Anna Ring

Twin Drummer Publishing

Ernesto Aguirre is an American composer and drummer. He is the founder of Twin Drummer Publishing, through which he publishes his own music across a wide range of ensembles, from solo works and jazz to concert band and orchestra.

Instrumentation page, sharp shadow, close crop
Open score showing Program Notes page
Copyright and commissioning page, dramatic shadow

Ernesto came to me with a clear goal: an editorial identity that was uniquely his. Something elegant and modern, flexible enough to work across different ensemble types, and practical enough to use every day.

We started by exploring different visual directions to find the right mood. We eventually settled on a feeling that was precise and modern, but also warm, elegant, and approachable.

Handwritten title page in notebook
Early sketch
Printed score strips scattered, showing title and composer branding
Printed score title page on concrete surface, strong shadows
Finished masthead

The heart of the design is his name. Inspired by the bold headers of mid-century magazines, I created a masthead using strong capital letters. Just below it, the title of the piece sits in a warm italic serif. I really like the contrast between the two, the bold against the delicate.

Instrumentation page, angled view
Printed score open to colophon page

There is a natural rhythm to the name Aguirre. The rolling R’s made me imagine a drum roll, which felt entirely right since Ernesto is a drummer. The bold weight of the name became a way of bringing that feeling onto the page.

Open score spread, Program Notes and Biography
Design layout in Affinity, grid structure visible
Building the grid

To make the design work across all published pieces, I focused on a simple system. I put the page layouts together so Ernesto can add his content directly whenever a new work is ready. It gives him a practical way to keep editions consistent, whether he is publishing a short solo piece or larger orchestral score.

year
2026
filed under
identity, editorial