Group 1
Welcome to the NEW FOUR WEEK INTENSIVE on tonebase!
This special FOUR-week workshop is a journey into the heart of piano composition, tailored for both beginners and seasoned pianists. Dr. Antonella Di Giulio will share her insights and techniques in creating structured piano compositions, drawing from her experience as a pianist, music theorist, and teacher.
Pianists of all levels are welcome.
More Detailed instructions coming soon!
- Sign-Up : January 12 - 15th
- Course Period: January 15th - February 11th
- Class Size: ALL are welcome!
- Optional check-In via Zoom: TBD
Assignment 1:
VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/uO_4ITnzrvo
"We will start this creative musical journey by exploring the cognitive processes of creativity and then we will dive into practical strategies you can use to start writing your own music. Creativity in music involves preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification.
Musical storytelling, theme and variation, collaborative composition, and constraint-based composing are powerful strategies to start creating music.
Improvisation is a key tool for developing musical intuition and creativity.
Tools to Begin Outlining Your Composition
- Manuscript Paper or Notation Software
- Piano or Keyboard
- Recording Device
- Reference Materials
- Creative Journal:
Breaking the Ice with Composition
For those who are new to composing or feel intimidated at the prospect of creating a full-fledged piece like a sonata, it's essential to start small and approach the process with a sense of exploration and fun. Here are some suggestions to ease into the composition process:
- Start with a Miniature Composition
- Improvise Freely
- Use a Familiar Piece as a reference
- Set a Time Limit
- Embrace the 'Sketch'
Assignments:
- Choose one of the strategies you might want to try out, maybe one you might feel more comfortable with and start experimenting with it.
For "Musical Storytelling:" write a short story with about 5 or more different scenes, create some sounds or ideas for each scene and write the notes down (symbols or sketches are ok!)
For "Theme and Variation": choose a short theme, start sketching what you could do with the theme (for instance, Var. 1/ in triplets, Var. 2/ in quadruplets, Var. 4/ in minor)
For "Collaborative Composition": find a partner or a group, start with a few notes, pass them along to your partner(s), let them complete the sentence, then continue what they have done and keep exchanging ideas.
For "Constraint-Based Composing": chose a constraint. For instance, you might want to work only with a certain rhythmic pattern, or only using certain pitches, or even transcribe an existing composition. Then start sketching your own piece on that base.
- Sketch a Short Piece: Using the chosen method, start outlining a short piece of music.
- Reflective Journal: Keep a musical journal of your process, noting your thoughts, challenges, and insights. It is easy to forget a short motive or a beautiful accompaniment if we do not write it down.
- Post your progress to receive suggestions and feedback.
Remember, it has to be fun!
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Assignment #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdHlCiIIMuY&feature=youtu.be
"In the second week of the workshop, we will explore the intricate world of musical structure. Because each one of you is working on very different projects, it would be meaningless to just analyze traditional types of structures and the overused traditional forms. Instead, I have chosen to focus on two general concepts that can help everybody.
I will introduce two essential structural concepts: paradigmatic and syntagmatic structures. Paradigmatic structure, likened to a musical palette, involves making choices from available musical elements such as melodies, harmonies, rhythms, dynamics, and articulations vertically, to create depth and meaning in a piece. Syntagmatic structures help craft a narrative and focus on the sequence of musical events over time and the logical flow within a composition.
Music composition is a dynamic interplay between structure and creativity. So... if you consider these two main structural concepts, you might feel free to move within a structure in whichever way you'd like.
Assignments for Week Two: "Unlocking the Secrets of Musical Structure"
Paradigmatic Exploration: Choose a section of your composition and experiment with different paradigmatic choices. Alter the harmony, rhythm, or articulation to evoke different emotions or moods. Reflect on how these changes impact the overall expression of your piece.
Syntagmatic Storytelling: Review the structure of your composition. Ensure it has a clear narrative arc – introduction, development, climax, and conclusion. Consider the transitions between sections and how they contribute to the flow of your music.
Balancing Act: Explore how you can seamlessly blend paradigmatic and syntagmatic elements in your composition. Identify moments where introducing new musical material enhances the overall impact of your piece."
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Assignment #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg43G3uOOH0
"This workshop focuses on understanding music as a system of signs and codes, following Umberto Eco's theories. The session aims to expand participants' understanding of how musical elements convey meaning within a composition's structure.
