Composing For High School Concert Band

Continuing along with the NewFound Music Festival on Thursday I also attended Scott Godin's Prestentation "Composing For High School Concert Band." He talked about his experience working with a teacher colleague of his to write a contemporary work for their high school band. His challenge was to create a work that would serve as both a piece of music that he could be proud of and that was a pedagogical tool. To do this he met with the students and discussed different ideas that he could incorperate into the piece. He then wrote a 3 movement work, with each movement based on the works of a different composer. One of the things that Dr. Godin's colleague noticed after the work had been completed was that the students who had been involved in the colabrative process were much more advanced in the musical ability after they had participated and performeed the piece. Part of this is believed to be because the students were much more engaged in the work and so focused a lot more on listening to each other as ensem.