Creativity, confidence SOAR for Very Young Composers

At SOAR Charter Middle School in Land O’ Lakes, the low, gentle tones of a bass clarinet drift through the halls. In the library, teacher Rachel Strong leads fifth- through eighth-graders, playing along as they follow music notes projected on a screen behind her.

The students are participating in the four-day Very Young Composers program, held Oct. 6–9, where they learn to compose their own music with the help of “teaching artists” — local musicians who volunteer their time.

“Very Young Composers is an amazing program that provides the opportunity for all students, no matter their musical knowledge, to express the music that’s inside them,” Strong said. “They’re not limited by prior experience, technical or notation skills, or anything else. If they can imagine the music and express it to their teaching artist, it can happen.”

The program concludes with a concert at the Northland Pines Middle and High School auditorium in Eagle River. There, Strong, the teaching artists, and local musicians perform the students’ original pieces as each young composer steps forward to introduce their work to family, friends, and community members — some even singing their own lyrics.

From New York to Wisconsin

According to the Northland Pines School District website, SOAR is one of only four schools in the country to offer Very Young Composers, which originated with the New York Philharmonic.

Now in its 10th year, the program was brought to Land O’ Lakes in January 2015 by former Northland Pines band director Forest Mann, who had previously been involved with it at UW–Stevens Point.

“He saw how powerful it could be for students and how well it would fit with SOAR Middle School’s project-based learning,” said Strong, who has led the program since becoming the school’s music teacher in 2021.

Teaching artists

Along with Strong, this year’s teaching artists are Norma Yaeger, Sue Stefonek, Paul Saltzgiver, and Sue Palmer. Yaeger — no stranger to the local music scene — has been involved with Very Young Composers since its Land O’ Lakes debut.

“I think what’s special is the expectation that the kids can be creative, that the teaching artists can capture their ideas, that the computer can create a complete score for us to play, and that the parents get to see their kids in a whole new role,” Yaeger said.

“I love seeing education in action — that moment when young people realize they’re being taken seriously, when their creativity is captured but not judged, when they see their teachers perform too,” she added.

Students’ experience

The students are equally enthusiastic. On the second day of composing, after a group session in the library led by Strong — where elements of music such as melody, form, rhythm, and timbre were discussed — each student met one-on-one with a teaching artist to develop their ideas. Before those meetings, they had time to brainstorm freely.

Fifth grader and first-time composer Annemarie Paremski, paired with Yaeger, said her idea was inspired by her love of singing.

“The music just started popping into my head, and I kept thinking about it — it just felt right,” she said. “This has been really fun.”

“I did it last year, and it’s really fun,” agreed sixth grader Cecelia Lindgren. “It lets us get all the ideas in our heads out and turn them into something that gives other people an exciting experience.”

“I like that I get to choose what happens with my music — how it changes and how it’s performed,” said Avery Shenk, a seventh grader.

“I didn’t know how music worked… that I could throw random keys together and do all kinds of things… I wish it lasted the whole year,” said sixth grader Zoey Bong Van Den Berg.

For now, it remains a “whirlwind week,” as Strong described it. After the final day of composing, she cleans up the scores, prepares all the parts for each piece and instrument, and begins rehearsals for the big show.

Community support

Strong credits the community for the program’s success. “I’ve talked to music teachers in other areas about Very Young Composers, and they all love the idea, but they don’t believe they could get the volunteers needed to pull it off,” she said. “We’re very fortunate to have so many capable and willing local musicians, and a supportive administration and colleagues at the school.”

“I would do this even if I had to pay to do it. It’s a privilege to be involved,” said Yaeger. “Having no children myself, I see it as a wonderful example of a community working together to influence how children grow up. It takes a village.”

Lifelong impact

On a personal level, Strong said the biggest change she notices in students during the composing process is the confidence they gain.

“I love seeing new sides of the students come out in their compositions,” Strong said. “I also love seeing students who may struggle in life blossom during this week by creating something special and meaningful that reveals a part of themselves.”

She also explained why it’s important for young people to have opportunities to create — not just perform — music. “Any form of creation is the highest level of thinking,” Strong said. “It’s important for students to be creative as often as they can, in any way they can. This fosters problem-solving and will serve them well for life.”

The composers may be young, and the week may be short, but the impact is long-lasting. When the concert ends, the students walk off the stage with more than applause — they leave with a true sense of accomplishment.

The Very Young Composers concert will be held Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. at the Northland Pines Middle and High School auditorium in Eagle River.