Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

BMus 1 Composition Schedule (2022-23)

Dr Kirsty Devaney

Session 1: Ways of listening

20/09/22

• Reflecting on the creative/composing process, how to stay motivated and inspired,

and support each other
• Explore ways of listening and talking about music (technical, socio-cultural,
emotional) and the importance of developing a diverse listening list
• How to find new music

Independent Weekly Task

Discover 3 new composers/producers/songwriters and put one piece from each

composer on the class padlet for next week with a comment about what you found
interesting about their music to take on your own music
https://padlet.com/KirstyDevaney2021/uzu0auqpp40334et

Session 2: Limitations to unlock creativity

4/10/22
• Setting musical parameters to help with the “fear of the blank page”
o Hockets
o Very short pieces
o Limiting Pitch

Suggested Listening:

• Hand Movie by Yvonne Rainer

https://www.facebook.com/mundoperformance/videos/hand-movie-1966-yvonne-
rainer/820743601678835/
• Hoketus by Andriessen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CIqaLhXB2g
• Hocket by Meredith Monk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpyKOZFGeGY
• Coming up for air project: http://www.kathryngwilliams.com/coming-up-for-air.html
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

• 15 seconds of Harp https://www.15secondharp.com

• Wolters - Spring Symphony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnSmoG3CDZY
• Héloïse Werner #coronasolfege
https://www.facebook.com/HeloiseWernerMusic/videos/coronasolfege-22-is-a-
new-coronacanon-eyes-in-63-left-hand-on-beats-1-2-4-5-6-8-/266679277810311/
• One note Samba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYdrhTL3VBk
• Ligeti Musica Ricercata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIs3jechQ_E&list=PLJ1Wj4txliu57469U2Y0vSM4-
jp8HqTWK&index=14
• Skempton Axis 90 for flute and piano (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fOUMZD_zNY

Independent Weekly Task

Individually choose from a parameter/limitation below or create your own piece (any
genre/style)
- A piece that explores limit pitch sets (up to 5 pitches)
- A piece that uses the Hocket technique
- A piece involving a soloist and movement
- A piece that lasts for less that 20 seconds
- A piece that focuses on one specific instrumental technique

Session 3: Exploring timbre and texture in music

18/10/22

• Exploring sounds on own instruments

o Inc. extended techniques
o Combining sounds (blending and contrasting)
• Discuss limitations of Western Classical notation for timbral effects
Suggested Listening:

• Ligeti – Artikulation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71hNl_skTZQ

• Kajjia Saariaho – Sept Papilons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j0LcmdG1kI
• Rebecca Saunders – Yes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EITDUJ--pj8
• György Ligeti: Ramifications https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXbr1nyMFUc
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

• György Ligeti - Fragments for Chamber Orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAChyzoCAvU
• Atmosphères https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWlwCRlVh7M
o score https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPr4vRRQKvQ

Independent Weekly Task

Continue to work on “limitations’ piece reflecting on the feedback given and the topics
explored today on timbre

Bring solo pieces they enjoy listening to/playing – to perform if possible

Session 4: Composing solo works

1/11/22

• What makes a ‘good’ solo?

o How can you keep interest? Do you need to?
o Do you want imply harmony on a single line?
• Analyse solo pieces brought in

Suggested Listening:

• Bach - Cello suite no 1 BWV 1007

• Benjamin Britten - Elegy for Solo Viola
• Messiaen - Quartet for the End of Time (solo cla movement)
• Debussy- Syrinx
• Varese - Density 21.
• Berio Sequenzas

Session 5: Beyond the Keys

29/11/22

• Exploring the different sounds a piano can make

• In groups try to notate The Banshee (Cowell) & Guero (Lachenmann)
• As a group, create a piece for 1 piano and multiple performers
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

Suggested Listening

• The Banshee - Henry Cowell (1925)

o No score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLPgM_sfwoI
o Score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNQFOpYC0BY&t=15s
• John Cage – Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano:
• Guero - Helmut Lachenmann
o NO SCORE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVHl-pqaIYM&t=17s
o SCORE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QAFOffoQMY
• COWELL, Aoelian Harp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xkEg9gizc4
• Bowed piano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14jPvnWhdNM
• Cutler – Clavinova music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obxQGQD2dwI
• Aphex Twin - Ruglen Holon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxZHchaWErg
• Kelly Moran – Limonium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7J72eGze6Q
• Ed Bennet – Out of now where Mvt 1 https://vimeo.com/181615369 , Mvt 2
https://vimeo.com/182000542 Mvt 3 https://vimeo.com/183209289

Independent Weekly Task

Write a solo piano piece that explores the different timbres of the piano
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

Semester 2

Session 6: Choice and freedom in music

17/01/23

• Benefits & challenges to allowed for freedom on music

• Try out some of the works practically as a group
• Start a piece for the group to perform that has aspects of ‘freedom’

Suggested Listening:

• Terry Riley - In C
• Andriessen - Workers Union
• Eastman – Stay on It
• Devaney – Root

Independent Weekly Task

Create a piece with cellular elements or aspects of freedom/choice for the performer
for the group next week to try out
- Needs to be printed out or on the screen for everyone to read

Session 7: Economy of Notation

31/1/23

• James Tenney Postal Pieces

• Discussion around notation and different forms
• Create a piece for the group that the notation can only fit onto one size of 1 side of
A5 (postcard)
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

Session 8: Expanding Harmony

31/1/23

• Explore different perspectives of harmony and tonality

o Different tonal systems around the world
o Concept of consontance and dissonance
- “micro tones”
- Octatonic/Diminished Scale
- 12 Tone Systems
• Invent your own tonal system and create a series of chords

Independent Weekly Task

Take your series of chords and develop it into a short piece (any instrument/genre)

Session 8: Simplicity and Vulnerability

21/02/23

• Explore the context around new simplicity/new complexity

Suggested Listening:

• Emily Hall – Mantra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EOdApcSlgU

• Bjork – Stonemilker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQEyezu7G20
• FKA Twigs - cellophane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zICN25JSk8E
• Arvo Pärt - in memoriam Benjamin Britten
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KImKBJ1jQfU
• Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ6Mzvh3XCc
• Bryars - Jesus Blood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmkC_leNM7M
• Lucier - I’m sitting in a room https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAxHlLK3Oyk
• Skempton - Lento https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT4arTGagPs
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

Independent Weekly Task

Written reflection on the music we listened to

Prompts:
o What are your thoughts on the idea of simplicity and complexity in music
o Where would you put your own music currently on the continuum?
o Do you hide behind anything in your music?
o How does honesty mean to you in your composing?
o What is your comfort zone in music/composing?

Session 8: Playing with a sense of space and time

7/03/23

• Listening Week
• How to push an idea and be bold with material

Suggested Listening:

• Hans Abrahamsen - Let Me Tell You, Pt.III: I Will Go Out Now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHbtmRMX3kw
• Spectacle of ritual by Kali Malone
• Hildur Guðnadóttir: Folk faer andlit
o https://www.15questions.net/interview/fifteen-questions-interview-hildur-
gudnadottir/page-2/
o Hildur Guðnadóttir - Erupting Light solo cello:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmZ2pAFbXsE
• Caroline Shaw - And the Swallow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mA8UHWFg-M
• Work of Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIs3jechQ_E&list=PLJ1Wj4txliu57469U2Y0vS
M4-jp8HqTWK&index=14
• Ed Bennett – sometimes everything fall apart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LriNRysge3I
• Isabel Waller Bridge Illuminations (TV and film inc. Fleabag)
o Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UFcL9RLrZM
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

Session 10: Beyond Genre

21/03/23

• Listening Week
• Exploring where music creators have crossed boundaries in genres and redefined
what it is to be a composer/songwriter/producer

Suggested Listening:

• Noah's Song | Millicent James

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKHmzP9s8qU&feature=emb_title
• Rosie Tee - Siren https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQcS0egDOI8
• Interference by Katie Ellwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMEr7KewPmM
• ANNA MEREDITH – Sawbones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsgNYUfdv9A
o Has had music performed on radio 1234 and 6
• Ayanna Witter-Johnson
• Those Words: Anoushka Shankar (Sitar), Shilpa Rao (Indian Singer), Ayanna Witter-
Johnson (cellist singer songwriter) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK_pmTi41k4
• Laura Mvula: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyR_EJQmkqs

Independent Weekly Task

• Find musicians who cross boundaries in genre and share on padlet

https://padlet.com/KirstyDevaney2021/uzu0auqpp40334et

Session 11: Extended Works

18/04/23
Chloe Knibbs – Girl behind the glass (TW work explores sexual assault recovery)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M242SI12LzA &
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WFkOHHgMU8
Kirsty Devaney BMus1 Composition Studies 2022/23

James MacMillan - The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (1990)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvczSLC0vqk