tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.comments2024-03-28T16:01:00.855-02:30→ Music Composition Weblog ←Clark Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153382609775397798noreply@blogger.comBlogger2345125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-29720005198715558612024-03-28T16:01:00.855-02:302024-03-28T16:01:00.855-02:30I vaguely remember seeing my parents watching The ...I vaguely remember seeing my parents watching The Joy of Painting on TV while I was still living in Connecticut and even then I enjoyed watching Ross paint even if he didn’t hold my attention for the duration of the show (I was less than 5 years old, so what else is anyone supposed to expect haha). 16 years since then, I’ve developed considerably both artistically and musically and have learned to admire what little I remember of Ross’s philosophy on life and creativity. I feel I need to be reminded of the “don’t fear failure” philosophy frequently in regard to performing. If I play a wrong note, who cares? No one got hurt. Move on. But it’s harder said than done. The same thing can be said about composing or any activity that involves making something new. When you’re doing these sorts of things in a space where everyone around you is expected to give some sort of feedback, the “don’t fear failure” mindset becomes crucial. <br /><br />Growing up, I would occasionally play piano in front of people but was never confident so I was petrified of failure and didn’t know how to learn from it so learning how to pull off a successful performance didn’t feel possible until late in my second year at MUN. Composition was less stressful because I was encouraged to keep creating from a visual perspective going up through school so that made me feel like I had good artistic instincts and it was okay that I felt confident with it. Since my degree, I’ve been working on translating my instincts for visual art (which has been quite successful so far) into what I put on paper for composing. So far I think it has been working.<br /><br />The last thing I wanted to say on this blog is that I personally don’t find the process of creating something or the process of getting good at creating mysterious because I’ve done it so much throughout my life so far that I’ve learned that artists of all mediums just do it with no real intention of starting a riot at it’s reveal/premiere. The thing is, is that those people have something to say and starting out, obviously, you’re not going to be the best at translating what you have to say to your craft right out of the gate but they hone their skills and develop ways of conveying their thoughts and feelings which naturally improves over time.<br />Kaitlin Whitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-30826749831930237092024-03-28T13:26:02.646-02:302024-03-28T13:26:02.646-02:30In many disciplines of life, especially academic o...In many disciplines of life, especially academic ones, it is my belief that those who know how to optimize feedback to their advantage are the most likely to be successful at what they are doing. As musicians, and especially as composers, we are used to regularly getting feedback on our performance, and there is an immediate learning curve to be able to take this feedback. For example, in masterclass, at the start of each year we have a discussion about how the outcome of a single performance is not at all related to your self worth; and how receiving constructive feedback from your peers does not mean that your peers don’t like you. This is a very real lesson that most musicians need to actively learn throughout their practice, and in and of itself is a tough barrier to overcome. However, I feel that this is where a lot of musicians stop. Arguably the most important part of learning how to utilize feedback is the second step: learning from it. It’s one skill to be able to actively listen to feedback, it’s another thing to implement it. <br /> The pivotal moment when I feel I truly learned how to optimize feedback was when I wrote the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) in 2021. They teach you during preparation that the best way to use the practice tests is not just to complete them, but to analyze what questions you got wrong and why. From then, when you understand why you got the question wrong (misread the question, knowledge gap, mixing up two concepts, etc.), you can make a targeted review plan to actually fix those mistakes and ensure that you answer those types of questions correctly the next time they come up. Using this strategy helped me to focus my study plan and to greatly improve my score. In a funny enough way, I think that this is very related to performance and composition, especially when it comes to competitions. If competitions are able to give feedback to applicants, composers can learn to use the feedback to their greatest advantage by not only implementing it, but also learning from it. If composers can learn to use feedback to their fullest advantage by using it to create targeted improvement plans, I believe that they can optimize their chances of being successful in future competitions and other competitive endeavours.