Fantasia (n.) a free composition structured according to the composer’s fancy; a medley of familiar themes, with variations and interludes
· Select a poem of moderate length or a couple of shorter ones that relate thematically
· Read it several times; interpret it for yourself. Research it online if you desire. What are its themes? What emotions do you feel reading it? Why did it speak to you?
· Find a piece of music (instrumental, not vocal) that is similar in mood or matches your ideas about this poem. (If you happen to be musical, you might even compose and/or play your own.) Speak the piece over the music with any appropriate pauses, rhythm changes, etc. Does it work? Does it alter the mood pf the piece in a major way? Are you satisfied that you’ve found the right music? Keep looking if you are in doubt. And don’t be afraid to combine a few bars from here or there if you need to effect a mood change you can’t find in any single piece of music that you know; just try to make any recording transitions as smooth as possible.
· Find a way to illustrate your fantasia. Slides, videos, computer animation, photo collages, sculpture, light effects, painting, or basically anything else you can think of would work here.
· Now put the music, the poem(s), and the illustration together. You will read the piece, of course, either live or on tape. The key to a successful presentation is timing, and the key to timing is practice: bring all three elements together into a logical, smoothly running program and practice it at home so you can present it effectively.
· Along with your presentation, prepare a detailed typed line by line explanation of the imagery and music you selected and what it signifies.