Doctoral portfolio of Compositions

Abstract

Time and what it represents, provides a philosophical and inquisitive puzzle, a test for the composer’s intuition but at the same time, asks the question of how best to characterise in musical terms, the flow of time’s passing and coming. This question was a perplexing concern whilst I was selecting themes and musical groupings to embody the intent of my portfolio. Hence, the three compositions offered in this portfolio are related to some aspect or incident of Time itself. Each work expresses time in a different way, from multi-layered instrumentation in a large ensemble to individual instruments in a small group. Poetry is purposely at the heart of each composition, with the title and story of New Zealand verses inspiring each piece’s musical journey and construction. My musical influences are ecletic, and I have a specific interest in recognising distinct musical languages across a varied range of genres and styles. The works contained in this portfolio display my many musical quests and over time this pursuit has helped me develop more musical skills and instincts. My particular interest is in composing music for woodwind instruments, and one of the works in the portfolio features me as a saxophone performer. Other works in this portfolio feature large-scale orchestral writing and writing for smaller ensembles. Time: Three movements for Orchestra is a work for large-scale orchestra. This and all the following works are inspired by New Zealand poetry. Flow at Full Moon is a chamber concerto for Soprano Saxophone, mixed ensemble, and percussion. Reflections is a string trio, composed for the NZTrio, violin, ‘cello and piano. The following are some explanations on the different approaches to harmonic organization and pitch-materials in the works: o In my analyses, I have centred on a primary motive or series of notes, then exemplified as a model of operations in the composition’s construction. o Content and form are determined by the explicit imagery conveyed by the narrative of the poems. Specific lines have been transported into titles of movements then further changed and transformed. o Analytical techniques drawn from set theory and contour theory are used to uncover methods of composition and the organisation of pitch-materials that lie therein. I have explained some basic tenets of set theory to help the reader understand my specific approach to discovering pitch structure within the works.