<br />Emma Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248088736793430440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-5639756026117785622024-03-28T00:53:41.675-02:302024-03-28T00:53:41.675-02:30I think music theory is absolutely essential to be...I think music theory is absolutely essential to being a composer. I've thought a lot about this particular subject especially in my own teaching; I tend to emphasize the importance of theory to students as I think it is crucial towards growth as a musician. I often hear the rebuttal of music theory causing a lack of creativity, that by learning rules we can limit ourselves to abide by only specific ways of creating. I think personally this is a terrible argument, as just because you learn about 'rules' surrounding music function, does not mean you have to follow them at all times. Most of the ideas that I end up turning into fully-finished compositions or songs, come from things I write when not worrying about music theory at all. Theory comes into play only once I've developed this idea, and now have multiple options in ways which to take it, basing my decision off of prior knowledge.<br /><br />I see no downside to learning music theory, which is something that a LOT of people disagree with. It has helped me greatly in my journey with music and any student of which has taken learning theory from e seriously has come to a deeper understanding of their instrument as a whole, which is another benefit of learning it in the first place. When faced with learning music theory, I think there is no reason not to delve into the ways in which it can benefit you as a musician.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-11538707860877708982024-03-27T21:18:07.906-02:302024-03-27T21:18:07.906-02:30When I did intro to comp, I remember really enjoyi...When I did intro to comp, I remember really enjoying using modes of limited transposition for a project. In my third year I also used the whole tone scale quite a bit. When writing my piece Nightsurf I used the whole tone scale as the basis of a lot of the piece and purposefully made the first peak of the piece the place where it broke the scale and went into a more ambiguous key. Using the whole tone scale was interesting because it is a very limiting scale. Because there's no semitones each note of the scale has equal importance. This made the section where it breaks the whole tone scale all the more importance because it broke the feeling of equal importance that all the notes had before.<br />I would love to explore writing in the octatonic scale, because I use it.a decent amount in jazz. It's an interesting scale because it has a strange combination of traits in it.Evan Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-54329972630479252142024-03-27T20:58:42.572-02:302024-03-27T20:58:42.572-02:30I have an interesting relationship with atonality ...I have an interesting relationship with atonality and this blog post makes me feel better about it. I find the word atonal implies ugliness and harshness which is usually not the type of music I like to write. Sometimes when I am composing I want to write music that is serene and graceful and for that sometimes I need to use tonal chords. I also find when writing in the classical atonal style there is a lot of tension and never any release. If I can try and reach points in my composition with chords based in tonality I find I can make the type of music I want to write. I appreciate that this blog post points out that major and minor chords can be used in atonal music.<br />I definitely prefer to use the word post tonal because the word atonal implies an abandonment of everything that tonal music offers.Evan Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-60342085133246820252024-03-26T21:29:55.398-02:302024-03-26T21:29:55.398-02:30I'm so glad we were able to get this to work!I'm so glad we were able to get this to work! Emma Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248088736793430440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-62772073609888421962024-03-26T21:25:12.837-02:302024-03-26T21:25:12.837-02:30I agree with the other commenters that there are l...I agree with the other commenters that there are lots of great suggestions in this post :) Writing with a short score was never something I considered before writing for wind band. However, after working on several large ensemble pieces this semester, I don’t think I could ever go back to composing for ensembles without it. For me, I’ve found the most effective way to divide the short score is into foreground/midground/background staves. I have found this method to be helpful in keeping my ideas organized, and in reminding me to keep clarity throughout my score when in the orchestration stages. Like many student composers, I often find myself in the trap of over-orchestrating, and creating muddy and unclear sections. By going in with a clear texture plan from the get go, and referencing it often, I have been able to catch myself from writing muddy sections, and steer myself back on track to writing with more clarity. In a way, by following steps 1, 2 and 8 (having a plan and a short score), I’ve found that it becomes a lot easier to effectively follow the other steps in this blog post (such as steps 4-6). I think that when it comes to large ensemble writing, taking the time to plan is the best way to set yourself up for success.Emma Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248088736793430440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-27449654770574432962024-03-26T09:24:49.824-02:302024-03-26T09:24:49.824-02:30I am so glad I saw this post because Post-tonal wr...I am so glad I saw this post because Post-tonal writing is often challenging for me. Before seeing this, my way of writing post-tonal music was writing something tonal and then changing up two or three of the notes per measure so that my composition does not sound tonal. However, as a result, my work ends up not sounding as post-tonal as I would've liked. Instead, it sounds like a slightly spicy version of tonal.