In this study I explored how emotions could be conveyed through music, using Composer Stephen Berkemeier’s approach as outlined in his 2023 text ”How Do You Portray Emotions With Music?”, which integrates the Circumplex Model of Affect (1980) by Dr. James A Russell. This model categorizes emotions along two axes: valence (positive/negative) and arousal (high/low energy). 

Building on Berkemeier’s framework, singer Ronja Rose Andersson and I composed five original pieces, each designed to represent a specific emotional state. In the text I discuss the various methods I use to convey the emotions in the composition process. The final compositions then served as a platform for me to examine how I, as a bassist, might convey different emotions also through my playing. 

The research deepend my understanding of emotional expression in music, and expanded my toolkit for both composed and improvised performance.