Finished !?

Today I fixed up my third character piece by adding some dynamics (which will hopefully help the balance) and adding a couple extra measures of piano here and there. I then went on to edit and put the final touches on all three of the character pieces for project #1. As of right now all they need is one final look over before they can be printed and I can consider myself done! well...at least this first assignment, as soon as the recital is over on Saturday I need to get working on project #2 the cliche assignment.

It's such a great feeling to have these three works completed! More important is the fact that I have suprised myself through this process and have started to grow as a composer!

On another note, in reference to my previous journal I finally decided on a title for my third character piece, "Biding One's Time" I think it fits quite nicely!

I am definitely looking forward to the upcoming recital!!!

-Jill

What's in a name?

So the past week I've been in the process of giving titles to my character pieces. Believe it or not I have spent hours in trying to achieve this goal. It can be a very difficult thing to do! Probably even harder then composing the pieces themselves...well...almost...

It's just that after putting so much time and effort into composing a work that you are hopefully pleased with, figuring out the perfect title is not the easiest task. Sometimes a title can come to mind right away and you know its just right, if only it could always be that simple! After considering many possible words with particular meanings I think the thesaurus became my best friend.

I have finally come up with what I think to be appropriate titles for my two completed character pieces. They are "Fumbling in the Dark" and "The Sullied Jester". Now its back to the drawing board for my last piece of the three. Here's hoping that I can figure out a title before the recital Saturday. Wish me luck!

-Jill

Character Piece # 3

Today the last of my three character pieces was performed for the class. I'd like to thank Jon and Andrew for sight reading! You guys did a great job! They will also be the musicians who will be performing my pieces on the recital Saturday night.

I had a lot of trouble this week trying to come up with an idea for this last piece. I was so pleased with last weeks work that I wasn't sure where to go next, so I was suffering from writer's block (or I guess composer's block would be more accurate) Inspiration finally struck when I was listening to one of Jon's regular warm-ups from his daily routine, which I have heard on multiple occaisions. I took the exercise, using the intervals and changed the meter, transpositions, and added or left notes out. This became the tuba line and I created the piano part around it. Anyone who knows Jon and his routine well, would have recognized its connection to the piece. (I highly enjoyed Phils reaction to this) Suprisingly enough the character of this piece was more suited to my original intentions for character piece number two, go figure!

The feedback I recieved was very positive and greatly appreciated!

Some suggestions were:

• adding appropriate dynamics and markings (I basically know what I am doing in this regards, but just didn't get the chance to mark them in before class)
• look at the balance between the piano and tuba (Hopefully with the addition of dynamics, practice and the use of the PC Hall, this might work itself out)
• add more rests and breaks in the tuba line
• perhaps the addition of some piano flourishes (without tuba) would help to unify the piece more

I think this piece turned out pretty well and I'm looking forward to completing this entire character piece assignment. Hopefully when its performed on Saturday night my pieces can measure up to the wonderful works I had the priveledge of hearing on the first recital!

-Jill

Character Piece 2

So I finally had my second character piece presented yesterday! I'd like to especially thank Jon and Ian for their wonderful performance, it went way better then I could have expected! Your guys sightreading abilities rock!!

I believe that this is my favorite composition to date! including everything I have done previous to this course. I never knew I could love a piece of my own creation as much as I love this one!

The class reception was very positive and I received a few useful comments that I will definetly consider through my final revisions.
These included:
- adding and varying dynamics throughout
- playing with the registers of the piano pickups so they are more varied
- perhaps "transposing" the main thematic material that is between the tuba and piano

Although the piece kind of strayed from my original idea, being the waiting period before surgery, I highly enjoyed the reactions that everyone had to it. Brooke's comment about a big drunk clown, suprisingly suits the piece! go figure! Other ideas of it being a dark, circus or carnival with alcohol, and cigarettes and the like, really gave me alot to think about, in regards to a possible title (which will come later) Ian also made a comment that in a weird "dark and dirty" sort of way the piece still had the connection to its original purpose which I was glad to hear!

I'm hoping I can come up with something for my final character piece which will be able to measure up to this weeks success, I guess i'll see on Monday!

-Jill