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I would like to share with you my piece Wind Octet, composed in 2008 from my early compositions. Thanks for listening. Your new member Kateřina Horká

This a Minuet for Baroque Orchestra idea that I came up with. This is really the first time that I have tried to write something with this instrumentation. I did not try to focus too hard on the counterpoint here, so it may not be as well written, but I wanted to try my hand at writing for the Baroque Orchestra. I have to fix a number of things, but I would love some general feedback on the idea. Thank!

I am writing a piece for orchestra which is currently unfinished. I am planning to make it a one-movement piece, and this is what I have so far. Let me know what you think and if there is anything I can improve

This is what I have been working on for the last few weeks. Applying everything I'm learning about orchestration. Movement II is underway... See modified and expanded version below. (The picture is of my dog, who is a Spanish water dog, and his name is JOY).

(I'm reposting here because I do not consider this a draft, though I will consider changing it after I'll get feedback) This is the first movement to my first symphony. Drafts have been posted here: Symphony in F minor.pdf Symphony in F minor.mp3

@Guardian25 OK, it is the standard many times. A fast part in the middle of a slow aria. Actually, this has its origin in sung arias. The fast part is a "rest" for the singer, paradoxically, but that's the way it is. But hey, in an instrumental setting you can do what you want too. Yes, I'm writing a second movement but mem I'm afraid it's even slower, haha. Let's see...

Hi @ComposedBySam, The youtube video is removed or something?? This one is very different from the previous one. The first and last section quite reminds me of Indian scales! The use of harp there is more like an Oriental plucked string instrument! The middle section 0:36 starts to be more in functional harmony with Eb major emerging. Thx for sharing! Henry

Hello @BipolarComposer, @Awsumerguy has provided a great review of this piece so I'm not going to repeat his points. Nice hook used at the beginning! I love your minimalism here and it's varied with orchestral colour! The opening passage is mesmerizing. As a Chinese myself I don't feel like the music is Chinese or artificially Chinese. It maybe Chinese in the sense of the Chinese Dance in the Nutcracker Suite which is not Chinese at all. Chinese music is known for its heterophonic texture and the pentatonics. but for me the texture and harmony here is still Western based homophony/polyphony and functional harmony. Thx for sharing! Henry

I am not quite sure that in the baroque style such an orchestra would be treated in this way (because of the doubled lines all the time). But anyway, it sounds very good. I only have doubts about the flute, which is in a rather low register compared to the strings.

The textures are certainly compelling, and lend a nice bit of atmosphere to the piece as a whole. If I were a composition teacher, I'd be pretty impressed with what you were able to come up with, given this was one of your first pieces for orchestra! It's a total shame you didn't post the sheet music for this piece, though: I can't provide much criticism about instrumentation or structure without being able to see the score, so maybe you could add it in for us? 😁 Talking about what I can hear, though: the music certainly doesn't feel Chinese-y at all (apart from maybe a pentatonic line here and there). The textures, good as they are, don't feel particularly evocative of the Far East (I suppose your description saying it was meant to be a pastiche of Chinese music helped me here a bit, but still); apart from the plucked lines on the harp (or guzheng? I can't tell) and the strikes of a gong, there is little to suggest your intentions of it being a pastiche of that type of music. If you were to use classical Chinese instruments, and possibly even resort to using Chinese musical cliches to hammer that point home to the point of excess, I think it'd actually match your intentions of the piece sounding artificially 'Chinese'. You're going to have to do some of your own research into that type of sound, however: I'm not exactly very knowledgeable when it comes to Asian music. The piece as a whole also doesn't sound as if it's split into three movements at all: there is a lot of overlap between each part, and they are not separated enough (i.e. there aren't that many musical cues) to suggest a musical triptych to me. Maybe it was your intention to have the piece's movements played attacca subito or something like that, but I cannot pick up on those intentions (again, we need a score!). Overall, a fun little experimental step into the world of the orchestra, though you could definitely do with a double-down on Chinese musical norms in your music. Could also use a score (alright I'll stop now lol). Good luck with your efforts!