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You have to start by realising that there are no jobs for composers. For composition what you have to do is to have another job and then compose in your spare time because until you have sold a composition or had compositions played that people like to play and audiences want to hear you don't have a job. So you have to start composing without getting any money for it. You may earn some money after a few years but there are many composers who never earn a lot of money and have to do it in their spare time.

Don't think of composing as the type of job where you go to college learn composing and then leave college and get a job. It doesn't work like that.

Get to know someone in the film industry. You need an "in." That is one of the few places where a composer can make a decent living composing full time. Guess how I know this?

We need to know a LOT more about you. What instrument(s) you play, your LESSON experience - private, not just band lessons, groups in school you are in, honors groups OUT of school you have won a seat in. When you apply to a music college program, ALL majors need to pass an audition - not just performance majors. You will also have to submit good copies of scores, with audio (digital audio is fine.) How about a link to what you say you did already? You already ASSUME you have talent - let the professionals - here and elsewhere - be the judge, and then give you appropriate advice.

16 is a great time of life to prepare to compose by:

- Learning an instrument with a good teacher (no, not a macbook pro, a REAL instrument)

- Studying, listening and knowing the literature for that instrument

- Studying, listening and knowing the "meat and potatoes" concert literature (score study, play, listen)

- Keeping a learning journal of what you're studying and what questions you have ("Dear diary, today I was studying orchestral scores and noticed that trumpets and clarinets, etc. are written in a different key than the strings. Will research..." and, "Dear diary, today I learned about transposing instruments!")

- Turning off the computer and write a little something each day. (No, I said turn OFF the sequencer!)

- Finding out what composers are doing in your home town. Invite one or two out for lunch.

- Reading everything you can get your hands on about form, theory, the lives of the composers, literature

- Did I mention learn the literature? If someone asks you what your 10 favorite composers or orchestral pieces, what would you say? Do you KNOW the literature?

- Knowing the literature, the famous pieces. It is a wealth of information about what composing is and can be. You can't be ignorant of the concert literature. You just can't.

- A final thought. Use this time to get familiar with the literature

Go to college if you can, practice and hear the recording all over again is the key to success!-Bryan

have a concert to show your talents to possible investors