TEACHING CREATIVE THINKING IN MUSIC: 10 Tips for Fostering Creativity

I think upon sitting down the first day of a new score, it’s quite intimidating. I think the great part of creativity is overcoming fear. Fear is a given. Don’t be afraid to be filled with fear because it goes with the turf. I mean the idea of coming away empty handed is paralyzing but you’ve got to move on in spite of that…and it’s not easy. Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it ain’t so easy.

—Jerry Goldsmith

Fear! We are all familiar with it. Even composers like Jerry Goldsmith, one of Hollywood’s greatest, was prey to it. The good news is there are ways to get past fear and into that “flow state1 ”; that place where we lose track of time because we are in the zone, great ideas seem to flow easily, and our mental and physical performance is at its peak. Alpha waves, theta waves, gamma spikes, brainstorms, call them what you will, but in this state we are unstoppable.

The question is, how can we access this state more easily and further, as music educators, how can we help foster an environment rich in opportunities for kids to achieve this optimal creative state. This article offers no less than eleven tips to address these questions. Now that’s a bargain!

1

“Flow state” is a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book Finding Flow.

1 Says Andy Puddicome of Headspace, “We don’t have to try to be creative. Creativity is an innate aspect of mind. It’s always with us. It’s just that sometimes it’s obscured.” If this is true, if creativity is innate, then it follows that it cannot be taught. Ok, end of article. Thanks for reading.

Wait...

Well, maybe it can’t be taught but what if it can be nurtured? Is it possible to create an environment where creativity can flourish? You know it is! More on this in a bit. For now, the major obstacle to being creative is stress. Stress (caused by fear, distractions, and anxiety) is enemy number one preventing us from tapping in to our flow state.

Tip #1: Relax, take a few deep breaths of fresh air. Mindfulness is key to being creative. Be present for the task at hand, whatever that is. An undistracted mind will get in the zone much faster.

“Creativity is the process of resolving vision.” This brilliant statement by Dr. Kourosh Dini is so simple, yet so powerful. It really doesn’t need any more explanation. When was the last time you asked your students what their vision is. This works for solo performance preparation and yes, even in an ensemble rehearsal. The composer has a vision but is it always the same as yours or your students. I am not saying we should ignore the composer’s intent but music is

2 multivalent, it can have different meanings to each of us. You can even ask kids, what was the composer’s vision. If they don’t know, ask what they think it could have been. In any case, asking this question frequently can kick start a process where your students habitually think in those terms.

Tip #2: Talk to your students about vision. There is a much greater chance of resolving a vision that is clear.

Ok, I’ve mentioned the creative process and just so we’re all on the same page, let me give you a really brief overview. Every creative project starts with a concept or idea. The stages we move through are: concept, experimentation, reflection, revision, developing ideas, rinse and repeat. Reflection is an integral component of creativity. That’s why music (read “the creative process”) is so crucial to life on this planet; it fosters reflection which leads to creative problem solving.

Tip #3: Encourage kids to be good brainstormers and reflective people.

Once while guest conducting one of my own pieces, a question popped into my head. Why didn’t I use a different slurring pattern on the woodwind passage we were woodshedding. I asked the winds what they thought. “Would it be better to have slurred this passage another way. They all stared blankly. Had no one had ever asked their opinion? I had them try the passage again and asked the rest of the band

3 to listen and be prepared to give their opinion. Afterward a few hands went up, simply, I believe, because there was an expectation that they were “supposed” to answer. We tried it again and even more hands went up. They thought I was looking for “the correct answer” but as more students began to respond, it became clear that there wasn’t one. The lesson here is that kids have opinions too and if we never give them the opportunity to express them, they will never develop the ability to think in a more creative ways.

I read about one band director who had a “10 second rule”. Every time he stopped the band, he gave himself only 10 seconds to explain something. He actually used a stop watch! After 10 seconds, no matter what he was saying, he picked up the baton and started conducting. While I agree that too director chat can make for an inefficient and boring rehearsal, I wondered where the opportunity was in a rehearsal where kids don’t get to reflect and express their opinion on the music they are playing. We all have opinions and they are formed by hundreds and hundreds of past musical experiences. Kids need to learn in an environment where they are encouraged to have opinions. Reflection is an integral part of the creative process.

