Instructional Guidelines for Teaching Music
Composing Music
Discussing, singing, debating, performing, composing, researching, listening to music, and learning about the role of musicians and composers in cultures and societies are all activities that can be undertaken in the music strand. This strand is designed to develop students' musical imagination, musical understanding and musical participation.
The music strand will give students opportunities to:
Instructional Guidelines for Teaching Music
The following general guidelines for the teacher apply to music instruction throughout the course.
Develop the voice in music activities.
Teachers at the Secondary Level should continue to involve students actively in singing activities in order to achieve the music objectives focused on in a particular module. Through active participation in singing, individually and/or in various-sized groups, students will increase their knowledge and abilities and will experience the expressive qualities of music for themselves.
Teachers should provide opportunities for unison and part singing. They should choose music that is in the appropriate range for singers and involve the students in the selection of material when possible. For example, students can be given the choice between several preselected songs that are appropriate for the objectives being taught. Students should have the opportunity to sing music of various styles, cultures and time periods. Singing activities should be presented within a larger sequence of lessons which also increase students' understanding of the cultural and historical contexts of the selections they are studying.
If teachers are unable to accompany students on an instrument, some alternatives include the following:
Any available instruments can be used to help students discover and reinforce concepts in music. Traditional school instruments are not necessary to teach this program. However, those teachers with the background in teaching these instruments should be able to find many ways to incorporate their instruction into teaching the foundational objectives of the music strand. For example, students playing instruments can explore stylistic differences in various pieces being worked on, discover and discuss how the composers use the elements and principles of composition, and use their instruments in composing activities. Electronic instruments also offer many interesting and innovative avenues for exploration and could be incorporated into the program if available.
Continue to provide students with opportunities to compose music.
Students should be involved not only in the re-creation of the music of others, but also in the creation of their own compositions. These experiences will help students develop their creative potential and their understanding of music.
The creative/productive component of the Arts Education program stresses personal exploration and creativity and, therefore, the curriculum guide suggests ways for all students to become involved in the creative process. Creative activities should require that students use and develop critical and divergent thinking skills. Through involvement in composing, students will be able to experience the creative process for themselves and increase their understanding of the language of music.
Students in the Secondary Level Arts Education program will have varying degrees of formal vocal or instrumental training. However, all students can benefit from composing experiences regardless of their background. Encourage students to draw on their personal experiences and challenge them to develop their knowledge and individual abilities to a greater extent. At the Secondary Level, students may be involved in whole and small group composing activities but may also be presented with individual compositional problems to solve or projects that will build on their specific knowledge and background. Continue to encourage students to invent graphics or notation symbols and lead students to use existing or conventional notation symbols increasingly to represent their ideas. Refer to the procedures outlined in "Composing Music" in this Planning Guide.
It is important to provide adequate time for individual reflection and group discussion about the students' compositions and the process of creating them. Through reflection students can see the importance of these composing activities and understand the learning that has taken place.
Where there are composers in the community, teachers may wish to invite them to discuss their work and creative processes with students. Make use of resources listed in the bibliography that contain examples of composers discussing their individual approaches and their work.
The elements and principles are best explored in a context of interest to the students, rather than in isolation. Students should be encouraged to learn about the elements of music and the principles of composition as they encounter them in their ongoing musical experiences. What the students discover about the elements and principles should be reinforced and applied throughout the year. Refer to "Arts Elements and Principles" in this Planning Guide (pages 413-417) for more information.
Use a process such as "Responding to Arts Expressions" (described on pages 386-398 in this Planning Guide) to investigate music of various styles and cultures. Choose music that will be of interest to the students. Include Saskatchewan and other Canadian musicians and composers so students learn that the arts are a part of their own time and place. Include Indian, Métis and Inuit musicians and composers so students learn about the past and present contributions of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada.
