A senior composition recital : an honors thesis (MUSTH 495)

For as long as I can remember music has been an integral part of my life. I learned to read music about the same time that I learned to read books. When I came to college to further my study of music, I did not have any interest in composition. I had always been content just performing music. As a Music Engineering Technology major I was required to take private composition lessons. I soon came to understand a new way to share a part of me with other people. I also became involved in electronic composition, which was an entirely different experience; not only did I have to decide what pitches and rhythms to use, but I could also create an instrument to play them. With so many possibilities, composing became an uphill battle, but at the end of the first semester I was pleased with my accomplishments. In the next three semesters I completed one more acoustic piece and three electronic compositions. I finally had enough music for a full recital and wanted to share it with others.I set a date, found players, designed the program, wrote program notes, and scheduled rehearsals. On April 1, 1995, it all came together, and I was able to present a concert of my own works.