Based on experience

(which really only entails the past 3 hours of arranging for a string quartet)

· 

• I enjoy working with melodies and how they should be managed and figuring out harmonies later.
• I have the arrangement worked out in my head way before being able to translate it onto manuscript paper.
• I find the process of coming up with melodies, countermelodies, themes, harmonies most enjoyable. Conversely, I find the process of writing it all down most painstaking. 
• I quite like the idea of violins and cellos each taking their turn with management of a melody. 
• My ability to notate lags significantly to my ability to come up with themes.
• I much prefer composing with manuscript paper, pencil and an eraser rather than utilizing Sibelius, a scoring computer program.
• I find it much easier to compose piano arrangements. In truth, I really should’ve had a better grasp of the range and ability of string instruments before I started.
• Arrangements for string quartets work best in D major if you are unfamiliar with writing for strings.
• The D string on the cello has a very lyrical, beautiful sound.
• Every time I compose or arrange, I learn.  

It all started...

… from that one scene in a French film called “Blue”. Blue or more accurately Trois Couleurs: Bleu is the first in the Three Colours trilogy by acclaimed director Krysztof Kieslowsk and starring one of my favourite actresses Juliette Binoche.

There is this one scene where Ms Binoche attempts to complete an unfinished piece of musical work, a piece celebrating “the unity of Europe”. She sits in the middle of the floor and composes, note by note, and it all comes to her naturally. She strikes out trumpets, replaces drums with bells…. The audience has the benefit of hearing the music develop through the film soundtrack. The protagonist hears the music in her head.

It’s simply an amazing scene.

My good friend Cherie introduced me to this film a few years ago particularly with reference to this scene.  The film has become a firm favourite and this particular scene has always stuck with me. It inspires and I aspire. The idea of being able to compose like the protagonist is quite an extraordinary thought and today I had my own little extraordinary moments.

I'm no grand composer. Nowhere near it. In fact, I still call myself a possible composer. But today when I was arranging my brother’s wedding march, there were some moments. “The first violin shall carry the melody….… and the cello shall take the melody from here…” all whilst sitting in front of my piano.

The arrangement is pretty much finished and I’m pretty happy I fell into that orchestration class by accident howeverso many years ago at the Conservatorium.

I've not composed a masterpiece but it’s given me a few extraordinary moments I can call my own.   

The New Year

It’s been a busy start to the new year. New job, new routine, new projects... a new holiday home is underway and a newly-booked holiday is on the close horizon :)

I've started the new year in a new role. It’s for an established charity in Sydney.... and suddenly the day-to-day of my everyday becomes important and matters. I would definitely say an inspirational dividend goes a mile.

I’ve also been commissioned to write a new piece of musical work. 

A wedding march.

To be paid for by much love and consideration.

The best way to be paid :)

My brother is getting married and he and his fiancé have asked me to write a wedding march. The task is to arrange the theme to Star Gate SG1, my brother’s favourite TV show, appropriate to accompany the bride’s walk down the aisle.

Funnily enough, I think it's actually a present to me. I suspect  my brother and my to-be sister-in-law know how much I enjoy composing...

Just in case you’re curious, here’s a link to the theme: Stargate SG1 Theme.

What do you think?

I hear 3 violins and a cello....