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I could write a BOOK about this subject, given that this is pretty much the story of my life. I'm fortunate enough to have made more money at music than most people ever see. I never struck it rich via music of course, but I got my first professional jobs when I was still a teenager. While my friends were working at the car wash, I thought I was on the path to living the dream. Over the years, I composed for many (mostly failed or canceled) video games, I worked briefly in 2017 for a library music company that composed for companies like Netflix before the guy who started the company ran off to work as a synth operator for a big hollywood composer and everything collapsed over night, I've partied with some video game and hollywood big shots who promptly forgot who the hell I even was, had my music featured at Klondike Days in Edmonton in 2015 for a 24 hour video game stream to raise money for childrens' hospitals, and shortly before the COVID thing hit: Was in an apprentice/mentor program and became friends with some esteemed film composers, who have definitely worked on franchises you're all familiar with. Today, I mostly compose whatever I feel like, put some music packs up for licensing and make some passive income that way (where these tracks are winding up I have no idea), and am mostly just interested in getting people to listen. What have I learned from all that? "Making money" at music, especially if you're good, personable, and meet people is not terribly difficult. Making a LOT of money* and making consistent money solely with music, is something that next to nobody — not even the pros — is doing, and here's the thing about that: Turning it into a "job" is a recipe for financial failure. What I noticed, later in the game, about every "full-time" composer outside of the absolute biggest Hollywood guys (and you're not getting into Hollywood unless you have connections from birth) are making the majority of their money through other assets they invested in. Mike Patti has composed for games like Starcraft II...but the majority of his musical income, I guarantee you, is coming from his Cinesamples company and royalties from Audiomachine. Ditto for Troels Folmann, and numerous others. Duff McKagan hasn't been a relevant bassist in 30 years, but he was an early investor in companies like Paypal and Amazon, growing his GnR fortunes even more. Every single successful band collects royalties, licensing, merch sales, and owns various businesses not even related to music. Motley Crue (and god knows KISS) own everything from clothing lines to tattoo shops and restaurants and real estate. Alan Silvestri of Back To The Future fame owns wineries and vineyards. Many other composers run online music course empires. These people could never play another note, and many haven't been playing sold-out stadium shows since the 80s, but remain rich because they took the money they made with music and put it into things that would turn into more money. So where am I going with that? Any money you make at music should be seen as winning on a lotto ticket. Most composers I have met, some who have worked on big projects, made the mistake of treating their career "like a job". So they went out, finally got a gig that paid them like 40,000 USD...and then quit their day job hoping for the next 40,000 USD gig that never came. If all you were going to do with that payday from music was use it to pay bills, you may as well have just taken a match to that money. It's the same thing. So can you profit by composing music? Definitely. Will you be able to turn it into a "Job" — no, and if you're a smart businessman, you'll know that you don't want it to be. Keep the rights to your music and monetize it however you can, get kickbacks on projects you score wherever possible, put money you make into anything else that will generate more cash inflow. I'm a nobody composer, and I'm not rich, BUT...I tried to be smart about the money I did make with music and working normal jobs and being able to get by without having to slave away 40+ at a job I hate (putting in the time with my other business ventures doesn't really feel like "work") and feel ostensibly retired in my early 30s hasn't been a bad experience. Now, I don't really care so much about profiting in music. I do whatever I like, and can refuse projects I don't. When someone I don't know, from some totally different country, subscribes to my YouTube channel and leaves a positive comment and like on my video — that means more than a paycheck at this point. Last I checked, music was made to be heard, and some of my tracks now have the better part of 100k plays on YouTube with 99% thumbs up — no video game I ever did, or suspect I ever will do, sold 100,000 copies.

Many thanks for the comment, PeterthePapercomPoser. It affirms what I suspect: the opening doesn't balance well either in itself or with the rest. As for the Danza, it's a pretty ordinary Latin rhythm and harmonic structure but trying to tail it off into an impressionistic "aftermath" was an awkward challenge. Concluding, it looks like an exercise from which things can be learned but really needs to be put to bed. Not in my usual vein. Again, thanks. Much appreciated.

When submitting music to this competition, the entrants were required to keep their entries anonymous which means removing any names from the score which might give away the identity of the composer and/or performers.

First of all, if you managed to compose all this 33 minutes mood lifting classical piece on your 16th birthday, then my friend, you are very talented with a bright future! On the other hand, remember that building an audience and gaining recognition takes time and consistent effort, persistence and patience. Stay engaged with your audience, interact with feedback, and continue creating high-quality music to maintain interest in your work. But before submitting your composition to any review site or platform or any team, take the time to research their submission guidelines and ensure your music aligns with their preferences and audience. Additionally, reaching out to multiple websites can increase your chances of getting your music reviewed and featured. That said, to gain visibility for your music, you can consider these steps: 1. Online Platforms: Share your composition on free platforms like YouTube, SoundCloud, and Bandcamp to reach a global audience. 2. Social Media: Utilize social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to share snippets, behind-the-scenes content, and updates about your composition. 3. Collaborations: Collaborate with visual artists, video creators, or other musicians to create engaging content that complements your composition and helps it stand out. 4. Music Communities: Join online music communities, forums, and groups to connect with fellow musicians and music enthusiasts who can help spread the word. 6. Blogs and Music Review Sites: Send your composition to music blogs and review sites for potential features and reviews. 7. Hashtags: Use relevant and trending hashtags on social media to increase the discoverability of your composition. 8. Networking: Attend local music events, open mics, and workshops to network with other artists and potential fans. 9. Free Downloads: Offer free downloads or limited-time promotions of your composition to encourage people to listen and share. 10. Email Newsletter: Start an email newsletter to keep your audience updated on your latest compositions and upcoming projects. 11. Press Release: Write a press release about your composition and send it to local newspapers, magazines, and online publications.