Tip #4: Stop every now and then to ask your students what they think. The question can be specific (what other ways could this passage have been slurred) or open ended (what images or ideas does this music evoke). This will get kids in the habit of thinking laterally. Also, make your rehearsal

4 process more creative. Change it up, rehearse a piece backwards, go through a piece just holding the first note of each measure, etc. There are many ways to be creative. Think outside the box.

Ok, where is this box we’ve heard so much about and what does it really mean to get outside of it? Quite simply, it’s the ability to engage in divergent thinking; to go beyond the obvious. How do we do this? To be able to get outside the box, you have to first figure out what’s inside the box. Professor Gerard Puccio, Professor at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State University, tells us that “It's only after we exhaust that which is familiar to us do we start to really generate novel and unusual options.” It stands to reason, the more options we have, the better our choices will be.

Tip #5: Don’t always go outside first. Often it really helps to figure out what’s inside the box before you are able to generate ideas that are outside of it.

Regular exercise! Just like pro athletes, who train daily, artists (all of us) need to exercise our creative muscles daily. So, give your students opportunities each day to enter into the creative process. This isn’t as daunting as it may seem. There are plenty of opportunities in whatever we do, band, choir, orchestra, music history, theory, composition, improv, and MIDI classes.

In a minute, I’ll share one way to start creating a more

5 creative culture in rehearsal. For now, one way to empower students to exercise their creative muscles is to get them to push beyond just one solution. For every musical problem there is more than one solution. So don’t stop short. Ask your students “how else can you solve this musical problem” or “how would your favorite composer solve it”. By the way, isn’t this a great skill for any problem (non-musical ones included). You’re asking students to not only get outside the box, your challenging them to get outside their own brain.

Tip #6: All musical activities involve the creative process. Create opportunities daily for students to do a creativity workout. Hold them to a higher standard. Your motto could be “we don’t tackle one-solution problems here!”

Composer John Cacavas once said that,

Each day is different and your capacity for learning and expression will grow. Every time you browse through a score, hear a recording, see a movie, or attend a concert, your artistic self will absorb that which impresses you and will add to your experience.2

Tip #7: Keep growing through exposure to great music in whatever form; concerts, films, performance, score reading and conducting. Provide as many opportunities for your students to grow through exposure to all of these activities.

2

Cacavas, John. 1975. Music Arranging and Orchestration. Miami: Belwin-Mills.

6 Ideas are cheap. Making them into something awesome is

super hard.

—Merlin Mann

I believe what Merlin is really saying is that creative ideas come easily, not that they don’t have value, but developing them into a work of art takes a lot more time and effort. This gets into the realm of artistry and, though an extension of the creative process, it is a whole other conversation.

For now, back to Merlin’s statement. I believe creative ideas do come easily. I’m often surprised by how many ideas I have when starting a new piece. The reason we may find this hard to believe is that we judge our ideas too soon. Quite often, when we do this, we second guess ourselves and this can lead to a belief that we are not creative which can lead to giving up. There is a point in the creative process where we need to evaluate but that point is not during the initial stages. We need to brainstorm without judging our ideas. Just get them all out on the table. Only then can we sit back and start to prioritize and evaluate.

Tip #8: Ideas are plentiful if we suspend our judgment initially.

One way to get kids to start thinking creatively is to have them listen but not just passively. Directed listening helps them focus in on why good music is so cool. Here’s a quick

7 activity that doesn’t require anything more than paper and pencil (and an audio source of course). Step 1, play one minute of your favourite piece of music. Don’t tell the students what it is or who wrote it. Simply have them write words which describe whatever images come to mind while listening. Stop the music and ask for feedback. “What did you hear/see?” Then play it again and this time ask them to write down what the composer did to achieve this effect (e.g., brass, violins pizzicato, fast tempo, thick orchestration, etc.). This will help students to start thinking in sound. Film music works well because it is music being written for a visual medium so it is often very easy to deconstruct. Whenever I’ve done this, students will inevitably approach me the next week and say that they hear so much more in movie and television music. We all learn by observation and imitation, exactly how we learned to speak. At first, we were just imitating but eventually, with enough practice we began to express our own ideas.

