For Educators/Create

Anchor Standard

Create

Students explore composition and improvisation through the lens of world music — generating, developing, and refining their own original ideas alongside a master artist.

National Arts Anchor Standards

  • 1.Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
  • 2.Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
  • 3.Refine and complete artistic work.

Blueprint overview

The Create Blueprint is for teachers who would like their students to make their own music. Students will conceptualize different aspects of the traditional music about which they are learning, then develop, organize, and bring their own ideas to life by creating art that is uniquely their own. The emphasis is on composition and improvisation — broad concepts found in all music traditions worldwide. Students will work directly with Culture Connect artists to understand how living traditions approach creativity, then apply those concepts to their own musical voice.

Format

Students must have their instruments available during the exchange, or have the freely available notation software Musescore installed on their computer. Exchanges can be conducted remotely or in a hybrid format.

Requirements

Minimum of 6 exchanges. Instruments or Musescore required.

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MA State Music Standards

Grades 3–4

3-4.M.Cr.01Sing or play original musical ideas that explore more complex rhythmic and melodic concepts (including syncopation, three-four time signature, and minor keys).
3-4.M.Cr.03Respond to a musical challenge and hypothesize possible solutions.

Grades 5–6

5-6.M.Cr.01Generate interdisciplinary musical ideas using a variety of non-traditional sound sources (e.g., found sounds, digital technology, unusual voices).
5-6.M.Cr.03Improvise and compare different versions of a single musical idea (e.g., adding flourishes, altering rhythms).

Grades 7–8

7-8.M.Cr.01Compose musical ideas (e.g., rhythms, melodies, ostinato, and harmonies) using expanded forms (e.g., introductions, transitions, codas).
7-8.M.Cr.02Document an original melody and simple accompaniment using standard notation (e.g., a melody and chords).

Grades 9–12

AG.M.Cr.01Consistently apply research to generate compositional ideas (e.g., to help generate new ideas, students listen to several different recordings of pieces that use industrial sounds).
AG.M.Cr.03Refine musical pieces to extended rhythmic and harmonic ideas (e.g., composing in unusual time signatures or moving beyond I, IV, V progressions).
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