Creative Flow Catalyst

A 15-week course for emerging composers who want to

🌈 Generate vivid ideas
🤯 Develop their ideas into spine-tingling forms
🎯 Revise with skill and ease

September 5–December 12, 2024
LIVE on Zoom
Led by Dr. Joseph Sowa

Get the Exact Tools & Workflows I Use To Write Award-Winning Music Quickly and Confidently—Without Needing to Be a Genius or Get a PhD

The Creative Flow Catalyst is a live, online course for emerging adult composers who want to improve the form and development in their music—without the anxiety and guesswork.

Over 15 weeks, we will cover 3 essential topics:

  1. How to generate ideas and develop them into compelling formal designs

  2. How to make your music vivid enough to grab audience’s ears

  3. How to ensure your workflows and processes reliably and effectively translate your inspiration into music that gives listeners goosebumps

By the end of the course, you will complete at least one original composition that incorporates the cognitive principles for creating memorable, spine-tingling music.

In the process, you will have also developed a written, personally curated arsenal of creative process tools and workflows that match your artistic temperament and creative vision.

Conductor Peter Pejtsik leads the Budapest Art Orchestra in the July 2023 student composition recording session.

What Our Alumni Are Saying

  • “I learned a ton from coaching with Dr. Sowa that I did not pick up in college.“

    Karalyn Schubring, BM in composition from Michigan, pianist and improviser

  • “The course was customized for each individual, so we were able to take the tasks and tools we were learning and apply them to our music. . . . I feel like I have more knowledge, critiquing skills, and tools that will help bring my music to the next level.”

    Heather Enke, Composer, pianist

  • "The value of the Wizarding School is flabbergasting — so much material. Even after the course ends, it will take a long time to go through it all."

    Jessica Margolin, composer

  • "If you feel like there is anything at all that is keeping you from writing the music you want to write, inquire about the Wizarding School for Composers. This program will be of great benefit to you."

    Ken Applegate, composer

  • Joining the Wizarding School will add you to a growing community that will fully support your musical journey, no matter where you are on that path!"

    Stephanie Plautz, composer, euphonium

  • “Before I took the Wizarding School course, my compositional process relied only on a combination of intuition and jazz theory. I now feel like I have an approach that removes the anxiety from the process and allows me to be my most creative self.”

    David Ashton, DMA in clarinet performance from Rutgers, NYC-based multi-woodwind performer, improviser, and composer

  • “I always sensed that I had the ability to be a composer and to make beautiful music, but felt that I didn't have the tools to make that happen. Because of the Wizarding School, those dreams of composing became possibilities.”

    Seth Castleton, DMA in cello performance from the University of Maryland

How Does the Program Work?

All students meet with Dr. Sowa live on Zoom for hands-on goal-setting calls, workshops, group composition lessons, and score study sessions.

All sessions are recorded for rewatching later.

Students in the VIP Tier (see below) also receive private lessons.

Between live sessions, students

  • Watch pre-recorded lectures on key concepts

  • Apply what they’re learning to their original compositions and in guided score study and composition assignments

  • Meet with peer accountability partners and post in the private online forum for further feedback and support

The Creative Flow Catalyst requires 4–8 hours of work per week, between the workshops and your own composing.

The COMPLETE Course Details

Want to get ALL the details?

Click here to download the course syllabus

Program Tiers

Choose the level of engagement that's right for you:

✨ Lite Tier

Ideal for composers seeking accountability, community, and occasional guidance

  • 15 pre-recorded trainings (2 hours each) and assignments

  • Replays of all the full tier workshops and group composition lessons

  • 4 LIVE group composition lesson for feedback on your projects (monthly)

  • Private online community

  • Weekly accountability partners

$200/month

$800 total

Till August 31:
$760 total

🪄 Full Tier

Perfect for emerging composers serious about elevating their craft

  • All features of the Creative Process Tier, plus:

  • 7 LIVE workshops, featuring live demos and Q+A on the concepts from the trainings

  • 10 LIVE group composition lessons for feedback on your projects

  • Audit access to guest masterclasses

$500/month

$2000 total

Till August 31:
$1600 total

🎼 VIP Tier

For composers wanting to receive 1:1 mentorship and grow their careers

  • All features of the Skills Development Tier, plus:

  • Monthly private lessons

  • 2 career coaching sessions

  • Masterclass feedback on your music from renowned guests. Past guests have included composer Melinda Wagner (Juilliard), musicians from the LA Philharmonic, and others

$750/month

$3000 total

Till August 31:
$2400 total

Early Bird & Pay-In-Full Discounts

✅ Enroll by August 31 and receive a 20% “Early Bird” tuition discount

✅ Students who pay in full may receive an additional 5% pay-in-full discount.

What ELSE You Get . . .

Enroll in ANY tier and receive ALL of the following bonuses:

#1 DORICO STUDENT DISCOUNT

FREE 120-day trial to the industry-leading notation program Dorico. PLUS receive the full student discount should you choose to purchase it

#2 TEMPLATE: THE CREATIVE PROCESS MAP

Based on psychological research and music cognition studies, the Creative Process Map helps you infuse your compositions with the four elements of musical magic: meaning, style, timing, and process. This powerful tool includes:

  • A visual breakdown of key composing tasks and their outcomes

  • Detailed lists of composing contexts, tools, and methods to make your tasks concrete

  • Templates for setting both broad and specific creative intentions

  • Tips for implementing and tracking your progress

Whether you're struggling with writer's block or looking to elevate your compositions, the Creative Process Map provides a structured approach to help you consistently produce music that grabs attention, gives goosebumps, and gets stuck in listeners' heads.

#3 TEMPLATE: TOOLS FOR SKETCHING

Turning inspiration into musical gold with this essential guide to sketching. Discover how to capture fleeting ideas, embrace imperfection, and set yourself up for composing success with seven game-changing approaches.

#4 TEMPLATE: WRITING MEMORABLE MELODIES

Unlock the secrets behind unforgettable melodies in this practical guide, featuring an in-depth look at John Williams' iconic "Princess Leia's Theme." With analysis techniques, creative exercises, and bonus examples, this guide will transform your approach to melody writing.

#5 TEMPLATE: ANALYSIS AND REVISION CHEAT SHEET

Unlock the essential tools for dissecting and improving your work, from texture and harmony to melody and form. This powerful resource acts as a rubric for musical analysis and a step-by-step guide to revising. Whether you're stuck on a tricky passage or looking to elevate your entire piece, this cheat sheet is your ticket to composing at a higher level.

#6 RESOURCE GUIDE: THE ESSENTIAL COMPOSING LIBRARY

Unlock a treasure trove of composing wisdom with this curated collection of over 100 essential resources across 13 pages. Including books, articles, YouTube channels and more, this bibliography is your map to mastering the art and science of music creation.

Ready to Compose with Ease?

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