1. Hannah K. Wery
Mrs. Corbett
9 April 2012
AP Literature
Senior Project Speech
Hello, my name is Hannah Wery, and my senior project was to create my very
own choral composition. I have always been fascinated by music. My parents tell me that
when I was little, I would close my eyes, sit quietly, and listen to music. My love for
music has only grown since then, especially in middle school when I first experienced
All-State Chorus. My experience with the best choral students in the state has really
inspired my zeal for classical and choral music. Ever since then, I have pursued a greater
understanding of music theory and composition as well as singing opera.
The topic of my research paper was the benefits of an education in music. I found
some very interesting facts while researching this topic, and I was glad to discover how
music can be a positive factor in the lives of others. By gaining an education in music
myself, I will have knowledge to pass on to others and help be a positive influence in
their lives as well. With this in mind, I decided to teach a freshman at Creekview about
music theory. This helped with my composition because I observed how singers in a
choir connect to a piece of music, so by seeing how this girl connected to the music she
sang, I was able to write something more personal. The composer of a piece of music
should connect with its singers or instrumentalists the way an author connects with his

2. readers. Music education also improves the overall functioning of the brain, including
auditory skills, emotional intelligence, the learning of languages, and ability in
mathematics. For example, a College Entrance Examination Board in Princeton, New
Jersey looked at the SAT scores of college-bound high school seniors and discovered that
musicians scored 57 points higher on the test's verbal section and 41 points higher in
math. Music can even be used to cure mental illnesses through the practice of music
therapy. By having a career in music, I feel that I will be doing something good for the
world.
My final product is my very own music composition. It is SATB, which stands for
soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. This division of choir voices is used in many classical
pieces and modern pieces alike. It is also one of the more complex divisions of voices
because each melodic line has to coincide with all the other parts so that it makes sense
harmonically. This was probably the most challenging part about creating my product
because it required a good amount of brain power. What most people fail to recognize
about musicians and their work is the difficulty of analyzing chords and putting them
together in a way that sounds pleasing to the ear. A music composer needs a decent
amount of intelligence and capability to do his or her job well. I chose this as my project
because I wanted to be better prepared for college, where I intend to major in music
composition. I also wanted to expand my skills as a musician and create something
beautiful.
The creative part of this project was by far my favorite. My first step to
composing music, and the most important, was inspiration. Without it, a musician can get
the feeling of having "writer's block" and become frustrated. As cliche as this may sound,

3. the best way to begin writing a piece is to just "let it come to you." The second step for
me was to develop a central theme. Once I knew what I wanted my song to be about, I let
the words come to me as poetry. The words inspired a melody, which I was able to
transcribe onto sheet music. Next came harmonic dictation. Roman numeral analysis is a
technique used in music theory to analyze chord progressions, and I used this to help me
hear in my head what I wanted the piece to sound like. Once I had a general idea for what
I wanted my song to sound like, I began putting in the notes using this online software
called noteflight.com. After this, I was able to write the other voice parts so that they
complemented the melody. Finally, I finished the piano part, and the piece was complete.
Of course, there was a great deal of revision involved, which transformed my piece from
a mere rough draft to a rather impressive composition for a beginning composer, if I do
say so myself.
My project facilitator was none other than Rob Opitz, the band director at
Creekview. I chose him as my facilitator because he is my AP music theory teacher this
year, and I feel that he has already taught me much more than just what is on the AP test.
Also, he especially pushed the class in the area of composition. Outside of what I learned
in class, we met after class so that we could discuss how my piece was coming along and
how I am improving as a musician and as a composer. He would tell me the changes that
I needed to make, and at first all that revision was frustrating, but in the end, it vastly
improved my composition.
Despite the planning put into this project, there were some complications. The
greatest challenge I had was working with other people. I made very sure not to
procrastinate on this project; I began it in July. However, I was still required to work

4. around other people's schedules. For example, my project facilitator is a very busy
person, so finding time for him to help me with my project outside of class was, at times,
a huge difficulty. Also, I could not manage to get an entire choir of people together to
teach them my composition, what with extra-curriculars and the like. But aside from that,
I found that I was able to work efficiently and find plenty of inspiration. Also, with a
degree in music composition, I would not actually need to conduct my pieces; I would
only be required to write them. If I were to need a choir to sing my compositions, I could
access a college choir, especially if I were a music professor. I think that my idea of
compiling high schoolers together to sing my composition was a bit far-fetched,
especially with all the plans our choral director has for us this year.
As a whole, I learned that music is much more complex than I ever imagined it
would be. Music theory is a very in-depth topic, and there is much more to it than putting
notes on a piece of paper. When people say that Mozart is a genius, it is not because his
fingers simply fell onto the right keys on the piano. Music is not guess work; it is a very
complicated practice with every last note and rhythm carefully crafted to create a
masterpiece.
I most certainly intend to pursue this topic further. I enjoy helping people, and I
feel that through a career in music, I can put my talent to good use and use music to
positively influence the lives of others. I have learned so much about music and about
myself, as well as what I want to do with my life. I feel that although this project took a
great deal of time away from my studies, it was overall a very enjoyable and fulfilling
experience. I will now be able to begin my freshman year of college knowing more about
music theory and composition than some who have already attended a year's worth of

5. college music courses. Then when I begin my career in music, I will have the opportunity
to possibly inspire other young musicians the way composers such as Beethoven and
Mozart have inspired me and so many others. I believe that the path I have chosen will
allow me to have a positive impact on the world for as long as I live. When I have
children of my own someday, I plan to educate them in music as well so that they can
have the same benefits that I have had. If you have a child who is interested in singing or
playing an instrument, I highly suggest that you encourage their passion for music.
Thank you for your time.