In this unit Andy shares a few points about how he took materials that he had prepared for a summer school and translated these into online composition classes. He also discusses the way that he created an income stream from these activities.
Earlier this year, Andy Scott was planning on going to Dorset to deliver a composition weekend with eight amateur saxophone players. The global pandemic and subsequent lockdown in the UK but an end to that activity. The discussions that followed led to the formation of a weekly, evening online composition class. This ran for three months. After a short break, he has a new group of students undertaking an eight-week course.
After an initial session, he set everyone musical parameters (weekly) for a short composition. Someone new to composition may be daunted at first but the sense of camaraderie (yes, online), the support, coupled with what I believe are realistic targets, gradually allayed the students’ fears.
The course followed a weekly pattern. Each week, everyone emailed Andy a .pdf of the score and a recording (.mp3) of their work. He listened and made notes prior to the next online session. During the next session, they all listened to the pieces and gave feedback. As a saxophonist and composer, Andy found the teaching of composition easier purely in a practical sense to that of instrumental teaching online. The group can share the screen and audio and enjoy each others’ pieces.
In terms of organising the sessions, Andy did an initial callout to his network. Interested students were emailed more details. Payment dates were set; payment for sessions 1-4 up front, payment for sessions 5-8 after session 4. Andy had previously met most of the students so there was a good element of trust involved. If a student had to miss a session or there were other extenuating circumstances then this could easily and amicably sorted out. For your projects you might wish to go into more detail than Andy did in terms of providing a contract for each student.
Andy found the online composing sessions to be a really positive experience. Limiting the numbers to 6 or 7 was a good call, leaving adequate time to go through all the new pieces each week. If you choose to do something similar then don’t underestimate the preparation time. It’s a bit like gigs, you are not working on a hourly rate whilst you are physically at a gig. Your rates are backed up by hours, days, months and years of dedicated practise and expertise. This requires appropriate remuneration.
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