DanielleAnderson

16925HamptonCrossingDrive
Huntersville,NC28078
danielleelizabeth022@gmail.com

October5,2015

PineLakePreparatory
16630MecklenburgHighway
Mooresville,NC28115
(704)2375300

DearReviewCommittee,
MynameisDanielleAnderson,andIamseventeenyearsold.Ihavelivedinthesamehousein
Huntersvillemyentirelifewithmymom,mydad,andmyfourrescuedogs.Forthefirstfew
yearsofmylifeIattendedCorneliusElementaryandJ.VWashamElementaryuntilIwasnine
yearsold.IbeganattendingPineLakein2008whenIwasinthefifthgrade,andIamexcitedto
finallybegraduatingthisspring.

BothinsideandoutsideoftheclassroomIamheavilyinvolvedinmusic.Ibeganplayingthe
pianowhenIwassevenyearsold,andItakepianolessonsatMasterworksSchooloftheArtsin
Davidson.ThroughMasterworks,Iamabletoperforminnumerousconcertsinandaroundthe
community,volunteeringtoplaypianopiecesatlocalchurchconcertsandinnursinghomes.
WhenIwasafreshmanIbecameacellistinthePineLakeAdvancedStringOrchestra,andhave
beenPrincipalCellistinbothmyJuniorandSenioryears.Ihavealsobeenamemberof
ChamberMusic,anonrequiredmusicensemblemadeupofdedicatedstringsstudents,forthree
years.ForthepasttwoyearsIhaveparticipatedinprovidingthemusicfortheschoolmusicals
byplayingthecellointheorchestra.MyjunioryearIbecamepresidentoftheTriMMusic
HonorSocietyandIcompletenumerousmusicrelatedserviceprojectswiththatorganization
eachyear.Inadditiontoalltheseschoolrelatedmusicactivities,IhavealsobeenaJuniorCamp
Counseloratmusicsummercampsteachingchildrenofallageshowtoplaythepianoandviolin.

MusicisoneofmymostintensepassionsandIamcompletelydedicatedtobothadvancing
myselfasamusicianandassistingothersinbecominggreatmusicians.Iintendonmajoringin
musicincollege,andsoIdecidedtobasemyPrideProjectaroundmyloveofmusicinorderto
gainunderstandingofwhatacollegemusiceducationmaybelike.Althoughmyprimaryroleas
amusicianhasbeenthatofaperformer,overthepastfewyearsIhaveimmersedmyselfinthe
worldofcompositionandfilmscoring.Ibecameextremelyinterestedinthistopicanddecidedto
makeitthefocusofmyPrideProject.

FormyPrideProjectIplanoncomposingapieceofmusic,creatingapresentablenotatedscore
ofmypiece,andtakingeitheranaudioorvideorecordingofmypiece,whetheritisofa
performancebylivemusiciansorthroughanaudiorepresentationcompiledbyamusicnotation
software.Iplanonworkingcloselywithmymentor,whoworksasbothaprofessionalcomposer
andaninstructor,soIcanbeguidedthroughoutthecompositionprocess.Thecompositionwill
mostlikelytakemuchlongerthantenhoursofwork,asIwillneedtophysicallycomposethe
piece,notateit,thenperformandproducearecordingofit.Dependingonthelengthofthefinal
composition,Iexpecttheentireprocesswilltakemeabouttwotothreemonthstocomplete.In
ordertoproducemyproductIwillneedtohaveaccesstomusicnotationsoftwareaswellasa
computer,aMIDIkeyboardinordertomakemynotationprocessmoresimple,andmultiple
instrumentsthatIcanexperimentwithinordertogetafeelforwhatmypieceisgoingtosound
like.Attheendofthisexperience,Ihopetoproduceforthejudgesabindercontaininga
completenotatedscoreandanyroughdraftsoftheoriginalscore,aswellasanyphotographsor
notesIhavetakenthatdetailthecompositionprocess.Iwillalsopresenttheaudioorvisual
recordingofmypiecetothejudgessotheyareabletohearmyfinishedwork.Thecomposition
processwillallowmetolearnmusictheoryconceptsinamorehandsonandindepth
environment,aswellasallowingmetogainanunderstandingofwhatacollegelevelmusic
compositioncoursewouldbelike.Composingapieceofmusicwillpushmeoutsideofmy
comfortzone,asIhavealmostnopriorexperiencewithcompositionandhavebeensolelya
performerandinstructorupuntilthispoint.Gainingawidevarietyofmusicalskillsoutsideof
performancewillallowmetoadvancemyselfasamusicianandbetterinstructothers,aswellas
givemeexperienceforbothmycollegemusiceducationandmymusicalcareerafterIgraduate.
Iamextremelyexcitedtobeginworkonmyprojectandtofurthermymusicalknowledge.

Sincerely,

DanielleE.Anderson