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Thanks for the reminder. Everyone who hasn't already submitted music has been messaged about the encroaching deadline. We're still expecting at least 2 more submissions for a potential total of 9.

remember guys that the submission deadline ends in three days so make sure you finish your work and send it in through the channel shown above

Some of the most devastating music i’ve heard still yet contain a mixture of the minor/major mode but commence and return to the minor. There are some outliers though in your spirit, such as Bach’s crucifixus (from mass in b minor). I believe that is entirely in the minor, but with an important caveat: The movement is approximately 3 minutes long, and is immediately followed by the jubilant ‘Et Resurrexit’. This is of course highly effective, and I can only imagine how the mood in a concert hall, reduced to the depths of despair at the depiction of Jesus dying on the cross, to then be elevated by the sudden and ecstatic news of the great revelation. The other example that comes to mind is Dido’s Lament by Purcell. Both share a the same structural basis: a repeated ground bass and as such the music remains within its harmonic frame. And both represent something both devastating and apparently defeating. So it’s not unprecedented in that measure, but what sets your work apart is in its length, and the indication that the other movements are also predominately in the minor. I would argue that the most effective narratives through music embody some form of cyclic structure that involves both the major and minor (not in equal measure but 70/30, depending on which mode the work commences) and if not within a single movement, then between movements. Bach’s crucifixus is an excellent example in this respect. That is my personal preference, of course, and wish not to detract from the technical and aesthetic feat you have achieved here. All the best Markus

@JorgeDavid Well done, that was excellent! The second half is particularly moving. I felt like it really built up the drama and peaked in a very satisfying way. You’ve got a really nice touch, both in the composition and performance. Here’s my only recommendation: break up the accompaniment rhythm here and there. It will give the piece more character if the accompaniment is just a touch more rhythmically interesting. I’m only talking about rhythm, not the notes themselves. Even a small rhythmic change can have a big impact. For example: Instead of boom chuck chuck, boom chuck chuck, boom chuck chuck, boom chuck chuck… You might try boom chuck chuck, chuck boom chuck, chuck chuck chuck, boom chuck boom (rhythm repeats). The boom is the bass note and the chuck is the chord. You could keep all your same luxurious bass notes, but just alternate slightly where those bass notes hit. You may even find a configuration that sounds so delightful, you can use it throughout the piece as a motif. Anyways that’s just a thought. Even if you keep it as is, it’s already lovely! Nice job.

Hello, What a wonderful waltz. I listened it to 4-5 times now, and each time at 0:23, or measure 11....the Bnat in your right hand, really clashes with the Bb in the left hand. In that same measure (11) and in measure 15, you do this thing where you have like a power chord going on....G in LH and G-D in right hand. Sort of feels out of keeping with the lovely sophisticated, I'm in a Cafe in Paris feeling smoking a cigarette reading Camus sort of feeling that you got going on otherwise. In measure 11, I personally "feel" a Gminor9 chord sort of voiced in a way where it's clustered together. But I realize that that may or may not work with what you have right after (going into the Cmaj). Perhaps, just nixing the Bnat and keeping it Bb. Anyways, that's how the piece sounds to me...just this one place that seems out of place. Really digging the chord/atmosphere at measure 37. At measure 40, you play a F# I think that's not in the score? Maybe it was an accident/improvisation, but I like it! Perhaps you could expand on the idea since I believe that this general idea has not come up in the music yet.

Hi @Markus Boyd ! Sorry for a long delay for replying! Actually not only this movement but the entire piece is predominantly in minor. My story to tell is about despair, the feeling of it and the struggle of it with hope. When you are struggling it's easy you lose all hope in the world, so I don't put balance of major/minor in this work. In fact the portion of Eb major is increasing during movements and the work will end in it instead of C minor to represent some hope! During this movement it will be me to be crazed by the despair completely till exhaustion, and after that you will start reflecting, which is the theme of the 3rd movement. In that emotional state I believe there won't be much drama from major/minor, rather it will be a deep dive into the despair in minor. Henry

Hi @Scriabinian ! Sorry for such a long delay! I would love to have it played in real life too, but that will be a bonus only. Thank you for your compliment! Henry

