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Thanks for the comments! I wish to address the simple things first and go to more complex: 1. Big time signatures: Just a preference. My mentor told to use them on large scores to make it easier for a conductor to read. Especially if it is for a quick event like a recording session or few rehearsals. The score is 11"x17" and in-person, the measures are big. I am not worried about reading viability. 2. There is a melody. The entire works is based off the Augmented Chord (C-E-Ab). The arpeggio is the melody and throughout the entire piece, the note Ab is structural. 3. The jurors may have a lot of submissions and they may not listen to the entire work, however, I also have faith that they are smart enough to make proper decisions as they know their ensemble better than I do. I did research into their group and thankfully, they have published their previous programs. They have done programs to capture images, scenes, or landscapes. (See Attached) In my opinion, I wanted to submit this score based on the organizations history as it may fit their direction. 4. With the contrapuntal point, I feel that is just my style. I do reuse that theme and other themes a few times; especially at the end where it is prolonged forever. Thanks again and I hope this sheds some light!

Hello @MK_Piano, I'm afraid my comments are nice, but perhaps not very helpful in terms of the desired feedback on the ensemble execution etc. Regarding the review of @interlect, I would not be as critical proposing to throw away the first half waiting for the „action“. Let me put it in my own words: there is no lack of „originality“ in the sense that something unexpected has to happen in order to capture the audience and the judges or that the piece is „boring“ in the first half. I think, you have done an excellent job to express the scenes about the ocean musically, and with your program notes in mind, I can imagine exactly which scene your music is actually „painting“. (And even without the knowledge about the meaning of the eight scenes, my imagination while listening would be very similar.) But the objection that the jurors could quickly lose their attention cannot be dismissed out of hand. I think that is an inherent „issue“ or „danger“ (whatever one likes to call it) of „programmatic music“, which is perfect in telling stories and depicting visual scenes or emotions. However - and that is my personal taste or preference as a composer which usually uses contrapuntual technique - there is no standalone musical theme which is exposed prominently at the beginning of the piece and than developed throughout the piece creating the required recognition effect (as opposed to, for example, Beethoven's 5th Symphony, to give an extreme example). In your first scene „The Shore, Waves Crashing“ you have musically painted that shore and the waves (for about 25 seconds) with timpani and base instruments. So perhaps it would be enough time to introduce a melody in these bars that is already present and developed further later in the piece? One could imagine a person sitting on the shore playing the melody on the guitar (or something like that)? A short sentence about the score, more for my curiosity: I noticed that there are in all of your scores HUGE meter signatures. Is there a specific reason for this (e.g. it is common for conductors to enter such time signatures for better readability?). While everything else is very small in a score for such a large orchestra, does this really help? Finally, my best wishes and luck in the competition! Wieland

Hey everyone! I am decided to go ahead and publish my finished works on the forum. I may re-upload some existing works to match this shift, however, let this score mark the first part of this series! No.1 - Mountain Storms and Valley Peace Mountain storms and Valley Peace is my first successful work for the orchestra. Winner of the 2024 Young Composer's Forum, and apart of the Tennessee Valley Music Festival, it was recorded and debuted in June, 2024. In 2025, I decided to rewrite the work to the version you shall listen to. After some small tweaking of the front matter, the score is complete and available for view. Feel free to leave any comments about the work and I hope to see you all in the next one! (P.S. In my opinion, this work is complete and as of this post, I have no plans to update the score) _______________ PROGRAM NOTE: Mountain Storms and Valley Peace is a symphonic work and the winning composition of the 2024 Young Composer’s Forum at the Tennessee Valley Music Festival. Set against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains, this piece explores the dual nature of the world; both the chaotic power of a thunderstorm and the tranquil peace that follows. The storm represents the harshness and unpredictability of life, a force of destruction that is as much a part of nature as the calm that succeeds it. This work invites listeners to join the orchestra and experience the balance of forces that shape the world, showing how both extremes contribute to the richness and resilience of nature. [VOLUME WARNING]

No.1 - Mountain Storms and Valley Peace 1: Now this is what i call "FULL-ON" , You cannot MAX-OUT the Orchestra more than this. 2: i First heard this Composition on your Main Website, it Instantly brought a smile and a laugh to my face, as i thought to myself : "OH YES" 3: Its Powerful, Professional, Inspiring, Complete.......It has all the Hallmarks Of a Hollywood Blockbuster.

