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Having read the program notes page, I think you capture the atmosphere of some of the themes (ie. betrayal, turbulence) you mentioned. It would be interesting to hear the rest of the soundtrack to see how the themes/motifs you have here develop. Though, I gotta be honest...film scores lately have a very generic sound to them and this (for me anyways) falls in that category. Some things musical things from the score I noticed: The way these harmonics are notated is confusing. I'm saying that as a string player. Some 2nd violinists might think you want an open E string, which I'm pretty sure you don't want. If these are actual sounding pitches, the 1st violinist would have an easier time understanding these notations (one is a natural harmonic, the other is an artificial....don't really have a preference): The 2nd violin note (if that is the sounding pitch) is impossible to play as a harmonic on a violin. As I said, players would probably play an open E string. The viola one looks alright, it'll be a natural harmonic on the G string. Saw this in the score a couple of times. Wondering if you could move the pp before the barline to avoid those awkward looking measures with rests. Overall, there seems to be over-reliance on doublings between instrument groups. E to the end is the prime example. I think most of the wind/brass instruments can drop out at 47 for a quieter ending. Also that section felt a little...static? Could use some more rhythmic drive (maybe bring back the bass guitar/cello figure from the beginning?) or just some counterpoint.

Hi! Long time for not posting anything! I'm revising my old Clarinet Quintet and learning orchestration in the process. Here's something I'm working on. Clarinet Quintet in C minor is a work I finished 4 years ago in 2022 which I accidentally began my revision of it in April 2026. It's a work in four movements and in it I want to share my feeling towards despair, dream and hope. The piece is dedicated to my friend Ms. Merina Fung. Speical Thanks to @Thatguy v2.0 for making the audio for me. Here is the youtube video of the movement: Here is the structure of the 1st movement: 00:00 1st subject, Exposition. Introduce the "despair" motive (0134), in some sort of sad waltz in C minor. The passage in 01:26 is directly copied from an old piece of mine named "Boredom" 01:48 Transition. Follow the tonal plan of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony and modulate to tritone major Gb major (which is the tonic key of my next major work, String Sextet in G flat major). 04:09 2nd subject, Exposition. Introduce the "dream motive" (0247) and subsidary chromatic motive of (0123). Conflicts of the despair and dream motives continue, the dream seems to win at 06:53 with its own climax but easily defeated with a bold C minor half cadence right before the close of the exposition with a forceful perfect cadence in Gb. 08:42 Development, part 1. The dream breaks expectedly I really like the counterpoint in 08:59. Modulates to E minor for the transition theme, then build to a really beautiful climax in E major in 11:10 which I really love. Makes this movement sounds a bit less tragic. 11:36 Development, part 2. Another false serenity after the beautiful climax by a disappointed passage in G# minor in 12:38. The serene texture returns in B major in 13:17 but falls short to a dominant preparation of C minor in 13:50. I really love the retransition as it sounds really passionate to me (Actually I love all parts of the remianing parts in this movement after this point). A review of the keys visited in 14:27 with an octatonic falling scale, ending with two sorrowful monologue of clarinet and cello, just like the beginning. 14:53 Transition. I skip the 1st subject reappearence in the recap as it's completely meaningless to do so, given how the motive is developed in the entire movement. I really love the tragedy here, as I even have this passage reappears in the coda of 4th movement, after 40 minutes or so lol. Another false serenity in tonic major in 15:24, and I really love the nostalgic sounding passage in Ab major in 16:01, still base on the dream motive. The German sixth chord in 16:36 must be stolen from Schubert"s Quartettsatz. A fugato in 16:42 trying to fight despair and reclaim dream once more and "sucessfully" modulates to Gb major once again. 17:31 2nd subject, Recap. But when you want more you hurt more, as despair harms you more when you have hope. This time a hard C minor half cadence comes. The dream theme now becomes a nightmare in 18:07 and continues to sigh. 19:20 Coda. Previous themes keep reappearing as I myself used to ruminate my sadness all the time. Finally it ends with what begins the piece, the realization of despair in its original form. Structurally I am not really satisfied with how I expand the themes in the 2nd subject of exposition (Dream part) and how I treat the materials in development, as I am afraid I overextend too much. However I just retain most of the things originally as I wanna keep true to my old self. It's an absolute low when I composed this piece, as I really questioned myself whether I could really compose something good back then. Luckily I did finish the entire work and gave me some confidence, plus meeting some really good friends here. The whole 4 movement piece is composed with three motives mentioned above, as I wanted to keep the piece coherent. The inspiration of the work comes from Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet as I wanted to write a more tragic piece than his (of course this goal fails), but I am happy with what I’ve done. Strangely only now do I find how Brahmsian this piece is. One interesting thing is that despite the movement is in C minor, in the first 14 minutes (two-thirds) of the movement, only 2 minutes are in the tonic. In this revision I mainly modify spots I find unreasonble, some voicings and slurs, and breathing spots for Clarinet. Hope you listen through the music and read through the description, and my wish that enjoy the work! Feel free criticize the work as I know it's far from perfect. P.S. the old version of this same Quintet is posted before: It's my biggest mistake to post an hour long piece here as my first post. So I will chop up the 4 movements and post it one by one now! Henry Clarinet Quintet in C minor 1st mov V3.mp3 (For YT)Clarinet Quintet in C minor 1st mov final 20260501.pdf