<br /><br />I'm so glad I saw this when I did because now I can incorporate the advice into my future post-tonal compositions.Abby Briffettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-22527371088748322352024-03-25T22:02:08.976-02:302024-03-25T22:02:08.976-02:30I really enjoyed this post! Learning about differe...I really enjoyed this post! Learning about different artists approach practicing their craft and how it differs from person to person and medium to medium is always fascinating to me. I also really appreciate that you were willing to share this experience especially where you were new to some things regarding technology and under what seemed to have been quite a bit of pressure. I have a lot of stage anxiety which has simmered quite a bit but I still feel like I have to pick and choose my battles carefully or it will all come back again so reading this story coming from a mentor was very reassuring and encouraging to read! Thanks for posting!Kaitlin Whitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-11078653597702650572024-03-23T14:43:41.835-02:302024-03-23T14:43:41.835-02:30I don't know if this counts as an ostinato but...I don't know if this counts as an ostinato but I think Handel's Messiah is a great example of how effective repetition can be and how much people love hearing the same thing over and over. In the link below, this aria from Messiah repeats three phrases of a single sentence over and over ("Ev'ry valley shall be exalted, and ev'ry moutain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain"), and it lasts nearly 4 minutes. While 4 minutes is not an incredibly long time, the other 2-3 hours of Messiah also treat text in a similar manner; repeating one or two sentences over and over in every section. I must admit that I tend to get bored by hour 3 when I've seen this work performed, but whether you like it or not, there is no doubting that this is an incredibly popular classical work, and many people are willing to see it again and again every Christmas. I think the combination of other factors with repetitiveness makes a very effective piece of music, as it gives the listener something recognizable to hear while also being surprised or affected in other ways. I think, at least with Messiah, listeners almost get the sense that they are participating in the music in a way by being able to predict what's coming next. They hear what they have already been imagining, which gives the effect of one's thoughts coming to life in a way, the same feeling you get as a performer.<br /><br />https://youtu.be/7NCO6UzZ2R8Jessica Ozonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08775444070974918550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-81812436447666924952024-03-21T21:03:05.099-02:302024-03-21T21:03:05.099-02:30I love this analogy so much. I am currently workin...I love this analogy so much. I am currently working on a piece for orchestra and it has been so interesting figuring out how to balance the use of instruments. In one part of my piece I start with a solo melody played by the bassoon that is then given a response by the clarinet. The melody is then given to there strings and French horns, then the flutes then its fragmented and sent all around th woodwind section. It then goes to the brass and repeats in a build up section. To me, this part of the piece really feels like a conversation that is slowly becoming more and more intense. It feels really great to be able to stretch out a single melodic line for this long. This type of development of a small idea I think will help me become a better composer because it forces me to work with less.Evan Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-47439341348653508502024-03-21T20:53:18.457-02:302024-03-21T20:53:18.457-02:30While the idea of being influenced by other artist...While the idea of being influenced by other artists can sometimes be vague, I have some moments of my music as well where I know exactly where the influence is from. <br />There is a chromatic string swell I wrote in the orchestra piece I am currently writing that sounds quite similar to one found in Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilege.<br /><br />The same orchestra piece starts with and oboe solo with accompanying strings that then gets taken over by a string melody which follows a very similar form to one section of Francesca Da Rimini I learned about in orchestration.<br /><br />Dr. Ross has also told me a certain section of my piece also sounds like Firebird by Stravinsky which is one of my favourite pieces of classical music.<br /><br />I have also written many melodies that sound similar to Chamber of Reflections by Mac Demarco.Evannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-76615340427751518132024-03-21T20:39:53.597-02:302024-03-21T20:39:53.597-02:30I would say that my influences generally come from...I would say that my influences generally come from contemporary and late romantic to early classical composers. <br />French composers such as Ravel, Debussy and Satie have been enormous influences on my composing. <br />When I lived with my parents, because my mother is a classical pianist, this style of music was constantly played in my household. Because of this I absorbed a lot of the theory and tendendcies of these composers just by hearing it so much.