Abstract
The best moments happen when students begin to realize how much power they have and use that power to create. Composing as they master different instrumental stages helps students make composition and performance a natural step in learning. A step-by-step process (rhythm notation, add pitches, copy to a five-line staff, check work, and play) keeps the work attainable and eases frustration. Repeating the exercise often allows students to make simple steps into more complicated structures (scales, major to minor, etc.) Students play their pieces for and with each other, then for others outside the music room, making performance attainable and easy. When our students leave us, we want them to be fully fluent in our musical language. The children are empowered by what they create, what they perform, and by becoming composers.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
