Evolution
Prague, Czech Republic
2022, Junior, Performing Arts
Reflection
First signs of life (1-10 bars): This section of the song represents the first forming of life in the ocean. It is meant to sound lively and hopeful. It is repetitive and lengthy, because this was a very long time in history. This is conveyed through the use of a variety of instruments—strings, glockenspiel, etc.—to show the variety of life forms that were starting to expand around the same time, which is represented by the busy and lively sounds. I also composed this part in E major because it is a key that, to me, sounds very hopeful and full of life. Humans enter the picture (10-16 bars): This small section is exactly the same as the last, but with the inclusion of drums. It is a very simple beat inspired by drums you tend to hear in something like battles or executions. This should remind the listener of the earlier stages of industrialization. This section is still fully in major key because for some time, humans did not know/care as much about their impact on the earth. This is meant to symbolize that time. Human impact is seen (16-20 bars): With the introduction of the relative minor of E major, C# minor, we see there are negative effects of industrialization represented by a softer, quieter tone (for now). Humans taking over (20-28 bars): Here we hear the increased use of brass instruments, as they sound very proud and powerful. We also switch to a full C# minor. This is the musical representation of humans taking over the oceans and their life forms in favor of our industrial creations. This is shown by the change to a minor key and the more tense mood of the music, which is contributed to by the added staccato strings. Apocalypse? (29-33 bars): This short fanfare and drum bit is the peak of intensity of the piece. It is meant to represent a turning point that we are probably coming up to as a society, where the damage on the environment may seem irreversible, and we may feel as though we are doomed. The intense fanfare and the silence of all other instruments expresses this desperation and doom. New beginnings and hope (33-57 bars): This bit starts off with only C# minor staccato violins, as a sort of uncertainty as to whether the human race is still capable of salvation or not. The upcoming switch to E major staccato takes the optimistic angle that yes, there is still hope. This is because an E major key sounds more hopeful than a C# minor one. Then, we are met with a return of our familiar starting melody. We now hopefully recognize this to mean "return," that we are returning the earth to its natural state. Then we are met with more and more familiar instruments and tunes, as the sequence from the beginning of the song comes back to symbolize life and hope returning to the oceans. The piece gets more and more lively, until it comes to a soft peaceful end, to represent we will learn to live in harmony with nature after this journey.