<br />The piece I am currently writing for orchestra is heavily influences by Ravel mainly because the MUN orchestra has been playing his opera "L'Enfant et les Sortileges." I love Ravels orchestration and playing his music has really helped me understand how to write a good piece for orchestra. I find his harmonies to be gorgeous and I strive to create the type of beautiful moments he creates in his music. <br />I find some of the music I listen to for fun tends to influence me as well, as well as my education in jazz. Evan Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-82756992658209991722024-03-20T18:37:56.838-02:302024-03-20T18:37:56.838-02:30As composers, we should be or learn to become open...As composers, we should be or learn to become open to the different styles of music. We may not get the compositional job that we wanted initially so we should look to all areas in which to better our abilities at composition and to be more part of the present and future of our area. <br /><br />I think there is a use for State sponsored compositions that may benefit the population, including the composers writing for it. However, the compositions would have to be, in my opinion, interesting and done well for more people to associate with it. People will find it lame if the parts are poorly put together and at a lower budget. <br /><br />With this all being said, if the sentiment and the goal is not important to most people and it's for a party that one does not like, they will go agaisnt it anyway.<br /><br />The music should stay a bit ahead of its time, rather than its usual for in this area, behind it's time. <br /><br /> Liam Kuhnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-74405103772134600752024-03-20T10:06:12.242-02:302024-03-20T10:06:12.242-02:30Lately when composing I find myself struggling to ...Lately when composing I find myself struggling to create pieces. Usually I can sit at a piano and make a song up on the spot but recently I’ve felt blocked, easily giving up, mostly pushing myself to complete the assignments for the class. I have to remind myself that on the other side of this struggle is a reward of completion. But in the moment I compose a piece and it sounds nothing like how I thought it would, not as good. I agree that composers need to be optimistic and that’s how I should be but in the middle of it, I feel anything but. After reading this post I need to shift my mindset to a more positive side. I agree that composers should always attempt to look for the positive elements in their work, with the thought of ‘how can I make this better’, striving to improve in their mind. I know I’m my own worst critic with my composing and life in general, but like our compositions, I’m a work in progress. Emma Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03808141704433267984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-75361435472422027342024-03-20T10:04:53.799-02:302024-03-20T10:04:53.799-02:30 Up until grade 12, I struggled with what path to ... Up until grade 12, I struggled with what path to take after school. I had the choice of following my dream of being a music teacher, or pick the safer option of getting a trade. I’m glad I decided to follow my dream and perusing a career in music. Following my dream has been anything but easy, pushing me to my limits. Even if my plans change for wanting to be a music teacher in public schools, I could always teach music privately while working a job that could better help me financially. Either way, I’m glad I’m currently following my dreams in music but I’m also glad I had a plan b of doing a trade in my back pocket in case my dreams fell through (if I didn’t get accepted). This post made me reflect to when I was younger and how my dreams frequently changed but music stayed consistent in my life, proving music hasn’t failed me (yet). I understand following your dreams doesn’t always mean you find happiness, but the joy I feel when a student leaves a lesson smiling, excited to show their parents what they learned, makes it worth it. I know this post is more on the cons side but the pros in music will always outweigh the cons. Emma Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03808141704433267984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-80812893307700177932024-03-19T13:59:41.986-02:302024-03-19T13:59:41.986-02:30I am very much a planner, and have been all my lif...I am very much a planner, and have been all my life. sometimes I feel like I plan unnecessarily, such as planning for courses in semesters ahead. This is the same for composition, I like to have a set plan in place for a piece. whether it be melodic ideas, theme, or instrumentation. But not having a plan and just going with the flow for writing a piece has made me create some of what I think is my greatest compositions. for example, I wrote a piece last semester for Violin, cello, and tape titled "I'm Better Than You". The only plan I had for this piece was to make a violin and cello piece with the use of electronics. as I was working on the tape part, I realized how braggadocios the audio sounded. I took this idea and ran with it, essentially making the tape part maximalist and saying "look how great the tape parts sounds, look at all these different cohesive ideas". This became my favourite piece that I have ever written. I feel still surprise that I went into this project without a strict plan, which is what I usually do. While being a planner is great, letting go of a plan can really boost my creativity.Michael Grandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-76780347549574353042024-03-19T13:34:25.146-02:302024-03-19T13:34:25.146-02:30Music can definitely be considered as a form of la...Music can definitely be considered as a form of language. it can display and trigger emotions with the use of chords, melodies, harmonies, and other musical ideas. sometimes, the music can tell a story for each different person, potentially a different story that the artist intended. For example, I