Hi @Luis Hernández ! Thx for your reply! I always want to reply but I'm too busy right now ao it causes a really long delay! Thank you Luis. I know how knoweledgeable you are with musix theory and to earn a compliment from you is an honor. I do think in terms of counterpoint and hopefully it's not too bad haha! Henry

Yeah before revision I think the fugues are the main courses but during this revision I realised how important those Laments are in the structure. I really love them too given how straight away I express my emotion there, why in fugues the emotions are more indirect. Yup the modulation is pretty tame becausr this is the 1st time I write an entire fugal movement so I don't know how to modulate better like what I did in the Sextet fugue later, but I think the more modest modulations help the movement stay in the mood, hopefully. Thx! I really like the parts when despair comes back, they are emotionally and technically better passages! Henry

I will now view your entry for so on a bright summer day and as of listening to it, it initially sounded nice however, though there’s one thing you should be careful on slurring those 16th note, triplets should be slurred and under one bow Also, you should be careful about using the sticcatisimo articulation it should only be used sparingly when you want a special effect of a very exaggerated staccato marking Nice meter change into the 6/8 in key change as well At times the music feels a little bit clustered. Also make sure you use dynamics more often especially around that later parts Anyways, I was a string player. I’m going to harp on the string parts more harshly because I feel like there could be more that could’ve been done with the strings along with different techniques to be used in different types of Bowing Anyways, it was a nice piece. The only two problems though is that the 6/8 section felt very clustered and kind of muddy and there were very little use of dynamics near that part as well but it’s a very solid work though I will now give scores and reasons for faults MelodiesThemes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 9 6.87 8.2 8.8 9.2 7.2 9.8 6.5 average: 8.19 The harmony was a little basic, however though I may give you props to that key change you should read up above about the orchestration problem, but I feel like the strings could do much more and feel free to experiment more for taste, I rated it so low just for the purpose that it was a good piece on its own. It wasn’t that much interesting though to my taste, I couldn’t really find anything that stands out. however, though this was a good quality production and I wish you luck and further competitions and your composing career

Haha thx Alex! When I composed I seldom stick to any plan. This structural graph is made only after I finish the piece and me acting as the analyst rather than the composer haha. When I write I'm probably the same as you to write with instinct and polish them later. Indeed, it takes longer than I thought. I am almost finish with the whole piece as the 4th movement is almost done! It would be a bonus but I'm not that eager to have the piece performed in real life. Henry

mad respect for that

Thanks for the feedback. I recorded each part separately with a click track, except for the third movement which was fully rubato. As for the instrumentation, I wanted it to have a choral feeling, with the instruments being equal in range and timbre. I also quite like the sound of close harmonies, especially harmonies found in barbershop quartets, which is what inspired the first movement.

We need justice lol

@Matthew M has submitted his piece as well!

And you can also highlight text in a reply and usually, a "Quote Selection" button will pop up (sometimes you have to highlight the text a second time if the first time it doesn't work).

That badge was created by me as a joke for Christmas of 2023 so that @Thatguy v2.0 could bestow the badge to me for winning our "Christmas Duel" LoL. That's a good idea too! The only comparable existing award is the "Musical Explorer" badge, but a "Creative Composer" badge would also be good! Thanks.

It’s been forever since I done this sort of method of judging with sort of a transcript of a judge tape, but I’m going to try it for this piece or what basically happens is that I listen and I speak my notes in here. This allows me to pull things up immediately that I have noticed rather than using my memory. I appreciate the little dissonances and passing tones in the first Movement and the model interchange as well (2nd movement) This sounds very medieval like a quartet of crumhornes I kinda like the stylistic blending of the baroque, and also the medieval sound and sort of that renaissance, sort of idea in good attention to dynamics the trio given in the middle of the second movement does a good job to give the listener sort of a pallet cleanser and to redirect the energy and attention I appreciate how you use the full instrument of the Sopranos saxophone although that there it would be much nicer for a full sax Quartet (satb) I still give major respect to the versatility you present with only one instrument that is held by four different players The third movement has a good range of dynamics, and I love the low end of the dynamic spectrum given in the opening statement. I also like the harmony being used as well giving a Coventry Carol feel This also should represent the sunset as well in the idea of a sunset. Lovely ending with a pickerdty third. i’ll now give my scoring and explain any faults that may have happened MelodiesThemes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8.5 9.15 9.7 8.4 9.6 7.88 9.5 8.56 your average is 8.91. excellent quality on your composition. Also, did you perform the whole entire thing if this was a live recording then kudos to you anyways, I had explained your orchestration score. If only you used more members of the sax family you may be able to get a much more wider sound however though your purpose kinda does justify though if you want to keep it just to one instrument. just like I had said to other entries, I had tanked the creativity score however, though I kind of brought a little bit up to you due to the creative melody and the creative harmony, and feel that your piece gives off it kinda does fit that cookie cutter idea of that aesthetic that everybody else is convergently going for so there’s not really much uniqueness in that purpose purpose there. other than that excellent job

