Composer Workshop at St. Mary’s Music Academy in High Point, NC
On April 27, 2013, I was privileged to present a composer workshop and master class for the talented piano students at St. Mary’s Music Academy in High Point, N.C. Mrs. Margaret McDonald is Director/Creator of the Academy and Dr. Yong Im Lee Federle the Assistant Director.
St. Mary’s Music Academy was founded to provide a community music school for children and adults of the Triad (North Carolina), as well as enrich the musical environment of High Point and the greater Piedmont Triad. It gives children and adults a foundation of musical enjoyment, as well as venues to perform. All students are encouraged to participate in recitals, competitions, and music festivals.
The facility is wonderful and houses state-of-the-art technology as well as a beautiful stage. Students were prepared to perform many of my piano solos and I delighted in hearing my pieces so well performed. This was at the beginning of the master class/workshop and the students and I discussed the pieces they played. Two students performed their very own compositions which were awesome!
I passionately want to teach students how to begin composing at an early age, so with manipulatives, demonstrations, and a power point during the workshop I explained how one had to know the ‘building blocks’ of music to begin the composing journey. These ‘building blocks’ consist of scales, chords, intervals, etc. (theory) and how to put them together to create music.
Exploring the many ways a composer creates music, I explained that sometimes you might want to put a poem to music and that would be a beginning; or a feeling that you had-- happy, sad, or excited that you wanted to express; or you had a favorite subject such as a favorite pet that you might want to write a song about; or sometimes just playing around on the piano with certain chords and scale passages turns into a composition. There are many ways to compose and many kinds of inspiration. It is important to tape yourself when you are composing, because if you don’t have time to score it on paper just then, you might forget what you did by the next day. But if you have your tape to listen to it will all come back.
Delicious refreshments were then served by parents and afterward students were given pencil and staff paper to begin their composition scores. This was done with guidance but in a very relaxed atmosphere, so that several students felt free to go onstage to the piano and try out what they were working on.
It was a fantastic morning with lots of creative energy bouncing around the room. I came away with lots of inspiration to continue composing because of this experience.
Be sure to view pictures of this event at the Facebook link to St. Mary’s Academy of Music.
On April 27, 2013, I was privileged to present a composer workshop and master class for the talented piano students at St. Mary’s Music Academy in High Point, N.C. Mrs. Margaret McDonald is Director/Creator of the Academy and Dr. Yong Im Lee Federle the Assistant Director.
St. Mary’s Music Academy was founded to provide a community music school for children and adults of the Triad (North Carolina), as well as enrich the musical environment of High Point and the greater Piedmont Triad. It gives children and adults a foundation of musical enjoyment, as well as venues to perform. All students are encouraged to participate in recitals, competitions, and music festivals.
The facility is wonderful and houses state-of-the-art technology as well as a beautiful stage. Students were prepared to perform many of my piano solos and I delighted in hearing my pieces so well performed. This was at the beginning of the master class/workshop and the students and I discussed the pieces they played. Two students performed their very own compositions which were awesome!
I passionately want to teach students how to begin composing at an early age, so with manipulatives, demonstrations, and a power point during the workshop I explained how one had to know the ‘building blocks’ of music to begin the composing journey. These ‘building blocks’ consist of scales, chords, intervals, etc. (theory) and how to put them together to create music.
Exploring the many ways a composer creates music, I explained that sometimes you might want to put a poem to music and that would be a beginning; or a feeling that you had-- happy, sad, or excited that you wanted to express; or you had a favorite subject such as a favorite pet that you might want to write a song about; or sometimes just playing around on the piano with certain chords and scale passages turns into a composition. There are many ways to compose and many kinds of inspiration. It is important to tape yourself when you are composing, because if you don’t have time to score it on paper just then, you might forget what you did by the next day. But if you have your tape to listen to it will all come back.
Delicious refreshments were then served by parents and afterward students were given pencil and staff paper to begin their composition scores. This was done with guidance but in a very relaxed atmosphere, so that several students felt free to go onstage to the piano and try out what they were working on.
It was a fantastic morning with lots of creative energy bouncing around the room. I came away with lots of inspiration to continue composing because of this experience.
Be sure to view pictures of this event at the Facebook link to St. Mary’s Academy of Music.