[INFO DUMP] I am not sure if I would go with the term "a lot" when it comes to the midi-playback discrepancy. It can be wonderous to hear our music realized in the notation engine; and at the same time, two things can be true at once. Hearing it in the computer is not the same as hearing it live. Just because the computer can do it, does not mean it will have the same effect with an orchestra or if it will be played correctly by an ensemble as the computer has shown. (People have done comparison videos showing Musescore Audio engine vs. a real orchestra. You can hear the results and form your opinions.) It's why we inform ourselves on the properties of instruments and why we study instrument pairings so we have the best tools at our disposal for effective writing. _______________ Ironically, to ask "How do I write better?" is a subjective question and the only answer will be what is great/ good to you. In the literal sense, if you feel you are inefficient or that your music is not accomplishing the standards you want, then there in itself is some knowledge dissonance and it may be your writing process that hinders you. There are a few ways to do this, and asking these questions is more than okay (especially here!). Igor Stravinsky was quoted saying the following: "Good composers borrow, Great ones steal" It is a variation of a phrase both Picasso and T.S. Eliot used when describing their work. One way to learn is to look at the greats, or your composer ancestors. Look at their music and copy it by hand, or by mouse. See where they put the notes and see what instruments... then look at the results. Since you have some music theory training, analyze the harmony and see how they voiced a chord, etc! Try re-orchestrating something if you want; or come up with your own exercises. In the collegiate sphere, at an early point, we were given Bach harmonic progressions and had to write a melody on top in my undergrad. That was a few years ago. Speaking of, do understand that you won't become Wagner overnight. This will take time and that is okay. _______________ If you haven't already learned, most big composers did not compose for a large ensemble first. They composed for a reduced score, as in a simple grand staff for a piano, and wrote out the entire piece first BEFORE orchestrating it. Did you know Gustav Holst wrote The Planets for Two Pianos in 1914, FOUR years before the premiere? He wrote it for keyboard first and then orchestrated the famous work we know today. Starting small and being able to see all the pieces over 2-3 staves is a lot easier than trying to control 17+ staves at your first go. Thus, if you haven't, give this a try!