Key Points:
Music as a System of Signs:
Emphasis on how music uses signs like notes, rhythms, dynamics to communicate. Discussion on the semiotics of music.
Eco's Theories:
Exploration of Umberto Eco's concepts of 'Structures That Move' and 'Structures Within Which We Move', applying them to music composition.
Musical Codes in Composition:
Importance of understanding and creatively using musical codes. Discussion on genre-specific codes and cross-genre exploration.
Crafting Music with Intention:
Focus on intentional use of musical codes to enrich narrative and emotional depth in compositions.
Practical Assignments:
Analyzing Musical Codes:
Choose a music piece, identify and analyze its musical codes, understanding their contribution to the piece's message and emotion.
Composing with 'Structures That Move'/ 'Structures Within Which We Move':
Apply this concept to your piece.
Examine how codes combine in music to express meaning. Add codes to unlock the meaning in your piece.
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Assignment #4 (Final!)
"As we consider finalizing our compositions with the rhizomatic concept in mind, it's important to embrace the idea that a composition might never be 'finished' in the traditional sense but can always remain open to new interpretations and developments. Your composition is complete not when every possibility has been explored but when it provides a coherent musical experience that feels resolved yet open to further exploration.
Assignments for the Final Week
Review with Rhizomatic Perspective: Revisit your composition, considering the interconnectedness and multiplicity of musical ideas. Reflect on how each segment offers paths to new explorations.
Subtle Refinements: Focus on detail-oriented tweaks that enhance the interconnected themes, ensuring each motif contributes to the overall rhizomatic structure.
Seek Feedback: Gather diverse perspectives on your composition's rhizomatic nature. Use this feedback to open new paths within your work.
Embrace Evolution: Allow your composition to develop organically, exploring alternative paths and creative experimentations.
Maintain Your Vision: Ensure your rhizomatic composition remains true to your original intent, even as it evolves and expands.
Final Presentation: Prepare to share your composition here on Tonebase on February 20th (watchparty)
As we conclude this workshop, remember that composing with a rhizomatic perspective enriches your creative process, offering endless possibilities for growth and exploration. Your compositions become living, breathing entities, constantly evolving and inviting new interpretations. Thank you for joining me on this unconventional journey!
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Here is my first go. I've enjoyed doing this. Except for writing it down on paper at the piano which was a hassle, and then transferring it to Sibelius, with help from a friend, was even worse. It took ages.
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Richard Littlewood I thought I replied to this and ... somehow I did not post it lol. Great starting point! Learning how to use a notation software is a pain, but it will get better over time. I might imagine this section as being the B section of a larger piece in F maybe? Or a piece in C with this section modulating to an F key. I would add some rhythmic patterns to the bass line and use the rhythm as the main feature of this piece. Keep working on it :)
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Antonella Di Giulio As it stands the piece is in F for sure. I tried to end it in C but it didn't let me. It was strange playing this because I kept wanting to escape out of the place I was in, in F and G minor and a bit of C, but I couldn't find a way
I'll see if anything comes to me next week. And I will look more at the left hand which is very thin at the moment.
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Richard Littlewood Then maybe it should have another section at the beginning :) I think you might also try a few different harmonic progressions.
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Antonella Di Giulio Thank you for this! I'm looking forward to these 4 weeks. Unfortunately, I received some very bad news at work this week which has affected my headspace the last couple of days but I will try my best.
I started with a story idea of a child skipping along in puddles. While the child is enjoying this, the rain comes out again and leaves the child soaked. But of course, being a child, all the rain has really done is make the puddles bigger, and more fun to splash in, ending with one giant leap into a now much larger puddle.
Some of the ideas I am playing around with and things I'm trying to capture is the sense of movement and lightness of the child, with a contrast to the gray and cold of the rain. I like the sense of dark moodiness and sadness that G minor brings, and for me it is this sense of optimism, hope and looking past the rain that the child brings, that contrasts this and makes it, for me at least, an expression of trying to find a bit of hope in sadness.
The attached sheet music is still fairly rough, and you'll see one of the areas that I'm struggling with is how to connect the A and B parts, and then back to the variation of the A in the end, in a way that is organic.
I'd be very grateful for any advice as well as any ways that I can strengthen the ideas above that I would like to convey. Thank you!
