Teen Composition Group Class
June 13-July 25, 2026 (no class July 4) – Saturdays, 10:00am-12:00pm
Age: 12-18
Recommended Level: Late Beginner-Intermediate
Price: $150
Program Details
Does your teenager want to be a composer or songwriter? This 6-week class is all about teaching teens how to write their own music! Students will participate in guided composing as they learn to manipulate melodies, harmonies, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, and form to tell stories and elicit emotion through their music. Projects completed in this course include ten short, targeted composition activities and one full-length original composition.
- Week 1: Introduction to composing, writing for contrasting moods
- Week 2: Developing a melody using repetition and variation (motifs and sequences, call and response)
- Week 3: Adding harmony – Left hand accompaniment patterns, chord progressions
- Week 4: Rhythm and meter, using rhythm to reinforce sound and mood
- Week 5: Musical form and cadences
- Week 6: Completing full-length composition
Minimum class size is 3; maximum class size is limited to the number of available keyboards. If students have their own keyboard they would like to bring, more spots may be opened up for this group.
This class may be taken in place of or in addition to private lessons during June and July.
Skills Needed
- Familiarity with basic rhythms
- Familiarity with tempo and dynamics
- Familiarity with basic chords and basic LH accompaniment
- Confidence playing hands together
- Confidence reading notes on the staff
Composition Cut-and-Paste
June 12-26, 2026 – Fridays, 9:00-11:00am
July 10-24, 2026 – Fridays, 9:00-11:00am
Age: 7-12
Level: Primer-Level 3
Price: $90
Program Details
Composition Cut-and-Paste is a group class designed to combine music and crafts in a fun and creative introduction to composing! Students are given many musical options to choose from, which they then get to cut out and paste into their own original compositions. Along the way, students will be learning valuable music theory tailored to their level through writing, drawing, tracing, playing, and more. Each student will be supplied with a personal workbook and one-on-one guidance to help them through each step of composing their pieces.
Projects completed in this course:
- Primer: Students will complete five short compositions focusing on either black key groups, white keys with letter names, or note values and letter names depending on what point in the primer level the student is at.
- Level 1: Students will write a 16-measure song with original lyrics, choosing their right-hand melodies cut-and-paste style over a provided left-hand accompaniment. Then, students will write a 12-measure song, choosing both the right-hand and left-hand parts one measure at a time to create their song.
- Level 2: Students will write a 24-measure piece, partly by pasting and partly by writing. This level focuses on playing hands together with more advanced rhythms and open fifth harmonies in the left hand.
- Level 3: Students will be completing two projects at this level. First, they will choose the chord progressions and left-hand accompaniment styles to play with a provided right-hand melody. Then using the same chord progressions, they will exchange the provided right-hand melody for their own 100% original piece. This level puts a strong focus on building chords on the G scale, left hand accompaniment styles, and music notation.
Minimum class size is 3; maximum class size is limited to the number of available keyboards. If students have their own keyboard they would like to bring, more spots may be opened up for this group.
This class may be taken in place of or in addition to private lessons during June and July.
Skills Needed
- Required skills vary by workbook level – Students will be placed in the proper workbook based on their current skill level
- Ability to work independently on the piano for short periods of time
Joyful Noise Piano Studio 