I see, that helps a lot! In the orchestration example you provide, there is something lacking in terms of the ensemble tessitura. Tessitura is a complex word, but in simple terms describes the characters/ properties of an instruments range. (I.e Flutes sounds airy/ whispery when played low, Tubas sound rich when played high, etc.) In this context, I am worried about where the notes are placed in the instruments and then comparing that to the harmonic series. If you wanted a full sound from the orchestra, you need to fill out the harmonic series so we hear all the resonances. The computer (MuseScore in this case) is deceiving you because you are hearing a lot of instruments, but if this were played live, it would sound loud, but not as rich/ warm as you want it to. FEEDBACK: Brass - The horns doubling the same pitch will not sound "full" but the same brassy sound louder. Ensemble Tutti - There can be different variants of an ensemble tutti. The most basic being every instrument is playing the exact same line in their registers. However, another implication is that every instrument is playing, albeit, different material. This is more reminiscent to your example and I think it fitting if you have the bass instruments (Contrabasses, Contrabassoons) sustain the pedal/ tonic fundamental. If every line is moving, then it is hard to hear the melodic content you want. Pulsing the harmony and grounding the bass while the melodic line moves will be an effective tool to clearly hear the feature. Timpani - BEWARREEEEE the timpani. While written in bass clef, it is NOT a bass instrument. Remind yourself that the timpani has anywhere between 1-5 drums (5 for professional ensembles and 4 for universal standard) It has a hard time moving stepwise and if you can write leaps or intervals bigger than a 3rd, it will be very easy on the player. They can tune the drum heads live and if you are not too sure if it is playable, ask a timpanist for insight. Also, for a point of the score, make sure your language is standard. You mixed english names and italian names for the instruments. Make it easy on the brain and keep it one or the other lol Attached is a sample orchestration of what I have done with these comments. I changed the harmony a little to make it simpler for example purposes only: (I just realized I missed the Divisi for the Celli.. whoops) Orch.Sample_Audio.mp3 Orchestration Sample.pdf

I see! Feel free, yeah. Trying to maintain a certain balance between number of posts & number of replies is a wise choice. In my experience, uploading too much and replying too little leads to being ignored because others fairly see you as someone that only wants a bit of attention and that doesn't really care about anything else. It's a valid stance, but it leads to rejection. That said, I encourage you to keep posting & interacting here. I'll make sure to check your No. 8 whenever I find a bit of free time! Regarding this: do you use a software to make these pieces that doesn't provide a solid PDF output overall? Regards!

Sometimes it's not about your skills, it's more about whether the judges' taste is similar with yours and your work's skill level can still be very high even if they think it's not good enough to advance to the next round. I think of winning any prizes more like a chance event, just like having job interviews haha. Keep going and you will for sure pursue what you want! Henry

