Compositional thinking in classical music within a computer-mediated composition environment

Chi Wai CHEN, Tai Shun TSE

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapters

Abstract

This empirical study examines the relationship between cognitive thinking styles and composing strategies in classical music by analysing the work of 22 Hong Kong secondary students within a computer-mediated composition environment. A Yale scholar in psychology, Sternberg (1997), proposed that academic performance should not be the only indicator by which an individual’s success is judged. Instead, the measurement of success ought to rely more on the contexts of thinking and teaching styles together with the learning environment. In the first stage, a survey of students’ thinking styles was conducted to see which ‘type’ each belonged to. In the second stage, students’ innate computer-related abilities were demonstrated by observing their approaches to computer-mediated composition of classical music. This study aims to identify a correlation between an individual’s thinking style and his/her composing strategies. This correlation indicates three areas to emphasise in music curriculum development: (1) Personalised learning, which will help students develop composing strategies appropriate to different cognitive thinking styles; (2) The advantages of studying compositional thinking in a computermediated composition environment; and (3) The need to build students’ musical identities during the classical music composition process. At the end of this paper, a learner-thinking model in computer-mediated composition is proposed. Copyright © 2018 Canadian University Dubai.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 27th International Seminar of the International Society for Music Education Research Commission, Dubai 8-13 July 2018
EditorsEvelyn K. ORMAN
Place of PublicationDubai
PublisherCanadian University Dubai
Pages48-57
ISBN (Electronic)9780648121961
ISBN (Print)9780648121954
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Citation

Chen, J. C. W., & Tse, T. (2018). Compositional thinking in classical music within a computer-mediated composition environment. In E. K. Orman (Ed.), Proceedings of the 27th International Seminar of the International Society for Music Education Research Commission, Dubai 8-13 July 2018 (pp. 48-57). Dubai: Canadian University Dubai.

Keywords

  • Cognitive thinking styles
  • Composing strategies
  • Computer-mediated composition
  • Compositional thinking
  • Classical music

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