WHAT IS COMPOSITION PEDAGOGY?

What is Comp Ped? Why is there no history of this field, almost no literature?

Most teachers have no training as teachers except for their own experiences that serve as positive or negative models (discuss a few experiences)

Issues that affect composition instruction (discuss individual experiences)~ Ways composition is taught (private lessons, group lessons, classes)~ Level/age of student(s); initial body of knowledge/skills/experience~ Goals of student (professional composer, professor, industry, non-profit, etc.)

What kinds of things are taught in a composition lesson or class? (discuss experiences)~ Nuts & bolts: Notation, analysis, aural/keyboard skills, history/style,

instrumentation/orchestration; is this composition?~ Techniques: Harmony, counterpoint, score study and style writing, various

compositional methods; is this composition?~ Process: Time management, self-motivation techniques, professional

aspects of composing; is this composition?~ How to listen to the music you wish to write, how to describe it, notate it,

develop it, make it “say” what you want it to say; is this composition?

In a college curriculum, which of these things should be taught in private or group lessons by a composition teacher? Which should be taught in other classes, labs? Which should the student learn on their own?

How would you construct a curriculum for each of the following types of students?How would you construct a curriculum that could accommodate all these students in the same program?

~ Pre-high school student with no prior mentorship~ High school student who has written for their ensembles without a composition teacher~ College freshman with some private composition lessons in their background~ Potential composition major with no formal training but with good ideas and rudimentary

notation/notation skills~ Potential composition major with significant background in electronic music and computer

software but little formal training in writing for instruments~ Well-trained masters student who wants to enter the film music industry~Well-trained doctoral student who wants to teach college-level composition