Last year, I decided to try my hand at writing an opera. I have just one more scene left to finish, along with the overture and an Act 2 interlude. It’s written more in the style of Debussy or late Wagner, so there are no choruses, duets, trios, or arias (though there is a “folk song” at the beginning of Act 1, Scene 4, sung in character by the female lead). My vocal emulations aren’t very good, and it can be a little confusing to distinguish between multiple tenors, sopranos, and baritones. However, I was listening to just the orchestration and decided to bounce those tracks out without the vocals, essentially, opera without the words. I’ve started scoring it (I hate scoring), and the first scene is already done. Once I get the whole thing scored, I’ll add the vocals, since that will make it easier to follow which character is singing. I’ve included a short summary of the scenes. The story is a variation on the biblical tale of David and Bathsheba. If you have a moment to listen, I know that without the score you might not be able to give detailed comments, but I’d appreciate any impressions you have of the music. Another Man’s Cage Setting: Salem, West Virginia, circa 1910. Act 1: Scene 1 – Train Station Nathan and his son David arrive at the train station in the small West Virginia coal‑mining town of Salem. It’s immediately apparent they are not close, as they argue, Nathan accusing David of being a playboy who only cares about having a good time, while David fires back that he learned not to care from his father after his mother died when he was young. Their argument is interrupted by the mayor, a band, and a small group of residents who have come to welcome them. Nathan has recently purchased the town’s coal mine and has come to inspect it. David is shocked when his father announces that David will be staying to run the mine. After the crowd leaves, Nathan informs David that he will either run the mine and do a good job or be financially cut off. Nathan reboards the train and leaves town, while David is left behind. Act 1: Scene 2 – The Creekside Later that day, a group of women wash clothes in the creek and talk about their husbands. Among them is Elizabeth Hutton, the wife of the mine foreman. After the other women leave, Elizabeth stays behind and is startled when David appears, he has been watching from the trees. David is immediately struck by her beauty, but Elizabeth is not charmed. When David remarks that she reminds him of himself, “trapped in a cage,” Elizabeth quickly leaves. David watches her go, remarking that she is the only thing of value in the town. Act 1: Scene 3 – The Creekside The next morning, Uriah Hutton, the mine foreman, gathers several miners and their wives to host a reception for the new boss. Uriah grows irritated as David is considerably late, and the others joke about why that might be. When David finally arrives and meets everyone, tension rises as Uriah introduces his wife and David remarks that they have already met. After David gives a short speech and leaves, Uriah mutters that David isn’t here to work, only to please his father. Act 1: Scene 4 – The Hutton House A few days later, Elizabeth sings a folk song about a mountain girl who dreams of going to the big city, a dream Elizabeth shares. A knock interrupts her. It’s David. After telling him that Uriah is at the mine, Elizabeth learns David has come to see her. He makes an impassioned declaration of love, but Elizabeth insists he would only bed her and leave her to face the scandal alone. David continues trying to woo her, but Elizabeth orders him to leave. As he walks away, she stands in the doorway watching him go. Act 2: Scene 1 – The Mine, East Tunnel A few months have passed, and David and Elizabeth have begun an affair. Some miners gossip about it and how oblivious Uriah seems. When Uriah approaches and asks what they’re discussing, no one will tell him, though he clearly suspects something. Alone, Uriah admits he has noticed David’s attraction to Elizabeth but cannot believe she would betray him. He informs the men they will soon be working in the West Tunnel, which needs repairs, and vows he will not give up his wife to David. Act 2: Scene 2 – The Royce House David and Elizabeth lie in bed after being intimate. When David asks what’s troubling her, Elizabeth reveals she is pregnant. She knows their affair cannot be hidden now, no one will believe that after years of marriage to Uriah, she is only now with child. David insists that nothing will stop them from being together. Act 2: Scene 3 – The Mine, West Tunnel As the men inspect the West Tunnel, Uriah notes that the beams need replacing, but David is impatient and wants progress. Suddenly, one of the miners hears something, and before they can react, the tunnel collapses. When the dust settles, David and Uriah are cut off from the others, who tell them to stay put while they dig them out. David presses Uriah about Elizabeth, and accusations fly. As one of the beams begins to give way, David realizes the only way to be with Elizabeth is to eliminate Uriah. He pushes Uriah beneath the falling rocks, which crush him just as the miners break through the rubble. They are shocked to find Uriah dead under the collapsed beam, while David lies and claims that Uriah saved his life by pushing him out of the way. Another Man's Cage - Act 1- Scene 1.mp3 Another Man's Cage - Act 1- Scene 2.mp3 Another Man's Cage - Act 1- Scene 3.mp3 Another Man's Cage - Act 1- Scene 4.mp3 Another Man's Cage - Act 2- Scene 1.mp3 Another Man's Cage - Act 2- Scene 2 .mp3 Another Man's Cage - Act 2- Scene 3.mp3

