College of Arts and Sciences
Music: Instrumental--Teacher Certification
Primary Subject Area
Conductor's Guide, Camphouse, To Build A Fire, Wind Ensemble
Composition | Musicology | Music Practice | Music Theory
Kastner, Amanda L., "Conductor's Guide to Mark Camphouse's "To Build A Fire"" (2009). Senior Honors Theses. 78.
This thesis is a guide to understanding and performing Mark Camphouse’s composition, To Build A Fire. The thesis includes a biography of Jack London and a literary analysis of London’s short story “To Build A Fire,” upon which the composition is based. Musical analysis of the Camphouse composition, rehearsal considerations, and performance considerations are also discussed. The literary analysis provides background for the composition and a starting platform for the musical analysis. The musical analysis parallels the composition with the short story. This analysis also provides some technical considerations of the instrumental parts. The rehearsal considerations include a rehearsal plan, discussion of the conductor’s preparation, and some rehearsal guidelines. The performance consideration section includes ensemble seating and how to introduce the audience to the work. The conclusion of the thesis states that when the steps used for score study are applied to the Camphouse piece, the information uncovered is valuable to the performance.