Negotiating last year’s Australian  election, surviving the New Year bushfire and hail crisis, and being suddenly plunged into unprecedented nationwide pandemic health precautions, pose challenges for creative work of any kind, including my craft of composition. But Australian composers are a tough breed, and we respond to difficult circumstances pragmatically. So when asked by my supervisors to produce three compositions in as many weeks, I surprised myself by drafting three new pieces in quick succession, revising them, finishing one, and revising four earlier drafts. This is a step up from my previous creative output. In 2016-2018 I produced and recorded nine instrumental and vocal pieces. In this blog I’ll reflect on my progress (or otherwise!), as I make my way through a postgraduate degree in composition at the Australian National University School of Music. The outcome will be a Portfolio of my original compositions, which will be recorded at the ANU School of Music Studio, and a written thesis.