Zhengtao Pan: Scenery In My Story

Counterpoint writing in modern large jazz ensemble music

I recently released my debut jazz orchestra album, “Scenery In My Story,” with Outside In Music. Initially planning to study film scoring at Berklee, I was captivated by the sounds of big bands, particularly Jim McNeely’s work. Despite my growing interest, I struggled to see myself as a “jazz musician” among peers who were more experienced.

Meeting my first jazz mentor, Steven Feifke, was transformative. He introduced me to pivotal albums like Maria Schneider’s “Concert In The Garden,” Steven Feifke’s “Kinetic,” and Miho Hazama’s “Dancer In Nowhere.” These albums were my first real experiences with jazz, much to the disbelief of many. Steven’s advice, “You don’t need to be good at playing to write music,” reshaped my approach. This reassurance led to my first big band piece, “Dancing In The Dream,” and continued growth in compositions like “Mirror, Floating On The Water” and “On That Bus.”

While my cultural background discouraged making mistakes, I’ve overcome a long way to see them as opportunities for growth. Embracing 融会贯通 (integrating knowledge), I explored diverse influences—from folk-inspired melodies to heavy-metal djent combined with Messiaen modes. “Scenery In My Story” embodies my Berklee journey, highlighting that personal expression shapes our music.

After a little bit of my background, musical journey, and the inspiration for this album I’d like to talk about an essential compositional technique that I use throughout the album: counterpoint.

Counterpoint writing for large jazz ensemble in modern setting

Counterpoints are very useful tools in jazz, and because of the certain level of space and freedom given in a jazz setting, counterpoints don’t have to follow strict rules to create a certain effect. Instead, counterpoint can be used as an interesting way to express your ideas musically in large jazz ensemble music.

When I write counterpoints, which are usually very independent from each other, I often think in terms of “tension” and “release.” The tension is created by the independence and rhythmic dissonance of each line, while the release usually serves as a “syncing point” where there is a more common vertical texture for the band to come together. Ex. 1 is a basic version of this technique.

Ex.1 – Arranged by me, the intro material from m.1-8

In a more complex setting, such as utilizing this technique to create an interlude, I also like to use it, but the “syncing point” functions as a background element to support the horizontal lines moving upwards or downwards, in this case. Doublings are also a very powerful way to let different imitations be heard more clearly.

Ex.2 – “Mirror, Floating On The Water” m.178-184

In an extremely complex setting, there are some “fugal” textures that can also be used under the same mindset, which is not just “imitation” and “syncing point.” It’s more organic, allowing you to put counterpoint or other linear lines underneath the most important melodic line you want the audience to hear, while simultaneously developing the counterpoint material and adding more layers that ultimately reach the “sync point.” The rhythm section, even the drums, can be utilized in this way. To me, in this rare case, you will achieve an organized yet chaotic sound.

Ex.3 – “On That Bus” m.77-81

And sometimes, we don’t really need a complex sound. A simple two-part counterpoint can allow the ear to take a rest and create a moment in the music without the rhythm section. The “sync” point can come before the individual counterpoints; it doesn’t always have to come after the individual lines. The counterpoint doesn’t always has to be “imitation” as well, it can be two completely different melodic lines.

Can this compositional mindset also be used in chorale writing? Of course! As I mentioned, you can use it very organically. In this chorale, I use “syncing” points and counterpoint together, creating a more vertical effect, which makes the counterpoint sound like an inner moving line within the chord progressions.

Ex.5.1 – “Windy Days” opening chorale part 1

Ex.5.2 – “Windy Days” opening chorale part 2

By utilizing this effect, you can create something “in sync” while still having interesting inner lines within the chord progressions.

Last but not least, and this one is just for fun – some classic canonic textures from late 20th-century composers like György Ligeti, Witold Lutosławski, and Sofia Gubaidulina are characterized by a huge canon with micro-polyphony texture among different instruments in the orchestra. In the extreme case below, the entire brass and woodwind sections function as part of a larger canon, while the guitar distortion sound (the unmeasured rhythms created by the buzz effect) and the drum solo (out-of-time rhythms) create rhythmic micro-polyphony, leading up to the very last moment of the “syncing” point, which serves as the ending of the whole piece.

Ex.6 – “On That Bus” outro excerpt

As a newcomer to the jazz world, I’m eager to compose more music, embrace new challenges, and continue using this art form as a means of self-expression.

Album Spotify Link:

Album Stream Link:

https://found.ee/Zhengtao-Pan-Scenery-in-My-Story

About the author:

Zhengtao Pan is a composer and arranger born in 2003 who grew up in Shanghai, China. Currently studying Jazz Composition and Composition at Berklee College of Music, his commercial game works include “Mist Sequence,” “Lost Soul Aside,” “One Piece: The Bloodline,” and “Arknights,” among others. He has worked on music outsourcing for companies like ByteDance, Masaya Games, and miHoYo.

Beyond media scoring, Zhengtao Pan excels as an arranger and orchestrator for jazz orchestras and Big Bands, with his concert music premiered by ensembles like the HyperCube ensemble, Cascadia Composers, and Webster University.​

His achievements in music composition have led to his music being selected as the best large instrumental composition in the Jazz Education Network and 3-time winning the Downbeat Student Award for small & large ensemble composition/arrangement. He also secured victories in the ASMAC Pat Williams Composing and Arranging Competitions and earned first place at the Bridges Composition Competition at Ravinia Jazz Festival.

His Big Band works have been performed by renowned artists including Grammy-winning artist Steven Feifke’s Big Band, jazz saxophonist Alexa Tarantino, and the Eastman New Jazz Ensemble directed by Dave Rivello. Zhengtao collaborates with esteemed musicians such as Benny Benack III, Walter Smith III, Itai Kriss, and Andrew Gould for his debut Big Band album “Scenery in My Story,” which will be released under the NYC-based jazz label “Outside In Music.” His collaborations extend to the Budapest Scoring Orchestra, Budapest Jazz Orchestra, US Jazz Ambassadors, European Recording Orchestra, Shanghai Symphonic Orchestra, Belarus Sonic Orchestra, and more.​

Recently, he engaged in collaborative efforts with acclaimed artists Rufus Reid, Steve Wilson, and Sara Gazarek on his 2nd Big Band album, further demonstrating his dynamic presence in the jazz and wider music community.

Zhengtao Pan is also active in the digital space as an online streamer on the Chinese streaming platform Bilibili, where he shares music from his Vocaloid and virtual singer projects, amassing over 1 million views. His popular works, like “Secret Treasure Traveler,” have garnered widespread praise. Zhengtao believes that every note is a tool to express his identity, continuously enriching the global music landscape through his diverse collaborations and creative endeavors.