Tip #9: Provide kids opportunities to direct their listening.

On one episode of MasterChef Canada, I heard Alvin Leung offer sage advice to a contestant. After seeing the contestant’s highly complicated dish, Alvin said, “Complexity and innovation are not necessarily the same.” I was blown away by this simple, yet universally profound truth. Often, the best ideas are the simplest ones.

Tip #10: Keep it simple!

8 You have a zero percent chance at failing at something you don’t try.

—Kristi Hedges

Don’t be afraid to be filled with fear…it goes with the turf. —Jerry Goldsmith

Well that’s it for now. Ten simple tips that work right out of the box. Come on, you’re a musician and music educator. You live and breathe creativity. You problem solve daily and you model it to your students.

It is incumbent on us all as musicians, educators, students, and human beings to create. One of the best reasons I’ve come across is because we owe it to the world. John Philip Sousa 3 once wrote that “the world has a soul, a spirit that is hungry for beauty and inspiration.” Steven Pressfield writes that we should offer our creative gifts to the world. As he states in The War of Art, “Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It's a gift to the world and every being in it. Don't cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you've got.” What a different world it could be if we all contributed. You got this!

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Sousa, John Philip.“Why the World Needs Bands.” Instrumentalist 45 (April 1991): 32-36.

9 Colvin, Geoff. Talent is Overrated. 2008. Penguin Random House.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. 1990. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper and Row. Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. 1997. Finding Flow. The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life. New York: Basic Books.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. 1996. Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. New York: Harper Perennial.

Mann, Merlin. http://www.43folders.com/about (43 folders is about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work) Robinson, Ken. 2001. Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative. Capstone.

Robinson, Ken. 2009. The Element : How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. New York: Viking Press. Robinson, Ken. 2013. Finding Your Element : How To Discover Your Talents And Passions And Transform Your Life. New York: Viking Press.

Robinson, Ken. 2015. Creative Schools: The Grassroots

10 Revolution That's Transforming Education. New York: Viking.

Puccio, Gerrard. Creative Thinker’s Toolkit. https://

www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/the-creative-thinkers-toolkit.html

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Creativity Workouts: Helping Students Build the Creative Muscles to Compose

Fear of Composing

“I couldn’t be a composer. I’m just not a creative person. It’s difficult to come up with good ideas!” Have you ever engaged in this kind of negative self-talk? I have. Many times! Thankfully, none of these statements are true. The fact is that everyone on the planet is highly creative. Creativity is what defines us as humans. If you’ve ever had to solve a problem, and we all have, then you’ve engaged in the creative process. If you’ve ever taken unrelated things and put them together to make something new, you’ve engaged in the creative process. I want to assure you that you are, indeed, very creative.

So why do we think we’re not? Our creativity muscles are out of shape. If you were going to be a bodybuilder you wouldn’t expect to be able to lift heavy weights after just one workout at the gym. You have to workout daily and you wouldn’t even see any noticeable results for a long time. Well, if you want strong creativity muscles you have to workout daily and being out of “creative shape” doesn’t make us feel too confident.

Ideas are Cheap

In a another article I quoted Merlin Mann who said, “Ideas are cheap. Making them into something awesome is super hard!” I believe what Merlin is saying is that creative ideas are plentiful (not that they don’t have value) but developing them into a work of art takes a lot more time and effort. I agree with Merlin. I’m often surprised at the amount of ideas I have when starting a new piece. This may seem hard to believe because we tend to judge our ideas too soon.

