PROCESS When I compose, I start with blank manuscript paper, pencil and eraser - sometimes at the piano, sometimes away from the piano. And then I just try to listen. "Listen" is not quite the right word. It is more of a listening/feeling/sensing/thinking movement. I work on getting down on paper something I like - a phrase or motive that I feel is complete. Then I keep expanding it and revising it, expanding, revising until I feel the piece is complete. The techniques I use in composing are not ends in themselves but are used to help me generate a comprehensive, expanded and expressive composition. These techniques include pitch serialization (12-tone, 19-tone, 9-tone, etc.), inversion and retrograde, limited set theory, themes, motives, sections, development, transitions, repetitions and some extended tonal harmonic theory. Currently, I am slowly feeling my way into the use of microtones. I have incorporated some microtones in a recent solo clarinet piece entitled "Coagula" which was performed in April by Enid Blount-Press at the Concert for Peace. If you would like to read more about my compositional processes you can read my article "hoc est corpus meum". © 2005 - 2007 Julie Harting