Need curriculum for teaching the creative stuff? Have favorite resources to share?
- Over the next few months, I’d love your help in compiling a list of resources for teaching music creativity. My own experience has been that it is difficult to find adequate materials in the areas of improvisation and composition curricula, and I would love to know about resources you use to inspire your students in their music creativity! I will share some of my favorites. As you can see, many of them are my own, developed for use in my own teaching and then published for others. They have been successful! But, I would really value your suggestions as well! Please add your favorites by comment, and I will amend the list as we go!
Here’s just a start…as I am on vacation as I write this, so I may be able to add more upon returning to my studio after the New Year!
Resources for Music Creativity –
Places to Start, and Were to Find Them
Imagery and Stories
Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson (all levels) – Amazon
Crazy Staves by C. Schumann (beg/int) – Piacere Music
Flip for Improvisation “Jr” and “Original” (beg/int) by C. Schumann – Piacere Music
Rhythmic
Clap and Count Cards by J. Calder – Making Music Fun
Flip for Improvisation “Sr” by C. Schumann (int/adv) – Piacere Music
Scales and Modes
Flip for Improvisation “Sr” by C. Schumann (int/adv) – Piacere Music
Lead Line
Folk Fake Book by K. Ziegler (easy arrangements and keys) – Piacere Music
Various fake books from your local music store or Sheet Music Plus or Amazon
Style
Pop Piano by Mark Harrison (late int/adv) – Harrison Music
Jazz
Jazz-Blues Piano Book and by Mark Harrison (late int/adv) – Harrison Music
Quick Starts
Jump Starts for Composition by C. Schumann (int/adv) – Piacere Music
Composition Method Books
Music by Me Series by K. Olson & W. Rossi (beg) – FJH Music
Composition and Improvisation Projects
Activity Maestro by K. Ziegler (beg/int) - Piacere Music
Music Creativity in Bloom ~ Dozens of Inspiring Ideas to help you teach Composition and Improvisation - PiacereMusic@comcast.net
Thanks for everything! Even though I’m not using the the site , i do get all of your updates and you keep me inspired not to give up teaching!
Hi Billy,
Thank you so much for your comment! It’s incredibly rewarding for me to get feedback that these articles are being read out there, and are providing some encouragement to other teachers! I checked out your site and am super impressed by your professional work as a drummer. I’m sure your students are excited to get to work with a teacher who’s played with so many other fabulous and famous musicians, and on TV, etc! Also, I enjoyed listening to your new recordings on the Ristband site! Since you’ve read several of my articles, it seems, you know I really love to bring percussion into the learning process. Do you have any favorite rhythm resources you use for your students? I’d love it if you could share some new ideas here!
Thanks again,
Christine