Barcelona Fiddle Congress 2018

Composition Games and Free Improvisation
 Short/description: Through “non-tonal” improvisation, we can tap into a student's musicality in a way that is accessible for all levels and styles. Students learn quickly to compose in small groups using "composition games." During this interactive session you will be creating throughout and feel empowered by the end of the session to perform your compositions and apply what you learned to your classroom.
Long/abstract: The creative process begins with a blank slate, wherein the improviser/composer chooses from virtually infinite options. This freedom is often paralyzing to a beginning composer/improviser. Free improvisation can be facilitated through beginning with the use of rigid constraints, and the gradual removal of constraints.
By limiting pitches, rhythms, tempo, rests, techniques, phrase length, style, tone, etc., the improvisation begins as a series of limited and obvious choices. The process of making these choices is experienced as more "task-based", and less of a "subjective, creative" exercise. Through this, the improviser experiences less self-consciousness and instead sees the exercise as a simple matter of choices. By gradually removing the constraints, the improviser retains the feeling of clinical detachedness while gradually implementing a wider range of creative choices.
Categories of constraints are helpful in developing a mental "checklist" in order to 1) overcome the blank slate syndrome and 2) to avoid getting stuck in the same rut of habits.
These categories attempt to break down the "infinite" choices into a more manageable menu of choices.