OCA Music:

Selection of Learning Log Entries

Student Name: Dashiel Jordan

Student Number: 526960

Course: Music composition

Submitted for Assessment in: [insert date]

LO1: [Write short pieces for untuned percussion]

Work example 1 

I wanted to have full command of the piece I was writing so I (re)learned to play the drums for this project. I already somewhat of a beginner’s ability. My friend, a graduate of New park jazz school, lent me his cymbal, snare and some sheets of sight-reading exercises and I began to get stuck into them. I also downloaded a ‘Rhythm generator’ app and began practising on this daily. With this practice under my belt, I began my composition for assignment one. 

Reasons for selection:

[This demonstrates my willingness to engage with the material in a practical, hands-on and dedicated approach]

Work example 2 

[My tuition in choral writing for four-part, SATB choir. I received tuition from my cousin, who is a composer and pianist, over zoom. Beginning with analysing the Bach chorales, he taught me the rules of voice writing and how to implement them. It was an arduous process in the beginning, as he warned me, but the results and eventual progress was very satisfying and beneficial for my understanding of harmony.]

Reasons for selection:

[I now understand that voice writing is fundamental knowledge for any composer. Once I learned these rules, I believe it gave me more compositional liberation than restriction. Not only can I now write for choir, which alone is thrilling enough, but these skills also translate when writing for other ensembles and instruments. Often ‘limiting’ myself to four voices, I find more harmonic clarity. More often than not, less is more. I believe it is the most powerful compositional tool I have learned. ]

LO2: [Compose melodic lines, add descants and explore less familiar scales]

Work example 1 

Reasons for selection:

[insert a brief explanation of how the work demonstrates that you have met the learning outcome and why you chose it]

Work example 2 

My melodic exploration of the Middle-Eastern scale for project 7 exploring different scales.

Reasons for selection:

This is an exploration of a non diatonic and non western scale.

Work example 3 

My analysis of Virgil Thompsons Sonata for flute alone, for project 6 (assignment 2) ‘analysing a solo composition’

I chose this as it is an analysis of a sonata which could be called a long-form, or ‘extensive melody’, if you will.

LO3: [Write counterpoint in two parts]

Work example 1 

In project 11 of part 4, we were asked to invent a suitable companion melody for two melodies provided. I did so and was pleased with the results. Harmonising has always pleased me.

Work example 2 

My second counter-melody invention.

Work example 3 

My melody that was invented, to which a counter-melody was then invented beneath.

LO4: [Make some explorations with harmonic progressions]

Work example 1 

[My submission for string quartet competition. I composed a piece for string quartet based on a chord progression I wrote on a string patch on a keyboard. It was going to be a simple pop arrangement, but I decided to apply the skills I was learning to write it for a string quartet, and the competition was the perfect motivation. I submitted this for a string quartet competition. I did not win, but I am grateful to have received feedback as to why. I was told it needed more rhythmic complexity. I am working on this, challenging myself to play faster pieces on piano. I intend on revising this work with this advice in mind. ]

Reasons for selection:

[I think this demonstrates the power of the elaboration of a simple musical idea into a more developed extensive musical statement. ]

Work example 2 

[String quartet for my song ‘Circles’. In November of 2021, I hired a real string quartet to play on my song, ‘Circles’ in Sol de Sants studio in Barcelona. Initially, my producer was going play a ‘fake quartet’, overdubbing each instrument himself, but we decided it would be worth recording the real thing, so I composed an arrangement and we hired the quartet. While composing the challenge was to support the vocal while sitting well in the mix of the full ‘band’. (my producer Alberto Perez plays the rhythm section). I love full harmony, so my tendency is to write as many voices as possible, but here I found I had to really strip it back to fewer voices with more melodic lines. It was enlightening seeing how much can be ‘said’ with one note, especially with the rich harmonics of strings.  

Reasons for selection: 

[This demonstrates how I composed an arrangement for string quartet for a song of my own, worked with musicians in a live setting and executed a recording]

Work example 3 

[In June of this year I had the opportunity to compose for and record, a string section at Sol de Sants studio, in Barcelona.  They were recording David Holmes’ score for ‘Marlowe’, an upcoming noir movie starring Liam Neeson. Since there was more than enough time booked in the studio for recording the score, I composed arrangements for two of my songs and we recorded them afterwards. Brian Irvine was there as a conductor. He encouraged me to conduct for my two songs myself, but I didn’t in the end. 

Working with these professionals was humbling yet uplifting. I had new challenges to face, writing for strings in 6 voices. Working with the musicians, in person, on the day, was also a challenge. I did not provide any dynamic instruction on the scores. So we had to figure this out on the day, under the pressure of time. Brian Irvine was very helpful in that regard. 

This was thrilling to hear the added harmonic colour.

Reasons for selection:

[This was a real milestone for me, being the most voices I have composed for, and the most musicians that I’ve collaborated with.]

Welcome to WordPress! This is your first post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey.