Attending this semester of composition workshops was a very positive experience for me, as I always make sure to have a broad range of influence when it comes to composing music, and I think that's just what the workshops are about. During the semester I saw myriad works from many composers, which - be they similar or vastly different to my own style - all had something important to share.
For some of the comp students like Jasper, Keaton and Javier, I found I could learn a lot from listening to their compositions. They each spoke to something unique; I was particularly interested by the ways that programme music could be applied to chamber settings; how acousmatic elements could be combined with traditional classical instrumentation, and many more ideas. I also enjoyed listening to the works of some of the guest speakers like Robbie Griffin Byron, because they encouraged me to think about the possibilities of where I could take my compositions beyond what had been done before. That, and the additional benefit of seeing professional composers who are making it, as it allows me to see that my ambitions are attainable.
If anything, the presentations in semester 2 seemed more focused and even more insightful. I liked hearing about the recitals of the third and fourth years, mostly because it was an opportunity for me to see the culmination of work involved in the course, and the thing I most appreciated about them was how unique everyone's style and approach to composition was. The thing I enjoyed most from semester 2, however, was hearing the longer, discussion-style presentations from guest speakers. I found it a pleasant surprise that a lot of these were about topics that I found interesting, like writing for theorbo, or the changing conventions of choral music over time. While it's all well and good to sit back and take notes, I preferred the more conversational nature of these presentations because they opened up a flow of questions on-the-fly, which I found was where a lot of the information I really wanted to know would come up.
The broad nature of the presentation topics was something of a relief, as well. Not only did it keep workshops interesting, it made it all the easier for me to make my presentation. Though I wasn't too happy with how it went, I still enjoyed the chance to talk for a while about something I was interested in. The presentations that my fellow first years gave were very enjoyable to watch. I learned a lot from Jake's, Otto's and Tom's in particular, and getting to see what the people in my classes were working on definitely made me feel more connected. I look forward to collaborating more with the other first years in the future, especially now that I have a better idea of everyone's writing style.
Though it's not entirely relevant, I feel I should talk about my experience composing in the workshop. Some of my favourite compositions from this year, related to assignments or otherwise, have started in comp workshop. I find it a very peaceful environment to work in, and there's no shortage of inspiration. It has also served as good practice for notating quickly, as I've tried to get everything down in the breaks between when people were talking. It's the kind of workflow that suits me, though I'm not sure why. I've found workshops to be a very productive time for me in this way.
Perhaps the thing about the workshops that has benefited me the most has been asking others about their compositional approaches/methods. I'm very interested by the psychology of creativity, and the various angles from which people come at composition. I've been fascinated to find recently that for some, it's a completely different experience, and not just in the processes that people have, but the way they regard composition itself. It's this kind of thinking that I like to indulge in, as it's a great exercise in broadening expectations and seeing all the things that my composition can be.