Posted by Brief overview (not my essay, just background info on this): I made up this fingerstyle uke song inspired by marmot hibernation (my topic). Title is called “Proofing” and my logic on the title was that when you proof bread you’re prepping it for baking, similar to a marmot which is that they basically bulk before they hibernate (increase fat storage, gain 2x mass) so both concepts concern investing something towards a final outcome. So basically marmots hibernate like 6-7 months starting at around September and in the beginning I wanted to capture the essence of the marmots bulking and did you know they live in burrows? So one of my inspirations was the LOTR soundtrack/cottagecore music aesthetic kind of/math rock a little bit, just wanted to capture an outdoors adventure vibe kind of. Then I imagined what hibernating sounds like and when they wake up. Played around with the musical motifs a touch to attempt to tell a story.
Through Anastasia’s uke tunes, we are immediately transported to the middle of summer. We are taken on a journey through her whimsical composition through the life of a hibernating muskrat. Starting with the flourishing fields of soft melodys the sound transitions around minute mark two. We embark upon the colder days as life (and the song) begin to slow. After a gradual tension is built, we can feel the peaks in the music- these represent the torpor rythmn conducted by the muskrat. Conserving energy, just like this hibernator the audience is left leaning in listening to the punctuated notes. The song ends in a ciclical fashion returning to the bright melodys that first captured us. This creative and calming representation of thermal responses is an impressive demonstration of artistry and subject knowledge. It envelopes listeners with every sense available as you close your eyes you can imagine the events building up and taking place for this animal.