THE PLAYGROUND HAS MOVED.

Its new home will allow greater flexibility with different media, and allow for easier sharing and bookmarking via social media. Please join us at:

http://playground.jeremyscottolsen.com

Thank you!

WEEK OF 5/4/11 - Mozart

I'm taking one week off from this to port the site over to its new home at http://playground.jeremyscottolsen.com/. I'm doing this so I can support more media formats, since not everyone may want to learn Noteflight just to join in on our project.

So for the week beginning Wednesday, May 4, the theme is Mozart. It seems like a fitting way to celebrate the move—with a very broad topic inspired by one of the kings of Western classical music. So... anything in the style of Mozart. Go!

WEEK OF 4/20/11 - march

This is simple and very, very broad: write a march. Use any instruments, emulate any style or composer, fit it into any form. Have fun!

Jeremy Scott Olsen, "Rug Rat Rag"

Here's a little something I whipped up — just one strain of a piano rag in D. I was thinking of going all exotic or atonal on this and instead ended up trying for an absolutely typical, idiomatic rag.

WEEK OF 4/13/11 - piano rag

My, how time flies. I took a short hiatus... a little over a year ago. Well, I'm back at it, and I once again encourage you to join me, fellow composers!

I'd also like to add that I'm considering other ways of posting scores besides Noteflight for those who don't want to join that site. I think a .pdf of the score and an .mp3 of playback would achieve what we're looking for, so if anyone was put off by the Noteflight thing, let's give it a go with this other method.

This coming week: piano rag, take 3. Again, it could be a few bars or a whole piece, beginner or virtuoso. Have fun. I know I'm really looking forward to doing a little more composing!

WEEK OF 3/12/10 - piano rag

Alright, I'm back at it. And I'm invoking my right to repeat the topics I missed, since no one else did them either. Piano rag... go!

WEEK OF 3/4/10 - march (and Jeremy hiatus)

Sorry I'm late! This is definitely a broad topic. This could be a Berlioz- or Wagner-inspired death march, a cinematic and dramatic march, a Sousa-esque classic, or anything else you like. I'm still on my hiatus, so if no one does this I'll repeat it when I get back to it.

WEEK OF 2/25/10 - piano rag (and Jeremy hiatus)

When I started this project I knew I'd need a few weeks off here and there to not get burned out. Well, I'm taking my first few weeks off now.

But don't let that stop you, o hordes of ravenous composers. I'll make a new topic each week even while I"m gone. But if nobody writes anything, I reserve the right to use that topic again!

So, if you're in, the theme is: piano rag. (Ragtime on the piano.) Have at it!