The Power of Storytelling: A Theoretical Analysis of John Powell’s “Test Drive”

During undergrad, Epiphany wrote a theoretical analysis of a composition of her choosing. Because of her love of film music, specifically that of John Powell, Epiphany chose the piece “Test Drive” from the Dreamworks animated film: “How to Train Your Dragon”. The paper focuses on the use of instrumentation, tonality, and thematic transformation to describe how music can evoke emotion in listeners and create a story without saying a word. The paper was one of the winners of Alpha Chi’s Alfred H. Noelle Research Paper Scholarship Competition in 2025. The paper was also second runner-up in West Liberty University Research, Creative Activity, and Performance Symposium in Spring 2025.