Resonant Trajectories

Abstract

Abstract My musical composition, Resonant Trajectories is the first entirely electronic PhD dissertation in Music Composition in the history of the University of Minnesota School of Music. Based on NASA's Voyager deep space missions, the six-movement composition exemplifies how software-based virtual instruments have largely replaced their historical hardware predecessors in the creation of modern music and, to some degree, modern film scores. Embellished with virtuosic electric bass and electric guitar solos, and recorded to a music industry-standard digital platform, the audio component of the dissertation is accompanied by this written essay that offers complete technical data and detailed synthesizer sound generation and effects parameters, recording track diagrams, and compositional insights. This musical endeavor not only helps bridge art, science, and culture, but also blurs the boundaries between musical genres and performance spaces (the concert hall vs. the disco). It brings Trance-generated, electronic dance music sounds and rhythms (EDM) and Jazz improvisation to traditional concert music audiences, at the same time giving pop music dance audiences the opportunity to experience elements of their music synthesized for the concert hall.