Sarah+Hopkins



__Characteristics of the Composers Style__ Sarah Hopkin's music is commonly known as 'music for the soul'. Her music style would be considered bohemian and is very holistic and spiritual. Hopkin's tries to capture the 'energy of Australia' in her pieces and the 'mystical essence of space.'

Lead vocals (with harmonies), a choir, the cello, handbells and whirlies are some common instruments found in her pieces.

Hopkin's created harmonic whirlies. When these instruments are swirled through the air in full rotations, each whirly plays about 6 harmonic overtones.

__Where the Composer Fits in to the 20th & 21st Century Timeline__ Sarah Hopkins was born in 1958 and had her major breakthrough in the late 20th century (1981). She is still touring nationally and internationally.

__Who the composers Contemporaries Were__ Percy Grainger was an Australian composer who was known for his very upbeat piano pieces. Ros Bandt is a woman composer known for her sonic pieces of which are a combination of old and contemporary sonic practices. Arthur Benjamin was an Australian composer who first came into the industry as a pianist at the mere age of 6! Alfred Hill is an older composer who worked a lot with strings. Peggy Glanville-Hicks was an Australian, woman musician who composed several operas.

__Analysis on 'Honour the Mother Earth'__ media type="custom" key="25096588" (Analysed up until 5:30) In Hopkin's song above, 'Honour The Mother Earth', instruments featured are harmonic whirlies, the didgeridoo, a conga, claves, a keyboard and a 4 part choir. This piece has a tribal feel to it. The introduction to this piece is just the choir with bird call sounds and the keyboard. The choir and keyboard both have low pitching. There is a crescendo and harmonic whirlies are added. The choir sings much louder and with higher pitch. Harmonic whirlies are added once the choir reaches the maximum volume. In the next section of the piece, the didgeridoo is added. The claves are also added. They are playing a rhythmic pattern which they repeat throughout the song, where it starts louder and gradually gets softer, while getting faster over approximately 12 hits. This section of the song finishes with a sustained note, leading into the next section, where there is an increase in tempo and the notes are stacato. This section of the song is very upbeat. The keyboard, didgeridoo, harmonic whirlies and the choir is all in this section. This section is 16 bars. The first 4 bars, the choir repeats the same melody and lyrics, with the next 4 bars they sing a new melody. In the next 8 bars, the conga is added and the choir repeats what they just sung. In the next section of the song, the choir splits into 2, with half the choir singing the first melodic pattern in the last section while the other half singing the second melodic pattern they had just been singing in the last section too. They do this for 8 bars. Then the choir splits again and another melodic pattern is added on top, sung by the females. This goes on for 8 bars. The next section is 8 bars, where the conga drives it. The top melodic pattern that had just been added was changed. This new pattern had a higher pitch and each note was held for longer. In the next 8 bars, it goes back to exactly the same as what was played in the section before. The next 8 bars bars are exactly the same as what was played in the section before.

__Analysis on Past Life Melodies__ media type="custom" key="25233604" Hopkin's song, 'Past Life Melodies' features an a cappella choir. This piece has a mysterious feel to it. There are a number of vocal techniques used in this song such as open-throated chant singing, Aboriginal inspired chant and harmonic overtone singing. The song is in a minor key, which makes it sound sad. The introduction is just the the choir humming, with multiple glissandos. In the next section, there is a crescendo and the vocals change from a hum to an 'Ah'. The females repeat the same pattern, whilst the males hold one note the entire time. In the next section, part of the choir change to an 'eh' sound while half remain on an 'ah'. The vocalists who sing 'ah' stay on the same note or sing harmony, whilst the vocalists singing 'eh' hold the melody. In the next part of the song, the choir splits into 3 and holds a single note for free time, then a higher part is added, singing a C#1. Gradually a Aboriginal inspired chant is added which the males sing. It is quite an upbeat chant, with short quick notes. Some females are added while some still hold the same note. There is a gradual crescendo, while more and more people start singing this chant. There is a diminuendo and this chant stops. The choir starts to do open-throated chant singing. It almost sounds like a didgeridoo. They fade out and the song finishes.

__Bibliography__ //Sarah Hopkins,// 2014, Music For The Soul, date viewed: 26th February 2014,  //Sarah Hopkins: Represented Artist,// 2009, Australian Music Centre, date viewed: 26th February 2014,  //Sarah Hopkin's Harmonic Whirlies//, 2014, date viewed: 26th February 2014,  //Past Life Melodies & beyond…,// Morton Music, date viewed: 27th February 2014, // //Grainger, George Percy (1882-1961),// 2014, Australian Dictionary of Biography//,// date viewed: 27th February 2014, // //Ros Bandt,// 2014, Move, date viewed: 27th February 2014,  //Alfred Hill (composer),// 2014, Wikipedia, date viewed: 4th March 2014,  //Arthur Benjamin,// 2014, Wikipedia, date viewed: 4th March 2014,  //Peggy Glanville-Hicks,// 2014, Wikipedia, date viewed: 4th March 2014, 