1 March 2015:

Today I interviewed the mother of a close friend. Her name is Julianza K. Shavin. She is a
musician, a poet, and artist. Practically the embodiment of art and the structure thereof, I
went to her to seek any tips on creating music.
Time of interview (24 hour clock): 14:00-15:00
Q: At what age did you begin composing music?
A: Either 9 or 10.
Q: Did you begin composing music on the piano? (Background knowledge)
A: Yes.
Q: How many pieces of music do you think you have composed?
A: I really don't know because I have a lot of fragments. I have quite a few, but I composed
mostly throughout my teen years and college years until I was 35.
Q: What do you consider to be a full composition? Do you consider it to have the idealized
song format...?
A: For me, I usually want a song to have a beginning, middle, and end. It needs to start with a
tonic I'm with the classical tradition. I don't end pieces on 5th or 6th. I tend to go tonic and
modulate into the minor 3rd, for instance, C to A minor and back to C. I tend to modulate
really heavily because some of my pieces are ten pages long. I modulate in and out of lots of
keys.
Q: What length are your pieces normally?
A: Anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes. I write for piano with voice; flute; cello; or organ.
Q: How often do you modulate during a song?
A: In my early pieces, I would go from the tonic to the relative minor and back. When I got
older, I would modulate over and over, so sections would go in and out of all kinds of keys.
I'm especially fond of the deceptive cadence when, for instance, you think the 7th will
resolve into the tonic but you don't. You resolve, for instance, into an A minor. I love those
and Picardy third. You raise the third instead of resolving, and it ends in a major.
Q: Do you have any tips for writing a composition?
A: The way I write 3 different wayssometimes, as with poets and painters, I will awake
with a melody in my head. It's always in a certain key. Or, in the days before computers, I
would get a tape recorder, set it to record, and I would jam just flat out jam. It's like freewriting, you just throw it down and come back to it later. I would jam for 30 minutes at a
time. I would hear that a certain section I really liked that section, and it became like a stem
cell, and I would expand on it. But all artists have a thing where they're in the mood to do
whatever their art form is, but don't really have an idea. At that point, you can sit with your
cello and do what I said you can work with the melody or harmony firstor model. I fell in
love with the music of Eric Satie, and I have modeled the work of him, and also of Chopin.
You can model if you're itching to create but don't have an idea in mind.
Q: Do you have any specific tips on how to compose a piece for a cello solo?
A: You need to know the range of your instrument. You need to know a comfortable range on
the cello you can't write a note below the particular C on a cello. It's kind of good to know
about things like string crossings. To get a nice blend, you should just listen. If you want to
write, you need to read. If you want to write music, you need to listen to music. And, it

depends on the virtuosity of your player. I'm writing a piece for my daughter. I'm making it at
her level. I'm not going to write ten million harmonics or string crossings. You hear a lot of
guitarists playing in E minor or A minor you don't often hear them playing in A flat for
instance, or if you do, they use a capo, for familiar fingering. There may be certain
instruments that sound better in certain keys.
Q: Are your compositions memorized, or do you take effort to memorize them?
A: Oh no. I don't go there. I don't want to spend my energy memorizing poetry or music. I
don't have the brain cells for it anymore. It could be why I didn't become a concert pianist. I
just wanted to play my own. I don't see any real reason to memorize unless using the music
pulls you from playing the piece with musicality dynamics and such.
Q: Do you think it would be more professional if were to memorize my solo?
A: Some people think that's more professional for example, soloists with the symphony. It
allows you to use a lot of body language. You on cello are not going to be throwing your
body around violinists have more fluidity. Cellists like, if you look at Johannes Gray he
moves around a bit on the cello. The way I see it, you can do that even with the music, and
the music might make you feel more comfortable. Others might think otherwise. Soloists are
expected to have their part memorized. I wouldn't worry about it, I'd just worry about giving
a good performance.
You can have a piano in the background all you need to do is annotate the chords and the
piano can flesh it out and back you up.
Q: Who are your favorite composers?
