In this guest blog post, pianist, composer and teacher Alison Mathews shares how she integrates improvising and composition into her music lessons.
Over my 30 plus years of teaching I’ve always made sure that improvising and composition are a natural part of my students’ music lessons right from the earliest stages. There really is nothing better (or exciting!) than exploring what the piano can do and seeing how creativity boosts confidence and self-esteem. A creative approach can be integrated easily with the benefit of reinforcing music theory or specific teaching topics your student is working on.
Being creative together
As you may have found, some students are natural “noodlers” and love the chance to improvise or compose, jumping right in without hesitation. Others may lack confidence or feel inhibited – taking that first step into the unknown is often the hardest part, especially the thought of pulling an idea out of thin air! I’ve found that playing and being creative together is ideal for all students: you can gently guide your natural noodlers, helping them to shape their ideas or add structure, and with your less confident pupils you can encourage and support them.
There are two elements that underpin my approach – the exploration of sound and the use of conversation or musical dialogue. Let’s say I have a student who is working on staccato and legato. This is the perfect opportunity for some improvisation! I may use a familiar hand position or series of keys, for example black keys only, depending on what suits the individual student. Before starting I always emphasise that there is no right or wrong – it is their music.
By the way, there’s a lovely description of improvisation for young students, which I often use, by the composer and pedagogue Jane Sebba in her book ‘Abracadabra Piano 2’ writes that ”improvising means making up music in your head, then whooshing it down your fingers and on to the keyboard without even stopping for tea.”
Using conversation to explore sounds
I usually start with a conversation. For example, what do staccato and legato sound and feel like? Could staccato be footsteps or hopping sounds? The questions I ask are simply a means to start the process and musical dialogue. As soon as possible, my student will take the lead with the conversation being my way to guide them very gently. We may have fun creating loud, large footsteps or soft, dainty footsteps or imagining different animals! I’d then contrast that with how legato feels and sounds – perhaps legato is like gliding or sliding.
Whilst chatting we try different ideas out in different registers, I respond to their ideas with my own or repeat back to them theirs, encouraging them to listen carefully. I may engage other senses, for example taste and touch! We may enjoy exploring crunchy sounds (popcorn, popping candy, sprinkles) and smooth sounds (melting chocolate, ice-cream, marshmallows). There are so many possibilities, and it depends on what your student is inspired by!
Here, my student Nia and I are trying out ideas using staccato and legato for a piece about a creature hiding in a cave, including staccato footsteps, legato slithering sounds and even a loud roar!
By focusing initially on sound and having a conversation together students can explore all areas of the piano freely, listen and respond to ideas, use their imagination and stimulate yours too! I often find that this exploration results in several musical ideas that can be developed further. If so, I make sure they are recorded in some format – it may be a quick audio or video recording, note names – anything that can be returned to and made into a score later on, whether that be notated, a descriptive or illustrated score.
The importance of duets for improvisation
I regularly use duets as the basis for improvisation as playing with my students provides a steady pulse to work with; a structure or framework; a style, mood or even sound-world to inspire them. This type of collaboration can give them a type of musical ‘safety-net’. There are many books, which include a teacher accompaniment looping a particular chord progression, but I often use my own material, one being my collection of ‘Halloween Treats’. Creating spooky sounds and stories always appeals to my students, no matter what the season is!
These three short pieces, ‘Monster’s Footsteps’, ‘The Lonely Ghost’ and ‘The Mummy Awakes’ were written for pre-readers but could also be used for rote learning. Each one starts with a short melody to learn followed by a section that provides space for improvisation or composition using the simple ingredients given. I use the same process of exploring sounds and having a conversation to help support my students. The duet part provides further support and atmosphere, but the pieces work equally well as solos. I’ve included a printable sheet to help students record their ideas and give them a few prompts, essential for developing ideas or practicing at home. These pieces have inspired some brilliant musical story-telling and can easily be developed into something more – I’ve found that they are often keen to go on and compose their own spooky music!
Other resources to fire up the imagination
Improvisation is a very immediate way to fire up the imagination and explore the piano. It very often forms the first part of the process of composing. If you’d like to learn more about introducing composition into your lessons, there are several free resources available on My Music Resource, written by myself and my colleague Lindsey Berwin. These provide a step-by-step approach with both student worksheets and a teachers guide. They are ideal if you are looking for a creative project over several weeks for your students.
In addition, below are some pieces that I use to encourage my beginners to explore the piano and be creative. All of my individual sheet music on My Music Resource is on sale with 20% off until Sunday 17th September 2023 (available in my store).
Halloween-themed sheet music
Monster’s Footsteps, The Mummy Awakes and The Lonely Ghost
£3 each on sale with studio licence
Fire up your youngest student’s creativity with this pre-reader piece. Using simple ingredients, students improvise or compose part of the piece alongside a duet part. Included is a printable to support practice. Perfect for halloween or anyone who enjoys creating spooky music!
Christmas-themed sheet music
We three Kings and Carol of the Bells
£4.40 each on sale with studio licence
Create some Christmas magic with these special arrangements of ‘We Three Kings’ and the popular Ukrainian carol. Ideal for concerts with students swapping places for extra fun! For 6 hands, pre-readers or rote learners.
£12 on sale with studio licence
Meet Santa’s reindeer with these 8 easy and lively beginners pieces with duet parts. It includes activity sheets, reindeer to collect and a cute reindeer game that you can adapt to different levels. Ideal for Christmas, recitals or themed sight-reading.
£12 on sale with studio licence
Meet Santa’s reindeer in this engaging collection of pre-reading pieces for the young beginner. Included are two activity sheets focussing on note values and rhythm, and a printable game focussing key identification. All pieces have a duet part for a teacher, family member or a friend to play!
Recital pieces for beginners
£3.60 on sale with studio licence
A lively piece for 4 hands that’s perfect for reinforcing the landmark Cs. There is a duet version and one for 2 pianos. It includes two levels of difficulty so it can be used across your studio! Easy to fit into lesson time and perfect to use alongside flashcard games.
Other resources
Here are some of the other resources I use with my students:
Doodles by Alison Mathews
The Pattern Play series and Create First by Forrest Kinney
Music By Me series by Kevin Olsen
Abracadabra Piano by Jane Sebba
About Alison Mathews
Alison is a pianist, composer and teacher with a thriving private teaching practice in Surrey. After graduating from the Royal College of Music, she went on to complete a masters degree at Surrey University with the philosophy of music at the heart of her studies.
Alison’s interest in composition grew out of a desire to provide her students with imaginative music that would give them the opportunity to explore the full range and sonority of the piano whilst exploring different techniques. Her works includes a varied portfolio of educational books and resources as well as commissions from ABRSM, Trinity College London and Breitkopf & Härtel. Alison also has works included in the exam syllabi for ABRSM, Trinity, RCM and RIAM and has contributed to several anthologies.
You can read more about Alison’s musical career, compositions and tips in her Creator Spotlight.
