About Me
Will Eisenberg a is a musician and writer in Denver, CO
I am a fourth year student at the University of Denver with a major in jazz studies (piano performance concentration) and a minor in writing practices. I spend most of my time practicing or playing piano, but I also love writing, reading, baseball, and running.
I am from the San Francisco Bay Area. I spent a semester in Cork, Ireland for a semester in 2023, where I focused on Irish literature and music, while immersing myself in the city's culture.
I currently work as a writing consultant at DU's writing center, where I am able to share my love for writing, and learn from others.
My writing generally involves music in some capacity—from album and song reviews to pieces on the intersection of writing and music. I also composes my own music.
I have performed at a number of musical events in and around Denver, including fundraisers for Denver Health, Denver school of the Arts, and Colorado Senator Michael Bennet.
I am currently working towards my Senior Recital for piano performance, and graduating in the spring.
This is how I work
Location: Denver, CO
Current Gig: Writing center consultant
One word that best describes how you work: Patiently
Current mobile device: iPhone 13
Current computer: Macbook Air
What apps, software, or tools can’t you live without? Spotify, Musescore, Google Calendar
What’s your workspace setup like? Mobile; I usually work with just a laptop when I'm not at the piano.
What’s your best time-saving shortcut or life hack? Packing lunches. I've had to take a lot of 18-credit quarters, so I have gotten quite used to eating a sandwich while walking between classes.
What’s your favorite to-do list manager? Spreadsheets. Whenever I have a large project or a busy few weeks, I'll put everything into a spreadsheet. I like the scope of a spreadsheet; I never run out of room.
When doing research, are there any tools that you find to be indispensable? I use the University of Denver library databases the most, but occasionally the amount of information available is overwhelming, in which case I'll try to find relevant books.
What do you write with? Laptop for writing words, notebook for writing music (initially). Writing musical ideas in a music notation software (like Musescore) is tedious. I prefer just writing notes all over the notebook, then transferring to Musescore once I have a sense of the structure of my piece.
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else? I don't know anyone who hydrates more than I do.
What do you listen to while you work? Ironically, nothing. Music gets in the way of my thoughts, so I usually just work in a quiet area.
What are you currently reading? Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Do you use an e-reader or do you prefer paper books? I like paper books more, but I appreciate the environmental side of e-readers.
What’s your sleep routine like? I strive for 7-8 hours a night, which I almost always get.
Fill in the blank: I’d love to see _________ answer these same questions. "An accomplished jazz musician." The work/life/practice balance of great musicians has always fascinated me.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? "When it comes to the things and people you love, do everything." I heard this on a baseball podcast, of all places, but it really resonated with me, especially in the context of music. If I want to be great at piano, I have to put in everything I have. This means practicing when I'd rather be relaxing, or saying yes to gigs when I'm feeling lazy. This also applies to relationships. If you love someone, putting everything you have into loving them is extremely rewarding.
*A runner up answer to this question comes from a Keith Jarrett interview, where he discusses a time when he was learning the piano, and he told his mother he wasn't able to play a piece. His mother asked: "Well, can you play the first note?" To which he replied, "Yes." Then his mother asked "Can you play the second note?" Another "Yes." "Well, then you can play the piece."
Is there anything else you want to add about your writing life? I have mainly written small pieces like articles, essays, and music reviews in the past. My favorite genre is nonfiction, creative or not.