International Journal of Arts and Humanities (IJAH)

Music of modern professional composers is often inaccessible to students. Composers, teachers and students collaborated in a study addressing the research question: What musical knowledge and skills are developed when students and teachers co-create music with composers in schools? Data was collected through learning reports which was then interpreted using a pragmatic framework. The students gained knowledge of the creative compositional process and consequently developed communicative, listening, sight reading and performance skills. Moreover, their understanding of musical terminology, concepts and elements improved. The teachers and composers also expanded their understanding of the creative compositional process and realized the benefits associated with listening to students play. The findings will be of potential interest to music teachers, composers, post-secondary music educators, and the few remaining Canadian music publishers.