Perhaps we think we have to compose a piece perfectly from start to finish the first time. When we try this approach we often (always?) second guess ourselves and this can lead to a belief that we are not creative. There is a point in the creative process where we do need to evaluate our ideas but that point is not during the initial brainstorming stage. We simply need to generate as many ideas as possible without judgement. Just get them all out on the table. Only then can we sit back and start to prioritize and evaluate. More on this later.

Theory is Not Music Creation

Perhaps you’ve thought, I can’t compose music, I don’t know enough theory. Theory is important and if you are going to get serious about composition, you’ll have to engage with it eventually. Let me tell you, theory is not the same thing as music creation. I repeat, theory is not the same thing as music creation. Music creation (composition) is about two things: 1) thinking in sound and 2) organizing sound. That’s it! This is what every composer does on a daily basis so it makes sense that if you want to get good at composition, to build strong creativity muscles, you have to workout daily. Enter Creativity Workouts.

Teaching Tip: Try these Creative Workouts as class assignments using MakeMusic Cloud’s Compose app!

Creativity Workout #1 – Write What You See/Hear

So, this is Creativity Workout #1. Whatever you are listening to, do two things: 1) Note what images the music is evoking in your mind and/or what emotional or physiological changes you are experiencing and 2) Listen again (multiple times if necessary) and note what, specifically, you are hearing. What instruments do you hear, e.g., brass, strings, etc. How did the composer increase or decrease the intensity level? Is the tempo fast or slow (did it change? If so, when?), are the dynamics loud or soft (did they change?), is the texture (layering of instruments) thick or thin (did it change? When, how?)? 

Constantly asking these questions about the music you are hearing will teach you a great deal about how composers organize sound and, pretty soon, you will begin to use these tools yourself.

Music Can Change Your State

Have you ever listened to a piece of music and noticed that it changed your emotional and/or physiological state? You were feeling normal and then, while listening, you felt sad or happy, or perhaps your pulse increased, you started tapping your foot, or you had a rush of goosebumps because of a beautiful harmony. As a kid, this happened to me frequently. Still does! I heard a lot of great classical and big band recordings as a kid. Every time my state would change, I would think, “How do composers know how to organize those ink spots on the page” so that they affect me like this. I started trying to figure out what I was hearing. I did this so often that it just became a habit. When we do this regularly, an interesting thing happens. We build up a musical cause-and-effect library in our mind. To get this sound, put these instrumental colours together. To elicit this emotion, try this harmony, etc. We have all done this but how often do we pay attention to it. This is why Creativity Workout No. 1 is so important. Listen, analyze, imitate!

Creativity Workout #2 – Thinking in Sound

If you were paid one million dollars (now there’s motivation!) to compose a piece of music with the title TIME by next week, no doubt you could do it, but what would it sound like? Close your eyes and for 10 seconds, think in sound. What, specifically, you are hearing, e.g., strings, winds, percussion? Describe the tempo, dynamics, and texture. Did any of these elements change?

If so, when?

Let’s try another one. This time let’s do 20 seconds (and 2 million?) and the title is “JOURNEY.” Close your eyes, think in sound. Ask yourself the same questions: What are you hearing (instrumental colours, tempo, dynamics, texture)? Ok, one more, 30 seconds (3 million? Ok let’s not get greedy). Close your eyes and think in sound. Again, theory is important but (you guessed it) it’s not the same as music creation. The study of theory, harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration is essential, just as learning the alphabet and the rules of grammar was when you were young, but doing creativity workouts daily is just as critical in your journey as a composer.

Creativity Workout #3 – Melodic Contour

When we speak in a monotone (every word on the same pitch) it gets boring and difficult to listen to. The same with melodies. To be interesting, to engage the listener, the melody needs to have an interesting shape, one that leads the listener forward. This isn’t theory but rather, a simple technique you can put in your composer toolbox. Whether you sit at the piano or are capturing your thoughts on manuscript, try writing a melody every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s two bars or thirty-two. Just write regularly and pay attention to the melodic contour. Experiment! Take some musical risks. Are you listening daily as well? Sigh! So much to do, so little time!