Hi Henry, Well done on your revision of this major work: it must've taken such a long time to do! I'm very impressed with all the detail in your structural plan. (Don't think I could stick to something like that, as I tend to write organically by instinct alone.) Are you hoping to get a performance by real musicians? Alex

You can reply to individuals by using @ followed by their user name, like this @Lucky

Composers and sound artists are invited to the 2nd Aion Digital Art Prize (2026–2027), organized by Aion Laboratory, a division of Ise-Shima Art Company in Japan. The competition welcomes both visual art and music in digital form. Music and sound-only works are eligible; a visual component is not required. Electronic and electroacoustic music, sound art, audiovisual works and other digital creative practices are welcome. Audio formats include MP3 and WAV. Open to all ages and nationalities. Individual and collaborative works, including previously exhibited or awarded works, are eligible. AI-assisted work is accepted if its use is explained; works created solely by AI are not eligible. Deadline: 1 March 2027, 23:59 GMT. Entry fee: JPY 3,000 per work, non-refundable. Each work requires a separate application and payment. Awards: one Grand Prize of JPY 50,000 and a printed certificate; up to 35 Aion Digital Art Prizes with certificates. Results: 5 May 2027, by email and on the official website. Submit a link to the work and a description through the online application form. SoundCloud, Google Drive and other accessible hosting services may be used; keep the work available until the results announcement. Full rules: https://www.aionlabo.com/en/blank-2 Application: https://en.iseshimaart.com/digitalartprize Contact: info@iseshimaart.com Copyright remains with the creator. The full rules explain the organizer's permission to introduce, share and exhibit submitted work. Please read them before applying.

I finally finished! I thought we were supposed to adapt the poem to be sung, so that's what I composed. For voice and piano trio! Attached is the link to the youtube video, as well as the pdf of the score and the mp3 audio. So on a bright summer day.mp3 So on a bright summer day.pdf

Is there an option to reply to specific people on here or does it just reply to the whole thread? Anyhow, thank you for the feedback (both of you)! I do plan to maybe share a little more here, so that would be cool! A little problem with that might be the fact that I'm currently on a streak of having a bunch of these great ideas but not finishing them out because I'm very busy with other things. Currently trying to submit for the National youth Composition Challenge though and these are some unfinished/unpolished excerpts from the score

Straight away you get to the point with the very nice intro. It has a distinct theme and haunting harmony. The fugues are very beautiful, and the transitions are quite smooth. But I especially love the intro. The intro has a Tchaikovsky feel to it, very dark, emotional with lots of soul. The fugues are fun and I can tell you paid close attention to orchestration. It seems that your key changing is pretty tame in this movement, at least within sections. Your transition from the 8 minute mark to the 9:20 mark is particularly well done and I like how you split this movement into 2...where the first section is the darker side, and the second section is the happier side. It gives the piece a nice balance. The second section reminds me a little of Bach's inventions, before you remind us of the darkness of the entire piece by shifting focus back to the intro!

Hi @Grant Weep—a bit late to comment on these works. My impression is that these are wonderful, lovely, and truly nice pieces. The backstory behind the works is just fantastic. When it comes to a piece that holds such significance, there’s really nothing for me to add. I'm a total stranger to your kids, but tell them to enjoy childhood, and good luck! ☺️ I said so before, but again, I truly hope you have an amazing family life! Best, Lithl.