Vermont MIDI Project Overview Composition Process as Practiced in the Vermont MIDI Project |
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As the Vermont MIDI Project approaches its tenth anniversary many lessons have been learned about music composition with students. Teachers in the Vermont MIDI Project know composition is a process involving multiple steps. Teaching composition is certainly more than learning how to use software or simply asking students to "create something". The following details of the process come from the collective thoughts of project participants as they strive to define their work with students. Composition in the classroom in Vermont MIDI Project schools generally involves entire music classes. It often begins in third or fourth grade where students have access to notation software in the computer lab or music classroom. Students in the elementary and middle levels work in pairs or groups of three to create their original work. At the high school level, students usually work as individuals, often in a theory/composition class. Composition is gradually making its way into instrumental and vocal ensemble classes. Successful strategies for composition have been developed by project teachers and by the professional composer mentors. |
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| The most important aspect of the composition work is the attention to reflection and critique. Students share their work often in guided critique sessions within the classroom. Reflecting on their own work and critiquing the work of others is essential as students explain their intent and develop the use of music vocabulary to describe their composition. Students learn to ask for specific feedback from others within their classroom. |  |
| Representative student work is posted to the Vermont MIDI Project password protected website for sharing and critique by professional composers and other teachers and students involved in the project. Revision of student work is a recursive procedure where students get feedback on their work-in-progress and consider which of the suggestions will help them improve their work. Critique can also come from other teachers and students who participate in the project. See Online Mentoring Guidelines for Teachers, Mentors and Students for specific details. | |
| Since April 2000, student compositions have been selected for live performance in the Opus series events where professional performers rehearse with each student. Live performance takes students an additional leap beyond writing the music with the computer. They learn to accurately represent their composition in print so they may communicate their work to the musicians. Most students, including elementary and middle school students, use Sibelius, a professional notation software program. An evening Opus concert is presented for the public and the work is captured on video, audio, and in a multimedia CD. |  |
| Several key tenets about the composition process used in the Vermont MIDI Project are: 1. using notation software develops music literacy 2. begin composition with structured guidelines 3. reflect and critique frequently 4. encourage revision 5. promote composition for the teachers 6. provide opportunities for live performance of student work 7. composition is one element of a well-rounded curriculum |
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1. The use of notation software promotes music literacy for students who compose. We often consider literacy in language with the expectation that students need to be able to listen, speak, read and write. Expectations for developing a musically literate individual then include listening, singing or playing an instrument, reading musical notation, and composing. 2. Teachers in the project begin composition activities most often with highly structured assignments. They don't begin asking students to "learn the software" but to use it to create a piece that supports the learning of concepts from the music class. These assignments have specified guidelines, but teachers are always willing to accept variations from students who have mastered the basic concepts or demonstrate more sophisticated skills. Over time and with the demonstration of more complex work, students are encouraged to develop their own voice and apply it to their composition. 3. Perhaps the most powerful and essential part of the composition process as practiced in the Vermont MIDI Project is the reflection and critique of work. This takes many varied paths: students share work often within their class for suggestions, compositions are posted online for comments by professional composer mentors, students work together in small groups in elementary and middle school and discuss their composition as it unfolds. The requirement to reflect on their work and describe their intent helps students articulate what they are trying to accomplish. Students develop their use of musical vocabulary to accurately communicate with others about their work. |
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| In the online process, students are expected to go another step beyond simply describing their work. They request specific feedback, detailing areas of the composition that they wonder about. When students receive comments, they learn to test out the suggestions and consider which ones will help them improve their piece beginning a revision process that often involves multiple revisions and further discussion. |  |
4. Composition itself is a process. Most masterpieces develop over time and with considerable revision. Young composers often consider the first music composition they create is a masterpiece. While we want to encourage them in their writing, nonetheless, it's important to view the additional possibilities in a piece for improvement or expansion. 5. The annual summer institute courses require teachers to explore personal composition. Many report they have never been asked to compose before and realize that they can assist students far better if they have been through the process themselves. Our teachers compose, reflect on their own work, critique the work of others, and revise their personal compositions. Many of these compositions have been performed by student ensembles, at family events, and by community or church performing groups. 6. The "Opus Concerts" were conceived as a way to vitalize the composition process for students, taking it from cyber-space to the concert hall. Enthusiasm runs high for students during the Opus selection process. Additional mentor time is needed to respond to the many postings and multiple revisions of the student work. Composing for live performance gives specific purpose to composition assignments and encourages students to learn more about the instruments featured in the Opus concert: playability, instrument range, and specific characteristics of each instrument. 7. Teachers in the Vermont MIDI Project recognize composition as one part of a total music curriculum that includes a variety of activities: singing, playing instruments, listening and analyzing, improvising, and moving. Some combine composition with integrated projects involving other disciplines. The development of music literacy skills is key. High school students often combine theory with composition as one way of demonstrating this knowledge. Students are also encouraged to write compositions that explore their own creative voice. |
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