A Composers Story Part One

If you listen, you can hear the music around you. From birds, wind, and trees. Yes, almost everything around makes sounds that can be used in music.

How It Started

In 1976, my father Lasse Sporring (A priest and a scholar) told me: "Anders, I think you need to get some perspective of music other than pop/rock and folk music. Please come with me to a concert performance by J.S. Back Passion of John.

Since I really loved doing things with my father, I said, of course, yes. Little did I know what an impact that would have on me.

So we went there, and it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the music. But the more the music continued, the more I knew in my heart that this was what I desired more than anything in my life. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be a composer!

The Problems And Hurdles

Back home, I told my parents I wanted to find a teacher that could help me become a composer. My father said: Okay, I will talk with the Kantor and see if he wants to teach you the basics.

At my first meeting with him, I discovered I lacked some vital knowledge:

1. I couldn't read or even understand notes, although I was a decent fiddler.
2. Music theory, what the f** is that?

So I was destroyed, obliterated, yes, in fact crushed. I didn't have what it would take to become a composer. I was going to turn 17 years old, and there was so much I needed to learn.

How I Found My Way

I learned to play by notes thanks to my new violin teacher, Jaak Allmere, who was the principal of the local music school.

Six years after the concert, I started my music studies, and eight years later, I started calling myself a composer when my composition "Wintermusic" was performed publicly. But besides that, it was hard to get a breakthrough, so I went back to my first education to support myself, and life happened.

Continuing To Pursue A Career As Composer, But Then Catastrophe Happened

I had some pieces performed during the years, and in 2008, I finally had a breakthrough. I was hired to compose music for a documentary. But before I could sign the contract, I had a hard drive crash that made me lose all the music I had composed during the past four years. Among them are three string quartets, my only (so far) symphony for a large orchestra, and many other compositions. At the same time, I couldn't continue playing my violin and viola due to shaking, so I lost my music.