I have been teaching composition for about 30 years and still find it both challenging and frustrating at times. When I was studying music as an undergraduate, teaching composition was often avoided and the practice discouraged. At Manchester University in the late 1970s, there was an underground composition class run by the composer Geoff Poole for composers, which was not allowed to be on the official timetable. Students weren't allowed to compose their own music as part of the course until they had learnt how to copy (usually badly) the 'masters' in harmony and counterpoint classes. Fortunately this approach is no longer prevalent, and composition is usually offered on undergraduate music courses and also at 'A' level and GCSE.
So what should we teach when we teach composition? I get the impression that this is a problem for many music teachers - and the ubiquity of the Sibelius notation programme appears to have made this worse (composition as unthinking and 'unhearing' note input - who cares what it sounds like as long as it looks like music). So where should we start in teaching composition?
It seems to me (on the evidence of first year Undergraduates) that the experience of composition teaching at pre-HE level is quite patchy, so it makes sense to build up some foundations first. Isolating and exploring individual musical elements such as texture, rhythm, line and harmony. It is easier to deal with these elements on their own rather than in a complex combination. One then examines these elements through analysis of suitable musical examples to see how these compositions have been put together using these fundamental features. Practical compositional exercises can then be set to allow students to explore the specific element to gain an understanding of its nature, and how to use it. For example, we would look at Varese's Ionisation for percussion ensemble to see how rhythm can be used for compositional discourse, and how the composer develops his rhythmic cells. Therefore this method of teaching composition is underpinned by the use of analysis of relevant models, and practical exercises/compositions. These student works would be played for further discussion and feedback from the whole class.
Once these fundamentals have been examined, one can move into more complex or sophisticated areas of music through analysing specific techniques/features of contemporary music such as Farbenmusik, minimalist music and the use of systems in music. Alongside this study one would also examine more general topics such as larger scale structural models, development of material and more advanced harmony. It is important for students to be exposed to a range of good contemporary music and to see how it was put together (obviously this is often speculative). The genre of popular music, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in HE, has similar considerations although the specific elements and materials are clearly different. It is useful to use models from a range of sources, and in a range of styles.
What cannot be taught, however, is imagination and invention - although one can encourage it when it has been recognised (rather than stamped on).We must be careful when teaching composition (and indeed other music subjects) that we allow students to make mistakes and take risks in their work. In composition (and performance) the 'safe' approach is rarely the best one. We need to recognise and nurture the sparks of imagination, and encourage students more, and criticise less. Composing is a real challenge even for experienced practitioners (I think only active composers should teach composition in HE because of this) so we should treat student composers considerately, and beware of crushing their confidence. Alongside this approach, however, we also need to teach our students to be self critical - to teach them the tools they need so they can be independent from their teachers.
So what should we teach when we teach composition? I get the impression that this is a problem for many music teachers - and the ubiquity of the Sibelius notation programme appears to have made this worse (composition as unthinking and 'unhearing' note input - who cares what it sounds like as long as it looks like music). So where should we start in teaching composition?
It seems to me (on the evidence of first year Undergraduates) that the experience of composition teaching at pre-HE level is quite patchy, so it makes sense to build up some foundations first. Isolating and exploring individual musical elements such as texture, rhythm, line and harmony. It is easier to deal with these elements on their own rather than in a complex combination. One then examines these elements through analysis of suitable musical examples to see how these compositions have been put together using these fundamental features. Practical compositional exercises can then be set to allow students to explore the specific element to gain an understanding of its nature, and how to use it. For example, we would look at Varese's Ionisation for percussion ensemble to see how rhythm can be used for compositional discourse, and how the composer develops his rhythmic cells. Therefore this method of teaching composition is underpinned by the use of analysis of relevant models, and practical exercises/compositions. These student works would be played for further discussion and feedback from the whole class.
Once these fundamentals have been examined, one can move into more complex or sophisticated areas of music through analysing specific techniques/features of contemporary music such as Farbenmusik, minimalist music and the use of systems in music. Alongside this study one would also examine more general topics such as larger scale structural models, development of material and more advanced harmony. It is important for students to be exposed to a range of good contemporary music and to see how it was put together (obviously this is often speculative). The genre of popular music, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in HE, has similar considerations although the specific elements and materials are clearly different. It is useful to use models from a range of sources, and in a range of styles.
What cannot be taught, however, is imagination and invention - although one can encourage it when it has been recognised (rather than stamped on).We must be careful when teaching composition (and indeed other music subjects) that we allow students to make mistakes and take risks in their work. In composition (and performance) the 'safe' approach is rarely the best one. We need to recognise and nurture the sparks of imagination, and encourage students more, and criticise less. Composing is a real challenge even for experienced practitioners (I think only active composers should teach composition in HE because of this) so we should treat student composers considerately, and beware of crushing their confidence. Alongside this approach, however, we also need to teach our students to be self critical - to teach them the tools they need so they can be independent from their teachers.
