Laying the Groundwork Part 1: Handling Instructions

For me, the act of creating a composition breaks down into two distinct, though usually-overlapping, stages: conceptualizing (building up material) and composing (cutting away material and refining what is left).

A lot of the pre-composition effort is focused on developing a bespoke form and harmonic language for the experience I want to create for the listener. I do this work almost entirely in the abstract to free myself of habitual inclinations and force myself to respond creatively.

Concurrently, I work on developing a sonic palette. Here, my efforts are grounded in the kind of non-goal-focused research that I've been documenting the 'Research & Exploration' posts. This work is invaluable - not only for the development of the piece but my development as a musician. Sometime during this process, I reach a kind of tipping point; I sense that I have all I need (along with a lot of superfluous material). Consequently, I shift my attention from figuring out what I could do to figuring out what I will do.

During this process, I develop the 'Handling Instructions' for my scores. With few exceptions, this is the first part of the final score that gets completed. Moreover, first narrowing and then fully internalizing both the sonic and physical aspects of the non-traditional sounds that I ask for is usually the first step towards committing to the first notes in the final score (not in the sketches).

As you can see below, I have nearly completed the 'Instructions' for this piece. Even in this unfinished state, it is a hefty bit of text. While this makes me a bit weary, I feel that it is a vital starting point for every musical decision that takes place from here on. Furthermore, in an age where no performance practice can be assumed, I feel that it is important to create one for each piece to allow it to exist as conceived.