Creativity Workout #4 – Repetition and Variation

Did you know that human beings are pattern recognition experts. Have you ever walked into a room and had the feeling you’ve been there before. Or perhaps, an unexpected aroma reminds you of someone you once knew. No different in music. Your ear is constantly aware of musical ideas (motifs, rhythms, harmonies, timbres) you’ve previously heard. If every measure of the melody was exactly the same, it would be boring. If every measure was completely different from every other, it would be confusing and eventually we would lose interest. So, how do composers know how much to repeat an idea and when to change it up? Composers are constantly working to find a balance between repetition and variation and a classic example is the opening movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Listen to how many times the Master uses that four-note motif and when, and how, he varies it to keep things interesting. The balance between repetition and variation cannot be taught but you can learn it by just actively listening (A LOT!!). The great thing is, you can find this relationship in pretty much every piece ever written. Incidentally, things like sequence, elongation, and diminution are also musical devices (tools) to listen for. 

Take one of your themes or any other musical element (rhythm, harmony, texture) of a piece you are working on and experiment with an eye to the balance between repetition and variation. Try moving things around. How does using a sequence, elongation, or diminution change the balance. These tools shouldn’t be used indiscriminately but always with the goal of making a piece musical and expressive.

Creativity Workout #5 – Resolving Vision

“Creativity is the process of resolving vision.”

—Kourosh Dini

Much of the angst or fear of composing can stem from an unclear vision. What is your piece about? What’s the inspiration? This is the part of the creative process where we begin to organize sound. It’s difficult to organize sound if your vision or concept of the work isn’t clear and you will experience more stress than you’d like. The blank page can induce a great deal of fear but it doesn’t need to stay blank for very long. Poems, pictures, and stories can help because they often provide a lot of vivid imagery (remember workout #1, write what you see?). The practice of connecting images to sound is a great help in clarifying vision. Thinking in sound (workout #2) gets much easier the more we do this.

Mind Maps

Mind mapping is a great way to work towards clarifying your vision. Remember, ideas are plentiful so just start generating them and don’t worry if they aren’t perfect. As I said earlier, we often try to write a piece perfectly from start to finish and in the process wind up with a lot of discarded ideas crumpled up in our mental waste paper basket. It is so much easier to not evaluate ideas in the initial stages of music creation. Just capture each one and wait for your brain to offer up the next idea. Start with a word or concept that you feel the piece “could” be about. Write it down. That will make you think of a related word. Connect them with a line. It’s important to actually do this with paper and pencil.

Play the word association game. Even if you aren’t sure the words are connected, just write them down. Remember, do not evaluate. It doesn’t matter if the words aren’t music related (though you may eventually be quite surprised at the number of words you write that are). Just keep writing them down and when it seems there aren’t any more ideas flowing, then you can look at your list and decide which to focus on. The point is that evaluation comes later, after you are finished brainstorming. If you tell your brain that every idea it offers you isn’t “perfect” it will stop generating them. Professor Gerard Puccio, Professor at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State University, tells us that “It’s only after we exhaust that which is familiar to us, do we start to really generate novel and unusual options.” Makes sense! Your mind map should literally look messy because of the sheer number of ideas your brain has generated. The more options you have, the better your choices will be. So, see what’s inside the box first, then when you’ve seen everything there, see what’s outside of it.

Mindmap often. I do this with every new piece. I highly recommend it!

Coda

Reflection

I do need to mention that reflection is an essential part of the creative process. Yes, composers think in, and organize, sound but if they don’t have an opinion about that sound, then it just won’t be a work with any authenticity or artistic honesty. So experiment, create, and reflect. It’s a constant cycle until you come to a point where you know the piece is done.

Final Measures

Well, that’s about it for now. Five very effective workouts that, if done regularly, will help your creativity muscles to get in great shape. To recap, they are 1) write what you see and hear 2) think in sound 3) write melodies daily 4) experiment with the balance between repetition and variation balance and 5) mind map regularly to help resolve your vision. Remember, regular workouts are vital to the creative health of students AND teachers so be a great role model. Encourage kids to do creativity workouts regularly. We do scale warmups, why not creativity warmups as well? Don’t stop!

