Requirements for Participation in the Workshops
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- We do NOT require an audition or a submission of scores in order to participate. However, we DO require that you be studying regularly with a teacher who can oversee the writing process. It does not necessarily have to be a composition teacher, but it must be a teacher who can help you between workshops and make sure that you are making progress.
- A student MUST be able to properly notate and write their own music. Because the musicians in the workshops will be playing from the scores and parts written by participants, it is essential that a student have a grasp of how to write music on the page – simply playing it into a computer and letting the computer do the work can result in very odd or unplayable notation.
- A student should have some prior composing experience. We recommend that a student have completed a piece for a solo instrument before tackling a work for multiple instruments.
- We require that you be able to attend all workshops except in the case of emergencies or sickness.
- Students should be in grades 6–12, although we will take younger students with the specific recommendation of a teacher.
Above, Aaron Parecki listens intently to the first play-through of his piece. (Photo courtesy OPB.)
Our Workshops have Several Goals:
- To provide students with the opportunity to experiment and develop musical ideas while having professional musicians at their disposal.
- To provide the opportunity for young composers to develop their creativity and skill in working with multiple instruments.
- To provide the chance for students to have their work publicly performed by a professional ensemble.
- To provide teachers the opportunity to have an ensemble at the disposal of their students, enabling them to make suggestions or to develop ideas on the spot.
Format
The ensemble will include violin, cello, flute, Bb clarinet, and piano.
Each student will have the opportunity to work with the ensemble on his/her piece and to listen to the other composers and their pieces. Teachers attending the workshop can join in working with their students and the ensemble. In order that the students are able to get the most from these workshops, we request that those enrolling have some prior compositional experiences, i.e. completing a work and having it presented in a public performance.
Above, Jessica Hunt listens to the final rehearsal of her piece. (Photo courtesy OPB.)
The Schedule
The workshop will cover the basic orchestration using flute, Bb clarinet, cello, piano and percussion. Among the topics to be covered will be range, transposition, problems of bowing and breathing, articulations, and idiomatic writing for the individual instruments. Examples will be provided for each instrument.
Note: times and locations below may change.
Workshop I
Saturday October 24, 2009
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Lewis & Clark College Music Building
Students will be scheduled at individual times and are not expected to attend for the entire day. Students should bring a “work-in-progress.” They will have the opportunity to hear their music tried on different solo instruments, in different instrumental combinations, experiment with new colors, special effects, etc. The ensemble will include violin, cello, flute, Bb clarinet, and piano. The musicians will work with the students, providing workshop will be taped for each student to use as a reference.
Insight Into Orchestral Scores (optional)
Saturday December 5, 2009 (time to be announced)
Saturday January 9, 2010 (time to be announced)
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Jeff Payne will take the young composers through an orchestral score that the orchestra will then rehearse.
Workshop II
Saturday January 30, 2010
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Lewis & Clark College Music Building
Students bring their composition that has been further developed since the previous workshop. They will have the opportunity to hear their music listening especially for balance, ensemble, instrumentation, etc., to check notation, transposition, and to make final decisions about the form and character of their piece.
Workshop III
Saturday April 17, 2010
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Lewis & Clark College Music Building
Students bring their completed pieces in order to check accuracy in dynamics, articulations, etc. in the final copy.
Young Composers Concert
Sunday May 2, 2010
3:00 PM
Lewis and Clark College, Evans Auditorium
The concert will be professionally taped and a copy of the recording will be sent to all student participants.
Above, A full house applauds Jessica Hunt’s “Nacht Ohne Mond”. (Photo courtesy OPB.)
Things to bring to the workshops
- A blank recordable CD. Please do not bring CDs that have been previously recorded. Our machine will not record over a previous recording.
- Manuscript paper and pencil or pen.
- For the first workshop students should bring 7 copies (or individual parts) of their music-in-progress: five for the performers, one copy for the composer and one copy for the teacher if he/she is present. DO NOT BRING ORIGINAL COPIES. We will be making changes on this music.
- For the second and third workshops and rehearsals/concert the ensemble needs individual parts.
- It is not required that the students use all instruments in their pieces. Experienced Project participants are encouraged to compose for the instruments they are less familiar with. For instance, if the experienced YCP composer is a pianist, then YCP encourages him/her to choose from the other instruments for the composition.