Creative Music Composition

Book excerpt: Creative Music Composition is designed to be an introductory textbook for music students. "Creative composition"-composing in your own style, rather than in the style of a composer of the past-is embraced by music educators not only for composition students, but for beginning performers and music educators, and is often offered to all music students and non-music majors who wish to enhance their musical creativity. With 25 years of experience teaching fledgling composers, the author tackles the key ingredients that make for successful composition, including: stimulus to the musical imagination; discussion of a variety of current musical languages; analysis of many examples from contemporary scores; technical exercises; suggestions as to how to start a composition; structures; and examinations of works from particular genres. Wilkins covers several musical languages, from folk and popular to serialism; analyses various rhythmic forms; suggests approaches for composing for a variety of instruments, from traditional to electronic ones, as well as for the human voice; addresses the nuts and bolts of score preparation; and offers career advice. For all composition students-and for music students in general-Creative Music Composition offers a clear and concise introduction that will enable them to reach their personal goals.