You’ll soon be on fire! Keep it going. These workouts will prove beneficial even in your non-music life. Hey wait a sec…there’s no such thing!

Bang Zoom!!

Start your program off with a bang and watch kids get excited about music.

There is so much to do in preparation for September and beyond but just as important as all the organizing and ordering are the ways that we generate enthusiasm and excitement. So how do we do it? How do we get kids buzzed about band and maintain that excitement all throughout the year? Here are just a few ideas. I'm sure you've got many more.

1. BAND NIGHT OUT. Attend a concert as a band within the first few weeks of school. It’s a great way to kick off the year. There are always exciting performances to attend and good live music will aid in the development of a student’s concept of tone and style. Parents are always willing to help with transportation and other considerations. Plus, they will soon realize just how cool your program is.

2. SNEAK PREVIEWS. Consider inviting other classes, teachers, or parents into the band room for a quick snippet of your next concert. This doesn't have to be onerous--just one piece is sufficient or even a section that you are working on. Better yet, simply nab the next person walking past your room. Ask them to come in for a minute and listen. Kids love to perform and sometimes the best progress is made in front of a live audience.

3. OFF SPEED PITCH. As students are entering your room, why not have music playing. The twist is that it can be music that they listen to and not necessarily your musical preference. “Hey Miss, you like this stuff?” is a question you’ll no doubt hear. That’s ok. They’ll think that they have the coolest teacher in the school.

4. VIDEO TESTS (CONTESTS). Have students record their own playing tests. They are much easier to mark. What if they make a mistake and re-record? Great! The more they do that, the more they practice. Isn’t that the point? “But sir, I get nervous when I have to play a test.” My reply, “don’t think of it as a test but rather as a contest.” The word contest can imply a game or challenge to achieve a personal best. Athletes do it all the time.

5. BAND CAMP. It would take some preparation during the previous school year so you may want to save this one for next September, but how cool would it be (while the rest of the school is in class, of course) to have the senior band or the entire music department away at camp for a few days. Run sectionals and full rehearsals. It’s a great way to introduce repertoire for the year. Invite guest instructors for master classes and/or to perform with the band. Remember you want to turn kids on so it has to be fun.

6. BEGINNER CAMP. Have just the beginning music students at a mini-camp for one day. Specialists will ensure that concepts get ingrained correctly from the start. Order pizza (band budget) and invite parents to attend a very brief mini-concert (one very easy three-note piece). Briefly outline what your goals are and why home support is so crucial. What a sense of accomplishment your students will feel and what a fantastic sneak preview of the fun they’ll have in your music program.

7. VIDEO CONFERENCE. Set up a videoconference with a composer whose music you’ll be performing this year. It can just be a question and answer session. Forward student generated questions to your guest composer ahead of time. There isn’t a lot of tech setup (laptop, screen, Skype). Schedule a second session later in the year when the band has had time to work on the music. What an invaluable experience and what a great preparation for the actual concert. Plan ahead and this one will reap great benefits.

8. BANDFEST. How about a virtual and/or real band exchange? Two bands from different parts of the country or the world (or even just down the street) could meet via webcam and perform one piece for each other in preparation for an actual trip to each respective city. It’s up to you just how big you want to go.

OTHER IDEAS: Youtube concert report (students critique other bands performing similar repertoire) 9. Senior students mentor juniors 10. Start an ensemble or two 11. “Hear and Tell” (students play short recordings, for the rest of the class, of their favourite band piece/composer and talk about why they like it) 11. Students create a band website or a band blog 12. movie day (composers, famous musicians).

All of these activities generate excitement and energy and, most importantly, engender the belief that music is important and fun! Remember to make your classes and rehearsals engaging as well. You’re excitement and energy will rub off, so be creative. Tap into your passion for the music and share it. Start the year off with a bang and it won’t be long before your program will be zooming along.

