Simply, Patiently, Quietly : An Approach to Creating Intentional Music

Simply, Patiently, Quietly: An Approach to Creating Intentional Music by guitarist and composer Charlie Rauh is a multidisciplinary collection that brings together original music, reflective writing, and visual art. Created for guitarists, choir directors, composers, musicians, and readers interested in intentional creativity, the book presents original notated lullabies for solo guitar and choir alongside insightful prose exploring expressive music making. Elegant pen and ink illustrations by Christina Rauh Fishburne complete a reading and playing experience that encourages attention to detail, quiet reflection, and meaningful artistic engagement.

The book includes printed guitar notation in TAB format together with the featured musical works for solo guitar and choir. Readers will find original compositions paired with essays that examine the creative process from a thoughtful and personal perspective. The integration of music, writing, and artwork makes this volume equally suited to exploring original repertoire, preparing the music for performance, finding artistic inspiration, and enjoying the collection beyond the page.

Rather than focusing only on performance, Simply, Patiently, Quietly invites readers to slow down and appreciate the subtle aspects of creativity that often go unnoticed. The combination of original sheet music, reflective prose, and visual art offers a unique resource for guitarists, choir directors, composers, music enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the relationship between artistic practice and intentional living.

Mary Halvorson, MacArthur Fellow and guitarist/composer, describes the collection as “An inspired and multi-faceted read on how to channel and access creativity of all sorts, and a great reminder to quiet the daily noise and get back to what matters.”