The subject of teaching composition to children strikes fear in the heart of many independent music teachers. I think this is often because the IMT feels that they just don’t have the tools needed for such a task. It is my hope to give you some of these needed tools through this blog. This is a very broad subject that will take many posts to cover, but for the first post on teaching composition, I wanted to begin by emphasizing a few important things to remember.
1. Children are naturally creative. Some children already know this, some need encouragement to discover it, but children typically do not yet have the filters that prevent many adults from coming up with fresh and inventive sounds.
2. Many children already have in their mind exactly what they want and no amount of coaxing will convince them otherwise. In these cases, I find it best to show them how they can alter their idea to create a contrasting section. In other words, I use their idea to show them a new one while still allowing them to have complete control over what they have already composed.
3. On the other hand, some children have no idea where to begin! I have a process I use with these kinds of students which I will explain in a future post.
4. Take baby steps, especially in lieu of #2. Focus on improving one part of their compositional technique at a time.
5. Children are often resistant to “suggestions” when it comes to critiquing their ideas. Keep in mind that while they may not use your suggestion this time, you are building their vocabulary of sounds and techniques which may help improve the next composition.
6. Children do not typically fear the judgment of their peers as adults often do. This fear is part of what causes adults to be conservative with their creativity. Since they do not have fear as a filter, their ideas sometimes seem even more fresh and innovative, though they will need to training to construct their ideas into a usable musical thought. See Tim Brown on Creativity.
7. Every child has a different process for composing. Your process might not be what works for your students. Some students come up with lyrics first, some like to doodle on the piano, some have to have a subject in mind before they start. Finding their process is difficult, but worth the challenge!
8. The environment in which children are coached in composition should be “safe.” Be careful to always be encouraging and find the good in each creative idea. Telling a child something doesn’t work or isn’t good is hardly ever productive.
9. Everything is usable! This will be a larger post at a later date, but I do believe that every idea is usable in some sense. It may not be for that particular composition and it may be useable in the sense that it is warming you up for the really good ideas, but it is still a functional piece of the composition process. Approaching a student’s creative ideas with this philosophy will yield great results in the trust necessary between student and teacher.
This is wonderful, and just in time. I’m planning a summer composition camp. I’m excited about your future posts!
This is a great series! What do you do for children who compose (or memorize an improvisation) without regard to rhythm? And resist other efforts? One measure will have 3 1/2 beats, the next 4 1/4, the follow 2, and then 5 beats, LOL.
How do you guide them to create using rhythm without discouraging them when they resist it?
I’m glad it will be useful to you! -Wendy
Great question! I’ll keep this subject in mind for a future blog post. A quick thought…sometimes when a student plays an improvisation without much meter, I’ll play it back to them with more metrical pulse and mention something I like unrelated to rhythm like, “I really like how you used these 3 notes…it really sticks with you.” Then, I’ll have them play it again, and sometimes they’ll use the rhythm that I used without realizing it.
Another thought is to suggest space. “You know, if you are always playing notes, then nobody really knows which notes are most important and the audience might get bored. Why don’t you give some space between some of these ideas so you keep the audience interested and let them know what’s important.” Then, you could show them how to do it, putting space in that would create more of a working rhythm.
I would say to always keep in mind that baby steps are best. Perhaps getting one section more rhythmic will be the goal for that particular piece. Then, maybe when he plays it for someone else and they comment on how they really liked that one section, they’ll start to realize that rhythm is important. You never know when or what’s going to make them realize they need more rhythm. Baby steps… 😉
Nice topic! You have shared a lot of helpful tips for music teachers like me. This topic is indeed troublesome for us. Glad you have shared your knowledge. Will be reading all your posts. Thanks a lot!