composition & improvisation
Improvisation and Composition in Every Classroom
Matt Turner, WMEA State Chair, Composition & Improvisation
As I journey around Wisconsin and have the good fortune of working with students and mu- sic educators, I am excited to report a new trend: numer- ous teachers are introducing compo-
sition and improvisation to their students more than ever before. In particular, I am observing many orchestra, general music and choir teachers embracing both of these disciplines in public schools and at the college level.
Here are some examples of recent
improvisation and composition projects in Wisconsin public schools:
• High school orchestra students are placed in small chamber groups. Students collaborate within their groups to compose a short blues or Americana-style piece. Students improvise solos during their pieces during the performance.
• Middle school choir students write a story and compose a soundtrack to accompany the narration.
• A general music teacher asks students to record environmental sounds as well as record sounds of found objects or atypical instru- ments. These sounds are used to
Go to the online version of WSM for an excellent example of a “comprovised” drone piece featuring the Lawrence University Chamber Orchestra.
create compositions similar to musique concrète.
• A high school band teacher intro- duces improvisation using Indian ragas. Students also compose piec- es influenced by the music of John Cage and Terry Riley.
• A high school orchestra teacher asks her students to select a pop or rock song, learn it by ear and adapt or “re-compose” the song for a chamber group. The students then perform the pieces on a concert. The pieces include songs by Lady Gaga, P. Diddy, Eric Clapton and others.
• High school theater and music students combine forces to write a script and compose the music for a radio drama. The show is per- formed in front of an audience.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
As chair of composition and improvisa- tion on the WMEA Council, I am eager to meet music educators who are incor- porating composition and improvisation into their curricula. I am particularly interested in assisting teachers who are enthusiastic about getting started but who feel challenged due to lack of experience. In that regard, I would like to invite you to participate in an exciting improvisation workshop to be held at the Wisconsin Center for Music Education July 21 and 22. Fred Sturm, director of jazz and impro- visational music at Lawrence University, and I will be offering a two-day improvi- sation workshop, Improvisation in Every
40 April 2014
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