I've been playing violin/viola for over 20 years now and I still find it hard to describe harmonics, lol. There's like a whole physics lecture behind them and most of it goes over my head Basically, there are two kinds of string harmonics: natural and artificial. In short, natural harmonics occur when the player lightly touches a point on the string to produce the harmonic tone. These are a little confusing to notate since what one might see on the page isn't necessarily the pitch heard. I In the example above, it's basically telling the player to lightly touch the note where the player would normally play the E on the open G string. This will produce the B harmonic (as notated in the parenthesis). Some composers might just notate the diamond note on the E, and not have the G...players will know what to do. . Artificial harmonics are a little easier to notate. In the example above, you're telling the player to press the string (in this case the G string...the IV means G string...but the B notated is only possible on the G string so it's redundant) with the 1st finger (the index finger), and then lightly touch with their pinky finger a fourth above (if the player presses hard with their pinky finger, the note produced will be an E). The resulting pitch will be a B, but a harmonic that sounds 2 octaves higher than notated. These perfect 4th harmonics are pretty much standard in orchestral repertoire and will always produce the lower regular note 2 octaves higher than notated. Obviously, you can't do these harmonics on open strings, there always has to be a stopped note. Both examples above will produce the same B harmonic. The natural harmonic might be easier for players to play/find. Hopefully that made sense!

Hey everyone, It's been a while. Here's my submission to the Spring competition; overall while composing this I did a lot on like, 5 different days, because I kept forgetting about it and then working on It! the instruments I chose are: Guitar, Piano, Violin, and Cello. I tried to make it (sort of?) Interesting with my Instrument choice which of I forgot to put the 5th one. Its a little short, but It'll do. I mostly did this for fun and have no intent on winning. oh, and also I misspelled the MP3 file. Great. spring competiton.mp3

Listen more, analyze more, find some good harmony books on it! Henry

Kia Ora Henry, I will admit that when I first heard the original version of your Clarinet Quintet I did not like it very much. Blasphemous, I know. Everyone else on YC seemed to love the piece, and I just... didn't. I found all too much, which I suppose was your intent; despair is overwhelming or whatever it was. After listening to this revision, my opinion has changed. Or at least my opinion on the first movement, which was one of the two of the original I listened to. I don't dislike it anymore, but I don't love it now either. I think it's a decently good piece, but far from your best work. My favourite part of this piece is by far the second subject which if I recall correctly, is based on the dream motif. It definitely has this dreamy, hopeful, idealistic Romantic, feel to it which I really really like. I mentioned something similar to this to you on discord, and I'll rehash it here, I think it could work really well readapted as a waltz theme in an orchestral arrangement or something. I think it really contrasts well with the first subject (despair) and is a nice break from all the despairing going on before it. My least favourite aspect of this piece is... I don't actually know. I've relistened to this version and skimmed through it a couple of times trying to find something I dislike but... I can't find I hate. I think I will have to listen to this a few more times and get back to you. Perhaps it was the awful playback in the original post that made everything sound worse to me, I don't know. Again, I'll have to get back to you on this In summary, I think this piece has really grown on me. Or at least the first movement has. That second subject is absolutely my favourite part of the piece but I don't really care for... something, I just can't quite tell to be honest. I think I find this piece less over bearing now than I did on my first listen years ago. Progress has been made! look forward to hearing the rest of your revision of this piece. Maybe the latter movements will convert me, a filthy heathen who cares not for the Clarinet Quintet in C Minor, into a believer. Ngā mihi, Archie

Ill be participating!

Hi! I'm trying to write Romantic-inspired pieces, but I struggle with a lot of things. I cannot figure out what it is. I've taken a look at some tuttis in scores (like Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1), but I didn't do well. To get a more "classical" vibe, should I reduce the harmony and leave just two voices (melody and bass)? Or should I double more voices in octaves more carefully? I should add that I didn't apply myself too much; maybe I should think harder and not just place random notes on the paper. For simpler reading, I can provide an excerpt of the score (it's very short anyway). playback with musesounds.mp3 score.pdf

Hi ................Try a little Rythem first......then progress to LAYERS. an example below: 1: Timpani Rythem 2: Low-Brass & Bass 3: Staccato string & Horn 4: Top-Line String TIMPANI BUILDUP.mp3

@therealAJGS has submitted the following quartet!

@BlackkBeethoven please don't quit writing your piece! Young Composer's Forum should always strive to be a great place for you to receive feedback, guidance and support on any of your musical projects. "Go write a piano piece because you're not ready and need to learn the basics" is not really constructive feedback. Members on YCF should strive to support the composer with whatever project they choose to write, not tell them what to do. We're here to support you in whatever YOU choose to do not what WE think you should do.

