CompositionWriting is a universal form of communication. Pen to paper, finger to to keyboard, voice to recorder - it's a way of collecting information and releasing that information.
Composition is a field of study in many universities, also commonly called professional writing or rhetoric and composition. It studies the research and instruction of writing, particularly at the college level. Introductory composition courses are commonly made mandatory for college students, and provides them fundamental composition skills they can use in the future regardless of their major. In my introductory composition class I learned how to write an ethnography, compose a sound collage, and create an online portfolio. My ethnography won an award for Purdue University's Literary Awards. My sound collage was featured in a showing. Then I still use my online portfolio today where I've placed my previous work, current work, resume, and other necessary information employers are looking for. Music CompositionMusic composition is just one of many genres of composition, which focuses on the art of utilizing the universal language of music and composing that for musicians to read. A composer take the music notes, writes the rhythm, sets the tone, the speed, the dynamics, and so on until they have created a piece that someone who also reads music can comprehend and play on their instrument or sing with their voice.
This genre of composition requires someone to understand the language and be able to compose that language into a comprehensive way for people to read. How is this different from other forms of composition? I've interviewed and survey a few people regarding music composition and their experience with it to understand what skills they've learned from writing music and how it is transferable to other forms of writing. The ParticipantsFor this research, I interviewed two people. The first person I interviewed was Professor Matt Conaway, an assistant band director in Purdue University's Bands & Orchestras Department. I interviewed him about his work within the department, regarding how much he wrote on a daily basis, and what type of writing. So even though he writes music, in his day to day tasks he writes in various genres constantly. Pertaining to his music writing, he does that a few times a year and explains how it's similar to creative writing.
My second participant was Heather Williams, a sophomore at Purdue University who has taken an introductory compositon course and a music theory course. I interviewed her about both genres and how the interconnected with each other, if at all. She said that this was a new idea for her to think about, and delved into how the two genres can possibly intertwine.
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