Engage

As educators, our ultimate objective is to engage students—to capture and maintain their attention.  To do that we must realize that our delivery is just as important as the content. How much truly great content is lost due to an uninspiring delivery? Ken Robinson, in his book Out of Our Minds, states:

What we become in the future is deeply influenced by our experiences here and now.       Education is not a linear process of preparation for the future: it is about cultivating the talents and sensibilities through which we can live our best lives in the present and create the best futures for us all.

 If our present day experiences can truly be this formative, then it is imperative that teachers are  as positive and engaging as possible. Connie Dieken gets to the heart of this question when she states, “In today’s demanding, distracted world, you either engage quickly or get ignored.” In her book Talk Less Say More she stresses the importance of being fully present to your listeners; “Staying in their moment means fully focusing on what your listener needs and values as you are communicating.” 

Recently, I began using understoodit.com in my seminars. It was quite an illuminating experience not only because it revealed to me how well or poorly my students were understanding the content but because it forced me to be hyper-aware of how I was delivering that content. During my Buddhism seminar I found that I was constantly evaluating my word choice; would this or that particular word be more effective or better understood than another? As the status bar indicated the percentage of the class that was understanding my content, I was forced to evaluate, moment by moment, how relevant and effective my language was. Was there another word or phrase that would convey my message with more impact? Should I vary my tone of voice, move around the room a bit more, create simpler slides, focus on only a few key concepts rather than trying to cram too much information in? These were great questions that led, over the next few days, to more engaging seminars.  

At a recent conference  for educators, I presented two workshops where I began with a question using the "Poll" feature of understoodit.com. "Engaging students in the creative process is challenging because...?" There was a palpable excitement in the room as participants were hurriedly tapping in their answers on phones and tablets, eager to see them displayed on the screen. I am convinced this was because they knew that they could offer honest feedback without the fear of being judged. This was extremely valuable because it not only helped me to understand where these teachers were coming from—what their experiences were, what they were looking for in my seminar—it also enabled me to tailor my workshop to better suit their needs.

Teaching is not just a one-way flow of information. It can, and must be so much more. It should, as Ken Robinson states, be about shared experiences which empowers teachers and students to grow and to be open to greater possibilities. Educators are now talking about “co-creating learning goals” with students. Understoodit.com is aptly named not just because student learning is enhanced but also teacher learning as well. In the past, our system of education has taught us to provide the "right" answer. If we don't have the answer we don't want to raise our hand and venture a guess because we don't wish to appear stupid. We now know that the fear of being wrong shuts down our process of inquiry and imagination that often leads us to a solution. To quote Ken Robinson again, "If you’r not prepared to be wrong you'll never come up with anything original."

Understoodit.com eliminates the fear. Students can safely and anonymously let the teacher know they need a concept repeated or explained again or in another way. They can give honest feedback and ask questions without the fear of judgement. Teachers cannot only evaluate how well they know the subject matter but also hone their presentation skills through self-evaluation. With more cool features and ways to implement understoodit.com on the way, everybody wins.

INTERVEW WITH STUDENTS OF HOLY TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL, FORT MCMURRAY, ALBERTA (MARCH 2017) →

Over the course of this year’s celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, Musicom will be featuring composers from our great country.

In this issue we present an interview with Vince Gassi, conducted by students of Holy Trinity High School in Fort McMurray. As many of you may begin or are in the midst of programming Canadian music in upcoming concerts and festivals, I encourage you to seek out and speak to the composers and arrangers of the music. Their insight and perspectives shed a whole new understanding for the performer, audience and directors of the music.

If you are interested in contributing to Composer's Corner and Musicom, please feel free to send documents to James de Sousa at jamesadesousa@gmail.com.

Vince Gassi Interview with students of
Holy Trinity High School, Fort McMurray, AB

Interview Highlights:
Several questions were asked of Mr Vince Gassi. The excerpts below feature some highlights from the interview.

What made you want to write music?

