Welcome to the Educational Composition Category – Exploring Educational Composition Together
Hello, I’m Trevor. Most of my days are spent teaching online piano and theory lessons to students across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. It’s a career I’ve been enjoying for over 25 years now—and I still genuinely love it. But recently, I’ve made some space in my teaching schedule to return to a hobby I had to set aside while focusing on my career: composing.
This time around, one of the areas I’ve been most interested in is educational music—writing pieces, exercises, and resources that support learning in a real, practical way. It’s not about flash or flair. It’s about usefulness. And while I’ve written countless little pieces for my students over the years, I’m now approaching it with fresh eyes and a desire to really understand what makes educational music effective.
If you’re also interested in composing for your students—especially as a fellow teacher, or someone just curious about the topic—I hope you’ll explore more posts in this category.
What This Category Is About
Whether I was driving from house to house in my early teaching days or now working entirely online, I’ve always found myself writing music to meet students’ needs. This blog category is where I’m documenting my ongoing research, ideas, and reflections on how to become a more thoughtful composer of educational materials—whether that’s technical exercises, beginner pieces, or creative theory explorations.
Why Follow Along?
Writing music that teaches is often harder than it looks. You need to balance playability with musicality, technical development with engagement, and structure with flexibility. I’ve learned that educational writing isn’t just about simplifying things—it’s about how you simplify them, and whether you’re doing so in a way that makes the idea clear, meaningful, and musically satisfying.
If you’re a music teacher who also writes for your students—or wants to—this space might offer something useful. I’ll be sharing what I learn, what I try, and what I’m still figuring out. And if you’ve ever wondered how to write a piece that teaches rhythm and sparks interest—or how to adapt material for different learners—we’ll probably have a few things in common.
What Kind of Posts to Expect
Here’s what you’ll find in this category:
- Pieces I’ve Written for Students – A closer look at short works I’ve composed and the learning goals they support.
- Composing for Technique – Thoughts on writing music that develops finger strength, coordination, or agility.
- Sight Reading Challenges – Ideas for creating or selecting effective reading material that’s not too dry.
- Writing for Young Beginners – Reflections on how to keep things engaging without overwhelming.
- Adapting Repertoire – Notes on modifying or simplifying music to suit a student’s unique needs.
Stick Around If This Interests You
If you’re also writing for your students—or even just thinking about it—I hope you’ll stick around and browse through some posts in this category. We’re all learning as we go, and I’m happy to share what I find along the way. Maybe something here will save you time, spark an idea, or just make you feel a little more encouraged in the work you’re doing to better serve your students.
Until next time,
Trevor
