Composition Commentary

This composition project (see rhythm section scores, Appendix G), has been

informed by research into educational theory, current attitudes within HIPME and the ethnography of the participants. Before discussing any conclusions as a result of this process and whether any answers can be aimed at the initial research questions; the penultimate section of this exploration presents a commentary on how the project and the experiences and attitudes within it have had a direct impact on the

compositional process and ensuing delivery of the repertoire. Along with the impact educational theory and the interrogation of HIPME participants has had on the project as a whole, perhaps most evident is that as a result of the undertaking of this process, there has been a change in the order in which the learning model presents the approaches to learning. The ensuing section discusses each piece, the

compositional process and intended compositional purpose.

During the compositional process, it was clear that within attitudes more widely, there was a definitive view regarding the benefits of a master apprentice approach and its centrality to instrument tuition. Within the interviews with four key interviewees, the wider group of educators and the group of student participants, there was an expectation that learning would be guided by an instrument specific tutor, based on an individual relationship and the familiar model of a master apprentice approach. This expectation from the students has led to the decision to change the order in which the approaches are experienced, beginning with a master apprentice approach, before moving onto the other approaches.

One-to-one teaching establishes a personal connection with the student and a familiar structure to learning, meaning that it is more likely to meet students’

preconceived notions of their studies. Furthermore, it is envisaged that the use of the compositions will be primarily conducted by an instrument specific tutor who will guide the student through the learning model. This change in order as a result of the compositional and interrogation process progresses in a systematic way; from the individual to peer. The individual establishes themselves in a one-to-one environment and then with a peer, before widening to a bigger group and eventually involving other instruments and teachers. The compositional purpose is to develop the one-to- one approach, so perhaps the best place for that to start is with the one-to-one environment, because learning is facilitated by a tutor who has an individual connection with each member of the ensuing groups, based on their initial one-to- one tuition.

A further benefit to starting with the master apprentice approach is that areas for self- learning can be individually identified prior to the self-learning approach. The

responses of the participants suggest that the value of self-learning was perhaps undermined by a lack of guidance from the tutor and, bearing in mind that a formalization of self-learning may well be a new approach to music students, the evidence suggests that HIPME students still need and expect guidance within a self- learning paradigm. The use of a master apprentice approach, as a central pillar of learning at the very start of the project’s’ use, provides opportunity for a master apprentice relationship to underpin the learning model. In addition to this, stemming from the research process, two other central themes had a direct impact on the compositional process, the benefits of genre diversity within repertoire and the expectations and perceived benefits of the acquisition of skills towards musical literacy.

To begin with diversity, an additional purpose of the compositional activity was to address those practices where there is no expectation of diversity within a student’s performance repertoire, which may unwittingly restrict development. This project has shown that representatives of current attitudes and practices appreciated the benefits of learning from a diverse range of genres and therefore one intention was to provide the HIPME student with repertoire to explore this diversity within performance.

The decision to present the compositions with musical notation stems from the author’s own approach to HIPME but, as the research and respondents within this study have shown, the use of notation provides a useful tool for learning and a skill set which does not limit future music-making or employment opportunities due to a

lack of skills related to musical literacy.

The themes of a master apprentice approach underpinning the delivery of the project, the inclusion of diversity within its component parts and its use of musical notation, have emerged throughout the process and have been adopted during the compositional process, becoming a central purpose of the project as a whole. The effect the research into educational theory has had on the compositional process is best explained on a piece by piece basis, beginning in the order in which the pieces are presented, rather than in which they were experienced during the trial.