Surf Diaries 2005

Piano Man

Move over Mozart. There is a new choral composer in town. George Dickenson, a senior and music major and at Randolph-Macon, spent his summer composing an original choral piece by way of the college’s 2005 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program.

George’s innovative choral piece begins with a Medieval Chant and concludes with Post-Romantic lieder. The text of the music comes from a series of five poems by Johann Goethe titled “Urworte, Orphisch.” Each of the poems are set to a different type of choral music ranging from 15th century styling to 20th century styling, said the Roanoke, Va., native, who relied upon his passion for music and the musical composition software Sibelius to write the piece using the piano. In addition, George already has begun choral rehearsals, as he plans to bring his composition to fruition with a special choral performance.

“I really enjoyed participating in SURF,” George said. “I like that I could spend my time solely on my composition and that I had enough time to continue to perfect it. I have had an interest in composition for some time and SURF presented me with the opportunity to spend a summer doing this. I gained experience from this in both composition and conducting when I teach the music to other students.”

[Back to SURF Projects 2005]