The New Generation Composers’ Program met for its first workshop on February 14 at the Canadian Music Centre.
This workshop focused on how to affectively compose for a string instrument. Detailed
information was presented on left-hand fingering and right-hand bowing techniques.
For the left-hand, positions, shifting, double-stops, chords, harmonics, high position
strategies, extended techniques (e.g. quarter-tones), and more were discussed and
demonstrated. For the right-hand, different types of bow strokes, articulation, slurring
strategies, moving from arco to pizzicato (and back), col legno, sul ponticello, extended
techniques, and more, were also be examined. Strategies for notating left hand (e.g.
harmonics) and bowing techniques were included. Strategies for composing for string
quartet were covered. Participants (in-person or online) were able to ask questions,
and where possible, the string players demonstrated.
This workshop was presented through the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra’s New
Generation Composer’s Project, supported by the RBC Foundation and the CMC.
