Orchestration and Arrangement Portfolio

About

This portfolio consists of three orchestral arrangements.

The first two arrangements feature a different instrument family each time, and the third piece features all instrument families.

The pieces consist of the Brass and Strings. instrument families:

The final piece uses instruments from all families.

Each piece has its own unique style, but they are all connected through similar techniques, such as layered long tones and cadences.

Brass

Brass - A Cold Ending

The intention behind the brass piece was to create a cold, harmony-focused composition with rich, brassy chords played by only a few instruments. The piece features French horns, a trumpet, and a tuba.

Brass - A Cold Ending
Adam Ryalls

Strings - Adagio for Eleven Strings

The intention of the string composition was to create a slow, sombre string ensemble piece. This was done with long, drawn-out chords and increasing tension. The piece features four violins, two violas, three celli, a harp, and a double bass.

Strings

Strings - Adagio for Eleven Strings
Adam Ryalls

Full orchestral piece

Full Orchestral - The End: A Beginning

The full orchestral piece is titled fittingly. Its purpose was to encapsulate the feeling of an ending and a beginning, all at once. This was done by gradually building through repeated arpeggi. The repetition builds tension and leads towards a climax, and can be interpreted as an ending or a beginning. The instrumentation in this piece includes a flute, an oboe, two clarinets, a bass clarinet, a bassoon, five French horns, two trumpets, three tubas, a kick drum, a three-part choir, nine violins, a viola, two celli, and a double bass.

The End: A Beginning
Adam Ryalls