When I interviewed many prominent pedagogical composers on teaching composition to children, several of them had some wonderful things to say. I thought I’d share one of the quotes from our correspondence:
I feel strongly that piano teachers should encourage their students to explore the creative side of music through composition. If time or experience do not allow it on a regular basis, one can at least invite students to compose and then listen and respond with encouraging words. I have found that composing their own music touches young people in a way that faithful repetition of other composers’ works cannot, and brings out the best in performance and ownership of musical expression.
Carol Klose (a wonderful Hal Leonard composer)
I completely agree with Carol Klose’s comments; performing a piece learned from a page simply cannot match the exhilaration of performing a piece a child has created right out of the keys of the piano.
On the other hand “faithful repetition of other composers’ works” is a pretty dull task for a child (and most adults, for that matter). As a piano teacher I don’t encourage my students to faithfully repeat the repertoire they are learning – instead I encourage them to use the music to tell their own story, to create their own musical moment, and to actually be living inside the magical musical and emotional world created for them (by another composer) when they perform.
Good point Elissa! We should all be taking the approach you suggest when students learn another composers’ works. There is no reason why the music can’t become a part of their story or their story can’t become a part of the music!