Formative Music Experiences & Composition Teaching Confidence
This section will examine the data found relating to the second research question. When analysing data relating to this question, a number of themes were uncovered such as primary school composition experiences, formative music experiences at home, playing instruments (outside of school) and teachers’ confidence to teach music composition.
Composition at school
Six teachers were unable to recall any creative work opportunities where they explored sound or expressed themselves creatively with music. Although, Laura reflected on the possibility of being unable to remember these opportunities due to her perception of “not being musical”: “I just wasn’t receptive to it…that it was going
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Luke believed people with “musical greatness” composed classical music, whereas, he believed ballads “could be about anybody – by anybody.” Unlike the situation painted by Durrant and Welch (1995) in the UK, teachers in this study did not experience “elitist” attitudes towards composition from their primary teachers. However, this is possibly due to composition’s minor role in the 1971 curriculum (as creative …show more content…
Amanda felt that she never tried to compose music because of the pressure to learn how to play an instrument: “we didn’t enjoy it: I think it was just forced on us that none of us ever picked it [composition] up...” Two other teachers remembered siblings’ composition attempts. Deirdre recalled: “My brother kinda maybe did a bit of song-writing, but he wouldn’t be […] very professional or anything.” It seems that siblings’ composing at home did not have a clear influence on these teachers’ confidence or attitudes to teach composition in the same way Apfelstadt (1989) described the influence of siblings singing at home. Jill was the only teacher who mentioned childhood composition pursuits: “I did write my own little songs, but I think I did them with the letters not the [notes]…” She was the only teacher in this study who felt confident teaching composition: whether or not her composition pursuits as a child influenced her current confidence, cannot be confirmed for
According to Graff and Birkenstein, “Even the most avant-garde, cutting-edge artist (like improvisational jazz musicians) need to master the basic forms that their work improvises on, departs from, and goes beyond, or else their work will come across as uneducated child’s play.” (11) Graff and Birkensteins’ point here is contradictory to the students’ assertion that templates are unoriginal and for the young children. In fact, this idea emphasizes the complete oppose. It exhorts that without first learning the template, the results of their work will be childish instead of advanced. Also, Graff and Birkenstein implies that without learning the basics, one will not have the skill set which permits further creative freedom and/or the ability of improvisation in the
“Music is present and an integral part of every life celebration: birthdays, holidays, funerals, Quinceañeras, you name it.” Having music around throughout her childhood got her interested in becoming a performer herself.
In the nineteenth century, many female musicians who were mainly from the upper class were born into a family that had a musical background leading them to partake in the musical field. The female artists who were born into an upper-class family were restricted by their social status. Throughout history, female artists dealt with many problems and issues since they were women that were playing music in the music industry. As a child prodigy, Clara Schumann’s became well known for her music but she had to go through the various problems of being a women composer. Libby Larsen is another musical composer who also had to deal with being a woman in the music industry.
Nevertheless her love for reading shot her up to the second grade. By this, she desired to achieve greatly, and through her fortitude she was introduced to writing, “Yolen wrote the lyrics and music for the school musical, in which everyone was a particular vegetable.” (Jane Yolen, Vol. 22). An evaluator couldn’t agree more, one of the main prerogatives of, “early educational experiences…. have greatly influenced her writing.”
Throughout Northrop Frye’s essay “The Singing School” Frye expresses his thoughts on how literature is not uniquely inspired, despite the different genres. Instead, Frye believes that, “a writer’s desire to write can only have come from previous experiences of literature”, and “he’ll start by imitating whatever he’s read, which usually means what people around him are writing” (14), this quotation explains that there is a pedigree to writing in which leads to conventions,which is a “typical and socially accepted way of writing” (14). Likewise, Frye constantly states that “literature can derive its form only from itself” (14), and are the the “typical ways in which stories get told” ( ). One of the three major conventions that Frye describes
In light of this theory it is distinguished to suggest the playing of complex rhythmic patterns may allow a child without previous musical talents to experience success and high levels of self-confidence. This will help them to increase in self-confidence and may also encourage their confidence in their own self-efficacy to grow through a creative and interactive interference, which promotes second-hand and enactive learning. Oaklander (2006) supports, “the importance of a child having experienced mastery and emphasizes that a child cannot achieve satisfactory sense of self without having had adequate experience of
Music education provides personal benefits to students that enrich their lives. In the study of perceived benefits of music by Dimitra Kokotsaki and Susan Hallam, it was found that “participating in an ensemble enhanced feelings of self-achievement for the study’s participants, assisted individuals in overcoming challenges, built self-confidence, and raised determination to make more effort to meet group expectations regarding standards of playing” (12). In an ensemble, every member is equally important, from the first chair to the last chair. Thus every person must be able to play all of their music and be ready for anything. When one person does not practice their music and comes to rehearsal unprepared, it reflects upon the whole ensemble.
Student’s name Professor’s Name Course Date Successful use of Rhetorical Strategies Introduction Ken Robinson delivers a TED talk on “schools kill creativity” filmed in February 2006. The talk aims to challenge the education system and the fact that it has little emphasis on the creativity of individuals. Robinson notes that children should not only be made to pursue their studies but also follow their passions and their interests which lie in their talents.
Modern Era The Modern Era is the time period in musical development that began around the turn of the 20th century in which great changes in compositional techniques and styles took place. This era challenged and reinterpreted old styles of music, making it a time of great innovation. Although homophonic textures were used, they were used with less importance and the most dominant texture of the Modern era was contrapuntal texture.
“There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in” (Greene, 1904-1991). Music is essential to every person’s life and seems to be involved in every activity of a child’s life from the moment they wake until they go to bed. Recent studies have shown that music (listening and playing instruments) have many impacts on children, especially in early stages of development of the child’s “body, brain, and their emotion foundations that support us for the rest of our lives” (Borgese, n.d.). There are also many other factors that affect child development like type/genre of music both violent and nonviolent that may contribute or hinder the future child’s behavior. Different music can have different effects on people, people don’t absorb the effect of music the same way.
Sir Ken Robinson advocated for a change in the education system and societal perception as a result of the decreasing creativity in children. In order to accomplish this, Robinson relied primarily on anecdotal stories with little statistical data to support his claims. Even though this is the case, Robinson’s argument is mainly effective in conveying his claim. The anecdotal stories have the most impactful relation to his claim because they offer substantial connections to the audience. The qualitative evidence also makes Robinson’s claim seem prominent in
“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything” (Plato). If my childhood was filled with anything: it was imagination. From my earliest memories of my cousin, and I putting on a sold out concert on my papaw’s front porch; to putting my baby dolls to sleep with lullabies. Music has always been a big part of my life: it was the one thing I could always count on, no matter where I went; and that still stands true today.
At a young age, I constantly wanted to express myself through music. I always found a way to incorporate music into my daily life, whether it be by blasting my favorite music, creating my own funky songs, or even having the opportunity to participate in my elementary school choir. My love for music actually took flight after I had decided to join my elementary school choir, however, in my opinion, it is not the most transformative moment in my life. After elementary
Ken Robinson successfully convinces his intended audience that even though literacy is understood as being more important in schools over creativity it is not more important they should be treated as equal. Ken Robinson is a well-known professor, writer, and public speaker (Robinson, "Do school's kill creativity?). Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures
Many lessons can successfully help in covering many aspects of the benefits associated with creativity. The teacher and teenager, all equally valued the experience and outcomes. All ideas were original and had a clear