Creating a culture of composition

Composition is something that every musician interacts with at some point on their musical journey. Whether it be improvising in a band or playing around with chords on a guitar, composition exists all around us. But so often in schools, composition is confined to the exam board expectations, and students see composition as coursework. This can lead to composing being a ‘paint by numbers’ process rather than an extension to their musicianship. By creating a ‘culture of composition’, we can encourage our students to see it for what it really is.

A culture is all about the behaviours of a group of people, but more importantly it is a way of life. A culture of composition is therefore one where students see composition as an essential experience. Not only do they value composing as an activity, but they use it as part of their musical journey. Composing becomes more than a project – it's a pathway to musical understanding. Within a culture of composition, students and teachers alike turn to the act of creating music to ensure that they learn something new.