TN Musician Vol. 71 No. 4

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people to experiment with and dabble in this process? Have a conversation with your ensemble about the creative process then encourage them to come up with their own creations (compositions/ arrangements). The end result could be a video recording of the students performing their works. Students could create their own solos, or they could be encouraged to work in groups – duos, trios, quartets, etc., in preparing their composition. For example, during marching band season, challenge each section to come up with their own musical “cheer.” They can arrange contemporary songs or compose their very own. Another idea I learned from the band program at Foothill High School in Henderson, NV, is to have students arrange or compose their own “Musical Holiday Cards” to send to former music teachers, parents, and school staff. Students will be energized by the idea of creating such a special gift for those who have helped them along the way. Finally, you could schedule a special concert where students from your program can join with students from the school’s other musical ensembles to perform their works. Creating also means coming up with new instruments. I’ve seen students play compositions on percussion instruments made with PVC pipe. Through the use of technology, students have generated compositions and arrangements performed on their computers. Think Eric Whitacre’s series of Virtual Choirs or Jacob Collier’s unique and inspiring videos like “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” or “Isn’t She Lovely.” The key is to give your students guidelines to work within so that they have a framework for their composition. They will be excited by the challenge and you will be amazed with the outcome. 2 RESPONDING. Encourage your students to think about how the music they choose to listen to while not in rehearsal makes them feel? Can they come up with cognitive reasoning for their choices? Is there a common thread to the music that they choose? Is there a cultural significance to the music and does it elicit a specific response? ( joy, relaxation, locomotion, etc.) Ask students to make an on-paper playlist of 20 musical selections that they chose to listen to over a specific 24-hour period within a given “Let’s Listen” week. Provide them with a spreadsheet to complete that requests the following information: 1) Artist name, 2) Song title, 3) Song style, 4) Response. Lead students to discover if there is a common thread – do they choose one artist or style over another because of how the music makes them feel? Next, ask students to explore and consider how this relates to the creative process? In other words, do composers create music to elicit a specific response from the audience or even the musicians themselves? Finally, ask students to relate their own responses to the music being refined in rehearsals. Do they see a correlation between how they feel about the music to how the audience thus responds to it? Music is used to create all sorts of responses intentionally which is why it is used, for example, in commercials to encourage purchasing, in themed performances (4th of July, etc.) to elicit feelings of patriotism, and in movies to influence the audience in some way. It is thus important for us guide them in developing their ability to perceive music and analyze it, to interpret the intent and 24 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2019 | Volume 71, No. 4
meaning of the work and finally, to apply some sort of criteria to evaluate it. In the big picture, these are the same processes that music-makers have followed for generations as they connect through music to themselves and their societies. Our student music-makers also need to have experiences in creating to be successful musicians as well as successful 21st century contributors. Finally, they need to respond to music as well as to their culture, their community, and their peers. Our rehearsals provide the optimal intersection for all of these processes so let’s stretch out and try something new to enhance the musical experiences for our students. Marcia Neel ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marcia Neel serves as president of Music Education Consultants, Inc., a consortium of music education professionals who work with a variety of educational organizations, arts associations, and school districts to foster the growth and breadth of standards-based, articulated music education programs. She also serves as Education Advisor to the Music Achievement Council, a 501(c)(6) organization whose sole purpose is to assist directors in recruiting and retaining students in instrumental music programs through effective professional development programs. In 2016, Marcia was named Senior Director of Education for the Band and Orchestral Division of Yamaha Corporation of America and subsequently, a Yamaha Master Educator. Neel also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Percussive Arts Society. Special thanks to School Band and Orchestra where this article was first published in February of 2017. Tennessee Music Education Association | www.tnmea.org | 25
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TN Musician Vol. 71 No. 4

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