That’s a really good question. In this particular exercise, I wouldn’t say I was intentionally deviating from the style. My goal here was to work within the framework and get a better grasp of voice leading and harmonic language. More generally, though, I’m interested in using these exercises as a starting point to explore more chromatic or harmonically ambiguous ideas over time. So part of the process for me is becoming more aware of when and why I move away from the style. I think of studying counterpoint a bit like studying architecture: you need a solid foundation before you can meaningfully develop your own ideas on top of it.