Sy Brandon has been writing poetry since his freshman year of college in 1966 and since that time has authored two books, numerous essays and poems, an opera libretto, a half-dozen articles, and several narrations for his musical compositions. Lulu Press publishes his books and his essays have appeared in several newspapers including the York Dispatch and the Verde Independent. His articles have been published in the International Tuba/Euphonium Journal, The International Trombone Association Journal, Woodwind, Brass, Percussion Magazine, and the Delaware Valley Composers Newsletter. During 1996 and 1997, he was a Pennsylvania Humanities Council Speaker on Music in the 21st Century. Since retirement from teaching in 2000, Brandon has attended several writing workshops and classes covering creative writing and poetry writing. He is a member of a writing group that meets bi-monthly. Musical compositions that Brandon wrote using his own poetry include “Five Love Miniatures”, “Let’s Be Friends”, and “Greeting Card Madrigals.” He wrote the libretto for his 1979 opera for middle school performers called “The Ballad of Robin Hood.” Compositions of his that he wrote the narration are “A Franklin Portrait”, “Pinocchio Portraits”, “Scenes from Tom Sawyer”, “Scenes from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court”, “Escape to Freedom”, and “Gettysburg Portrait.” Brandon’s blog, “Composing Insights”, has been operative since 2007 and contains over two hundred posts. and has had more than 18,000 visitors.
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A guide to help instrumentalists and vocalists get the most of their practice time. The guide is divided into 22 sections including sections on how to work on rhythm, tone production, intonation, technique, and endurance. Available through Lulu Press.
The purpose of this book is to provide insight into the compositional process to enable listeners, interpreters, and creators of music to advance their skills through a series of guided activities. Listeners can use this book to increase their musical understanding and appreciation. Developing performers, educators and conductors can use this book to gain valuable insights to assist them with interpreting music beyond what is printed on the page. Developing composers can use this book as a beginning text or to help refine their compositional techniques. Available through Lulu Press.
Symphony in Six Movements is a collection of sixty poems covering approximately fifty years of Sy Brandon’s life. The poems are divided into six movements; Nature, Youth, Self-awareness, Creativity, Viewpoints, and Love, where the ideas develop similar to the development of themes in a symphony. This collection includes over twenty-five photographs taken by Brandon, that reflect upon the meaning of the poems. Available from Lulu Press.
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This enjoyable tale of two cats that travel around the country and camp with their adopted parents combines adventure and humor with photo cartoons to keep the reader smiling. It is told through the voice of Stormy, a black cat with a small white patch on his chest and a deep Siamese voice. Join Stormy and Princess on their many trips around the country during their summer vacations as they reflect on living with this adventuresome couple. Available through Lulu Press.
Come visit the zoo with poet Sy Brandon and illustrator Candace Schoonover. Sy's poem "A Day at the Zoo"describes ten different scenes in a lighthearted humorous manner. Candace's full-color illustrations leave the featured animal uncolored so that it can be colored in by the reader. Available from Lulu Press.
Become a sponsor of composer/arranger Sy Brandon for $50 per calendar year and receive the following thank you benefits: • 50 % discount on music purchased during the calendar year • Free PDF copy of Dr. B’s Music Practice Guide and A Composer's Guide to Understanding Music • Priority given for participation in the Performance Commission Program where you can have a piece written especially for you or your ensemble in exchange for a promise to perform the commissioned piece at least 2 times within a year of receiving the music and for providing a high quality digital recording of the commissioned work. • $10 credit towards future purchase of music for emailing a digital copy of your 2023 program containing any of Sy Brandon’s compositions or arrangements • Picture and link to your website posted on our Sponsorship page.
