Composition Commons^™

“Elegy For A Flower” - Remote Orchestral Session/Score-Focused Film, Logyn Okuda

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Within the many aspects of a film exists the epicenter that is visual storytelling. Music production within film always becomes a point of discussion after the fact, as composers will use their musical expertise to aid the established vision of the filmmaker. Despite music technology having evolved to recreate the sound of an orchestra, the role of music remains the same. However, what if the roles were reversed? Through this endeavor, I sought out to find the impact of a multimedia work when music becomes the primary focus of storytelling. Explored in the past by Disney's "Fantasia" and Phillip Glass' …

Einstein's Dream By Cindy Mctee: An Analysis And Transcription For Wind Ensemble, Kyle Aufderhar

Dissertations

Cindy McTee’s 2005 composition for strings, percussion, and computer music is an exploration in pluralism, combining newly composed music and computer-synthesized sounds with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Charles Ives. McTee’s initial use of Bach’s music comprises the complete harmonization of the chorale “Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott.” In later sections of the work, McTee creates entire textures from the chorale’s soprano line, subjecting it to a variety of treatments including augmentation, diminution, inversion, retrograde, and retrograde inversion. In addition to the inclusion of his music, McTee reiterates the importance of Bach through composition that relies on …

An Analytical Study Of The Sound Design And Production Techniques Of Idm Artists, Robert C. Stevens

Composition/Recording Projects

This paper analyzes the sound design and production techniques of IDM artists, and how these techniques can be incorporated into the process of writing commercial music.

Life Beyond The Port Of Beirut, Album & Drum Triggering System., Ayman Abi Kheir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Life Beyond the Port of Beirut is a project of two parts: an album of 8 instrumental tracks and a drum triggering system. The title is in dedication to my country, Lebanon, and specifically to its main historical seaport in the capital, Beirut. This port is the historical starting point of the Lebanese diaspora who have spread their culture across the globe and contributed to the world culture. The drum triggering system is a “do-it-yourself” system that enables drummers to trigger samples and virtual instruments through acoustic drum set and percussion. It was designed in Max for Live and Ableton …

Do What You Love, An Opera In One Act., Kamil Jozef Pedziwiatr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Do What You Love is an opera in one act, based on the American culture idea of doing what you love in life, following your passions or living the American dream. The libretto, which was generated by AI, presents the story of four main characters and one episodic character, each representing the worst outcome or highlighting vicious drives of following the motto Do What You Love. The opera is also a cliché version of historic opera, uniting typical baroque opera characters and styles with quasi AI Generated, cliché, stereotypical music. Synopsis: The Artist is preparing for a huge audition that …

Accessible & Inclusive Music-Making, Lincoln Byass

Postgraduate

This research project aimed to assist musicians with intellectual disabilities in the collaborative music-making process. By designing and implementing accessible techniques, the study addressed the question: "What songwriting and music production techniques can support musicians with intellectual disabilities to create original music?" The outcome was a framework of techniques and three original compositions created in collaboration with these musicians.

Using qualitative methods such as autoethnography, action research, observations, and music-specific practices, the project involved multiple collaborative sessions where participants actively engaged in music composition and recording. Techniques included pre-production interviews, influence analysis, instrument experimentation, and lyrical exploration. The findings highlight …

Suite De Ballet By Gustav Holst: A Transcription For Wind Orchestra, Charles Greggerson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document includes a wind band transcription of all four movements of Gustav Holst’s orchestral work Suite de Ballet, Op.10, H. 43. An overview of the background of the work and a historical background of the composer is included. The defense of transcriptions, criteria for selection of pieces and problems associated with the transcription process are examined along with the techniques utilized in the solution of problems within the context of this transcription.

Adapting Traditional Flamenco Music For The Modern Marimba Artist, Gabriela Ordoñez Villalobos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document is a compilation of information and exercises for the percussionist to learn how to play Traditional Flamenco on marimba. The document contains a brief history of flamenco and the explanation of the elements of four different palos flamencos (subgenres) to introduce the marimbist to the basic musical elements and structure of each palos flamencos. It also includes musical exercises written specifically for marimba. These exercises are traditional components of authentic Flamenco music and can be used in performances as a soloist or as part of a Flamenco ensamble.

Flamenco music has three main elements: El cante, el toque, …

Will The Future Of Video Game Music Require Real Composers?, Nathan Barrett

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In order to gain a better understanding of video game composition and whether or not real composers will be required, I will explore a variety of categories within the field of game composition and sound design. General categories of focus will cover, 1) Basics, Standards, and Tropes for Game Composition 2) How Games Compositions Have Evolved 3) Creative Uses of Music inside of Games 4) Innovative Techniques for Game Compositions, and 5) The Ethics of Procedural Music and it's use in games.

Connection And Isolation: A Musical Exploration Of Emotion, Kimberly Ann Lewin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Music is emotional and inherently connective, and this paper addresses how research in social work and emotion can be communicated and understood using a musical performance. Using the research of Dr. Brené Brown, I explored the concept of "near" and "far enemies" of emotion with a musical perspective and commissioned composers to write a piece of their interpretation. "Near" and "far enemies" are Buddhist terms typically attributed to the Four Immeasurables: loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. The far enemy of an emotion is its opposite, and it typically produces a harsh outcome. Near enemies are not as obvious. Similar …

Defining Recomposition Through The Works Of Gregson, Richter, And Peck: Creating A Dialogue With Vivaldi And Bach To Compose New Music., Amanda Peck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recomposition has been a commonly utilized compositional method for hundreds of years, yet there is no universally accepted definition in the musical community. The existing literature on the subject is limited, so this project will examine various sources to define this term more accurately. This research analyzes successful recompositions for string ensemble, Peter Gregson’s Bach - The Cello Suites Recomposed (2018) and Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi - The Four Seasons Recomposed (2012), and my two new compositions, Air on the G String Recomposed and Vivaldi Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Minor Recomposed. My compositions incorporate the …

