Weehawken residents are familiar with former township legends and musical masterminds like Jerome Robbins and Theolonious Monk, but one modern musician is also gaining critical acclaim.
Composer David Little, who moved to the township three years ago, has been nominated for the Dilettante Digital Composer-in-Residence Award, an international competition that began back in June.
Little is the only American remaining out of the three finalists left in the competition. A former rock musician and drummer, Little said that he used his percussionist experience to create his nominated work entitled, “1986.”
“I had never bothered to learn to read music,” Little said. “So most of my college experience was spent over sheet music.”
“I come from a rock background, so I’m able to keep my edginess as a composer.” – David Little
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Little’s arrangements are modern-day revelries of melody, combining crunching electric guitar riffs with classical orchestral ensembles.
The winner will be announced on Nov. 5 at a live concert at Wilton’s Music Hall in London. Go to dilettantemusic.com/digital-composer-vote to listen to Little’s work, along with the remaining finalists’, and remember to vote for your hometown favorite.
World music
Little said that although the competition is for a “digital composer-in-residence,” the pieces are all played with live musicians.
“The digital aspect of the competition is mostly the way the competition is structured,” Little said. “I’ve never met the musicians who recorded the piece. Even the questions they wanted answered while recording were sent via e-mail.”
The composer seemed confident about the quality of his work, but was unsure who would ultimately win the competition.
“It’s really anybody’s game so far,” Little said. “It’s all about which one of the pieces responds to the people voting. All of the pieces are so different from one another.”
Little’s competitors are a Canadian composer who has a flair for a new-age sound, and a traditional-sounding piano-and-violin piece by a Chinese composer.
For more information about the composer, please visit davidtlittle.com. Vote for the composer of your choice at www.dilettantemusic.com/digital-composer-vote.
A Weehawken edge
When asked what he thought about his adopted town, Little simply said: “Happy 150th!”
Although Little works in New York City, he said there’s nothing like the small-town feel of Weehawken.
“I do a lot of work in the city as a musician,” Little said. “There’s something about being in a neighborhood town and a sense of community that’s hard to find in a big city.”
Little compared his life in Weehawken to one of his greatest influences, the American composer Charles Ives.
“Ives was someone who kept himself outside of the classical establishment for most of his life,” Little said, “which allowed him the freedom to not follow trends. Sometimes being outside the city allows me to be more original.”
He said that once he’s out of the city, he enjoys coming back across the river. “I really just enjoy walking down the streets in Weehawken,” Little said, “where there are actually trees and birds!”
Sean Allocca can be reached at editorial@hudsonreporter.com