went to Norway last June to visit some friends, and I listened to "Good Kid MAAD City" by Kendrick Lamer during the plane ride. Now, whenever I listen to the album, it brings me back to Norway, and all the fun memories I had during my stay. Of course, when someone else is going to listen to that album, they're not gonna feel the same way about the songs as I do, and vice versa.I feel that music can be a sort of Time Machine in that sense, listening to music that can trigger memories and nostalgia. Triggering memories much like words can. There have been so many times in my life where I listen to a song that I haven't listened to in forever, and the nostalgia hits me like bricks. Its like the music communicates with me what life was like. Interesting post!Michael Grandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-70774324312583426122024-03-19T13:16:22.243-02:302024-03-19T13:16:22.243-02:30Very interesting post and makes me reflect on my p...Very interesting post and makes me reflect on my past dreams and hopes. I have always wanted to have a career in music, but as I got older, what musical career that I wanted changed. when I was 15, I was convinced that I was gonna be a smash hit DJ and be famous. Im 20 now and I just want a career in music. wether it be composing, performing, or teaching. My career desires are far broader and wiser than they were just 5 years ago. I feel everyday I am one step closer to these dreams being accomplished, and I find myself blessed. This is because not everyone has the opportunity to chase their dreams. There's absolutely nothing wrong with not achieving your dreams, it doesn't make you a failure. sometimes your dreams need to fail for you to find something far better for you.Michael Grandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-77333716476130252292024-03-19T02:17:02.381-02:302024-03-19T02:17:02.381-02:30Although dreaming big can be seen as a way to end ...Although dreaming big can be seen as a way to end up shooting yourself in the foot in the long run, I think it is almost a necessary 'evil' that has to be a part of the process. If we as humans found a way to completely dissolve any need for said 'dreams,' we would be left with no ambition to get anything done or started in the first place. Dreaming big is an aspect of everyone's life, and therefore can't be treated as if it's something that isn't mandatory for us. What we can do instead is treat these dreams more carefully, and aim to be able to fully accept the failure that comes with a lot of things we get our hopes up on.<br /><br />Of course, it's not quite that easy. When you care a substantial amount about a particular goal, it will inherently become disappointing if your expectations aren't met, even if you try telling yourself otherwise. On the contrary, if you try to be nonchalant about the goal in the first place, there may not be enough drive in the first place to get you there. If neither of these extremes will work for us, then we have to employ a compromise that will temper our expectations enough to not feel discouraged from having dreams too big, but also avoid being too passive about things we should be putting more effort into.<br /><br />I think this can be done by having a list of multiple dreams that you wish to achieve, all varying in scope. This is what I do to give me a sense of what I can achieve in what amount of time using the knowledge gained from completing smaller goals, which in turn prepares me for larger dreams that I'm working on.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-53186510538294943942024-03-18T17:51:50.455-02:302024-03-18T17:51:50.455-02:30I'm finding some challenges in my latest piece...I'm finding some challenges in my latest piece for singing bowls and percussive ensemble. I feel at times I am treading over very foreign ground that I am not at all used to. I could stop and write something different, but that would be the right thing to do. I love the challenges that come with composing, this is a big reason I compose. I need to tell stories and better myself through my music that I create. <br /><br />The singing bowls create immense limitation but it is that challenge that helps me to keep on going. Elements from the Nepali, Bhutani, Indian, and Chinese culture through Buddhism help me to structure the piece and the geometric formation of the bowls helps me to find relations between the fundamental pitches. <br /><br />This has been the most minimalistic piece for me and the most experimental becuase for the most part, I am not afriad of failing...part of this attitude I learned back in 2021 from Bob Ross and now Thich Nhat Han. Liam Kuhnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-4382832767725520412024-03-14T14:55:47.039-02:302024-03-14T14:55:47.039-02:30To start, I liked the way Copland summarized the d...To start, I liked the way Copland summarized the different ways of listening and I think teaching young music students the differences between each one would be valuable during the earlier stages of their training.<br /><br />In response to the first question at the end of this post, I would say that a given piece of music can be successful on one of these planes or all of them. However, I think all music will eventually reach all of these planes but may not succeed on all of them. Some music is written so it can be used in certain contexts but may eventually be used for something the composer did not intend which is usually a result of times changing.