A: Bach and Chopin. There are so many others that I love but those have always been my
favorites as far as classical. As far as non-classical, Leonard Cohen.
3 March 2015
Today, I took a snippet of Julianzas advice: I free-wrote on my cello. Using the voice
memo option on my iPhone, I recorded fifteen minutes or so of imagining what I would like
to compose specifically. I came to the conclusion that the majority of the song will be in
minor keys. This Friday I will do the same free-writing on my cello to brainstorm ideas
before I join with my duet partner, Amadea Katz, to work on the cello and viola compositions
this Sunday, 8 March.
<include the voice-memo snippet if possible? Ask Mrs. McGilvray about this and see if you
have your personal project as a website like Ms. Durr suggested.>
5 March 2015
Early this afternoon, I went across the hall in my apartment building to give a cello lesson to
my neighbor, Beth. __ years old, Beth started playing cello the same age I did, at 8, and
carried on to play throughout high school and a bit into college. However, she did not carry
on with her instrument. She kept her cello the same. Originally, I had gone over to practice
with Beth; as it turned out, I ended up helping her.
It felt empowering knowing all of the answers to questions on music theory. While I took
steps in learning how the leadership process works, I enjoyed it as well. At the end of an hour,
we concluded that I would come over weekly to assist her in recovering her skills.
8 March 2015
Settling on a time and date was very difficult for this first meet-up together. Originally, my

friend, Amadea, and I were supposed to meet this week prior. When that fell through, I set up
a date a week later. That fell through as well due to parental interferences; however, we were
able to meet the next day, which was today.
While dreaming of what little nuances we should add to each measure, we kept (a) certain
picture/tips in mind: 1) the song must have a beginning, middle, and an end, as Julianza said;
2) the song shall be in a minor key and mimic a melancholy setting; 3) the song will be
representing a particular story in mindimagine a piano in a dark, dank room, a girl trapped
up in a tower breaking free, miles of forest, leaves falling to the trampled groundall this
and much more.
During this first practice, we laid out the beginning of the composition. Carefully, I noted the
overlay of our instrumentsmy cello and Amadeas violinand made adjustments so it
would run smoothly. Because we both started orchestra in the 4th grade, we are very
accustomed to the music world. Adjusting chords and notes to make sure the designated tonic
was keptA flat majorwas not too hard. I wrote out cadences for this key and others in
mind, too refer to while pondering transitions. The hardest part of this process was keeping
octave ranges in mind. To conquer this, I wrote out scales in both base clef and treble clef.
This first meeting really brought out my some of my qualities linked to leadership. I was
adamant with my decisions, making it clear that I did have final say, but that I was open to
suggestions. I also gave Amadea some suggestions as to where sections of her violin part
should align with mine, so as to create a better flow.
11 March 2015
The composition is rapidly coming along. Earlier today, I met again with Amadea to work on
the duet. At the moment, I am busy writing the fighting scene for the cello part, and helping
Amadea along with what on the violin will accompany it well.
However, a continuous problem I have been running into in the process of this project has
been constant want to control by her mother, Julianza. I myself am very organized when it
comes to setting up times and dates and sticking to them. My friend is the opposite but abides
to the dates I set up; what is annoying is how Julianza feels the need to intervene. While
constructive criticism is wanted in areas of teaching, it is not necessary when composing,
because it becomes not the composers work, but that of the criticizers. This I feel is
especially important in the fact that it goes against the idea of the Personal Project.
To avoid any possible seeds being planted, Ive decided that, from now on, Amadea and I will
compose at my house. We are planning on writing together this Sunday, 15 March 2015.
15 March 2015
What we previously had decided would be the start of the song was scratched. The flow and
transitions were off; the song was choppy. I used a few lines and scribbled down what
Amadea and I perceived as the beginning, middle, and end of the piece. We had a story-book
like theme in mind, and finally we decided to mimic the scenes in The Princess Bride. The
beginning of the song demonstrates the love lost(we start out in G, using legato and playing
mezzo forte to represent Westleys and Princess Buttercups love; then we transition into the
higher octave, use a ritardando, and decrescendo into pianissimo to represent their departure).
