MENC: The National Association for Music Education

Point of View: Guidelines for Contemporary Composers of Elementary-Level Music

Author(s): Robert J. Tuley, David M. Rentschler, Tommie Pardue, Susan Banks, Eleanor B.
Calvin, Michael Jothen and Fred G. Garner
Source: Music Educators Journal, Vol. 65, No. 7 (Mar., 1979), pp. 47-49
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for
Music Education
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3395632
Accessed: 07-04-2018 20:39 UTC

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
http://about.jstor.org/terms

Sage Publications, Inc., MENC: The National Association for Music Education are
collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Music Educators Journal

This content downloaded from 72.32.119.162 on Sat, 07 Apr 2018 20:39:05 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 POINT OF VIEW:

Guidelines for Materials for exceptional

children

Contemporary composers not

Contemporary Composers only should be encouraged to
write for traditional ensembles at
the elementary level but also for
nontraditional ones. Music educa-

of Elementary-Level tors have harbored an obsession

with formal performing ensem-
bles for too long. Mainstreaming,
along with continuing emphasis

Music'0
on individualized learning and
the open classroom, will require
composers to create both non-
traditional and traditional works.
"

One who believes that only se-

lected pupils performing in en-
semble are capable of expressing a
composer's artistic intentions
should make sure that his or her
educational goals and objectives
reflect that principle. Over the
years, however, MENC has en-
couraged teachers to involve all
students at all ability levels in per-
formance activities.
Creating valuable music that
can be performed by small groups,
handicapped students, or other-
wise exceptional students at the
elementary level is a formidable
challenge. It is true that current
music series textbooks try to pro-
mote individual music experi-
ences by encouraging student cre-
ativity and providing for copious
activities designed to foster inter-
est in and involvement with com-
posing. Yet regardless of how
exciting and valuable student cre-
Contribute to Point is,
ativity of View.
such activity is not a vi- N
able substitute for performance of
are the educational strengths
an artist's composition. After all,
we do not ask traditional choruses
of using pop, rock,and country/w
instrumental ensembles to
produce their own art works.
commercial musics to teach music skills and
More contemporary composers
should be able to create music
concepts? Send your contribution no later that would bring out good qual
than May 1 to Point of View, Music Educators ties in an inexpensive instrument
of limited range, such as the son
Journal, 1902 Association Drive, Reston, Vir- flute or tonette; construct a com-
position for two, four, or eigh
ginia 22091. players using melody bell-type in
struments; write keyboard piec
for children with only one arm

mej/mar '79 47

This content downloaded from 72.32.119.162 on Sat, 07 Apr 2018 20:39:05 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
missing fingers; compose piano and increased the need for ele-
duets and trios for young children mentary piano ensemble litera-
at one piano; and write songs for ture. Ensemble experience is one
ensembles of educable mentally of the most enjoyable means of de-
veloping rhythmic consciousness
retarded students that contain
ample repetitive music elements
and strengthening listening and
and ideas suggesting meaningful
sight-reading skills in beginning
body actions.-Robert J. Tuley,
pianists.
Hattiesburg, Mississippi There are two types of piano en-
semble music: multipiano compo-
sitions and compositions that are
written for two or more players at
Supplpmentary parts one piano, such as duets and trios.
In elementary piano ensemble
One of the major problems I music, the melody is usually
have encountered in reviewing played by one performer and the
and conducting contemporary harmony by another. If a third
works for elementary students is part is written, it is most often a
the lack of supplementary parts to bass part, and the fourth player
meet wide competency ranges. provides a "fill-in," usually a des-
Most music specialists encounter cant, a countermelody, or rhyth-
within their ensembles both a few mic punctuations.
students who study privately, A rhythmic ostinato part will
practice at least an hour daily, are help young ensemble performers
highly motivated, and are quite stay together and develop en-
vocal about being bored with the semble sensitivity. When the os-
simple music they have to play, tinato is written as an introduc-
and a few students who display tion and continues throughout the
minimal competence but need to ensemble piece, the performers
be a part of the ensemble as a mo- are provided the opportunity to
tivational goal to clear musical feel the tempo and rhythm of the
hurdles. music before playing it.
My recommendation to contem- Simplicity is a requisite in
porary composers would be to writing elementary piano ensem-
continue writing basic, graded ele- ble music because complicated
mentary compositions, and then rhythms and parts that are elabo-
include supplementary parts for rately written discourage sight-
major instruments at each end of reading. If the melody is written
the competency spectrum. These in a single line, the accompanying
parts would augment the original part or parts should be light and
score by increasing range, add- uncluttered so that the melody
ing ornamentation to basic melo- can be heard. When busier accom-
dy, or providing an obbligato ef- panying parts are written and
fect. For the less skilled musician, heavier bass lines are used, the
parts containing sustained chor- melody should be doubled or tri-
dal tones, easy rhythms, and limit- pled so that it will be heard.
ed range would be in character. For ensemble music that several
The "unaverage" young musi- players can perform on one in-
cians' motivation and self esteemstrument, each part should re-
as well as the quality of the ele-
main within a specific range of the
mentary ensemble would be en- keyboard. Crossing hands or shar-
hanced by these methods.-David ing the same note confuses ele-
M. Rentschler, Lancaster, Penn- mentary pianists. Music is easier
sylvania, school district to sight-read when each player's
part is written on a separate page
and a minimum of page turning is
Composing for piano required. .1.
ensembles When these difficulties are an-
ticipated and eliminated by the
The advent of electronic piano
composer, success for young en-
labs and music learning modulessemble pianists is more readily
achieved.-Tommie Pardue, Mem-
has contributed toward the expan-
sion of group piano instructionphis city schools

