Volume 2, No. 1 September 2004

HOW COMPOSERS COMPOSE:
IN SEARCH OF THE QUESTIONS

Bernard W. Andrews
Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa

b.w.andrews@uottawa.ca

Abstract

The Genesis Project is a multi-phase research project designed for the purpose of developing an in-depth understanding of the nature of musical creativity by investigating how composers compose.  In this first phase of the project, an understanding of the four dimensions of musical creativity: 1) the person, 2) the compositional process, 3) the pre-requisite training, emotions and context, and 4) the musical piece itself, provided a theoretical framework for investigating how composers compose new music through expert review.  Questions in each of these dimensions were generated from the literature, examined by a panel of composers and educators, and then refined by international researchers.  Participants in the study deliberated on the questions and refined them to establish those most appropriate for developing an understanding of the compositional process. The questions will be directed toward composers in later phases of the project.

Article and References

Bernard W. Andrews is a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa, Canada's national bilingual university.  Dr. Andrews has experience as a composer, performer, and music teacher and administrator at elementary and secondary levels.  Currently, he teaches music certification courses, and graduate curriculum, arts education and program evaluation courses.  His research interests include musical creativity, gender equity in arts education, artist-teacher collaboration, and school-community partnerships. He has recently completed two national evaluation research studies involving artist-teacher-student collaboration – ArtsSmarts funded by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, and New Music for Young Musicians Project funded by the Canada Council.  Professor Andrews is past president of the Arts Researchers and Teachers Society (ARTS) within the Canadian Society for the Study of Education, a founding member of the International Cultural Research Network, and Chair of the Arts Education Partnership, a collaborative venture in arts education and research between the University of Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of Civilization, National Arts Centre, National Gallery, and Library and Archives of Canada.