VOICES Chorale helps kids develop their musical talents
By Keith Loria
For 27 years, Princeton-based VOICES has sponsored the Young Composers Project, an opportunity for children ages 5 to 12 to develop their musical abilities by writing their own music, working with an established composer on their composition, and having their piece performed by the VOICES Chorale in a concert, this year scheduled for April 21.
”Every child who learns to talk has the ability to sing, given the opportunity,” says Lyn Ransom, founder and music director for VOICES. “Every young child who has musical experiences can compose a song, given the opportunity. Let the imagination of your child thrive on creating a song or a dance about a birthday, holiday, family event, or any topic of special interest to him or her.”
According to Ms. Ransom, every child can and usually does make up a song — maybe stream of consciousness or a repeated rhythm — and she adds that children hear music differently than adults.
”I know from my own children and from my background in early childhood education that important attitudes and passions emerge in early childhood, based partly on environment and partly on genetic makeup,” she says. “My goal with this program was to make composing music as attractive a way to play as doing art work, building with blocks or playing on the computer. I thought about a high school or middle school program, but by then attitudes and dispositions are already established.”
Susan Evans, the program’s project leader, says the experience combines her two loves — children and music.
”I like the idea that through this project we never know what ‘spark’ may happen for a child,” Ms. Evans says. “Will the experience in this local program capture the mind of a child who then continues to pursue music and song writing? Perhaps. Also in a culture that has many opportunities for sports, clinics and games and leagues, there are far fewer public opportunities for the music kids.”
While Ms. Evans says there are opportunities for kids to take private lessons or have music education in school, she says often the community aspect can be lost during those.
”Also, I think that by seeing the adults in the chorale perform their pieces, it shows how music is a lifelong endeavor,” she says. “We take the children’s compositions and work seriously and it gives the children great pride to see their work performed.”
The inaugural event saw the majority of entrants in kindergarten to third grade, with the winning prize being a pint of ice cream from a local store. Because the goal of the contest is to encourage composition, today most children are declared gold and silver winners.
The way it works is that at the workshop, the children play their pieces for each other and receive comments from their peers. Many children write a song with no accompaniment; others write a solo with piano or guitar accompaniment. Still others, primarily those who have been part of the program before, write for chorus.
”The most amazing part of the whole program for adults is hearing the huge range of music created by different children,” Ms. Ransom says. “Equally amazing are the comments they make about each other’s works — things like, ‘Your music made me feel sort of floating and sad and it was really beautiful’ or ‘I liked the way your music said the same thing as the text. It was really good.’”
Since its sixth year, the project has included a master class with an established composer, and those who have taken part include Laurie Altman from Westminster Conservatory, Moshe Budmor from the Composers Guild of New Jersey, Jay Kawarsky from Westminster Choir College, Robert Maggio from Westchester University, Robert McMahan and Teresa Nakra from the College of New Jersey and Peter Westergaard from Princeton University. Robert McMahan, a VOICES board member, is instrumental in assisting the guest composer each year.
”These composers take time to listen to and look at the notation for each child’s piece, then offer some written observations and encouragement for the next project,” Ms. Ransom says. “In addition, they lead a workshop for a group of children, having each piece performed, then discussed by other children, parents, and finally the adult composer.”
One of her favorite parts of it all, Ms. Ransom says, is that children become friends with other young composers and share notes and ideas for the following year.
”Our goal is to make composing a way of life for some children and create an appreciation of contemporary composers for others,” she says. “I wanted to share my love of music and this has been a great success in accomplishing that.”
Submissions for the 2015 contest are now open and will be accepted through March 1. Those interested should submit a recording and three written copies of the child’s music (with the child’s name and age, assisting adult’s name, phone number, address, and child’s background in music), together with a $12 processing fee, to: VOICES Composition Contest, P.O. Box 404, Pennington, NJ 08534.
For more information, visit VOICESChorale.org.