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Contemporary composers not only should be encouraged to write for traditional ensembles at the elementary level but also for nontraditional ones. Music educators have harbored an obsession with formal performing ensembles for too long. Mainstreaming, along with continuing emphasis on individualized learning and the open classroom, will require composers to create both nontraditional and traditional works.One who believes that only selected pupils performing in ensemble are capable of expressing a composer's artistic intentions should make sure that his or her educational goals and objectives reflect that principle. Over the years, however, MENC has encouraged teachers to involve all students at all ability levels in performance activities.Creating valuable music that can be performed by small groups, handicapped students, or otherwise exceptional students at the elementary level is a formidable challenge. It is true that current music series textbooks try to promote individual music experiences by encouraging student creativity and providing for copious activities designed to foster interest in and involvement with composing. Yet regardless of how exciting and valuable student creativity is, such activity is not a viable substitute for performance of an artist's composition. After all, we do not ask traditional choruses and instrumental ensembles to produce their own art works. More contemporary composers should be able to create music that would bring out good qualities in an inexpensive instrument of limited range, such as the song flute or tonette; construct a composition for two, four, or eight players using melody bell-type instruments; write keyboard pieces for children with only one arm or mej/mar '79 47

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