Teacher Testamonials
Progressive Curriculum
YCIW has developed a progressive curriculum that allows for every student regardless of experience to begin composing right away. The curriculum is housed in a custom LMS which includes interactive web lessons, Noteflight assignment scores and other special web tools. As students complete the assignments teachers can award grades and track their progress. Teachers use the curriculum in a blended way by incorporating the concepts into their normal music classroom activities.
Noteflight
With the help of technology like Noteflight every student gains knowledge of concepts and builds musical skills while composing original pieces. Noteflight is a revolutionary web application that allows students to compose anywhere they are online via a laptop, desktop or tablet device. YCIW participants complete web assignments that take advantage of Noteflight’s user friendly interface. Feedback from composer mentors and classroom teachers is given directly on the student’s Noteflight score. Noteflight becomes not only a creation tool but also a virtual community where students can interact, share ideas and connect about their music.
Tech Tools
Cutting edge music-ed tech tools built into the web courses help give every student the ability to manipulate the concepts and create their own ideas. For example, NYU’s MusEdLab’s aQWERTYon instrument transforms any computer keyboard into a full-fledged instrument.
Live Performance
Our Ensemble Partners visit with students during the composing process and each Workshop concludes with a live concert performance of every composition. The students interact with the musicians just as a composer does in a workshop setting. This is an essential experience connected to the composing process. A composer mentor will moderate the interaction between the young composer and the musician while helping the student express how she wants her piece to sound. A public performance increases the power of the experience by building motivation and confidence.
As an alternative schools may choose to instead have their student’s pieces recorded remotely by one of our Ensemble Partners. A video of the recording session can then be shared with the entire community.
What Students Say
Composer Mentors
During the Workshop professional composer mentors will provide helpful and supportive feedback to students directly on their Noteflight scores. They’ll provide insights on each student’s main composition as well as help on their Noteflight assignments. Students may ask questions and discuss any musical topics.
Recent Compositions
We work with…
YCIW is funded in part by the BMI Foundation Inc.
