I’m starting a series of posts about how to teach musical pieces in a more creative way.
Each musical piece is full of elements that invite exploration. From melodies and harmonies to rhythms and textures, every work offers us countless possibilities to dive into. But what happens when we choose not only to play and enjoy these pieces but also to use them as a starting point for our own creativity?
For me, there’s no better way to deeply understand a musical piece than by creating new music inspired by it. This approach not only allows us to unravel the secrets that make a composition special but also opens the door to endless artistic possibilities.
How can we transform the elements of a piece into something new?
To change an element of a piece, we first need to identify its key components.
Listen carefully and break the piece down into its essential parts. What catches your attention? Perhaps it’s a melodic motif, a rhythmic pattern, a pianistic figuration, an accompaniment pattern, or a harmonic progression.
Once you’ve identified an element, start modifying it. Change the tempo, make variations to the melody, reimagine the rhythm, or experiment with different sonorities or articulations. Sometimes, a small change can spark an entirely new idea. You can improvise with these elements or compose a new piece inspired by the original. This approach offers tremendous benefits for you or your students.
By deconstructing and reconstructing pieces, you gain a deeper understanding of musical principles. If you can grasp the elements of a piece and create new music with them, you’ll achieve a much deeper level of musical assimilation than if you simply play the piece as written.
Additionally, you’ll develop your artistic voice. Drawing on influences doesn’t mean copying; it means creating something unique that bears your personal stamp. This process will nurture your creativity and help you express your own music.
Hawk on the Mountain Peak
To begin this improvisation/composition work based on a piece, you can choose a work of any level and experiment with its elements. For this first post, I’ve selected an elementary-level piece from Repertoire Book 1 of Piano Safari: The Hawk on the Mountain Peak by Julie Hague and Katherine Fisher.
I’ve recorded a YouTube video so you can see and hear some examples of how to play and transform this piece.
As you can see, I first play the piece and then present four examples of how to vary it.
To begin this process, we can first identify the key elements of the piece. This piece is written in ABA form. In the first section, the left hand uses a Gb, while the right hand plays an Ab and a Bb. In section B, the piece employs the whole-tone scale: the left hand plays three black keys (Gb, Ab, and Bb), while the right hand plays three white keys (C, D, and E).
These notes are what I’ll use to create my own version of the piece.
In the video, you can see that I always stick to the original ABA form of the piece, but it’s not necessary to do so. You can create your own musical form: AB, ABAB, ABACA (including a new section C), or any structure you can imagine. You can also choose to vary just section A or section B and keep one part as it is in the original piece.
Variation 1
In this first variation, I decided to change the melody in section A and also play the right hand in different octaves, while keeping the left hand in its original register.
In section B, I played clusters in different octaves.
Variation 2
In this variation, instead of changing the octave of the right hand, I changed the left hand, which plays in four different octaves. This way, we explore different registers of the piano.
In section B, I created a new motif using contrary motion.
Variation 3
We can use a piece already familiar to our students to work on an element they’ll encounter in future pieces.
For example, if we want to practice a waltz-style accompaniment for a future piece, we can use this one and create a simple waltz rhythm. Since the student is already familiar with the elements of Hawk on the Mountain Peak, it won’t be difficult to prepare something similar to this variation. This way, our student will feel the rhythm more deeply before introducing it in a new piece.
Variation 4
Another element that can be varied is the time signature. Instead of creating a piece in the same time signature as the original, we can change it.
Notice that this variation is in 4/4 instead of the original 3/4. You can make this change to any time signature you want to work on with the student: 6/8, 5/4, or any other you can think of.
Are you ready to give it a go?
These are just a few examples of how to vary this piece. There are endless possibilities for doing so. I encourage you to try this work with your students.
Creating music from an existing piece is not only an enriching activity but also a way to connect with the works we admire and add something new of our own. So, the next time you hear a piece that inspires you, don’t hesitate to dive into it and let it guide your creativity. It also offers multiple possibilities for working in our lessons and connecting the elements of different pieces.
And you can not only do this with your students, but you can also practice these ideas with more complex pieces you’re playing. What musical pieces have inspired you lately? What ideas might emerge if you dare to explore their elements? Share your experience in the comments, and let’s keep creating together!
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