Many professional musicians travel significant distances for work, whether it be a desired orchestra position in another city or a summer music institute position. Musicians in touring groups may spend more time on the road than at home. For musicians who must travel by air, the cost can be high.   Some musicians’ contracts provide a stipend for travel expenses, but most freelance musicians, who are independent contractors, bear that cost themselves. Now, DC has joined other metropolitan areas which require commuter transit benefits. Therefore, local musicians who are employees and rely upon mass transit to get…

The sonata-allegro form is used in many classical sonatas, concerti, and symphonies. The form provides a standardized road map to compositions, which makes them easier to analyze. The exposition, development, recapitulation always occur in the same order.   Presentation of themes and tonality, while critical to the music, is more fluid. Themes and the key of the music typically will appear multiple times, as they are woven into different parts of the composition. No matter how the themes and tonality are presented, the music cannot exist without them. …

This article about real estate closings is the fifth in a series of articles about the Anatomy of a Real Estate Transaction. In previous articles, I compared a real estate transaction to the sonata-allegro form used in many classical sonatas, concerti, and symphonies. In previous articles in this series, I compared the exposition to the Pre-Contract part of a real estate transaction, when the parties agree upon the framework of their relationship and terms…

The sonata-allegro form is used in many classical sonatas, concerti, and symphonies. Compositions in this form start with an exposition, which sets forth the theme(s) (usually two of them) in the tonic key. Then, the composition moves to the development section, where the composer expounds upon and changes the themes in a different key. By the end of the development section, the composition modulates back to the tonic key for the recapitulation. The recapitulation is…

Most classical musicians receive at least some of their income from self-employment. That income may be from teaching private lessons, performing at private events, or even giving public performances. Self-employment creates additional challenges from an income tax perspective. Self-employed individuals must keep careful track of their business expenses so they can properly compute their income. For a professional violinist, that includes music, strings, instrument repair, and accessories. Self-employed individuals also have to pay self-employment tax…

Merriam-Webster defines “development” as setting forth or making clear by degrees or in detail. In music, the development is elaboration of “a musical idea by working out of rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme.”  In the sonata allegro form frequently used in classical concerti, sonatas, and symphonies, the development follows the exposition, where the themes of the music are established. While the exposition in sonata allegro form frequently follows a standard pattern, the development…

Merriam-Webster defines “exposition” as “a setting forth of the meaning or purpose.” But in music, an exposition is “the first part of a musical composition … in which the thematic material … is presented.” In the sonata allegro form frequently used in classical concerti, sonatas, and symphonies, an exposition follows a standard pattern. Frequently, an exposition will have two themes. The first theme is in the key in which the composition is written, which matches…