The
summer after I graduated from high school, I completed a few larger scale
compositions (T. 39-42) with my new present from Christmas: Finale 2009. I was
very excited for my first year at Brigham Young University in Utah. I came to
the school with the hope of formally studying music composition in the School
of Music. The process of preparing for my audition into the school of Music was
much more difficult than I anticipated. As part of this process, I took several
music classes, including a 100-level composition class. I wrote, and was
involved in writing, six compositions for that class (Music 188).
Even
with that composition class, I wrote many more compositions during that
freshman year. I guess it was a year of discovery and progress for me. I was
inspired by the nature around me (especially the nearby mountains) and the
entirely new experience of college life. This was also the year I discovered
minimalism. I was curious about this odd musical movement, so I chose it as my
topic for a research paper for my freshman writing class. Even years after
completing that project, I still really enjoy a lot of minimalistic music. I
still listen to Reich, Glass, Adams, Pӓrt, and others. Minimalism and new music
in general influenced my approach to music composition. That is why there is
more exploration of how instruments are used in these compositions.
I
wasn’t accepted into the BYU School of Music, but I found that I was okay with
that. I knew I still wanted to write and play music, but it won’t be my main
profession. Besides, I realized I preferred having music as a main hobby
anyway. If music was my major or my primary profession, I think it would feel
too much like work. I prefer to learn and explore at my own pace. I bought a
couple composition books and I use those as my references and textbooks, even
now.
List of BYU Freshman Works
Arrangements
Ta. 3—Nearer, My God, To Thee (Oct. 1, 2009)
Ta. 4— A Brief Tribute to John Williams on Cello (Nov. 2009)
Ta. 3—Nearer, My God, To Thee (Oct. 1, 2009)
Ta. 4— A Brief Tribute to John Williams on Cello (Nov. 2009)
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