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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Intimacy of Creativity: Entering the Minds of Composers by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

4.6
stars
72 ratings

About the Course

Bright Sheng guides us through three works — by Brahms, Beethoven, and Sheng — for an intimate look inside the composer's mind. This course strives to give students a new appreciation of music, based on an understanding of the craft behind each work. This class is perfect for those wanting to gain a unique perspective on the creative process of music composition, while challenging traditional notions of how composers approach formal structure, melody, and harmony. Week 1 focuses on the question “what is melody?”, and on the meticulous design of Brahms's Intermezzo, op. 118, no. 2. Week 2 concentrates on the fundamentals of harmony, and how Beethoven thought of harmony to generate his Symphony No. 7 in A Major, op. 92. Week 3 applies the same paradigm to a living composer, Bright Sheng himself, and reveals how he found inspiration in the works of these titans of music in his Four Movements for Piano Trio. While helpful, it is not expected students have a background in music to take the course....

Top reviews

NC

Dec 22, 2020

I LOVED IT! I really felt I understood a lot of aspects about music that I haven't gotten to know before as a professional musician. I loved Bright Sheng's Music. Amazing human being.

EE

Aug 4, 2024

very good gave me a new perspective of seeing the art as whole and got to know how the era and the environment will influence the art and the artist mind .

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1 - 24 of 24 Reviews for Intimacy of Creativity: Entering the Minds of Composers

By Putz J

Jul 23, 2021

The course really shows how composers think when composing. The learning material is well structured and presented.

By Yave M

Jan 17, 2022

This is a very good course. I recommend it to everyone taking music.

By Carlos D B

May 17, 2021

It's a very comprehensible course and Bright Sheng is very clear and easy to understand about the topics he is trying to convey, but at the same time I could feel that those concepts and compositional ideas are very hard to develop and put into practice. If you want a clear understanding of how an idea is developed, the this course is absolutely recommended!

By Catalina P

Mar 24, 2022

Me gustó mucho, muy interesantes los temas abordados y la forma en la que se explican. El profesor es muy bueno, se nota lo mucho que sabe del tema y lo mucho que le apasiona. Los quices podrían ser de menos memoria y más acerca del entendimiento profundo.

By Diego A R

Jan 24, 2021

As an aspiring composer, this course definitely helped, explaining different kinds of decisions made by several composers which ultimately produced very interesting works. Ideas I had not considered but that made sense as Professor Sheng explained them.

By Tristan K

Aug 4, 2020

Excellent analysis/appreciation course. The instruction was informative and engaging, which brought the material to life. A very accessible course for the musically inclined and the layperson alike; anyone can take something positive from this course.

By Christian C

May 23, 2021

An extremely entertaining course. I learn different approaches to tackle harmonic, melodic or rhythmic issues that may appear while writing my own music or when I have to analyze other composer musics. Maestro Sheng uses a nice method. Thanks a lot.

By Steven H

Mar 8, 2021

This was a fabulous course to take. I have studied harmony, now compose and study with a U of T professor, but it's great to refresh my memory and this was extremely engaging. It's a shame that Bright Sheng doesn't do more courses!!

-- Steven

By Sihara J

Mar 30, 2021

The course content was very good and began at a moderate level. The Instructors greatly help with the students thought process ad clearly explain the content. Learnt a lot of new things. Thank you, it was amazing.

By Nicolas C

Dec 23, 2020

I LOVED IT! I really felt I understood a lot of aspects about music that I haven't gotten to know before as a professional musician. I loved Bright Sheng's Music. Amazing human being.

By example e

Aug 5, 2024

very good gave me a new perspective of seeing the art as whole and got to know how the era and the environment will influence the art and the artist mind .

By jordy l

Dec 29, 2023

Perfect, the way it leads me through the essential paths and elemental figures of music is a master piece.

By Alberto E M R

Apr 4, 2021

Excellent teacher and course. I have learned a lot.

By Pedro V

Sep 28, 2020

I have learned a lot! Mindblowing!

By Dr. R E M

Oct 8, 2020

Very good

By Armando M

Jan 5, 2022

Having a musical background definitely helps, especially for the tests. The analysis of Brahms (week 1) is the most interesting part. Well explained. Then it gradually becomes "more confusing?" or maybe "not as well explained?". I don't know how to articulate the feeling. I also didn't see much discussion in the forums. It was ok.

By William S

Feb 23, 2021

He incorporated a number of general music theory concepts and made them approachable to students of varied musical training and expertise (no easy task). I think is would be of value regardless of student’s musical knowledge, but skews a bit beyond the musical novice.

By Sabine G

May 5, 2021

Good summary of music composition analysis (music theory) of a romantic and a classical piece and then analysis and performance of a trio written by the lecturer. Nice theory refresher and I got a few impulses and ideas out of this to try. Thank you!

By Armando J R H

Feb 11, 2021

Las nociones de creatividad explicadas con cada uno de las obras analizadas, son inspiradoras.

By mtakara

Sep 11, 2020

interesting look at different style of compositions. not so recommended for beginners

By Fritz S

Jul 29, 2022

Interesting perspectives on music composition.

By Somok T

Jun 14, 2021

Quite interesting.

By michael p

Jul 21, 2023

Very good course.

By Alan W

Aug 11, 2022

Week 1 was pretty good. Week 2 was not as advertised, a look at how composers use harmony. Instead it was a repeat of week 1 - showing the overall structure of a piece of music using melodic fragments and because the melodic line was in the bass we are supposed to believe this counts as the use of harmony? It doesn't! Week 3 I didn't complete because it was dedicated to a piece composed by the presenter and did not interest me.