LanaTron Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 have been asked to teach music composition to two students in our co-op. I have a BA in music, but I only took one composition course, and have no idea where to begin with teaching high school aged kids this subject. I will only have two students: both are motivated, one has some LDs and has struggled with music theory, the other has no problem with theory. The previous teacher for this class used the "For Dummies" book for music composition. By the end of the year (only thirty 30-minute class periods), each student had completed a one-line composition for his/her own instrument. I can do that if all else fails, but I wondered if there was something else out there. I am willing to put my own course together but I don't know where to start. Any music folks out there who can help me? I have two weeks to pull something together. :willy_nilly: TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Think of it as a writng course. Treat it that way. How did you teach your kids to write a paper. You taught them how to make a sentence, then a paragraph, then a page, run a whole paper. Start with a couple of meters in 4/4. They really need a piano or other instrument in class. Have the Ty different instruments too. It might even be best to do a week of percussion, just writing the rhythms. Then move to piano. Have them create a few short melodies each week until they are comfortable with transcribing. Move on to a short ABAB format. 4 measures of each part. Do a couple of those, ideally using some of their short melodies from the first few weeks. Then add a break. Then try a different formula altogether. At each step, try different meters. There are a lot of composition books for college levels. You should be able to find one with some practice exercises in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Thanks, that is very helpful! Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifra Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 There is a series for piano students called Music By Me by Kevin Olson, published by FJH Publishing. Alfred has Composition For Young Musicians by Jennifer Wilson, meant for children ages 8-12 who have had some musical training. There is also A Young Musician's Guide to Composing by Charles W. Lauterbach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Thank you so much. I'll definitely check those out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkid Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Not entirely a curriculum, but I have LOVED using noteflight.com to aid my piano students in writing their own compositions and in writing my own. There is a free version with almost as much flexibility as Finale and it allows for public sharing with each other. It is so fun to just experiment! I know this year they changed their set up so it might start costing for extra features, but it still might work for you. Happy music teaching! Nikki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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