Farewell, Composition Class

Ok, this is my final blog of the course and it's dedicated to allt he future students of this course. Here's some helpful hints, reactions, and comments on what has occured in composition class.

First things first:
ASAP at the beginning of semester locate/purchase a good notation program (mike cheers: 'sibelius! sibelius!'..poor student: but mike i'm poor...mike: 'torrent! torrent!'). Not only should you make certain such a program is in your possession, but you should familiarize yourself with it. Ask an expert to give you a little tutorial. Plug in your sightsinging melodies to play back to you as an icebreaker-anything to get well acquainted. This close partnership will yield bountiful fruit in your future projects. You see, if you don't procrastinate getting to know your notation program, procrastinating you composition assignments will be soo much easier and less painful!
I have personally experienced such pain and did none of what I have suggested above and therefore had great difficulty doing my score for the final project.

Blogging is a great way for the class to keep in touch and discuss things we can't get around to discussing in class. i think if i had my time back i would read more of my classmates blogs and leave comments. That would also make it easier to comment on people's pieces in class since you'd know the background of their piece or what challenges they are currently facing.

Don't chuck too many ideas in a piece. A fantastic piece only needs a few mediocre ideas. Be committed to ideas and be willing to explore and develop them.

If at all possible, try to get your scores done a day early and set a weekly time with performers to rehearse your piece before class. This makes a world of difference. a)people actually get to hear what you wrote in class b) a lot less time is wasted in class sight reading and repeating c0 when it comes to the concert time it's not a mad rush to learn and put together pieces.

I really enjoyed this course! Don't take all these comments too seriously. I sort of like the living on the edge-skirting distaster adrenaline one can get procrastinating composition assignments. Farewell!