Meet Rich Campbell | Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rich Campbell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rich, why did you pursue a creative career?
I agree with many creative artists who say that their art chose them, not the other way around. Throughout my life I’ve led parallel careers as a composer, performer and educator. I began music lessons as a child, wrote my first song in 6th grade, joined school ensembles and began performing professionally and teaching as a teenager. Part time jobs in offices during high school and college confirmed that these other types of employment were not fulfilling for me personally. Creative endeavors were where I found my joy. Music is a magical, wonderful, mysterious, powerful and essential element of human existence, and I had an innate desire to be part of the community that creates it and shares it. Music accompanies us as we celebrate, navigate and endure so many aspects of life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a New Yorker, and the rhythms and syncopations of life in the city manifest themselves in my compositions. My creative practice has been centered in singing, especially choral music. In this electronic age I am drawn to the naturally expressive power of the voice as a means to communicate messages I feel are necessary to share. Recent works of mine have addressed immigration, depression, war, climate change and other challenges of our time. I have also written works that act in other capacities, sharing joy or offering comfort. I enjoy participating in workshops with student and community choirs, interacting and making music together. Together we strive to achieve a deeper involvement in the work. Hearing their insights and feedback nurtures my creative growth. The greatest feelings of achievement for me have come when a listener or performer says that my music has been meaningful to them. I’m grateful to share that I have two new choral works premiering this spring in New York and Chicago.

Success in any endeavor is rarely easy. Like so many authors, poets, visual artists and composers, I have an inbox containing many rejection emails/letters. These sting, but I’ve learned to feel the letdown, take a breath and carry-on. There have been times when a new work of mine has been passed on, only to be picked up and performed brilliantly by someone else. I have established my own music publishing company, which enables me to independently maintain & control the rights to my work. This brings with it time-consuming responsibilities, including editing/proofreading scores, correspondence, publicity and accounting. Frustrating moments occur when this eats into the time I’d prefer to be composing.

We live in challenging times, and challenges to creative people are ever-present. The exponential growth of AI presents many difficult dilemmas. Corporate entities are attempting to erode the rights of intellectual property creators. Artists are addressing these issues by advocating to be respected, credited and compensated.

I’ve had a fulfilling career as a performer, playing music everywhere from Mississippi riverboats to prestigious venues like the Montreaux Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and LA’s Greek Theatre. I’ve appeared in films & TV. I’ve run 28 marathons.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are some ultra-touristy things that I love do with 1st time out-of-town visitors to New York. These include: a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty; a walk downtown by the World Trade Center & 9/11 Memorial; a walk to Little Island and the High Line; a walk in Central Park, a walk to Rockefeller Center. There are so many museums, especially the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan. Visit the main Library at Bryant Park. Concerts at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Broadway (& off-Broadway) shows. Jazz at the Village Vanguard. Grab a cannoli at Ferrara’s in Little Italy, have some hot & sour soup at Wo-Hop in Chinatown. Most of all, simply make time to walk around different neighborhoods, tuck in & out of interesting places/shops/cafes, and make your own discoveries.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A life in music has offered many opportunities to meet other creatives whose brilliant work inspires me. I stand on the shoulders of the excellent teachers and mentors I have had who gave me the tools to build my art and career. I’m grateful to the many conductors who have programmed my work and shared it with their communities. I am fortunate to have been awarded three artist residencies at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. I am grateful for the work everyone there does, offering creatives time & space to develop their art. A “shoutout” goes to my wife, playwright Jacquelyn Reingold. She has always encouraged and inspired me to create the best work that I can.

Website: https://campbellsongs.com

Instagram: campbellsongs

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richcampbellsongs

Twitter: campbellsongs

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/campbellsongs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richcampbellcomposer

Other: https://musicspoke.com/composer/richcampbell

Image Credits
Ari Scott, Naimah Hakim, Bill Strong