To add, maybe in measure 8, let Clarinet one finish the 16th note gesture with the oboe. Why? Mainly due to the instance a performer may be late when entering and to not break the long gesture of the scale. Have the clarinet finish the gesture into the next downbeat. I am unsure why the horn figure is broken up in measure 9. It makes sense for Horn 1 to go the A natural and jump to C# as an escape tone. (Same in mm.10) Also, make sure the Horn 2 beaming is the same in measure 7. Measure 11 - Lower the bassoon 2 scale down an octave or raise the Low B on measure 12 up. Bassoon fingerings are tough and that jump is agony for a player because of how many fingers they put down and the change in embouchure. So lower it down an octave or make them both land on the same B-natural in mm.12.

Very much a night and day difference! Just be careful of a low flute or low oboe for too long as their tessituras change very distinctly. Flutes playing low = Whispery or "airy" sound and does not project well Oboes playing low = 'Goose' Honk. They sound a little comical. The only spot I saw this was measure 12, so it's not an issue unless you prolong that registration for too long. Good work!!

Hello, Little fugue i wrote today in the north german baroque style. First musical output in years. Simple in harmony, joyful and melodic in theme and counterpoint. Scored for four voices, work well enough with organ or strings. Fuga in g.mp3 Fuga in G.pdf

Hi! Actually I just completed my piano toccata piece inspired from living near the motor city (Detroit, MI) in my childhood... I decided to make this toccata piece since I thought the mechanistic characteristics of the genre match well with general images of the motor city... In this piece I tried to express free style of lots of jazz and popular music heard when I was growing up near Detroit, while keeping this piece modern classical music... Hope you enjoy this piece, and please feel free to leave any comments and suggestions :) Motorcity Toccata.mp3 Motorcity Toccata.pdf

Hi, everyone. I was wondering if anyone would mind listening to this movement from a piano trio I'm currently writing. I'd appreciate any feedback, but in particular I'd like to know whether you feel that I've gone too far with the repeatedly evaded cadence at the end of each scherzo section. Thanks! Piano trio - scherzo.mp3 Piano trio - scherzo.pdf

Update review: This piece has changed since October. The middle section of the dance reminds me of the moonlight sonata by Beethoven. Those 8ths note triplets underneath the cello line is rather nice, haunting nice. I am still in love how playful it sounds. It is not creepy, but it has that graveyard mood. Have you ever since "Disney Halloween" Special? Your piece reminds of that!

UPDATE New score has been uploaded!

Thank you @MK_Piano for you review and your insight, as always! Yes, I can see what you mean! I will keep that mind. :)

Goose Honk ? .................... I luv it ! https://www.myinstants.com/en/instant/goose-honk-44161/

@TristanTheTristan and @MK_Piano , Here is an updated version of the wood wind quintet arrangement. Humoreske in B minor.mp3 Max Reger.pdf

Thanks! You have a good point about the repeats. All those repeats are standard for the scherzo form, but I think probably taking out the one at 127 would improve the piece. Maybe also the repeat of the second half of the scherzo.

@interlect In the media world, there is certain thing called an NDA. I would be careful about leaking videos. If anyone finds out you leaked this, you could be in serious trouble. Please think about this....

You are welcome. I am glad to help out. We are here to learn from each other. One day, we enter an official contest, and those contests be scored and reviewed similarly to the ones here. It is good practice to partake one we do here. You learn how entries are scored (0-10) and why. This round I focused on scoring and judging. The next round: I might do both.

