Creative Projects
§08 — Creative Projects: Building Your Composition & Performance Portfolio
Sophie Nakamura, your application story hinges on one deliverable above all others: a portfolio that proves your compositional voice is as mature as your performance technique. Oberlin, NEC, and USC each weight audition and supplemental materials differently, but all three want evidence that you are not just a performer who dabbles in composition — you are a composer-performer with a unified artistic identity. The committee noted that your existing body of work, including the string quartet premiered by the Honolulu Chamber Music Society and your ASCAP-recognized composition, already provides that foundation. The task now is not to create new work from scratch — it is to package, polish, and present what you have at a professional standard.
Project 1: The Definitive Composition Portfolio Package
This is the single most important creative deliverable of your application cycle. Every target school accepts supplemental composition materials, and you should treat this portfolio as a cohesive artistic statement rather than a loose collection of pieces.
Deliverable Specs:
- Score PDFs: Professionally engraved scores for every submitted composition. If you are using notation software (Sibelius, Dorico, or MuseScore), do a final formatting pass — consistent page margins, readable font sizes, proper title pages with your name and date of composition. Each score should open with a brief program note (2–3 sentences) describing the compositional intent.
- Recordings: At minimum two studio-quality recordings of original works. The string quartet and the ASCAP-recognized piece are your centerpieces. Pair each recording with its corresponding score PDF so faculty can follow along — this is how composition faculty actually evaluate submissions.
- File Organization: Create a single shared folder (Google Drive or Dropbox) with subfolders:
/Scores,/Recordings,/Program-Notes. Name files consistently:Nakamura_StringQuartet_Score.pdf,Nakamura_StringQuartet_Recording.wav. This folder becomes your master source for all three applications.
| Composition | Score Status | Recording Status | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| String Quartet (Honolulu Chamber Music Society) | Exists — needs final engraving pass | Likely exists from premiere — confirm quality | Obtain or re-record a studio-quality version |
| ASCAP-recognized work | Exists — needs formatting review | Confirm if a recording exists | If unrecorded, arrange a reading session immediately |
| Additional compositions (if any) | Review and select strongest 1–2 | May need new recordings | Only include if they strengthen the portfolio's range |
Project 2: Live Readings for Unrecorded Works
The committee flagged an important gap: if any of your compositions exist only as scores without performance recordings, admissions faculty have no way to hear them in action. Before deadlines, you need to arrange workshop readings or recording sessions for any unperformed pieces. This does not require a formal concert — a single coached read-through with capable musicians in a decent acoustic space, captured on quality audio equipment, is sufficient.
Build Plan:
- Identify which compositions lack recordings by the first week of April.
- Reach out to fellow musicians, school ensembles, or community players in Hawai'i who can sight-read your parts. A chamber group reading is ideal.
- Book a recording session — even a well-treated rehearsal room with a pair of condenser microphones will produce usable results. Avoid phone recordings or laptop microphones.
- If a live reading is impossible for a large-ensemble work, consider a high-quality MIDI rendering from your notation software as a last resort, but always label it as such. Live recordings are vastly preferred.
Project 3: The Prescreening Audition Recording
Sophie, at Oberlin specifically, the audition is the single highest-weighted factor in your admissions decision. The prescreening recording is your gateway to that live audition — treat it as the most consequential recording you have ever made.
Deliverable Specs:
- Repertoire Selection: You have not yet provided your full repertoire list, so finalize this immediately. The Mendelssohn piece referenced in your profile should be performance-ready and polished to the highest level. Select contrasting works that showcase your tonal range, interpretive musicality, and technical command. A standard prescreening asks for 2–3 pieces spanning different style periods.
- Recording Quality: Record in a space with good natural acoustics — a recital hall or church sanctuary, not a practice room. Use at least two microphones in a stereo configuration. Record multiple takes and edit the best composite. This is standard practice and expected at the conservatory level.
- Video vs. Audio: Check each school's prescreening requirements carefully. NEC and Oberlin typically require video; USC may differ. For video, use a single fixed camera angle showing your full body and instrument, with external audio (not the camera's built-in microphone).
| School | Prescreening Format | Portfolio Use | Priority Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oberlin Conservatory | Video prescreening → live audition (highest admissions weight) | Submit composition portfolio as supplement | 🔴 Critical |
| New England Conservatory | Video/audio prescreening → live audition | Composition samples strengthen dual-focus narrative | 🔴 Critical |
| USC Thornton | Check current requirements for your specific program | Supplemental materials accepted | 🟡 High |
Project 4: The Unified Artistic Narrative
Your composition portfolio and your audition recording should tell a single story: that Sophie Nakamura is a musician whose performance and compositional work feed each other. When faculty review your string quartet score alongside your Mendelssohn audition, they should sense a coherent artistic sensibility. Consider writing a one-page artist statement (300–400 words) that connects your compositional interests to your performance identity. This can be adapted for each school's supplemental essay or "anything else" section.
Monthly Action Calendar
| Month | Actions | Target Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| April 2026 |
• Audit all compositions: identify which lack recordings • Begin final engraving pass on all scores • Confirm prescreening repertoire with your private teacher | Complete inventory of portfolio gaps; repertoire locked |
| May 2026 |
• Schedule and complete recording sessions for unrecorded compositions • Intensive prescreening repertoire preparation (see §06 for essay parallel work) | All compositions have usable recordings |
| June–July 2026 |
• Record prescreening audition video/audio — multiple sessions • Finalize score PDFs and program notes • Build master portfolio folder with consistent naming | Prescreening recording complete; portfolio folder assembled |
| August 2026 |
• Review all materials with teacher or mentor for final feedback • Write artist statement connecting composition and performance • Confirm each school's submission format and upload requirements | All materials reviewed, polished, and submission-ready |
| September 2026 |
• Submit prescreenings as portals open (Oberlin first if ED — see §10 for ED/EA strategy) • Upload composition supplements per each school's instructions | All creative materials submitted before deadlines |
What You Have Not Yet Provided
Sophie, to refine this plan further, you should add the following to your profile:
- Full repertoire list — what pieces are currently performance-ready beyond the Mendelssohn?
- Complete catalog of original compositions — how many works, what instrumentation, which have been performed?
- Recording equipment access — do you have access to a quality recording setup, or will you need to book studio time?
- Instrument and primary performance area — this affects prescreening requirements at each school.
Your existing creative work — the Honolulu Chamber Music Society premiere, the ASCAP recognition — places you well ahead of most applicants in demonstrating a serious compositional practice. The work now is execution: professional packaging, flawless recordings, and a portfolio that lets faculty hear exactly who you are as a musician. Every hour between now and submission should serve that goal.