A wide range of topics were vigorously discussed between facilitator and parents and also parents to parents during the five day seminar.
Major Topics:
I. The fragmentary awareness and marginal availability of educational support for the creative and atypical original approach to music in our gifted children’s community. Conventional piano lessons, string lessons, winds and guitar emphasize repertoire and technique. Musical self authorship is either non-existent or provided only by specialists in composition or jazz improvisation and so on. The conversation on solutions should be continued in DITD settings.
II. Do we avoid or pursue music in higher education or leave it out of the equation? The demands of college level music curricula give us pause in including them in our course of study if the student is majoring in something else. Solutions come on a case by case school by school basis. Thorough research is recommended in choosing a campus.
III. What software and texts are out there for enrichment of the music autodact? A review of the online seminar discourse is valuable. Mention was made of notation programs for Sibelius to Cakewalk, Finale, Cubase and Museart (free shareware) with Sibelius given the highest recommendation. For digital audio, Digital Audio for high end, Garage Band for creativity and youth appeal and Audacity for free shareware were recommended.
IV. The value of live performance: is it the be all and end all of instrumental accomplishment? Some parents whose children had included original compositions in performance were helpful in detailing the creative and sometime mysterious world the young creators inhabit.
V. The immense value of the gifted musician’s parent community sharing stories and insights. “Wish the conversation could continue”. “Might we convene a summit?”.
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