Class Composition - Day 12 and Beyond!

Day 12 + 

We are essentially done writing. We got through version 2.1 and basically had everything in place. I added an accompaniment for each song since none of them know how to do that yet. The last step before printing a "final" version is to add dynamics and finish formatting for page turns and whatnot. The four songs all sound completely different. I'm really proud of my students for seeing this project through to fruition. The benefit of the work they've done is that by the time we have the song finalized, they have basically learned it already. It's now mostly a matter of learning the harmonies. 

We have a little under a month before the concert (June 14). After the concert, I'll choose one or two of them and I'll make a longer post where I'll show you examples of the process. Thank you for those that have followed along. I hope to be able to present at NAfME and ACDA conventions and other places about this. If you'd like me to help you figure out how to do it with your class, I'd be happy to. I could meet over the phone, over Zoom, or in person. Let's talk!

One last thing....speaking of composition, if you haven't listened to my podcast, Moveable Do, you should. I have a series of interviews where I talk to composers about their lives, musical journeys, and works. Some of the people I've interviewed: Jake Runestad, Jocelyn Hagan, Tim Takach, Rollo Dilworth, Rosephanye Powell, Paul Aitken, Roger Emerson, Kurt Bestor, Kurt Heinecke (VeggieTales), Wayne Lytle (Animusic), Dan Forrest, and Eric Whitacre...just to name a few. I'm closing in on the end of season 4, so I have 50+ interviews for you to binge. Check out Moveable Do!