Composition Workshop Journal
Strategies in Composition by Suzanne Kosowitz
Plan | Prepare | Practice
Writing - What do you want to write? Concept? Duration? Instrumentation?
Preparing to Writing - Research, Has someone done something similar before? Analyze scores/recordings, Any gaps in your knowledge? Learn. Remember "Good composers borrow, great composers steal! - Igor Stravinsky
Its important to composer as much as possible, at least 2 bars every day, gives you 730 bars a year.
When you have freedom to write whatever you want it can be a bit frustrating and when you have a framework it can be very annoying, but when you can get a combination of the two you will be able to compose quite happily.
When writing music for other people or even for yourself it's very beneficial to write the music down and not just input it to a computer program through MIDI etc. Also when you go to start a piece you should write down some techniques and playing styles that you know so you can use some of them, you don't have to use all of them but its helpful if you have a definition sheet at hand.
Structures
*Interesting fact - Pieces are always around 1 minute longer in performance
Plan | Prepare | Practice
Writing - What do you want to write? Concept? Duration? Instrumentation?
Preparing to Writing - Research, Has someone done something similar before? Analyze scores/recordings, Any gaps in your knowledge? Learn. Remember "Good composers borrow, great composers steal! - Igor Stravinsky
Its important to composer as much as possible, at least 2 bars every day, gives you 730 bars a year.
When you have freedom to write whatever you want it can be a bit frustrating and when you have a framework it can be very annoying, but when you can get a combination of the two you will be able to compose quite happily.
When writing music for other people or even for yourself it's very beneficial to write the music down and not just input it to a computer program through MIDI etc. Also when you go to start a piece you should write down some techniques and playing styles that you know so you can use some of them, you don't have to use all of them but its helpful if you have a definition sheet at hand.
Structures
- Common Structure = 3 main sections
- Ternary: ABA
- Song Form: AABA
- Sonata: Exposition | Development | Recapitulation
- Movements: Fast | Slow | Fast
- Arch Form: A B C B A
*Interesting fact - Pieces are always around 1 minute longer in performance
Week 6
Yitzhak Yedid - A jazz improviser from Jerusalem.
Sometimes in composition you don’t have to transition to another section, you can just cut right to it.
Yitzhak talked about alternative ways to compose pieces, like the use of micro-tones and concepts.
He also played a few of his pieces to us in order to analyze them and teach us some techniques.
He gave us a few bars of his music that he chose a few people to finish the motif.
He said that there is no set way to compose and that everyone can be different, he said that composers are different in the way they write.
Composers try not to repeat themselves but it is okay to sometimes throughout a piece. But everything you write will always come up naturally and will sound like you. Sometimes you need to have just one piece that you can combine your skills and show what you can do.
The key to success in the composing field is to just keep composing as often as possible.
Sometimes in composition you don’t have to transition to another section, you can just cut right to it.
Yitzhak talked about alternative ways to compose pieces, like the use of micro-tones and concepts.
He also played a few of his pieces to us in order to analyze them and teach us some techniques.
He gave us a few bars of his music that he chose a few people to finish the motif.
He said that there is no set way to compose and that everyone can be different, he said that composers are different in the way they write.
Composers try not to repeat themselves but it is okay to sometimes throughout a piece. But everything you write will always come up naturally and will sound like you. Sometimes you need to have just one piece that you can combine your skills and show what you can do.
The key to success in the composing field is to just keep composing as often as possible.
Week 7
-This week we watched composers perform their pieces in preparation for the concert later that evening. The Riot of Spring competition, which I’m partaking in, is where 8 composers compose pieces with inspiration from Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring to mark its 100th anniversary. For workshop we watched composers rehearse their pieces.
Week 8
Next concert is the Art of Noises on the 29th August, submission date is the 2nd of August
7-10 pieces will be chosen
Works are chosen from, response to the theme, logistical issues (possible to present), representative cross section of students
Suggested media, electronic works/with video, works for acoustic instruments, live electronics, interactive works.
Today we watched some funny videos
We discussed the Art of Noises
We also listened to some pieces by older composers.
7-10 pieces will be chosen
Works are chosen from, response to the theme, logistical issues (possible to present), representative cross section of students
Suggested media, electronic works/with video, works for acoustic instruments, live electronics, interactive works.
Today we watched some funny videos
We discussed the Art of Noises
We also listened to some pieces by older composers.