<br /><br />It is extremely valuable to learn how to listen on different levels and to be aware of how you are listening. I feel like the two benchmarks for this are the first plane, where listening is just for fun and leisure – what most people do, generally speaking – and the third plane which can also be fun but also involves listening for tiny details in what you are hearing that we try to develop in ear training classes. Teaching students early on the difference between the two and how to do both will help them find a balance in both ways of listening which, I think, would help them in learning their rep and understanding it with and without having to pick up on all of the small things right away.<br /><br />I would say that there are more planes than what was suggested. I feel like my general listening habits lie between the second and third planes. I focus a lot on how expressive a given piece is (the more expressive the more I will like it) and how the composer uses certain tools/techniques to convey what they are trying to express which then overlaps with the third plane. Regarding the third plane, I like to focus on big picture things like form, instrumentation (if the piece allows that to change) and how the composer chose to develop their material as the music progresses through various techniques.<br /><br />This was a fun read and gave some great insight into how we listen to music! :)Kaitlin Whitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-41159360142430216552024-03-14T14:20:03.886-02:302024-03-14T14:20:03.886-02:30Playing with a listener's expectations is a ba...Playing with a listener's expectations is a balancing act, constantly treading the line between what listeners are accustomed to and novel ideas created by the composer, placed in deliberately unexpected places. If you lean too heavily into either side, the goal of subverting expectations is destroyed entirely. With constant changes in ideas, not only does the listener realize very quickly that they will be surprised for the rest of the piece, but they also may then become disinterested in the piece itself with no concrete idea or motif to latch onto. Sometimes writing things that the listener can predict can be good to an extent, as it allows for more connection between the piece and the consumer.<br /><br />On the contrary, oversimplifying a piece so that close to everything written is exactly what the listener is expecting, a composition can fall flat on it's face with nothing to keep the listener engaged, let alone want to listen multiple times. When we as composers write things that can be expected to happen, we have to remember that it's only expected because the listener has heard it many times before. Therefore, if we lean too heavily into that aspect of writing, we are simply regurgitating things that they have already experienced to some degree.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-31034846214732234982024-03-14T14:15:12.897-02:302024-03-14T14:15:12.897-02:30As someone who has recently come out on the other ...As someone who has recently come out on the other side from writing a piece for wind band, this is so interesting and reaffirming to read. A lot of the lessons Jessica shared that she had learned along the way align with the lessons I feel I learned throughout the process as well. I definitely agree with the edit edit edit point - sometimes no matter how many times you look over scores/parts, you can still find new mistakes every time. Perhaps “proofread, proofread, proofread” would be a better heading.<br /> One thing that I found in my experience was that looking at the Finale document with all the staves was really overwhelming at first. I found that solidifying a form, and mocking up melodies and themes in a separate, smaller, document was really helpful in moving me forward in the process. Once I knew my form, it felt like more of a fill-in-the-blank exercise, which was much less overwhelming. I definitely will take this approach when writing more for large ensembles in the future.<br /> One other thing that I found helped me tremendously was exposure. I’ve played in a wind ensemble since I began playing my instrument, and I believe this has helped me to have an instinctual understanding of how to write effectively for wind ensemble. There are some things about a wind ensemble that I think are best learned by playing in one, and if a composer looking to compose for a large ensemble has an opportunity to play in that kind of ensemble, I think it is an invaluable experience to have. If that isn’t possible, I think listening to some current and classic wind ensemble repertoire can also really help a composer to understand the palette of a wind ensemble, as it is quite different from an orchestra. Basically, I think the more you can immerse yourself in the world of the performers, the better + more idiomatic your piece will inevitably be.<br />Emma Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248088736793430440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-53618048901228316112024-03-14T14:08:59.729-02:302024-03-14T14:08:59.729-02:30I find this blog post very interesting. I agree th...I find this blog post very interesting. I agree that it works totally different with new pieces of music because of the lack of context and past performances to judge it off of. It can also be hard to judge when a lot of new music uses aeliatoric elements or uses techniques that are outside of the standard ones used by classical musicians. <br />Judging the quality of a composition itself can be difficult as well. I think a lot of it has to do with. consistency of ideas and how they are applied. If elements aren't developed well and harmonic language isn't consistent, pieces can be less enjoyable to listen to.<br />Evan Westnoreply@blogger.com