Music Composition 2

Explore techniques such as motivic and rhythmic development, counterpoint, and energy mapping to expand your capabilities as a composer.

The course is designed to guide you through the process of constructing compositions that effectively lead performers and audiences through your musical ideas. The course focuses on four key areas: motivic development, counterpoint, form, and rhythmic development.

The course begins with motivic development, teaching you how to transform short melodic fragments into extended passages. You’ll then explore counterpoint, or the interplay between melodies, and how to create harmonic tension and resolution. From there, you’ll discover how to structure a piece around key arrival points. You’ll then dive dive into rhythmic development and variation as a way to build momentum and drive your compositions.

By the end of the course, you’ll have created a complete composition that showcases your ability to craft a dynamic musical narrative. The goal of the course is to push your creativity, enhance your technical skills, and foster a deeper understanding of how to build larger musical forms.

What you will learn:

✔ Apply advanced motivic development techniques to create varied and engaging melodic material
✔ Write effective counterpoint, balancing consonance and dissonance across multiple voices
✔ Construct and analyze energy maps for compositions, managing overall structure and flow
✔ Utilize complex rhythmic devices to support and enhance compositional goals

Prerequisite Skills:

• Completion of Music Composition 1, or equivalent knowledge and/or experience