Highland Music Deparmtent CBPA's

Highland Music Department Composition Parameters

5th grade – Compose at least 8 measures and no more than 24.

• Use form A-B-A
• For your instrument
• Must have at least one whole, half, quarter and eighth notes
• Must have at least one whole, half, and quarter rests
• Must have a tempo marking
• Must use dynamics
• Should have some articulation markings (accents, slurs)
• Each year there will be a theme

  6th grade – Compose at least 12 measures and no more than 32.

• Use form A-B-A, A-B-C, or A-B-A-C
• For your instrument
• Must have at least one whole, half, dotted-half, quarter, dotted-quarter and eighth notes
• Must have at least one whole, half, quarter and eighth rests
• Must have a tempo marking
• Must use dynamics
• Should have some articulation markings (accents, slurs, staccato)
• Each year there will be a theme

  Jr. High – Compose at least 24 measures and no more than 80.

• Use a form (A-B-A, A-B-C, A-B-A-C, or Rondo)
• For your instrument or a small group of instruments
• Must have at least one whole, half, dotted-half, quarter, dotted-quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes
• Must have at least one whole, half, dotted-half, quarter, dotted-quarter, and eighth rests
• Must have a tempo marking
• Must use at least three dynamics
• Should have some articulation markings (accents, slurs, staccato, tenuto, marcato)
• Each year there will be a theme

  High School Choir – Compose at least 12 measures and no more than 32.

• Use form A-B-A, A-B-C, or A-B-A-C
• For your voice
• Must have at least one whole, half, dotted-half, quarter, dotted-quarter and eighth notes
• Must have at least one whole, half, quarter and eighth rests
• Must have at least one tempo marking
• Must use at least three dynamics
• Should have some articulation markings (accents, slurs, staccato)
• Each year there will be a theme

  High School Band – Compose at least 48 measures and no more than 80

• Use a form (A-B-A, A-B-C, A-B-A-C, or Rondo (A-B-A-C-A-B-A), Theme and Variations
• For your instrument (Individually write these)
• Must have at least one whole, half, dotted-half, quarter, dotted-quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes
• Must have at least one whole, half, dotted-half, quarter, dotted-quarter, and eighth rests
• Must have at least one tempo marking (Allegro, Andante, Largo, etc.)
• Must use at least 4 dynamics (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, cresc., decresc., etc.)
• Should have multiple articulation markings (accents, slurs, staccato, tenuto, marcato, etc.)
• You need to Title your Composition
• Make sure your name is on it
• Each year there will be a theme

The theme this year is this:

There is a new Microsoft game coming out for the X-Box 360. It is an action/adventure game. Bill Gates is having a contest to see who can write a 48 measure composition that best reflects the game. The composer of the winning composition will receive $5,000. You must write it and perform it. If selected you will receive an invite to perform it on May 30 at 7:00 pm in the gym.