Reflection

Reflection

My original song, “Waves of Hope” is mainly about the coral reefs and sea life in Thailand, and how they have fallen victims to the impacts of climate change. The beginning of my composition uses the ‘pentatonic scale’, mimicking the once peaceful and flowing waves whilst still infusing the music with a distinctive ‘Thai’ sound; the inherent harmony evokes a feeling of place, and cultural authenticity, making it a more personal piece of music that represents a part of my identity. Furthermore, the tonality of the scale highlights joy and vibrancy; this is due to the scale having no semitones, resulting in no tension. The change that leads to the main theme is meant to imitate the shift from tranquility to the unsettling disruption, caused by climate change. The melancholy yet dark theme in this section assists to do that. Additionally, the ringing grace notes on the top highlights the sound of the fishes, calling for help. The chorus uses a similar baseline to the verse, but in reverse. Keeping the same tone of suffering, this section is still about the coral reefs and sea life that is being threatened. However, the ascending melody strikes as a symbol of hope to save whatever is left. Although the oceans and seas in Thailand are still heavily affected by climate change and pollution, many people are still making an effort to preserve our precious sea life. The idea of resilience and renewal was what I was trying to get out here, with the uplifting melody. The bridge connects both ideas: the state of sea life in Thailand as a result of climate change, and the push of recovery for a brighter future. The flashy runs represent the rushing waves, signaling this moment of urgency. The ending reuses (with a slight variation) the theme of the chorus, once again underlining hope that changes can still be made and that humans, can and need to take action.