48 mej/mar'79

This content downloaded from 72.32.119.162 on Sat, 07 Apr 2018 20:39:05 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Combine the arts There is a need for original works and North Central Division con-
and arrangements suitable for ferences between 1967 and 1976
I would like to see contempo- third- and fourth-grade choruses. could be classified as contempo-
rary composers write children'sA sequence of graded pieces start- rary.-Michael Jothen, University
music that combines movement, ing with pentatonic unison songs of Northern Colorado, Greeley
dance, and drama with voices and and progressing to diatonic songs
instruments. The combining of with harmony would be a boon to
the arts is a natural means of ex- teachers using graded sequential
pression for young children that methods such as Koddly.
we often tend to ignore in our per- Children love to sing imagina- Texts with meaning
forming groups. tive music. They respond to ex-
Composers should write musiccellence, and they can sing ex- I am sure that all choral di-
for children's ensembles that pressively and in tune, given the rectors seek interesting rhythm
leaves room for the child to im- right training and materials.- and harmonies, good voice lead-
provise. Composing music should Eleanor B. Calvin, Merrill School, ing, imaginative accompaniments
be a natural and spontaneous part Raynham, Massachusetts and good texts. In addition, ele
of music education, but often chil- mentary school choruses requir
dren's creativity is ignored in the texts that have meaning for ten-
attempt to make them into skillful to twelve-year-olds. That is, com
performers. posers should avoid romance,
More compositions should be Aim for expressiveness archaic words, and sentimentality.
simple enough to be technically Fourth and fifth graders easily
mastered by children in two or Of the numerous variables com- master and enjoy harmonies that
three rehearsals, leaving time for posers must take into account ininclude descants, ostinatos, coun-
work on the expressive elements composing contemporary workster melodies, and simple thirds. It
of the music. I would rather see for elementary ensembles, the is also nice to have suggested bell,
children perform simple music most significant is the develop- recorder, or rhythm instrument
with great artistry and ex- mental level of students, which parts written into the score.
pressiveness than see difficult mu-Marilyn P. Zimmerman has de- Young voices sing comfortably
sic performed correctly but with-scribed in Musical Characteristics in these ranges:
out feeling. of Children (Music Educators Na-
We need more music, espe- tional Conference, 1971). If the
cially vocal music, that touches internal characteristics of per- A )
children's feelings, spirit, and ex- formed compositions are consis-
perience. It should speak directly tent with the student's music
to them about the quality of their characteristics, the potential for Alto: Sop:-
lives and what being human experiencing the expressiveness
means.-Susan Banks, California of music is heightened.
State University, Fullerton A criterion for the selection of
ensemble music is the level of Hence, composers should avoid
skill development necessarywriting to unison songs that take the
sopranos or altos too far out of
perform the piece. If it is too diffi-
Keep ability levels in mind cult, it is unlikely that ensemble their comfortable range.
experience will be gratifyingItor is fun to sing with back-up
Composers who write for ele- musically meaningful. If it is toobut the length of the taped
tape,
mentary-level ensembles should easy, the expressiveness might children's
be musicals now on the
keep in mind children's abilities missed in the accomplishment of
market prohibits doing anything
and their need for a successful the learning task. Contemporary else on the same program. I would
music experience. If composers music frequently requires mini- like to see some medleys with ap-
could visit a school where chil- mal performance skills (witness propriate back-up tapes available
dren have been singing in a group composition projects and proce- that would last about ten min-
just a short time or playing an duresin- included in most recent ele- utes. Some suggested themes are
strument for a year or so, they mentary school textbook series). folk literature, George M. Cohan
could understand children's limit- Contemporary music appears to Christmas around the world, and
ed experiences and write music allow for a more direct means to- patriotic topics. A short medley
that has the potential for success- ward understanding the ex- would enable the group to sing a
ful performance. pressive nature of music. variety of styles and composers
Children as young as third Unfortunately, little contempo- with traditional piano, guitar,
grade can enjoy singing if music is rary music is used with elemen-autoharp, or Orff accompaniments
provided that does not exceed tary-level ensembles. A recent and then finish the program with
their vocal range and ability. This study I completed found that less the big sound of a recorded ac-
means music without large inter- than 4 percent of the choral litera- companiment.-Shirley Thomp-
val skips or rhythm difficulties, ture performed by elementary en- son, Fred G. Garner Elementary
within a range of about an octave. sembles at the MENC National School, Winter Haven, Florida 2!

mej/mar '79 49

This content downloaded from 72.32.119.162 on Sat, 07 Apr 2018 20:39:05 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms