Music Composition Portfolio

Abstract

I’ve approached my composition this year were by continuing to explore 20th Century music, especially in composition workshops with their discussion and chance to hear the opinions of my teachers and contemporaries. I discovered many new ideas through reading several analysis books which influenced my composition. I also found helpful musical ideas in innovative pieces such as: “Passacaglia” (John Elmsly), “The liquid drift of Light” (Eve-de-Castro), “Spiegel im Spiegel” (Arvo Pärt) and “The People united will never be defeated” (Frederic Rzewski). Particularly important was the unconventional, yet tonal, harmonic language appearing in these works. I have composed three pieces for this portfolio and these are accompanied by methodological explanations. I decided, after discussion with my supervisors, to compose: an extended keyboard work for piano; a Trio for clarinet, violoncello and piano; a piece for full orchestra. The commentaries examine my compositions in detail with reference to their inspiration, construction and overall shape. There is a detailed description for each of the three works together with musical examples. These musical examples are used to explain more clearly, the methods used in the construction of the piece.--Pref