21M.065 Intro to Musical Composition

21M.065 Introduction to Musical Composition

Sp 24 - TR 12:30-2p 4-158

Evan Ziporyn - zipo@mit.edu

Office hours: TR 2-3pm or by appointment (in 10-283 or via Zoom)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Introduction to Musical Composition is a hands-on, project-oriented class, a series of guided composition projects, each focused on different ways of accessing your ideas and expressing them musically. These will culminate in a larger, final composition of your own design, which will be rehearsed, workshopped, and performed by professional musicians. 

In addition to acquiring and/or improving compositional tools and skills, we will focus on various aspects of the musical experience – materials, form & structure, sound, modality (melodic and rhythmic), counterpoint, creativity and expression - as composers, performers, and listeners. We'll listen to and discuss one another's compositions-in-progress, as well as listening to a wide range of music from diverse cultures and genres, and reading various composer's own words about how - and why - they do what they do.  

CLASS ZOOM (when/if we use it): 949 6747 2591 - Password: Hildegard!

WHAT YOU'LL COMPOSE

Projects will include ‘pure’ composition using notation software, composing for video and games, using microphones and DAWS (digital audio work stations) to create sound sculptures, using MIDI sequencers to create beats and grooves, and making modular music in virtual environments.

PROJECT 1 will focus on minimalist/process music, based in particular on Terry Riley's In C and Laurie Anderson's O Superman;

PROJECT 2 you'll compose music to accompany a short film excerpt of your choice;

PROJECT 3 you'll be sound hunters-and-gatherers, then building a piece of musique concrète from the samples you've compiled. 

PROJECT 4 is TBA;

FINAL PROJECT will be a 3-5' piece for the Sheffield String Quartet, which will be workshopped remotely and then performed live on the final day of class (you can also choose a different final project with my approval). 

By end of term you will have created 4-5 complete pieces, honed your notational skills and musicianship, improved your orchestration and arranging abilities, and learned the basics of sequencing, recording, and audio editing.   You'll have been exposed to an extremely wide variety of music and creative practices. Last but not least, will also have gotten the experience of working with professional musicians, the Sheffield Ensemble, with whom you'll workshop your final project and who will perform it on the last day of class.  

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS CLASS:

MIDI/USB keyboard, connected to your computer (if you don't own one, MTA has a limited number which can be loaned to enrolled students on a first-come/first-serve basis - if you'd like to be put on the list to borrow a keyboard, please let me know ASAP!

Notation software - recommended: Musescore [free]; or some variety of Sibelius [not free, but more fully loaded]. If you wish to use other apps, please speak to me first!

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software - recommended Audacity [free & cross-platform]; other possibilities: GarageBand [Mac], Reaper, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, FL Studio

Digital Drum Machine - recommended Hydrogen [free]; 

Time & space to make music with concentration and focus.

COURSE WORK will consist of:

WRITING MUSIC! Please expect to spend several hours per week composing and revising. Most composition assignments will be due at the beginning of the week.

PRESENTING YOUR WORK IN CLASS – in progress and when completed - through (as appropriate) notation, MIDI realizations, live performance, recordings.

RESPONDING CONSTRUCTIVELY in class to each other’s music, and being open to both giving and receiving feedback.

RESPONDING (in Discussion Posts & in class discussion) to weekly short listening/reading assignments, and being present, respectful and responsive to periodic class guests (composers, performers). These will generally be assigned in Tuesday class, due before class on Thursday.  It's particularly important that you give your best preparation and attention to our guests, who will include composer/performer Pamela Z, (winner of MIT's 2023 McDermott Award), composer Christine Southworth, violinist Natalie Lin Douglas, the Sheffield Ensemble, and acclaimed Hollywood film editor Joe E. Rand (whose work this year alone includes Killers of the Flower Moon and Dune Part Two (previous credits include The Batman, Crazy Rich Asians, Titanic, and too many other films to mention).

ATTENDING three live concerts and writing extremely short reports (500-750 words, on a rolling deadline) based on ONE PIECE heard at each of these events. If possible, I would like you to one of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's concerts on April 11-14 (MIT will provide you with tickets), my own recital (which will feature music studied in the class) on Sunday, March 10, and at least one other concert of your own choosing.

CLASS POLICIES - Attendance, Late Assignments/Papers, CoVID & Other Health Contingencies, Zoom, Technology (Devices in Class), Academic Integrity, Accessible Learning, Student Support Services

ENROLLMENT - IS THIS THE RIGHT COURSE FOR ME?

ASSIGNMENTS/HOMEWORK/WORK FLOW

Assignments (composition & listening/reading) will be given during the first class session each week, and posted on Canvas more or less concurrently. Until spring break, this will generally consist of: 

-MICRO & SHORT COMPOSITION PROJECTS- short or medium – generally due by Monday 6p (but see specific assignments to be sure).

-LISTENING/READING assignments to which you'll be asked to write SHORT DISCUSSION POSTS, generally due Wednesday evenings, before midnight (again, see specific assignments to be sure)

For all of the above, work will be incremental, with each week’s assignment building on what came before. For that reason, no late work will be accepted, other than for reasons of illness or emergency. If your work is incomplete by the deadline, please turn it in as is.

-FINAL PROJECT. To give time to our guest performers to learn the pieces (which they'll perform on May 14, the last day of class), these will need to be completed by May 9. The tentative schedule (subject to change) for the final project is:

APRIL 11 6p– PROJECT PROPOSAL DUE

WEEK OF APRIL 11 – MEET w/me individually

APRIL 18 6p – FIRST DRAFTS DUE; peer reviews

APRIL 29 11:59p – ROUGH DRAFTS

MAY 9 12:30p – FINISHED COMPOSITION DUE

MAY 14 – PERFORMANCES OF FINAL PROJECTS