Creativity through composing music with software

            Composing music is something that I use in my own lessons. It has shown to help students read music and incorporate instruments they are not used to playing. This is so they can hear what they have notated. This week’s lecture discussed how writing music can be time consuming (Bazan, 2016). It can also be boring for students. As well as other schools, my district does not have the resources available for software programs to compose music such as Finale and Sibelius. MuseScore has shown myself another way students can compose music. We have a small band in my school district because many are not concerned with learning an instrument. My goal for the composition lesson is to get them interested in learning an instrument. If MuseScore was downloaded in my school computers, my objective could be enhanced even further. When teaching about composition, the students are hesitant when playing their piece on the piano. The reasons for this are not being fully prepared on the piano and a fear of playing in front of others. MuseScore gives them the opportunity to play back what they have composed at their own privacy. From the book this week, Ken Robinson (2011) discussed how creativity is as important as literacy. This kind of program helps with literacy but using music notation. MuseScore will be a great tool to use for my 7^th and 8^th grade students. If my school allows me to download this program, and if there is time available in the computer lab, this will give my students a chance to be more creative.           

            Bauer (2014) discusses in the book how students can develop their creativity with composition. Technology can be advance it but students needs programs, such as MuseScore, that are available and free. My experience with Finale is very brief. I was required to download the month trial in my technology in music education class during my undergrad. It was too advance for me; which made me frustrated enough not to buy the software. Finale may be too difficult for students that do not have enough experience with notating music. It is also very expensive. MuseScore seems easier to follow, in my opinion. Working with middle school students on this program will help me make the composing lesson better and keep the students interested.

            These software programs are helpful when composing music for both students in the classroom and actual composers. They have been shown to cut the time in half when writing a piece and can help others learn to be creative through improvisation. Bauer (2014) discussed in the book this week about the creative process through improvisation and composition. I feel that they are both needed to help students open up to being more creative. When I teach my students how to compose their own piece, they start with an example I display and, eventually, use their own. This follows Graham Wallas’s (1926) model called the creative process. I start by using my example for writing a piece; I am preparing the students for their own pieces. If there are problems, I will either work with them individually or as a group. As they work on their personal pieces, they use their own ideas and rhythms. The last thing is myself verifying for them the positives of their piece. In order for students to be creative, they need to learn how to improvise on their own. Students seem more hesitant when performing in front of others and feel that they have developed stage freight. Improvisation activities will help improve a students’ creativity and get them to take more risks when it comes to music activities.

References

Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and

responding to music.

Bazan, D. (2016, July 1). Technology Assisted Music Teaching & Professional Development.

Lecture.

Robinson, K. (2011). Out of our minds: Learning to be creative. Chichester, West Sussex, UK:

Capstone.

Wallas, G. (1926). The art of thought. New York: Harcourt, Brace.