An Interview with Lisa Longe
June 3, 2026|
Alfred Music Official
Some people plan to become composers. Lisa Longe stumbled into it. A lifelong musician and full-time beginning band teacher in Schenectady, New York, Lisa was simply playing piano at home one evening when, almost by accident, a song appeared. That moment of unexpected discovery set something in motion.
Today, her choral works are published by Alfred Music, sung by school choirs, and written with the same conviction that drives her teaching: that music doesn't just entertain us, it makes us more fully human. We asked Lisa to talk about the accidental song that started it all, the philosopher who changed how she thinks about music, and what she hopes stays with the singers long after the concert is over.
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Q: How did you first discover your passion for composing?
I was playing piano one evening in my home just because I love to play. And somehow I wrote a song by accident! One minute, there was a chord progression, and the next minute, there were words and a melody. The experience of writing was like nothing I had known in my decades of being a musician. (Maybe like stumbling through the wardrobe into Narnia?) I don't have words for it, nor do I think there are adequate words to describe what composing is like. Somehow, the process of writing makes me feel whole, like coming home to myself.
Q: Who has shaped how you think about music?
John Dewey. His book, Art as Experience, was pivotal to how I understand and interact with music (or any of the Fine Arts), as well as how I teach music. Aesthetic experience is mysterious and beautiful and part of what makes us fully human; it changes us for the better when we learn to engage with music on a deeper level. Music makes us more beautiful on the inside.
Q: What was the first piece you wrote that made you think, "I might actually be onto something here"?
I wrote "Bloom," and my best friend, Karin, liked it enough to sing it with her chorus kids. I never considered publishing any of my music because I didn't think my writing was at that level. I thought Karin was being the world's greatest best friend by singing my song. (Shout out to the world's greatest BFF!) Brian Balmages happened to be at the concert when her chorus kids sang Bloom. (Crazy timing, right?!) After the concert, he asked if he could pass it along to Alfred for consideration, and the next thing I knew, it was getting published. Other people believed in me before I did. And for that, I am grateful.
Q: What's the hardest creative problem you've ever had to solve in your work, and how did you get through it?
I can't say that I've encountered a musical problem that my editor, Andy Beck, can't solve. This is why editors exist!
Q: If there was a soundtrack for your own life right now, what piece would it be?
How about a literal soundtrack: Loki Season 2 by Natalie Holt and/or Life of Chuck by The Newton Brothers. (Weirdly, both those shows feature Tom Hiddleston.)
Q: How do you spend most of your working hours: composing, teaching, performing, or some mix of all three?
I teach beginning band full-time! (Yeah, it's loud, but beginners are my jam!) I write when time allows.
Q: Where did you study, and how much of what you do today traces back to your formal training versus what you figured out on your own?
SUNY Potsdam, Crane School of Music. Dr Mark Robin Campbell changed my life. Like, literally. I knew I loved music, but he taught me how to go deeper into the "why" I loved music. Not just for myself, but why music is a fundamental and beautiful part of the human experience. He taught philosophy of music education, and so, I learned what it means to nurture an aesthetic education for my students. Once the ground (the starting place) of "making/creating/experiencing/responding to beautiful music" is established, everything flows from that foundation.
Q: What do you want your body of work to add up to — is there a through-line you're consciously building toward?
My hope is that a song, or a lyric, will stay with the singers and resonate with them.
Conclusion: An Interview with Alfred Composer Lisa Longe
Lisa Longe writes music the way she teaches: with patience, intention, and a deep belief that the right song can leave something lasting behind. Whether it's the hopeful arc of Bloom or the haunting wonder of Journey the Night, her choral pieces are crafted for developing voices and the directors who champion them. Browse her titles on Alfred Music and bring something meaningful to your next concert.