And the Ocean Taught Me: Where Composition Meets Improvisation

Abstract

This document aims to demonstrate the need for a college-level curriculum that teaches composers to create successful works of improvisational music, to preset a method which helps composition students develop the tools they need to explore improvisation, and to demonstrate the creative possibilities of carefully controlled improvisation. Because there are few resources available to teach students to compose improvisational music, the methodology proposed here specifically focuses on non-idiomatic and experimental improvisation. This curriculum is sound-oriented, performer-focused, and stresses clarity of notation and critical understanding of a composer's own creative decisions. This document is accompanied by an original composition, And the Ocean Taught Me... which utilizes carefully controlled improvisation to create specific programmatic affects. This piece is written for soprano voice, flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello, contrabass, and two percussionists. The soprano's text is a setting of an original piece of flash fiction and incorporates sections of both sung and spoken word.