The beginning is all we managed to compose today. We set up the rest of the songthe
middle containing the voyage, the sword fights, the jungle, the castle, and the electrocutions;
the ending portraying the tragedy/almost marriage and love reunited (the beginning phrase
ending the piece).
We set up all possible dates that we could meet next to work on the composition. Of course, if
there are more in between, we will meet then as well. On my own, along with my nightly
practice, I am going to imagine what will fit best for each phrase and what would overlap it

nicely. Our next meeting dates are: 20 Mar., 21 Mar., 22 Mar., 4 Apr., and 18 Apr. Because
our schedules are so hectic and because we do not live close by, these are the only sure-fire
ties; however, there will be other dates and times that will possibly work out as well. On or
in-between the final practice days, I will begin entering in the rough draft sheet music into a
software so that I can print it out and have an electronic copy.
4 April 2015
It seems to be that my partner on the violin is not going to be able to play/write the violin
portion of the composition. While this blurs the vision of the end of my Personal Project, as
well as adjusts my criteria, I had decided that I shall compose a cello solo instead. If anything
can be salvaged from the work my partner and I did already, though unlikely because the
lines complimented each other best, I will do that.
6 April 2015
Progress today. I composed the first line of my solo. I kept the choice of starting the tonic out
with two flats. Outside of home practice, I have been brainstorming possible melodies during
class and writing them as notes in my iPhone to test on my cello.
Along with that, I found the website today that I will use
(http://www.arpegemusic.com/partition1.htm) to finalize my music as an online copy and a
printed copy.
8 April 2015
This is my prior goal statement
I decided that my Personal Project would embody creativity and leadership in the
form of a composition because of my background with music. Playing cello has helped me
achieve relaxation and persevere through hardships for the past eight years. My favorite part
of playing the cello is receiving recognition for my passion. I have spent countless days and
night practicingnot for competition, but for relaxationyet, performing by myself or with
a small group is the unexplainable. I long to create my own music one and perform, either for
small crowds or in fancy halls. By pursuing this goal as my personal project, I will learn that I
can achieve a great featcreating and producing my own music.
My goal is to compose a violin-cello duet with my friend. I will decide the tonic we
are starting with and line up the octaves of my cello and her violin, but my friend will
compose the violin section of the duet. I will compose the cello portion, type the sheet music,
record the composition and convert it to a mp3 format (as well as backing it up on a disk),
and be in charge of the time-management.
To make sure that my project will not fail, I will check off the following as I proceed:
I will make a list of meetings and dates that fits my friends schedules and
mine.
I will compose my own portion of the duet, and I will make sure that I have
the final say in all additions made by my friend.
I will provide blank sheet music for drafting the composition.
I will demonstrate leadership skills by managing the time, deciding what
phrases make the cut, and overall dealing with the technological process of
recording the composition and typing in/printing off the sheet music.
Because my project is different now, I am creating a new goal statement. There is not as
much time to complete the project as I would have if this was my original goal for my
Personal Project. However, I am going to write this new goal statement as though it was my
original idea, and write a list of to-dos to cross off to create the solo cello composition I
imagine.

10 April 2015
I re-read the interview I conducted with Julianza K. Shavin. I did not change the script, but I
edited the interview as though she was only giving advice to me, and not to me and her
daughter on how to write a duet. This includes revising my questions asked and trimming
Shavins answers.
On a different note, looking back on the interview gave me further inspiration and insight to
compose. Yesterday, I finished up the beginning of my solo piece. I am going to now work on
the middle chunk of it.
20 April 2015
11:28
Over this last week, I have practiced my cello every day. My composition is piecing itself
together. I now have the beginning finished, as well as part of the ending. Parts of the middle
exist, but the middle needs tweaking.
