Course description:

Landline’s innovative composition workshop is one that celebrates individuality and collaboration through group composition. The group has designed a three-day workshop for post-secondary and post-graduate level students which shares this exciting process with its participants. Similar to the game “telephone”, each participant composes original material which is then passed around to his/her’s ensemble members to be transformed through the duration of the course. Throughout the workshop, group discussions will be held to examine the compositions. The meetings will include all of the students and will feature projections of the pieces in their various states of development. This content will be gathered throughout the week by having the participants take pictures of their scores and uploading them to a shared Dropbox folder. The scores will be projected on a screen during the group session as compositional analysis and technique is discussed. The entire process culminates in the generation of multiple pieces developed by each member of the ensemble to be shared at an end-of-workshop concert.   

Format:

1 group leader (Landline band member) per group. Groups can be any size and instrumentation. The group leaders will also play in the ensembles.

Student requirements:

Prior to the workshop start date, participants must prepare 2 ideas. These ideas can be any length Ex. A one-bar drum beat or a even a full composition

Goals for the week:

• Producing multiple compositions

• Asking the question: As artists, what does it mean to have a concept for your work?

• Learning to compose in a collaborative setting

• Challenged to step out of one’s comfort zone 

• Celebrating the idea that everyone has a voice by highlighting the vital and positive role that collaboration plays in successful group dynamics.