Hey there. Here is my score of your entry. Entry: Padovana et Gagliarda Form: Here, I feel, the composition has created a strophic chorale structure. Each section of the piece of the composition is well peace and clearly marked. Even without a proper formal development, this baroque chorale (in 4 parts) stands on its own feet's. Score Presentation: L.S Barros' score did not show any engraving errors. It was presented in professional manner. The parts were labeled. Playability: This chorale is certainly playable for any level. The only technical issue that may happen school concerts. Young musicians are not familar with 3/2 meter. But that is not even something to worry about. Creativity: I appreciate the fresh take on chorale Harmony: The homophonic texture was well executed throughout this entry. I appreciate the modal mixture and other forms chromaticism that you used throughout and how you resolved them! Execution: this entry met the correct theming of challenge and was within given time limit. Taste: It was refreshing to hear brass chorale with this competition. Chorales are usually associated with voices. Here, we get to hear one with a brass quartet. Quartets provide a more emotional musical experience to the audience, imo. I felt I was actually listening to 4 brass players and not brass section. Thus, I enjoyed this a lot. Themes: Each section has a different unique theme that repeats. (noted: this is the nature of chorale) Average Score: 9.8 Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 10 10 10 9.5 10 9.5 10 10

Any feedback is welcome! May 1.mp3

Definitely a few noteworthy moments you could build a piece from... sounds nice!

Thanks for the tip on the harp!

Time for the actually score of you entry! Entry: Morning on Windby Island Review: My above comments remain! I took those in affect when I scored this! However, I will add something about the harp. The rolled chord in the left hand are too small for the harp. Usually rolled chords are played by both hands. Nothing major. That is why is only .5 off in the score and playability sections. other than...Kudos Total: 9.75 Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 10 10 9 10 9.5 9.5 10 10

@Fruit hunter ! Below you find my review of your entry. Entry: Scarface to the wilderness Review: The percussion set up of the score of the score is too hard follow. Usually, you would have would have one or two players with a different set of instruments per player. It kept changing between staff types. Thus, that is in that category a four was given. Along with that, no list of names of instruments was given at the start. This made it made confusion to know what instruments was were being used. Please! tell us this next time. As for the playability...it would be hard pass on levels. I was lost when I listen to this piece. I asked myself: where is this piece going? structure? form? I could not make one out. Alas, i need a clear road. That is category is scored low. The textures throughout the piece were interesting, but too repetitive and lack a sense of direction. The only melodic material was in the pitch percussion(?). But it did not seem to flow naturally from the piece, sadly. I must this you did try to be creative, but too hard. relax and have fun. For taste, it different and unique on it is on merits. Total Score: 5.5 Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 3.5 6 4 8 4 5.5 5.5 7.5

Hi Nostalgia, and welcome to the forums! This piece put a smile on my face. Maybe because of its light character at times. It seems to be a hard one at other times, though, and I'm sure that if I delved deeper I would end up finding some less convincing passages (to me) but I'll leave it like that and just suggest you to keep composing! I know this is not very helpful but... I just enjoyed the piece on a first listen and I am afraid my time won't let me to listen it again to better analyse it. Best regards, Daniel–Ø,

Thanks for the words :) It is not a soul crusher, however it has made me upset. I am proud of this work and saddened to not be given the chance to hear it live. It may be another year before I have the same chance. Yet... we push forward and strive for the next opportunity. In the end, it won't keep me down, and I will still work and increase my skills to win the next one(s).

Iv been kicked in the teeth , and rejected several times in life but when you drive your car into a Dead-End....................The Sat-Nav "RE-ROUTES" And its the same with the Human Brain..................... https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/second-time-lucky/

Could also think of that as a 13th chord without the seventh... so, maybe something jazzy as well? Ravel-ish? Makes me think of a music teacher I had, wrote all kinds of big band type stuff.

I don't really think of myself as a "pianist" but more a piano player, as such, I tend to shy away from writing piano music and focus more on orchestral works. However, I've been lately trying to spend a little time each day, just playing around on the piano, and record it, just to see what I come up with. This was a piece I improvised this morning and liked enough to share. Stream of consciousness no. 2.mp3

For the first time in my life, after watching a few harmony videos, I wrote this waltz. I'm curious to hear your opinion. https://voca.ro/1juGRRVoFhLh Walzer in G-dur.pdf

I don't like it. It sounds most times confused and weird.

