick Minute.