I’m going to Chicago this month to show music teachers how children can compose using graphic notation. My talks will be at “The Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference” on Dec. 16th and 17th.
I’ve already taught middle and high school children how to use lines, dots and scribbles of all kinds to compose music. Often they take turns at the blackboard, jointly writing a piece section by section, and then sing it together on the spot. Sometimes they go off on their own and compose entire pieces, or conduct their pieces themselves with their school band.
Recently I helped 12-year-olds at Thorncliffe Middle School in Toronto write a 5-minute piece, “Les Sauvages,” which was premiered by the Esprit Orchestra the following week. What a moment for those students to hear their music played by professional musicians!
And last year I helped students at Middleton Regional High School in Nova Scotia write and conduct their own pieces at a public concert, with the help of band director Richard Bennett. After some inspired lobbying by fine arts consultant Ardith Haley, graphic notation has become part of Nova Scotia’s junior high school curriculum.
Here’s a short video compilation of Middleton students conducting excerpts of their own pieces, played by the school band. Bravo!
Graphic Notation Video at Middleton High School
Tags: education, graphic notation, school, students