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Steven Meunier beautiful beginning. Maybe attach each scene to some sounds in your beautiful story.
i would also think about “playability” of the piece (for instance, maybe you might modify a bit the part with the 10th :) )/
Could you use some inversions of the chords on the accompaniment?
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Antonella Di Giulio Thank you very much for the advice! I will use your suggestions and keep working on the piece.
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A waltz by our group (still in progress).
Contributors so far: Vidhya Bashyam Andrea Buckland Harriet Kaplan
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Here is the sheet music up to today. We haven’t added dynamics in the sheet music yet. That plus more additions to come.
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Harriet Kaplan Vidhya Bashyam Andrea Buckland This is fantastic!! So much fun to listen to and watch you create this dance together.
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Michelle R Thanks! We are having fun!
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Harriet Kaplan this is great. Very inspiring piece
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Harriet Kaplan Wow... I love it! Great job... and what next?
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Antonella Di Giulio Vidhya Bashyam is really the composer; the rest of us provided embellishments.
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Harriet Kaplan Not at all. Just a foundation without floors, walls and decor. You and Andrea Buckland have added two beautiful levels on top. Can’t wait to see what Gail Starr and Natalie Peh add to our musical house next.
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Hi all. I've been arranging for a long time, and have done a little bit of composing, but it's almost exclusively been religious in nature and songs/hymns with vocals. I haven't written anything from scratch for instrumental piano since I was a young piano student (I'm 56 now), so I'm using this as a way to try to loosen up my creativity (I'm a perfectionist/left brain type).
I decided to write a story. Specifically, I started with my "happy place" that I used to imagine when doing meditation - floating on my back in spring waters in a warm/tropical place (Costa Rica?) with a light rain.I started with a bunch of playing around (MIDI recorded) with the theme and filtered down what I liked. I've narrowed it down to about ten short clips of moods to stitch together (yeah, probably still too many) and an approximate order:
1 - at 0:01) pensive mood, light droplets (major key, but minor fourth chords)2 - 0:13) little more rain (minor chords)
3 - 0:30) rain picking up, major chords, not sure if this belongs here although I like it
4 - 0:39) darker clouds roll in
5 - 0:48) pure raindrops, leading to:
6 - 0:54) downpour (major chords)
7 - 0:59) thorough soaking for the plants (minor chords)
8 - 1:12) contemplation afterwards? (minor)
9 - 1:20, 10 - 1:32, 11 - 1:40) sunlight breaking through, more upbeat major chords until end
Probably can't/shouldn't keep them all (I hate that part but have learned it's important). Would love suggestions and comments on what you like most or what works together best.
Thanks!
Stephen
P.S. Michael Bruce Re: "self judgment" Yeah, I get this *every single time* one of my arrangements is performed or even practiced. I'm feeling it while posting this now, worried it's not "good enough."-
Stephen Weatherford I liked the soaking plants section the best. I don’t know what you mean by not keeping them all. I know it’s not good to overdue things, but it depends on what story you are telling which is more like a ballade then a normal abba song.
i think we both did something similar when we started outlining our piece before we started writing.
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Stephen Weatherford So Great! I love it...
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Antonella Di Giulio Thanks!
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I think that at the end of this workshop I am going to study your beautiful pieces for myself :) You all did such an amazing job in just one week!
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Antonella Di Giulio End of this workshop? I thought it was till Feb 11th?
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Michael Bruce well… at the end of this intensive
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Hello,
I am late to joining in but wanted to add my week 1 work to the group. I decided to try the Theme and Variations approach as a longer form was a bit daunting to me right now. As a private teacher, I currently tend to think in terms of pedagogical composition. I have written out a theme this week that I think would appeal to a student, repeatedly returning to it to make sure it stayed interesting but simple enough that there was much room for variation (I have a attached a .pdf). I may add variations that incorporate challenges appropriate for an early intermediate student. I'm currently working on what those variations may look like.
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Dustin Anderson beautiful theme! I was just thinking that if it has to be a work you use with students, especially as a theme for further variations, it could be easier to write it in two voices (bass line and melody). Then you can add different layers in the variations. It sounds so beautiful though! Congratulations!
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I'm sorry, Antonella. I'm very late with this course. Nevertheless, here is my Theme. It sounds a bit New Age
, I don't know why... Well, I'll try to improve it for the next video and make a few variations. Thank you so much for your videos.-
Juan Carlos Olite very nice melody, Juan Carlos!
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