Hey everyone! I am decided to go ahead and publish my finished works on the forum. I may re-upload some existing works to match this shift, however, let this score mark the second part of this series! No.2 - Ballade for the Dead A Ballade for the Dead was composed for a larger chamber orchestra in 2025 during their call for scores, and unfortunately, did not pass on to the final round of judging. A little defeated, I thought about what to do with the score, and thankfully found inspiration to use it as the first movement of a 3-part suite titled describing the afterlife. It is not yet finished as I am working on the subsequent movements, but am eager to share the start of the project. The pronunciation for the work is meant to be pronounced as the other version "Ballad" instead of "Ballade". I just liked the E better for the spelling 😅. To add, I have found inspiration for a possible choir version depicting the battle between God, Satan and a lonely Priest. Many possibilities to be had! Feel free to leave any comments about the work and I hope to see you all in the next one! (P.S. In my opinion, this work is complete and as of this post, I have no plans to update the score) _______________ PROGRAM NOTE: A Ballade for the Dead is a several-minute long work for chamber orchestra detailing the concept of Death. The piece does not follow a specific storyline, instead, it paints a dramatic and abstract journey through the afterlife. Join the orchestra as they paint the agony, dread, and quiet beauty that might be experienced by a soul as they cross over; whether wandering through Purgatory, facing judgment, or simply drifting beyond, they follow this Ballade of Death.

No.2 - Ballade for the Dead 1: Oh My God....... This Composition actually has a " MELODY " I thought Melody's were Banned on this Forum. This Melody is DISTINCT , as opposed to OBSCURE, its instantly Recognized when it presents itself. So that is a Major Plus +++++ 2: This Score has a , Beginning-Middle-End that's also very Evident, as opposed to ........ " Where am i in this Composition ? " 3: Overall Feeling & Sound of this Performance is : Main-Stream-Commercial Movie-Score.

I hope you all enjoy this new work. All comments/feedback welcome. Thank you

Hello! I just finished listening and it's a very nice piece to listen to. However, with some things, I feel there are comments needed to be said: 1. You say Violin Concerto, and I must be honest, this is not a Violin Concerto. If you focus on the literal definition, it means solo instrument with orchestra, which you have achieved, but not once did you convince me that the violin is the true feature. It's like an orchestral piece for a movie soundtrack with a nice violin solo to match... akin to Schindler's List by John Williams. Concerto-style implies that you are highlighting the solo instrument, whether it's through virtuosic writing, or a distinct melody with light accompaniment. Instead, you have the solo violin dancing around the accompaniment textures versus a distinct and clear melody. 2. It would be more accurate to title this "[Title] for Solo Violin and Orchestra" versus a concerto. 3. It is very nice sounding. The textures, instrument pairs and gentle writing make this very nice and enjoying to listen to. You are effective in the execution. 4. The "Movements". You noted the start and end of each movement in a non-standard way. It reads as if they are attacca, or played back-to-back with no break. Overall, I did enjoy the listen. However, when you double-down on definition, I feel it misses points and does not truly match the caliber of the word "Concerto". Good work, and hope to see more!

Hello @muchen_, usually I try to point out first the positive things before giving slightly critical remarks. But the first impression of your chorus was „there is something wrong with it“. But now, after thinking a while about it, I hope my comment will be positive, too – while surely a bit silly. The first impression of the recording was: „much too fast!“ (what doesn’t matter as long as it’s a sketch only). On the other hand, I see your well done counterpuntual approach – even with figured bass. But reading the more „romantic“ lyrics from Goethe, I have the next mismatch in my imagination. With the lyrics I’m reminded on the famous painting „Goethe in the Roman Campagna“ which expresses the connection with nature (and perhaps with nymphs …). While thinking on baroque, I see men and women wearing wigs. And that either in the context of religious seriosity (Bach) or being part of a somewhat decadent party (sometimes Handel) 😃 What can we now do with the piece? As you intend to create a piece in rondo-form, I could imagine that you could express those „clashes“ I described above in an intentional manner, achieving a piece which does not take itself too seriously, but should be well crafted: So you could, for example • not only „transpose“ or develop the A’ section in the dominant key, but introduce more far scales, such as lydian (augmented) and (Spanish) phrygian, creating an interesting and more contemporary harmony. There are just famous examples here in the forum, such as from @PeterthePapercomPoser’s Persichetti exercises. • refrain from the counterpuntual approach in the B and C sections to make them it really „romantic“ (or even „jazzy“???) I don’t know if anything from that what I wrote today was helpful, but hope that you’ll enjoy working on you chorus further.

Iv Decided that ai, and me do not get on, nor do i like being in a straight jacket, the conformity restrictions are more than i can bear. It reminds me of the 60'Rock Drummers, that were replaced by Drum Machines, i feel sorry for them, as i now know what it must feel like, to be replaced by a hidden mindless Robot. This track is my own composition, where i can Break Free from Conformity. The Death of ai.mp3

What about Bach V2.0 for excellent counterpoint...