Digital Orchestration In Media Compositions, Jimmy Bartley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As composers gain access to better tools, digital mockups have increasingly grown in popularity. Composers often aim to emulate an idealized orchestral sound in their mockups. By understanding the nature of acoustic orchestration and instrumentation, specific techniques and approaches for virtual instruments and sample libraries, and methods to process and manipulate MIDI audio, composers can achieve this idealized sound. This thesis will focus on the common techniques and methods that composers can use to achieve this in digital mockups. Concluding the thesis is an original work that combines digital and live instruments while exploring different techniques to achieve an ideal …

J.S. Bach's Application Of The Baroque Violin Concerto In His Violin Concerti In A Minor, Bwv 1041 And E Major, Bwv 1042, Stephanie Krell

Great Plains Graduate Review

Concerti from the Baroque to contemporary times stand as one of the pillars of the violin repertoire. The form initially developed in the 1600s as composers experimented with groups of performers. It became increasingly standardized in the early 1700s, with the violin concerto advancing as a favored application. Several Baroque composers contributed characteristics that were absorbed into the violin concerti of the period, including Arcangelo Correlli, Giuseppe Torelli and Antonio Vivaldi.

Johann Sebastian Bach analyzed the traits of violin concerti from earlier and contemporaneous composers, incorporating certain features while modifying others in his own works. This may be observed in …

Telling Stories Through Music—Music Without Words, Isabella Thomas

Composition/Recording Projects

This paper explores the study of listening modes associated with music with lyrics and instrumental music without words. Studies are explained in depth with explanations to current culture and society. The history of Neoclassical and Minimalist music in discussed in relevance to American culture. This background information leads into the creation of my own original compositions and how i have been inspired by life and culture around me.

Methods Of Storytelling In Music: An Analysis Of Tchaikovsky's 'The Tempest', Katherine Cornell

Senior Honors Theses

Throughout history, music has been employed in storytelling. By presenting a story in musical terms, composers can bring stories to life, creating auditory atmospheres which connect the listener to the story in a deeper way. One medium composers have done this through is program music, a musical genre which seeks to tell a story through music in association with a descriptive title or short program, relying on the imagination of the listener instead of spoken word or visible action. One example is Tchaikovsky’s The Tempest, Op. 18, TH 44, an orchestral fantasia meant to convey Shakespeare’s The Tempest …

Modern String Writing In Various Styles, Se Young Ko

Composition/Recording Projects

The purpose of this project was to demonstrate the use of modern string writing in various styles. The project includes over 25 minutes of recorded original compositions, four pieces written for a string quintet (with bass) and one piece written for a piano quintet. The paper is organized in two parts. The first part discusses the composers and works that influenced this album. The second part is a compositional analysis of the album and how the influences for the music were appropriately used while the artist maintained his unique musical language. A production note is provided to explain the recording/mixing …

Compositional Practices In The Accompaniment Of Celtic Trad Music, Mason Taylor

Composition/Recording Projects

n this research paper, I look at how traditional Irish folk musicians—“Trad” as it is commonly referred to by musicians in the style––approach, think of, and perform accompaniment, specifically the contrapuntal style that is common amongst mandolin and bouzouki players. Trad has evolved greatly over the years. Originally, Trad was performed without any form of accompaniment—no guitar, no piano, no cello. Many solo instruments, such as the flute and the fiddle, would play the same melody with the only harmony occurring at moments where performers would momentarily diverge from the melody with an improvised ornament. Somewhere along its varied history, …

Indistinct Personalities: The Threads Between Modern Hip-Hop, R&B, Jazz, And Gospel Guitar And Production, Tahina A. Fiaferana

Composition/Recording Projects

As a guitarist in the world of commercial music, part of the job is to be able to play and cover as many styles and genres as possible. In a world in which the lines between genres are continually being blurred, this skill becomes even more valuable. Modern hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and gospel music are perfect examples of this. While these genres are constantly bringing new innovations to the music scene, they are also very clearly influencing and collaborating with each other. When looking at modern artists such as Robert Glasper, Tye Tribbett, H.E.R, Victoria Monet, Butcher Brown, Flying Lotus, …

Aardvark: A Solo Guitar Album, Jeffrey W. Buchanan

Composition/Recording Projects

In this production paper, I discuss the entire process of creating my debut solo guitar album, Aardvark. There are ten songs on the albums, eight of which are originals and two of which are arrangements of existing music for solo guitar. Each chapter focuses on a specific song and dissects all elements that went into its creation, including the composition process, the type of guitar used, theoretical analyses, and any technical roadblocks I had to overcome. Several of my influences for the music on this album include Ted Greene, Bill Evans, Francisco Tárrega, Dream Theater, and music from the video …

Composing A Cadenza For Mozart's Violin Concerto In A Major, Gracie Hayes

Honors Projects

Historically, soloists from the Western art music tradition were expected to improvise a virtuosic passage during their performance of a concerto—that is, an extensive orchestral work featuring an instrumental soloist. These improvised passages, called cadenzas, were performed unaccompanied by the soloist during a prominent cadence and were derived from the ornamentation that occurred naturally during cadences in vocal arias. Contemporary composers write out these virtuosic passages for performers, who are rarely expected to improvise during a performance, with the exception of jazz musicians. When performing works dating from before the Romantic period, musicians are left with a dilemma. Should they …