What is the importance of composition?
Composition to me, is story telling. It is the ability to not use words, primarily, and create worlds and send people on adventures with the production of sound. It is to create context for a tail that desires to be understood, it is to give the audience even more reason to feel passion, and it is to make any quest seem more epic. I have composed for different productions ranging from theater, podcasts, and professional performance. I have always had a desire to seek out different stories and see what it would sound like if told through music. I have a deep passion to continue down the path of composition and if you are interested in learning more or working with me, please head to the contact page and lets see what magic we can produce.
Personal Composition Projects
Play's and Theater Performances
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Shatter'd
Adaptation of King Richard the Second. Directed by Jacob Viramontes. Composer Carl V. Johnson Notes: this project was one of my first compositions that was played live. I based a good amount of this work off of the Requiem for a Dream score, written by Clint Mansell, with playing the main theme as the theme for this play. I chose this score to be the basis of the score because both stories are about people starting with good life, and then falling into a dark path of destruction and they cannot get out of it. Performance: https://youtu.be/cyE95GpJwXo |
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Romeo and Juliet
A twist on the original story of Romeo and Juliet by showing these characters through time and different lives Adapted by Jacob Viramontes. Directed by Jacob McCallister. Composer and Music Director, Carl V. Johnson Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHN_Jt2Md50&list=PLk5n9boSmJ817AUVD4o_wVs-JLfwLfFEu&index=2 |
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Constellations
A love story that expands on the butterfly effect. The play follows Roland, a beekeeper, and Marianne, a cosmologist through their romantic relationship. Marianne often waxes poetic about cosmology, quantum mechanics, string theory and the belief that there are multiple universes that pull people's lives in various directions. This is reflected in the play's structure as brief scenes are repeated, often with different outcomes.
Sound Cloud:
A love story that expands on the butterfly effect. The play follows Roland, a beekeeper, and Marianne, a cosmologist through their romantic relationship. Marianne often waxes poetic about cosmology, quantum mechanics, string theory and the belief that there are multiple universes that pull people's lives in various directions. This is reflected in the play's structure as brief scenes are repeated, often with different outcomes.
Sound Cloud:
Podcasts
The Coven
A podcast that follows a group of incompetent Witches.
Written by Rachel Rauch, Composed by Carl V. Johnson
A podcast that follows a group of incompetent Witches.
Written by Rachel Rauch, Composed by Carl V. Johnson
FANTASTIC Adventure
This Podcast is about a young knight finding himself in the big world that surrounds him.
This Podcast is about a young knight finding himself in the big world that surrounds him.
Medusa Gorgons Young Witching Academy
This is a podcast that was written by Rachel Rauch. It is about the magical would of witches and wizards alike and the journey of finding the chosen one.
Currently editing to a better sound quality.
This is a podcast that was written by Rachel Rauch. It is about the magical would of witches and wizards alike and the journey of finding the chosen one.
Currently editing to a better sound quality.
Personals Projects and Performances
The Good Days
This is a bell choir piece that I wrote for the passing of my dog and friend, Gus. He was very dear to me in my youth and I shall never forget him. I constructed this piece to show pure happiness and joy through the bell choir sound. It then move on to focus on the more darker side of this passing and my longing. I use parallel fourths to create a uneasy sound, but pleasant. The piece ends with a grand finale showing off the rich expansive nature of a bell choir. Enjoy the small reference to Pacific Lutheran University near the end. I included this as a thank you to my school that taught me so much about music and life.
This is a bell choir piece that I wrote for the passing of my dog and friend, Gus. He was very dear to me in my youth and I shall never forget him. I constructed this piece to show pure happiness and joy through the bell choir sound. It then move on to focus on the more darker side of this passing and my longing. I use parallel fourths to create a uneasy sound, but pleasant. The piece ends with a grand finale showing off the rich expansive nature of a bell choir. Enjoy the small reference to Pacific Lutheran University near the end. I included this as a thank you to my school that taught me so much about music and life.
From the Eye's of a Child
Text by Dave Alan Walker
From the Eyes of a Child is inspired by the philosophy that is very dear to my heart which is brought to life in Alan Moore’s graphic novel, The Killing Joke. This book explores the origin story of the Joker from the Batman Universe. The philosophy is that one bad day can lead anyone to insanity, and insanity is what this piece really focuses on. The piece opens with the “Voice of Chaos” which is presented in the cello. This line floats all throughout the piece as it develops. As the text unfolds, the piece really begins to twist the listeners’ ears. Dissonance and aleatoric lines have been specifically designed to make the listener feel uneasy; all they will desire is more of the tonal sections, only to find out they have been corrupted and taken away by chaos.
Text by Dave Alan Walker
From the Eyes of a Child is inspired by the philosophy that is very dear to my heart which is brought to life in Alan Moore’s graphic novel, The Killing Joke. This book explores the origin story of the Joker from the Batman Universe. The philosophy is that one bad day can lead anyone to insanity, and insanity is what this piece really focuses on. The piece opens with the “Voice of Chaos” which is presented in the cello. This line floats all throughout the piece as it develops. As the text unfolds, the piece really begins to twist the listeners’ ears. Dissonance and aleatoric lines have been specifically designed to make the listener feel uneasy; all they will desire is more of the tonal sections, only to find out they have been corrupted and taken away by chaos.
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Text:
As a child grows they see All that they are told They watch you And they copy you No matter what you do They see your violence And your hatred And they want to be Just like you |
What you do And what you see Mutates inside them All they are left with As they join the adult world Is anger of another kind With madness as a resting place. |
The Mystery of Wonder
This was just a small little project. Small ensemble, epic sound though. Made in Reaper with East West Sounds.
This was just a small little project. Small ensemble, epic sound though. Made in Reaper with East West Sounds.
Other Projects
Challenger Elementary Theme Song
This was a small project that I worked on for the school Challenger Elementary in the Mukilteo School District.
This was a small project that I worked on for the school Challenger Elementary in the Mukilteo School District.
Arrangement of Speechless by Dan & Shae
This is a small arrangement of the song that I did for a wedding.
This is a small arrangement of the song that I did for a wedding.
Great Composition Websites for Students or Others Interested in Learning More about Composition.
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Rick Beato
Rick Beato is a fantastic music composer that has many different videos about composing, theory, reasons why songs are popular, and many more resources. I would also recommend looking up his book as it is very diverse and helps even more in understanding his videos. Webpage: https://rickbeato.com/ Youtube Page: https://www.youtube.com/user/pegzch |
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Hans Zimmer Masterclass
This amazing resource has provided me with great inspiration and knowledge of how to create a score. With this masterclass, you can begin to understand the style and technique that the master film composer Hans Zimmer and them be able to re-create something in the similar light. Webpage: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/hans-zimmer-teaches-film-scoring |
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Music Theory
MusicTheory.net
This page has been a great source of diverse music theory lessons. They have a large source of tools and exercises to go through to practice you theory skills and knowledge.
Webpage:
https://www.musictheory.net/
This page has been a great source of diverse music theory lessons. They have a large source of tools and exercises to go through to practice you theory skills and knowledge.
Webpage:
https://www.musictheory.net/