Learning and music composition: An analysis of composers’ testimonies

Abstract

This article reports part of the results of a larger study, where the goal was to explore music composer’s representations of music composition. Previously published interviews of 57 established vanguard contemporary music composers (based across continents) were subject to a thematic analysis, validated by an independent analysis of a percentage of those interviews. The analysis revealed two overarching dimensions relating to learning. The first of those dimensions referred to the experience of developing the competency to compose and the second dimension referred to learning as changing through composing. First of those dimensions involves a diversity of aspects (i.e., learning context, learning process, learning product), for which a variety of notions emerged from the interview analysis. Second dimension also comprises a variety of aspects (i.e., insights on other realities, insights on sounds, increased self-awareness). Implications for the teaching and learning of musical composition are drawn.

Perceptions of developing creativity in piano performance and pedagogy: An interview study from the Chinese perspective

“…As an important element of the West’s interest in creativity that started in the mid-20th century (Runco, 2004), research within the realm of music—particularly in terms of creative thinking in music (Hickey & Webster, 2001; Webster, 2016) and assessment (Byrne et al, 2003)—has established itself as a primary concern. Musical creativity can be reflected through composition (Barrett, 2006; Duarte & Constantinidi, 2020; Priest, 2006), improvisation (Arkin et al, 2019; Daikoku, 2018), listening (Peterson, 2006), and performance (Graham, 1998). However, creativity in musical performance has attracted somewhat less attention from researchers, especially in the East.…”

Composing for students: Composers’ reflections on the process of creating educational music

“…Yet despite the importance of repertoire for student musicians (McCallum, 2007;Reynolds, 2000), and some existing scholarly discourse about the state of educational music (Budiansky & Foley, 2005) and the difficulty of selecting it (Apfelstadt, 2000;McCallum, 2007;Schupp, 1964;Sheldon, 1996;Wasiak, 2010;Watson, 2013), there is little empirical research on the process of composing educational music. The music composition process in general has been studied (Andrews, 2004b;Bennett, 1976;Denisov, 1973;McCutchan, 1999), as has composer learning during the composition process (Duarte & Constantinidi, 2021). In the context of music education, there is a relatively large body of empirical research about teaching and learning composition in the classroom (Berkley, 2004;Doig, 1942;Koops, 2013;Odena, 2012a;Wiggins, 2007;Younker & Smith, 1996), including the composer's role in music education-what Laycock (2005) called creative music-making.…”