Alex

Variations on an Original Theme (Heppelmann)

Included in the downloadable materials: Score (PDF), Dorico File, MXML file

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | Unit 2 Composition Assignment

Compose a Theme & Variations for the piano in any genre or style. Your theme must be original (or from the public domain), and your composition should be playable by a pianist.

Suggestions:

• Use a melodic phrase structure template, like sentence / period / hybrid / compound / binary / ternary

• Brainstorm a 'concept' for each variation (e.g., fugal, waltz, jazz inspired, late-romantic harmony, etc...)

• In addition to considering how each variation is compositionally unique, consider the overall structure of all variations from start to finish (i.e., dynamics, tempos, virtuosity, etc...)

• Aim to compose at least five variations; your composition should be at least a few minutes in duration.

Gold / Platinum tier patrons may submit completed assignment for feedback (before January).

Variations on an Original Theme

Here is my completed unit 2 assignment, using Dorico's playback with VI Labs Modern D

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | Unit 2 Workshop

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.4 Excerpt Examples

Includes Chapter 2.4 Excerpt Examples (Dorico, MXML files)

This will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below:

Silver/Gold: Available until December 22nd

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.4 Lesson

Chapter 2.4 | Theme & Variations

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until November 24th

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The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.3 Review Exercises

Includes the Chapter 2.3 Review Exercises (PDF), Dorico file, and MXML files

Gold / Platinum tier patrons may submit completed exercises for feedback (before January)

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.3 Lesson

Chapter 2.3 | Varying an Idea

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until November 18th

Silver/Gold: Available until December 16th

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.2 Excerpt Examples

Includes Chapter 2.2 Excerpt Examples (Dorico, MXML files, PDF)

This will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below:

Silver/Gold: Available until December 11th

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.2 Review Exercises

Includes the Chapter 2.2 Review Exercises (PDF), Dorico file, and MXML files

Gold / Platinum tier patrons may submit completed exercises for feedback (before January)

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.2 Lesson

Chapter 2.2 | Contrapuntal Piano Textures

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until November 13th

Silver/Gold: Available until December 11th

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.1 Review Exercises

Includes the Chapter 2.1 Review Exercises (PDF), Dorico file, and MXML files

Gold / Platinum tier patrons may submit completed exercises for feedback (before January)

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 2.1 Lesson

Chapter 2.1 | Left + Right Hand Textures

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until November 7th

Silver/Gold: Available until December 5th

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | Unit 1 Workshop

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | Unit 1 Composition Assignment

Compose a 16-32 measure theme for the piano in any genre or style. Your theme must be original, and should be playable by a pianist.

Suggestions:

• Use a melodic phrase structure template, like sentence / period / hybrid / compound / binary / ternary

• Start by brainstorming an emotion or expressive character (e.g., mystery, romantic, action), or by embracing a classical style (e.g., waltz, nocturne, minuet)

• It's often easier to generate a 'title' first, before you start composing. You can even use generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) for a title. A title can help to inspire the form, harmony, and melodic style.

Gold / Platinum tier patrons may submit completed assignment for feedback (before January).

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.5 Review Exercises

Includes the Chapter 1.5 Review Exercises (PDF), Dorico file, MIDI files, and MXML files

Gold / Platinum tier patrons may submit completed exercises for feedback (before January)

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.5 Excerpt Examples

Includes Chapter 1.5 Excerpt Examples (Dorico, MIDI files, MXML files, PDF)

This will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below:

Silver/Gold: Available until November 26th

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.5 Analysis

Chapter 1.5 Analysis | Simple Melodic Writing

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until October 29th

Silver/Gold: Available until November 26th

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The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.5 Lesson

Chapter 1.5 | Simple Melodic Writing

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until October 27th

Silver/Gold: Available until November 24th

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.4 Review Exercises

Includes the Chapter 1.4 Review Exercises (PDF), Dorico file, and MXML files

Gold / Platinum tier patrons may submit completed exercises for feedback (before January)

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.4 Excerpt Examples

Includes Chapter 1.4 Excerpt Examples (Dorico, MIDI files, MXML files, PDF)

This will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Silver/Gold: Available until November 18th

Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.4 Analysis

Chapter 1.4 Analysis | Simple Left Hand Accompaniments

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until October 20th

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Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.4

Chapter 1.4 | Simple Left Hand Accompaniments

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until October 17th

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The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.3

Chapter 1.3 | Understanding Piano Music

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

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The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.2

Chapter 1.2 | Piano Technique and Articulation

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

Bronze: Available until October 7th

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The Fundamentals of Piano Composition | 1.1

Chapter 1.1 | On Writing for the Piano

This video will be accessible to each tier until the date listed below

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Platinum: Available until early January

The Fundamentals of Piano Composition (Introduction)

This video presents an overview of the structure and materials covered in my upcoming course "The Fundamentals of Piano Composition", which will be available to my patreon subscribers.

The Fundamentals of Composing for Piano

Starting in early September, I'll be releasing new videos, materials, and assignments for my latest course on composing for the piano. Stay tuned for more information soon!

The Fundamentals of Composition | Melody & Theme Writing

I just wanted to make a post here on my patreon. If you're just getting here, you might be wondering where the Melody & Theme writing course materials have gone. This patreon / beta version of the course ran from February through the beginning of June, and I'm now getting everything ready to sell over on my Teachable site. More information soon!

I felt that the trial run on Patreon was a success, and so I'll be doing another one of these starting in September on writing for the piano. So I hope you'll stick around!

The Fundamentals of Orchestration is nearly complete!

Hi Patrons -- I'm wrapping up my orchestration course "The Fundamentals of Orchestration" this month. Many of you are already enrolled, but for the rest of you (current paid members), I'd like to offer 50% off the full price for the entire month. Feel free to message me or comment below with any questions you may have about the course.

And before you know it, I'll be back to making regular YouTube videos in January, and I'll be offering a short course on melody / harmony writing on Patreon in early 2025.

Thanks for your continued support as I finish this monumental orchestration course.