This is cool I never hear something like this

Hello Have you heard of this virtual instrument called CANTAI? Please note: I have no affiliation with these programmes, even though I use them. https://cantai.app/ It’s a virtual instrument for voices and choirs. It works with MuseScore (which is more advanced), Dorico (the official version was released a couple of days ago) and Sibelius. The novelty is that you write the score, add the parts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass, choir) and write the lyrics... And once everything is set up, the result is that it ‘sings’. I use it with Dorico. It still needs improving, because although it interprets dynamics and accents, and there are many voices available, there will be more. At the moment, in Dorico you can write in English and Latin. But Chinese and Spanish are already available in MuseScore (I think). I’ve written this little sample song to see how it works.

Not normally, no. They are standard in our industry. The only time it would be broken is when you have a larger ensemble or other instrument combinations that are not standard. In this case, it’s not about orchestral order, it’s about highest-> lowest instrument for the layout.

Hi I'm not an expert I just created an account to learn more, but I wanted to say that I really enjoyed both of them. The souned quite nice to me. Well done :)

I want to join the competition, but I'm not sure if I'll make it.

This is actually written as a quintet. The reason why there are so many staffs there are to accommodate the different percussion sound fonts for each set up only five players needed.

Hallo @luderart as you frequently present compositions in this style—short, aphoristic pieces for solo instruments—your compositional approach differs from that of most other members of the forum, who often attempt to write full-scale symphonic works for a large orchestra. Yet in an orchestra, an instrument is merely a gear in a large clockwork mechanism and is subject to the conductor’s interpretive intent. On the other hand, dedicated solo pieces for monodic instruments seem to be rare, so that I could imagine that they are appreciated by players of the clarinet, bassoon etc. However, when I listen to them and look at the score, I sense a kind of loneliness (which is not a criticism, but merely a statement of fact): The solo instrument „utters“ its sentence, yet no conversation emerges, as there is no accompanying or contrasting voice. And even the score pages look a bit „lonely“, since there is remaining whitespace due to the need of only one staff for notation ... Here is another, similar approach to a piece for a solo instrument, the bassoon. The composer, in that case, decided to put the „sentences“ in a more programmatic context, depicting „a garden“ over the course of a year. https://youtu.be/ok_R4cstdGs Now, some short thoughts to the individual sententiae: No. 1 It serves as an overture, trying to gain the attention of the listener. The meter change from 6/4 to 5/4 in bar two is somewhat surprising, and, together with the two trills, reminds me of the bells ringing in the lobby of a concert hall, urging the audience to take their seats before the playful quintuplet melody begins. No. 2 A short, playful piece - reminding me at children playing around. No. 3 To me, the third sentence has a melancholic and contemplative character, which is only seemingly lightened by the eighth-note runs. The final question remains unanswered. No.4 The fourth one has a quality that even exceeds the character of a „sentence only“. Because it consists of three clearly perceptible motifs, which are used in sequences, it has enough thematic material, so that it could be developed further or used as a sketch for a much larger piece, too. No. 5 Again, a sententia which is a short piece of its own, now in A-B-A form, yielding a small exposition, a development and a recapitulation. (Fun fact for me is bar 11. in 1/4 meter with the sole purpose to place a rest ...) No. 6 Number six for me expresses the idea behind the „sententiae“ as its best: Although it has a simple texture with only staccato semiquavers, the rests at the end of the phrases serve as the period at the end of a sentence, thus structuring the short utterance. No. 7 With number seven – which also bears thematic material which could be developed further -, we come back to a more melancholic mood, somewhat a recapitulation of sententia number 3.

Yes! Its actually not at all unstylistic, on smaller renaissance bands like Consorts and Alta Capella, dynamics where used. The problem is that i don't know how to use finale very well, wich is the software i use to make it, so tweaking the dynamics the way i would want would take a lot of effort, so its best to keep it bland.