Star Wars Music Challenge Part I: YODA'S THEME/ IMPERIAL MARCH

A long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away....

John Williams created some of the most indelible music ever to accompany a film and, though many have argued that he borrowed many of his ideas from other classical works (The Rite of Spring for instance) it cannot be denied that most of the film viewing public can recognize the Main Title and Imperial March immediately upon hearing them.

The beauty of the numerous thematic cues (called 'leitmotifs' but more colloquially known as 'themes') lies in the fact that they can be utilized in a number of emotional situations. The power of the leitmotif is that it is the musical identity of a character, an idea, or even an entire film. Thus, music can tell a story in much the way a book, a play, or a film can....

THE CHALLENGE:

Using Music Notation software (like Finale or Sibelius) or even an instrument if you can, create an arrangement of one or more of the leitmotifs (themes) found in the six Star Wars films. There are no limitations on the number of instruments you can utilize or the amount of time the piece includes. Furthermore, the style of the piece (whether it is classical or otherwise) is completely up to you. I only ask that, rather than directly regurgitating a pre-existing cue or track, you write something unique and new that elaborates and expands upon John Williams' original material.

DIRECTIONS
To submit, make a video of your composition (if Notation Software users need any help with this I will be more than happy to assist) and upload it to Youtube with the prefix " SW MUSIC CHALLENGE- " then give the name of your piece. Make your tags the following- "SW STAR WARS MUSIC COMPETITION VIOLINMERCHANT." If you could then send me a personal message with the video linked then you will be infinitely more secure that I will see it and consider it.

This is a celebration and I can't really offer a whole lot in the way of tangible prizes, but I will pick what I feel to be the most impressive expansion of Willams' ideas and will post the video on my channel with a video foreward explaining why I chose the piece and comparing it to Williams' original score. I look forward to hearing what you guys come up with!

Sincerely,

The Violin Merchant

P.S. the tentative deadline for this competition will be April 1st but I will adjust this if more submissions are required or are pending.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Star
• Wars
• Leitmotif
• Challenge
• Yoda's
• theme
• Imperial
• March
• Finale
• notepad

[wishidknown]

Hey, VM, There are several chord changes in this piece that sent chills down my neck. I would love to hear you develop your own theme not continue to work off of J Williams. You have that brilliance in you. I know it will come to you just as all your other original works. Great to see how sophisticated your work is becoming. Keep up the great work. Can't wait to see what's next. VIOMER Mom

[violinmerchant]

I've been trying to do exactly that in the score for A NEW SUPERCOP, wherein I've introduced, so far, 4 main leitmotfs (Dean Chambers March, It Takes More than Attitude, A New Supercop's Main theme, and We Believe in Dean Chambers) They're available on my channel as a playlist. I'll be introducing a new cue in the near future and already have a short choral arrangement for the Dean Chambers theme finished and waiting for upload. Thanks for the interest!

[TheAwesomestSulley]

No trill on the end!!!!

[tubeman123100]

No offence but this is terrible. Bleh.

[legoundbrickfilme123]

wich programm is it made?

[jediking12]

wth? sounds like a beserk and wild piano player

[EdwardWhelanPiano]

It calms down towards the end, but the beginning is like having your brains smashed by a gold brick wrapped round a slice of lemon!

[wishidknown]

Finally figured it out. Guess my name is wishidknown instead of VIOMER Mom. Doesn't matter so long as I get to see your work. I'm going to see if I can find the Aniken piece you told me about. Have a great day. VMM