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"Theme and Variation" Contest

Posted by Gavin Brown on May 10, 2013 at 11:10pm in Miscellaneous

Hello everyone,

I have been working with another composer on this site, who has supplied 5 melodic ideas for a potential contest I'd like to run. Please see attached pdf and mp3. Each contains the 5 melodies. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to pick one of the melodies and 1) provide an accompaniment for it. 2) provide between 2-4 variations on it. Even though the PDF score indicates particular instruments being used, you may use any instrumentation you like. There are no restrictions on the contest other than that the original presentation of the melody must be as the composer has provided. Voting will be twofold: the membership of this site will be asked to vote on which entry is the best, and in addition, the composer will sound off on which pieces they like most, and offer commentary.

CF_Contest.mp3

CF_Contest.pdf

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Replies

  • Greg Brus May 11, 2013 at 12:10am

    Is the key forced? Is the tempo forced? What about rhythm?

  • Gavin Brown May 11, 2013 at 12:15am

    You must keep to the original key, tempo, and rhythm in the first iteration. Subsequent variations may vary any of these things.

  • Bruce Cropley May 11, 2013 at 10:30am

    I'll give it a go :)

    Are you wanting an mp3, score or both? (scores intimidate me)

    I presume the prize is purely the glory?

  • Gavin Brown May 11, 2013 at 12:12pm

    Hello Bruce, thanks for your interest. A PDF score and an MP3 are required for entry. The prize is, as always, the judgment of your peers!

  • Cameron McFadden May 11, 2013 at 12:38pm

    I'm in.

  • Gavin Brown May 11, 2013 at 1:09pm

    Thanks Bruce and Cameron for committing to the contest. That's two. 3 more are needed to make the contest happen. Ray, what's the harm in a little mystery about who the composer is, especially since the members' vote will be completely separate from the composer's vote. The point of providing the audio is obvious - it helps members decide if they want to participate in the contest -

  • Janet Spangenberg May 11, 2013 at 1:56pm

    I'm going to pass on entering this one, but look forward to voting, if there are audio recordings for all! I'm not good at "hearing" a written score (like some people I know!). In the last contest, those who are strictly DAW based composers didn't have to provide a score. And though providing one may have tipped the odds in their favor, the winning entries were tied, one with a score and one without. Just sayin'.... :o)

  • Spiros Makris May 11, 2013 at 4:38pm

    I think I'll join the fun.

  • Janet Spangenberg May 11, 2013 at 6:23pm

    The third melody sounds like it should be in 3/4, instead of 4/4...

    Raymond Kemp said:

    Apart from that, on reading and listening to the first melody, there seems to be something not quite right in the first few bars.
    Downbeat?
    "Theme and Variation" Contest
    Hello everyone, I have been working with another composer on this site, who has supplied 5 melodic ideas for a potential contest I'd like to run. Ple…
  • Janet Spangenberg May 11, 2013 at 8:01pm

    In case my posts were unclear, I agree with you. I don't think a score should be a requirement, but an audio file should be. However, this is all Gavin's call, and I'm not even entering, so my opinion is only worth its weight in, in... well, you get the idea!

    Raymond Kemp said:

    Janet,
    I'd rather not dwell too much on the subject matter but denying entry for those unable to produce a score isn't in the spirit of the forum where all regardless of experience are welcomed as peers. Are we saying that any score posted with mistakes will be marked down even if the recorded arrangement is great? I'll answer my own question by saying ......no! A reasonably adequate score trumps a recorded representation here. The proof is everywhere.
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