Dream Forest

"I was walking into a garden filled with beautiful flowers, their colours vivid and alive, as though each bloom was quietly welcoming me. A narrow path opened ahead, gently guiding me away from the garden and into a forest. The air grew cooler as I stepped beneath towering bamboo trees, tall and graceful, lining both sides of the path. Their green stalks rose endlessly toward the sky, swaying softly as the wind whispered through their leaves, creating a calm and rhythmic sound that followed me as I walked.

The journey led me deeper into the forest until I arrived at a magnificent waterfall. It stood tall and powerful, its waters a striking shade of blue, cascading down with a steady roar that echoed all around. A slender bridge stretched across the waterfall, suspended above the rushing water. With measured steps, I crossed the bridge, feeling both awe and reverence as the mist brushed against my skin.

On the other side, the forest changed. The land became desolate, the trees darkened and scarred, as if touched by fire long ago. The air felt heavier, and the light dimmed, casting long shadows along the path. Though the surroundings were unsettling, I continued forward, driven by a quiet determination to keep going.

Suddenly, a single ray of sunlight broke through the darkness, piercing the canopy above and illuminating the path ahead. Drawn to its warmth, I followed the light as it guided me upward, step by step, until I reached the peak of a mountain. From there, I looked up and saw a radiant rainbow stretching across the sky. Below me lay the vast forest, unfolding in all its beauty and complexity. In that moment, standing between sky and earth, I felt a deep sense of peace and fulfilment, as if the journey itself had led me exactly where I was meant to be."

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This is my second completed composition. It began as a very simple motif, yet it gradually evolved as I was encouraged to expand it as part of my assignment. Initially, I was asked to develop it into a 12-bar piece, then to extend it to 24 bars, and eventually to 48 bars, all designed for the Electone (also known as the electronic organ).

Although I succeeded in creating a 48-bar composition, I found it lacking in several important areas of musical development. It felt incomplete and, in many ways, insufficient to convey the ideas I had in mind. The piece did not yet express the depth or atmosphere I was aiming for, and it seemed to stop short of its full potential.

As a result, I chose to take the composition further. I decided to expand it into a more fully realised work, transforming it into a ‘Dream Forest’ piece written especially for the Electone. This new version allowed me to explore richer harmonies, more varied textures, and a more immersive musical journey - one that better reflects the imaginative world that I wanted to create using the given motif.

A heartfelt thank you to my Electone teacher, Mr. Lim, for his inspiring motif and invaluable guidance. 💙