Interview with Julie Herndon 

Source: 15 questions.

My biggest challenge starting out was learning how to balance between notation and improvisation. This meant knowing how much material to give, when to transition, and how to prompt and shape responses from performers. It was also the technical challenge of figuring out how to add graphics to a score, or how to create and incorporate the sounds that I wanted electronically.

Now, my biggest creative challenge is finding time for ideas to blossom. I like to work in a slow way, simmering on a project far in advance and allowing it to gestate and become what it wants to be. As things become busier, it’s harder to find time to truly let things marinade to bring out the flavors. It’s a challenge for me to speed up that process, or to find ways of recreating it even when time is short.