Invite musicians, composers and others involved in the music industry into the classroom to talk about their musical experiences. Guide students to become aware that music can convey images, feelings and ideas. Guide students to become aware of the characteristics of style. Encourage students to talk about their reactions to pieces of music. Students may also wish to respond to music in ways other than discussion, such as through expressive writing, visual art, dance or drama.
Have students keep music journals or portfolios.
Portfolios and journals are an excellent way to encourage active involvement of all students. The journal or portfolio may have many functions, from providing students with opportunities to record ideas about themselves, their experiences and their studies in music, to storing composition and research information resulting from various activities.
Portfolios and journals should not be used merely as diaries; rather, they should be used as learning logs that facilitate problem solving and the comfortable expression of observations, ideas and insights about music experiences. The purpose should be to encourage students to work out ideas, reflect upon their work in music, and gather information and fresh ideas that are of particular interest and relevance to them in their music studies. Also, the students' responses to the various listening examples can be recorded. The student and the teacher should be able to see growth in the student's ability to analyse and interpret music.
Because of the personal nature of journals and portfolios, students and their teacher should establish guidelines early in the school year for their use and their possible role in student assessment. Following are some suggested procedures:
Guide students in their research.
Students should be challenged to develop their research and critical thinking abilities on an ongoing basis. When involving students in research projects in music, as in any other subject area, teachers must establish along with students the expectations and criteria which are important for the successful completion of the project. Students may demonstrate their understanding and the results of their research through such means as individual or group reports or presentations, slides, slide/tape presentations, video recordings, visual images, displays, oral and/or musical presentations, other arts expressions, essays or expressive writing. When researching, students should maintain an awareness of potential bias or manipulation of the facts in the research material they are using. They should be encouraged to present a balanced, imaginative and insightful presentation of their findings and conclusions.
Examples of questions teachers may ask students to reflect on include the following:
The aim of the Arts Education program is to enable students to understand and value arts expressions throughout life. To encourage the arts to flourish and to promote life-long involvement, it is essential that students be aware of the importance of music, not only in their own lives but in their societies as a whole.
Although many students may not choose to continue formal studies in the arts after grade 12, all students should recognize that they will be interacting with music in many different ways throughout their lives. At the Secondary Level, every student should understand the valuable role that he or she can play as participant, knowledgable consumer and music appreciator. Students should be guided to set personal goals and make plans for the continuation of their own growth and involvement with music in the years to come.
Throughout the elementary and middle years Arts Education program, students have had many opportunities to create their own sound compositions. Suggestions for the incorporation of these activities are provided in the curriculum guides and are intended for teachers of students with varied musical backgrounds.
Students in the Secondary Level Arts Education program will also have varying degrees of formal vocal or instrumental training. All students can benefit from composing experiences regardless of their background. When planning composing activities, teachers should provide opportunities for students to discover and explore new music concepts, reinforce previous learning, share their knowledge with each other and develop their own abilities to a greater extent.
At the Secondary Level, students may compose in pairs or small groups, but may also be presented with individual composing problems or projects that will build on their specific knowledge, abilities and background. Students who can play instruments will be valuable assets to group projects where they may be challenged to share their own expertise with their peers. Teachers should provide for a variety of groupings and situations that allow for pairs or small groups of students to rotate partners and for individual students to work on their own projects.
Encourage students to invent graphics or notation symbols and to use existing or conventional notation symbols increasingly to represent their sound ideas.
Consult the Arts Education bibliography for the names of books and other resources on composing with students. Many such resources contain exercises that are designed to challenge all students regardless of their formal training. They also contain information on conventional notation skills, as well as on "picture" music or "soundscape" creation and other creative sound composition activities that employ voices, found and homemade instruments, and non-conventional notation.
The following describes a procedure teachers may use to guide groups or individual students through the process of composing.
