The Benefits of Diversity

We all know that workplaces and organizations love to tout their diversity, the fact they employ or reach out to people of every gender, race, age, blood type, socioeconomic background, shoe size, and latte preference.  Moreover, there have been studies that having a diversified workplace, school, team, or organization actually has benefits on the quantity and quality of output.

I've discovered something similar in my own creative life as I strive to create as diverse an output as possible.  I'll go back and trace my route to where I am today to look at how the diversity has expanded.

June 2006 -- My first composition was accepted for publication, a handbell arrangement of the Christmas tune Il Est Né.  Happy day.

Late summer 2007 -- My second two piece were accepted for publication, again for handbells, again arrangements of Christmas tunes. 

Summer 2008 -- Three more pieces accepted, oddly enough all Christmas arrangements for handbells.  My publisher, who seemed to like my work, asked in passing if I had anything that wasn't Christmas.  (This should have been my first indication that I needed to diversify my output a bit).

September 2008 -- I branch out and get my first non-Christmas tune accepted, this one a Lenten arrangement for handbells.  Also got my first original composition accepted ... again, for bells.

(Side note  -- What you should also take into account here is that all of these pieces for handbells were for 3 to 5 octave choirs, with the exception of two of them, which were for 4 to 6 octave choirs, all fairly large groups.)

Later September 2008 -- I get my first arrangement published with a different publisher.  Starting to diversify a little bit more.

Early 2009 -- I add my third and fourth different publishers with arrangements and original compositions, still all for large handbell choirs.

Summer 2009 -- I get my first string orchestra piece accepted for publication. 

Early 2010 -- I get my first handbell piece for 2 to 3 octave choir accepted, opening my work to smaller ensembles.

Late 2010 -- I get my first piano arrangements accepted.

Early 2011 -- I get a set of violin solos accepted.

September 2012 -- I get my first handbell trios accepted.


Part of what I attribute my success to in the creative realm is the diversity of what I work on.  The more styles, the more instruments, the more different ensembles I write for, the more people I can reach with my music. 

I used to only write for large handbell ensembles.  Now, with my forthcoming trios and some handbell solos I'm working on, I'll be able to touch handbell musicians whether they play in a group of 1 or 3 or 6 or 10 or 16.  I write arrangements of tunes of all styles, meaning whatever style of piece a group is looking for, I probably have written one that will fit the bill.  I have arrangements of all manner of hymns and songs, meaning that if a group is looking for an arrangement of a certain piece, there's a good chance I've got an arrangement of it. 

But what if a group doesn't play handbells?  By diversifying myself out to solo string, string orchestra, and piano solos, I've drastically increased the number of musicians I can reach with my music.  As the months and years progress, I hope to branch out even more into new genres, new styles, and new publishers, all in the hopes of reaching more people with my music.

It's very easy to become a "one-trick pony."  The most successful creatives are those who become good at one thing, then branch out and try to become good at something else.  They are constantly reinventing themselves not out of a desire to shock and scandalize, but a desire to grow and expand.  As you work on your creative work this week, ask yourself how you might diversify your output: try out a new medium, a new subject, a new style, a new format ... anything that might infuse your work with a bit of new life.  I think you'll be surprised where something a little diverse will take you.