Vince Gassi: I began writing music 10 years ago. I was, and still am, fascinated by the process which music can elicit emotional and physical responses in listeners. Whenever I heard music that I really enjoyed, I would try to imagine how the notes were configured on the score. Today, scores are readily available but when I was younger they weren’t. I think this mental exercise helped me greatly. Listening to music in this way seems as though we use a different, mental muscle group. It is amazing to think that that sound waves, vibrations in the air, enter your ear and make your brain process them a certain way.

What composition are you most proud of, and why?

Vince Gassi: That is always a tough question. Tsunami stands out as one of my favourite pieces as it is one of the first that I wrote. I also like a recent one I wrote for jazz band called The Big Band Theory. Chase the Shouting Wind is another favourite. But one that I recently conducted with the North Dakota All-State Honour Band, Canadian Folk Trilogy, stands out as well. Folk songs are always fun.

Are there any criticisms you have in anything that you have written?

Vince Gassi: The creative process is such that one is always trying to improve and to be innovative. It is always a challenge to step back and be objective about your own work and to balance that with being innovative. You can’t be afraid to try out new ideas; yet, being objective means being critical as well. Deadlines can certainly add stress to this equation when publishers and editors need the composition sooner than later. Occasionally, when some time has passed since I’ve heard one of my pieces, I will realize that I could have done certain things differently. There is always more than one way to do something. It is also a sign, I think, that a composer is growing.

What piece of music took you the longest to compose?

Vince Gassi: Genesis was probably the longest in duration. It was originally 11 minutes in length, but for publication I revised it down to 7 minutes. In retrospect though, it only took me roughly a month and a half to two months. Sea Fever, a non-published work for orchestra and choir which is over 300 bars in length, took me roughly two to three months.

I believe that artists become engrossed in the creative process. When I am in this state, time doesn’t have any meaning. Have you ever noticed that when you are trying to solve a problem or are creating a work of art, you forget how much time has really gone by? The mental space that you are in during that period of time, regardless of whether or not you are actually in front of the work, is intriguing. You are consistently reviewing and thinking about what you can do to improve your piece. Sometimes I hear a piece I wrote years ago and realize I forgot I wrote it. But even more interesting is that I seem to forget that I had the ability to write it. I think when you are in that creative zone, you are outside of your normal brain. Your creative mind is a special place.

What is your favourite style to arrange or compose?

Vince Gassi: I love writing for all ensembles; band, orchestra, choir. But one of my favourite projects I worked on was a radio play. I adapted The Tell-Tale Heart, a play by Edgar Allan Poe. We set up the stage, not like a normal band concert, but rather like a 1950s radio studio. When the audience entered, it was like they were watching musicians, singers, and actors coming to work. It was a 20-minute composition. I also love to write for film. I think writing for dramatic situations is one of my favourite styles of writing. But really, any form of composition entails a dramatic component.

How do you come up with an idea for a piece of music?

Vince Gassi: You have to select the message or the story that you are trying to write about in your music; which colours or emotions are you attempting to evoke. An example would be Tsunami. I wrote that piece before it hit Thailand in 2004. I have been inspired by poems, historical events, or adventure stories. The events and imagery are a great starting place. The question then becomes, how do I translate these ideas into musical notation?

Who are some of your favourite composers and those who inspired you?

Vince Gassi: Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams have inspired me quite a bit. Some classical composers that have inspired me as include Beethoven, Mahler, Bartók, Stravinsky, Holst, and Shostakovich.

How did you come up with your arrangement for O Canada?

Vince Gassi: I have three arrangements of O Canada. I’ll refer to the grade 3.5 level arrangement. I was actually at the Tower of London when I had an inspiration for the opening fanfare. We have the best national anthem in the world. The melody is tuneful but not overstated. I don't believe in changing the original composer’s harmonies but there are ways to orchestrate so as to emphasize certain colours that evoke honour and pride. It is helpful to look to the lyrics as well.

Do you enjoy conducting your own music?

Vince Gassi: I enjoy conducting all music. It allows you to shape colours within the composition and to be expressive by becoming part of the creative process. The creative process doesn’t end when the ink is dry. It is carried forth by the conductor and the musicians who also have to conceive and perform it. It is truly unique and collaborative.