24th Annual Student Research Conference
"The Big Four": Intersection Between Musical and Literary Development
Kelsey M. Shields
Dr. Warren Gooch, Faculty Mentor
The Big Four is a piano composition in five movements composed by the presenter. Each movement is based on a major character from the mystery novel of the same name by Agatha Christie, incorporating thematic and motivic material that is intended to capture some of the characteristics of that individual, including personality, national origin, and physical appearance. Each character is viewed through the lens of the narrator of the book, who is also a character in the book. Thus, each movement involves interaction between the narrator, who is represented by his own musical material, and one of the major characters, represented by their respective material. The presentation will involve a discussion of the compositional process as it relates to the notion of character development from both a musical and literary standpoint. The presentation will also include a performance of the piece.
Keywords: Character Development, Composition, Performance , Piano, Agatha Christie , Mystery Novel
Topic(s):Music
Presentation Type: Performance Art
Session: 4-2
Location: OP Performance Hall
Time: 1:30