Third Session:

The title of our next session was “Striking a Chord with Your Students: Nurturing Young Composers in Your Music Studio.” We read through a brief outline of what to do and how to do it, then examined some composition resources. These included “We Make Our Own Music”, a very good, but out-of-print beginner book; “Piano Safari Composition Book 1”, “Creative Composition Toolbox” by Wynn-Anne Rossi; “Music By Me” (FJH); “Learn to Compose and Notate Music” by Dr. Lee Evans; “Write it Right!” By Dan Fox; “Piano Teacher’s Guide to Creative Composition” by Carol Klose; and “So You Want to Be a Composer?” a complete summer camp curriculum by Joy Morin.

After a brief break to stretch our legs—I ran upstairs to see the third floor and the spectacular view from the fourth floor sunroom—we all gathered out in the front yard of the house for a group photo. Across the road from the house was a river with four huge swans flapping their wings and splashing around in the water. Such a lovely place. But there was more to learn so it was time to go back inside for another group activity from The Mind’s Ear. This time we took turns having one person read a poem while another improvised on the spot music to go with the poem being read. I played along to Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Two other poems were read while other volunteers improvised but I was unfamiliar with those poems. That was a fun activity.

During the course of the weekend, a couple of the teachers brought in music to give away as their studio needs had changed. Always good to get a first hand look at what’s out there, whether old or new.

After a break for supper, which included an excursion to the Salt Springs Brewery in nearby downtown Saline, our retreat was joined by four of Joy’s students for a sample lesson using Marilyn Lowe’s Keyboard Games. It’s always beneficial to see how theories and ideas work with real children in the real world. The students ranged in age from four to eight and the older students were more “proficient” than the younger students, but all were attentive, cooperative, and engaged. Joy was also a good role model for how to accept each student’s efforts with encouragement at this stage in their development, rather than unnecessary “correcting.” After the students were dismissed, they each had a treat and a chance to play in the backyard pool, while the teachers took advantage of the opportunity for a question and answer session with Joy regarding the lesson that was demonstrated, the Keyboard Games series, and further questions about how she uses that series in her studio overall.