The initial idea for Melange came to me during the first year of my masters degree. I enjoyed the 2021 film "Dune" so much that I threw meyself back into the book series and rediscovered my love of the universe Frank Herbert created. Melange is the name of the spice found exclusively on the desert planet Arrakis and plays a large role in the culture of the Zensunni people that inhabit it. It is psychodelic to inhale or ingest and is a necessary resource for interplanetary travel. This piece paints a picture of the colossal Arrakine wasteland ~ the heat, the stillness, and, in its depths, air that is psycoactive to breathe. It culminates in a scene from the first book where the Atreides watch powerless as one of the great sand worms consumes their spice harvester. The music then fades back to the desert and ends with the faint dripping of water.

Students will develop a better understanding/mastery of…

~Independet musicianship

~Playable Range

~Chromatic and modal melody and harmony

~Impressionist style