The Scoring Samurai is a blog about what it actually takes to do serious orchestral work at a professional level—not just the craft, but the whole ecosystem. The tools that remove friction. The habits that protect the hours. The philosophy that keeps you at the desk when nothing is urgent and everything feels far away. Written by a working orchestrator for anyone who takes the work seriously.
Twelve Days of Orchestration
Forget partridges in pear trees. Here’s a holiday game: twelve tiny orchestration tricks, one for each day.
As we approach the final week of December, I’m usually long past the Christmas playlists. Still, even when Sleigh Ride fatigue has set in, there are certain colours and textures that instantly signal “holiday” to my ear. I’ve gathered a short list of the little details I catch myself reaching for — the subtle touches that bring a bit of December into the room, even when no one has asked for anything festive.