I contacted one of my old cello instructors, Laurie Gabriel, in hopes that she would be able to
give me some insight on composing. While she herself does not prefer to compose and
simply enjoys playing, she gave me the email of one of her students who is very familiar with
composing. I emailed this student of hers, Caleb Scotta, in hopes of conducting an online
interview. While he turned out to be slightly younger than me (and most likely amazing at his
instrument if Mrs. Gabriel were to recommend him for advice), he gave me the address of his
blog. He updates frequently on the basics of composing and little tips, all in laymans terms
so that even a beginner would be able to understand. I found some of the tips very helpful.
15:39
I finished my composition around an hour ago. I worked for nearly an hour figuring out the
dynamics and reconfiguring the format. In a couple of hours, I am going to my friends house
to input my written draft into a software that will allow me to further edit my music and print
it legibly. The prior website I had found online was one that required a payment, so I chose to
use my friends instead.
Along with this, I critiqued my goal statement for the final time (further described my global
context). Currently, I am 60% done with my website.
21 April 2015:
Yesterday did not work, as it turned out, to input my composition into Finale (the musicediting software). I am about to go to my friends house to do that.
Along with that, I conducted an online interview with this young composer finally. I talked
about him my previous entry. While he is only 12 years old (shocking really), he has nearly as
much experience as I do with my cello with viola and piano, and also has been composing for
a long while.
The following are the questions, and his responses to, that came from the online interview I
conducted with him via email.
Date/time of interview: 21 April 2015, 1:57 P.M.
Q: How quick should a phrase be? For example, would it be awkward if I suddenly transition
into a fast-moving section?
A: Depending on the type of piece you are playing, the phrase lengths can be whatever you
want. From what I see in your attachment, [I sent a picture of my composition] you have a lot
of 16th note runs, so I recommend you have maybe 4-8 measure phrasing. About switching to
a completely different music zone, I do that to for some of my pieces. I have a very lyrical
song...but then it goes into a jauntier sort of style. NOTE: Always switch back to your
original mode before you end the piece.

Q: Do you consider plucking a cop-out or find it interesting to the plot of the song if placed
correctly?
A: If you haven't composed before, don't worry about a 'cop-out.' Just stick to your melody
and add decorations and you should be fine. Like you said, you have been playing so long
that it kind of comes easier.
Q: What do you consider a melody?
A: I think a melody is an organized lengthened (or not) phrase. If you saw my post on
"Writing With Pictures," [his blog on writing music; http://songwritingwcaleb.blogspot.com/]
you will get the sense of expressing an idea.
Q: Should I memorize my composition for my project? (If I do end up performing).
A: What I think about memorizing music especially something you wrote, then you should
practice it...If you care about your piece enough that you practice it enough and you know
what it sounds like...then I should say you could definitely memorize it. Memorizing is also
good with getting into the music. If you have it memorized, then you can emote more into
your music. I have written dozens of pieces...and I have them all memorized. I played them
so much that I can just sit down, hear it, then play it. It is your choice, but I would memorize.
Q: What is your personal composition process?
A: I just goof off! I play with my viola, or piano (or any instrument) and just tinker around. I
came up with my favorite song that way! Sometimes, though, I am going on a walk or am
outside and see Pikes Peak, and then melodies that fit the feeling start to swim around and
then I come home and put it to music. After that, I just add cadenzas, chords, tempo changes,
surprises, fsz's and much more.
This interview with Caleb Scotta reminded me a lot of what the person I first interviewed,
Julianza K. Shavin, had to say. Especially in regard to experimenting randomly (Scotta:
tinkering around, Shavin: Jam out). Along with that, this interview also made me look
over my song again. I reviewed it and realized that I needed to rephrase back to the beginning
to add a complete feel to my song.
I put everything into Finale an hour ago with Scottas interview in mind. The software was
unfamiliar to me so I could not find every dynamic or tool I needed, so I ended up writing in
some things after I printed it out. However, I cannot write this into my online document of
my composition. I think I will just take a picture of my hard copy, now, instead of uploading
the other copy of my composition. Otherwise, something would be missingdespite the
picture of the hardcopy looking less clean than straight off the software.