Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Each of these resources takes a different piece of contemporary classical music repertoire as a starting point for young people's composing. The idea is not to recreate the original piece or make a poor imitation but to use the composing strategies and processes of the featured composer and piece as a way of supporting young people’s own composing. The repertoire selected presents a wide range of approaches to composing and in all cases recordings are available.
Created by Nancy Evans, BCMG Director of Learning and composer, Liz Johnson
Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers) Resources
7 Resources
Music Maze Guidance Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Guidance on using existing contemporary repertoire as a stimulus for composing with young people.
Silbury Air - Birtwistle Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Composing and playing with ‘musical objects’. Inspired by Silbury Hill by composer Harrison Birtwistle.
These Particular Circumstances - Shepherd Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Composing using types of motion (circling, spinning, floating, grinding, sinking, teetering, soaring). Inspired by These Particular Circumstances by composer Sean Shepherd.
Oiseaux Exotiques - Messiaen Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Composing using bird song inspired by Oiseaux Exotiques by Olivier Messiaen.
Chamber Concerto - Ligeti Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Composing musical textures inspired Chamber Concerto by Gyorgy Ligeti
Iris - Davies Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Composing music for Iris, goddess of the rainbow inspired by Iris by composer Tansy Davies
Cirrus Light - Harvey Composing with Contemporary Music (Teachers)
Composing inspired by the changing colours and shapes of clouds. Inspired by Cirrus Light by composer Jonathan Harvey.
