Reflection

WRITE A 300-400 WORD REFLECTION ON OUR TWO DAYS OF LIVE REHEARSALS

 * What you learned, and the benefit of such an experience (musically and otherwise).
 * Impressions of your music when heard live vs. when working in Noteflight
 * Typed in Word and emailed to **watsons@parklandsd.org**

__**EXAMPLE from 2010-11 Parkland HS Class:**__ Our final AP Music Theory project has been extremely effective in both applying many concepts we have learned in class this year (part writing, music notation, music production, etc.) and in providing us with another opportunity to grow as leaders and musicians. First, the work I contributed to this project gave me a new kind of appreciation for composers both past and present. With every composition assignment we have been given, I am humbled more and more by the amount of focus and dedication necessary to be successful as a composer. The attention to detail, the crucial necessity of specificity and the sheer amount of time necessary to notate each part, whether with modern technology or by hand, all involve arduous work and painstaking concentration. What is especially thrilling to me, however, is the way that a composer’s one simple gesture on a page can suggest so much; one small phrase of expression text, one slur here, an accent there, can inspire the musician to unlock a whole set of new doors of human thought and emotion. The artistry which a composer’s pen (or computer mouse) possesses is positively mind-blowing.

This project also reminded me of the formidable talent within the walls of Parkland High School. I could not help being in awe of my fellow instrumentalists – here they were, sight-reading strange, high-school-level musical compositions during the very last few days of school, and doing so with flying colors. I am glad out of principle’s sake that I gave copies of my music to the instrumentalists ahead of time, but I have no doubts that they still would have been able to sight-read my piece very successfully that morning had I not done so. Working with live performers helped me to better appreciate the benefits of being ahead of the game as a composer and as an organizer; the earlier I had my end of the work done, the earlier I could communicate details and logistics to the people involved in the performance of my piece.

As we performed these pieces, I was struck by another wave of new realizations. Never before had I felt so profoundly the power of formal music notation and its ability to communicate consistently and accurately so many ideas to so many different kinds of people from around the world. Just before our first rehearsal, some of the strings players admitted to me that they had not had time to listen to Noteflight play through my piece. Even though these people had no idea what to expect, by simply reading the music on their stands, they could still understand their part and my intentions as a composer, and they ultimately played their parts just as well as others. Being specific, organized and accurate with one’s work is instrumental in being successful in the world, and music composition is obviously no exception.

All in all, our final AP Music Theory project presented a wonderful opportunity for our class to learn as musicians and as individuals. We explored our craft while working with others instead of isolating ourselves in practice rooms. We constantly reflected on the process, sharpening our language skills and learning from each other’s struggles. We gained insight into the world of the music industry, cultivating a new level of appreciation for composers, producers and performers alike. We grew as people.