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Using Story As A Stimulus For Composing

The document provides guidance for using stories as a stimulus for musical composition activities with children. It suggests choosing stories with identifiable sound possibilities and having children identify moments in the story where sounds could enhance the narrative. Children then explore different sound sources to create accompaniments for selected parts of the story. Their compositions are then performed by having the sounds come in at intervals while retelling the story.

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143 views

Using Story As A Stimulus For Composing

The document provides guidance for using stories as a stimulus for musical composition activities with children. It suggests choosing stories with identifiable sound possibilities and having children identify moments in the story where sounds could enhance the narrative. Children then explore different sound sources to create accompaniments for selected parts of the story. Their compositions are then performed by having the sounds come in at intervals while retelling the story.

Uploaded by

cmcma0531
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Using Story as a Stimulus for Composing

Composing is a creative process where children are given opportunities to select from a
variety of sound sources for a range of musical purposes. One such purpose is to create
sounds to accompany a story. The text and illustrations in stories provide an ideal stimulus
for the children’s creative endeavours and offer a structure for their compositions.

(See PPDS website- Suggested Stories for Composing)

Suggestions for using stories in Composing:

Choose stories that have ‘sound possibilities’, that is, stories that suggest, mention or evoke
sounds.

The following sequence could be followed:

 Teacher reads the story to/with the children

 Teacher and children identify occasions in the story where sounds could be used to
enhance the story

 Possible occasions include:

- places.....the sea, forest, in the city; the kitchen, swimming pool

- weather.....thunder, windy day, rain,

- events....battle, games, party, shopping,

- actions.....jumping over the gate; opening the door

- repeated events eg walking on a journey

For older classes

- characters in the story

- atmosphere.....an eerie castle; the first day of holidays;

 Ask children to think about possible sounds that could be heard at these moments in
the story, extending what is in the story text eg in the kitchen-microwave, clock
ticking, water dripping, people eating etc.

 You may like to record these (write words/draw pictures) in some way for all to see.

 Invite suggestions from the class on how these sounds might be created and
discuss.
 Invite the children to explore sound making sources that would best portray the
purpose to which they have been assigned. (voice; instruments; environment; body).
In any one lesson, you may wish to limit to one of the sources, with a view to
extending the children's knowledge of that particular sound source. Consider the
classroom management- the full class could make the sounds together; groups could
work on different sections of the story; individuals may focus on certain parts

 The children choose appropriate sounds and practise playing these within their group

 The class/group perform the story/composition. This can be done in a number of


ways.... Re–tell the story with sounds coming in at various intervals (following a
signal/word in the story); show pictures of the story and put sounds with it; perform
the sounds in order, without the text etc

 Reflect on the performance and consider what went well; what could be changed etc

Consider extending the composition in future performances:

 Put some of the sounds together as an overture before reading the story

 Use pictures of the key events in the story and use these as a score for the music ie
as the teacher points to the sequence of pictures, children make the sounds. A
number of pictures could be arranged together.

 Conduct the class to perform their sounds in sequence ie gesture to different


groups/individuals to play (without reading the story)

 Perform for another class

 Create a score for the composition

NOTE: Poems will provide a good stimulus for composing and an approach, similar to that of
using story, can be taken.

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