Advice for stage 2 composition

Heya! Been a while since I've uploaded on here.

I'm currently in the process of completing a stage 2 composition (Year 12) and am experiencing HUGE writers block. My assignment is to replicate the "feeling" of another song. Meaning: use elements from another composer/composition to incorporate into your own composition. I've decided to go down the track of making it Studio Ghibli themed. My main focus being either Totoro or Spirited Away. I know that I'm going to tell a story through my composition, starting calm, and then turning mischievous, thinking about the soot sprites running trouble. Would anyone be willing to give me some feedback/suggestions on the composition moving forward? Anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks 😽

Stage 2 Composition NO.2.pdf

Hello @Josephine_Maccrimmon !

Welcome to the forum!

Sorry for a late reply. I think the beginning of this sketch set up the mood well. You have many things you can do to move the composition forward. First is harmony. You are just staying in tonic D flat major in the passages presented. How about a half cadence and then modulates to a different key? Like, you can have a phrase ends on Ab major which is the dominant chord, and then start in a close key and then gets back to tonic Db major. You will already get some progress with this formula. Next is the instrumentation. You are using the flute as the melody carrier. What about the other instruments? You could easily switch roles with each of those instruments, for example having piano/oboe/quena playing the melody. Another thing is texture. What about changing the texture to a more polyphonic setting and invites more counterpoint? Also what about a contrasting section with different mood, tempo and key? These are all what you can consider for developing a piece!

Henry