1. Provide a context or motivation for composing.
Composing activities should not be taught as "stand alone" exercises, but should be taught within a larger context that will bring meaning to the activity. For example, students may be discussing a principle of composition such as unity in selections that they are singing, listening to, discussing and creating. Prior to the composing activity, students might view a video about a composer and his or her work. Then, within this larger context, students might be asked to explore and develop their understanding of unity by creating their own compositions based on a theme and variation form.
The teacher will have set particular learning objectives for this activity based on the foundational objectives. The objectives may be directly related to the elements of music or principles of composition, the study of patterns or form, the different functions of music in various societies, or the expression of moods, images or ideas. The students must understand their objectives in order to have a focus for their compositions. Within the context of the module, discuss with the class what the main focus of its particular project is. Present the project as a problem solving activity. Discuss possible resources and previous learning that may help the students fulfill the objectives.
The focus may come from:
The teacher or the students themselves may set general or very specific criteria for structuring and developing the composition.
Examples of general criteria might be:
Examples of specific criteria might be:
Several specific criteria may be combined to create a compositional problem such as the following from Composing Music: A New Approach by William Russo.
Students who are able to play traditional instruments may be challenged to notate part or all of the composition and perform or record the completed piece. However, it is not necessary to have students notate all their compositions. Encourage students to invent graphics or notation symbols and lead students increasingly to use conventional notation symbols. Students may decide to use non-conventional notation or another means of cueing the musicians and perform the composition using percussion instruments, found objects, homemade instruments and/or voices.
When students are involved in composing, it is important to maintain a focus on the objectives while encouraging exploration, experimentation and improvisation.
Have students use their voices when composing and include singing in their work. Although students have been exploring and developing their voices throughout the music program, some students might be self-conscious about using or experimenting with their voices, particularly in non-traditional ways. Encourage students to listen to Aboriginal powwow singing, Inuit throat singing, Chinese opera, yodelling, scat singing and other musical forms that use the voice in ways with which the students may not be familiar. Within a supportive environment students will eventually be able to create and sing interesting vocal compositions.
As well as using traditional instruments in their compositions, students should be encouraged to discover different ways to use non-traditional or homemade instruments to create new sounds with unique qualities. They should continue to develop their ability to manipulate sounds and discover how the expressive quality of a sound changes when it is combined, preceded or followed by another sound. This involves students in critical thinking and decision making about discarding, inventing, balancing, restructuring and rearranging their sounds and sound sequences in order to achieve their objectives.
Students should:
5. Give students opportunities to perform their compositions.
Encourage students to rehearse or practise their compositions. If students are working in a group, they might decide to appoint a conductor. Have them make a tape, listen to it, and discuss their composition. What needs work? What could be done to make the composition more effective? Does the piece convey their intentions and ideas?
The students can perform their compositions for themselves or for others. They might decide, instead, to put the composition on tape.
6. Encourage students to reflect on and evaluate their work.
At this stage, students should reflect on their compositions and processes. This reflection might lead students to find new ways of expressing ideas, moods and feelings. It might also lead them to rework their compositions and improve their skills and abilities for future composing.
Encourage students to discuss the project with the other students who worked on it. What were the strong points? What could be done to make it better? Discuss specific music elements and principles of composition.
Students should also discuss the project with the teacher. Did they enjoy working on it? How could they change the composition? What were the most difficult aspects of working with a group? What would they do differently next time? What did they learn from the project? Students should also write about the project in their journals.
7. Help students extend and redirect their experiences.
Encourage students to undertake the following:
8. Evaluate the students' progress.
Evaluation for creative experiences in music should take into account the learning demonstrated in the students' products and in each student's creative problem solving process. Criteria for the project or composition should be established and shared with the student from the beginning of the project. Students and teacher might sign a contract which outlines evaluation criteria. (See Sample Learning Contract on pages 103-104 in the Evaluation section). The teacher should evaluate creative projects in consultation with the student to establish the student's intent for the composition and, if appropriate, the context of the work. Student self-evaluation should also be included in composing activities.
Teachers might ask questions such as the following: