SCHOOLS AND FURTHER EDUCATION

David Stoll offers a range of support services in music and creativity for schools and LAs, including classroom composing lessons, creative music projects, songwriting projects, consultancy and INSET provision.

A qualified teacher with a Theatre-in-Education background, David was commissioned by the Government to write BUILDING MUSIC, a guide for primary schools working with visiting composers.  David's second book, KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING, is a systematic guide to teaching composing in primary schools with teachers' notes and sample projects. 

David runs workshops and composing projects in schools, and INSET training for Local Authorities around the country.  The workshops are fully in line with the National Curriculum, but are also valued by headteachers for the training in listening and attention they offer.  Key Stage 2 workshops are a speciality.  Recent work includes a commission from Creative Partnerships to design and develop SONGLETS, a new primary school project.  The practical work was carried out in Jenny Hammond Primary School, Waltham Forest in the spring term of 2009.

David wrote the KS3 songwriting materials for the teachers' resource pack available on the Musical Futures website. He delivers undergraduate and post-graduate master classes in songwriting at Universities and Colleges of Further Education.

MUSIC AND CREATIVITY WORKSHOPS

"The children and teachers immediately responded to having a professional composer teaching them ... he had the skills, knowledge, confidence and passion to get us started … In the two sessions that I observed the children were enthusiastic about being involved in creating music. They loved working with David as he led them through the journey of making music. Within the sessions the children listened, explored new ideas, reviewed and evaluated their music. At all times they were engaged with the process. This was essentially down to two aspects: firstly they loved working with David, his obvious interest in them, his humour (one child said 'I like his jokes - they help me learn!') and his expertise (they were astounded by his piano playing). Secondly, they were inspired by a 'new' aspect of music learning. David made the composing process exciting and involved them every inch of the way."

Tracy Argent - Head, Woolmore Primary School, Tower Hamlets, April 2004.

The very aspects of music work which many teachers are least confident in delivering are those which are most useful to the wider curriculum and the general education of the pupil: the development of creativity.

Musical creativity is for all pupils, not only those who are learning an instrument. Developing creativity has long been recognised as essential by teachers and educators. The Creative Confidence approach to teaching composing is also recognised by Headteachers as important training in listening, attention and thinking.

"The ... pupil(s) ...,whose musical experience is for the most part defined by telly theme tunes and action film scores, have taken to David Stoll's approach to music composition like delighted fish to water."

Times Educational Supplement article, May 2004

The Creative Confidence method of teaching composing was developed in the first place

•  to be accessible to pupils and staff, no matter what other music experience they have

•  to be based on listening, attention, creative thinking and group work

The method is fully in line with the National Curriculum and may be taught either on its own or in conjunction with other music schemes of work. Pupils are guided to follow their imagination completely, and yet the creativity is carefully structured to develop a way of thinking like a composer.

"David worked within our music department with individuals, small and whole class groups.  Within these situations he has demonstrated his skill in being able to give very specific personal attention to the needs of different pupils in a situation of special needs, while still retaining the interest of the whole class.  He has shown an ability to challenge pupils to their maximum whilst ensuring their enjoyment."

Jackie Thomas - Head, Brookfield House School, Waltham Forest, July 2008

David Stoll has summed up his method of teaching composing in an article for MUSIC TEACHER magazine (Jan 2008).  For a pdf copy of the article, please contact info@creative-confidence.com.  Also available is a pdf of a recent article on writing lyrics (Jan 2009); for more on this, please see the SEALSONGS page or contact the e-mail address.

David Stoll can help in your school in a number of ways, including:

•  running a one-off afternoon composing workshop for a school class at KS2 or KS3

•  running extended classroom composing lessons and projects at all Key Stages

•  providing specialist classroom music sessions with pupils at all levels of ability

•  helping staff with the preparation and delivery of classroom music projects

•  working with clusters of schools on joint projects

•  providing consultations on creativity in the classroom

•  holding individual or small group sessions with music staff, or specially gifted or talented children

Packages are tailor-made for the school and pupils, and elements may be mixed

"David Stoll instils confidence in children and enables them to heighten their listening skills and develop enthusiasm for co-operative music making. (He) provides supportive opportunities for teachers to find the potential musician within themselves."

Barbara Petho and Alison Greenwood – Teachers at Sheringham Junior School, Newham: June 2005

SONGWRITING WORKSHOPS and SONGLETS

"Here was a composer adapting his own highly individual style to communicate effectively with the pupils and support their understanding."

Richard Frostick - Director: Islington Music Centre, April 2004

SONGWRITING WORKSHOPS

David Stoll will work with a class on writing a song, including an introduction to words and music and classroom discussion of the topic to be written about. He will then record a backing track for the school to use.  This project, designed for two full afternoon visits to a single class, is based on David’s SEALSONG programme, and is particularly suitable for Years 5 and 6.

EVERYDAYSONGS

David Stoll is currently planning a new song collection with the lyrics co-written by pupils in Years 4 and 5.  Please visit the SEALSONGS page if you are interested in your school participating.

SONGLETS

Based on David's successful project, commissioned by Creative Partnerships (A New Direction) and run in Jenny Hammond Primary School in the spring of 2009, SONGLETS comprises a set of workshops in which various topics are analysed, turned into lists, rhymes and finally short songs - all to help in the practice of remembering important facts.  This project is particularly suitable for Years 3 and 4 and runs through a half-term of visits.

INSETs

"David's workshop was centred on thinking and creativity - the very things that will dynamise tomorrow's curriculum. For teachers who have embarked on their career in the last few years the workshop was not only a breath of fresh air, but a catalyst to thinking in new ways about the nature of creativity in music. People involved in educating children need to become aware of their own capacity for musical creativity, and David helps them to start exploring this."

Sue McCall – Acting Deputy Manager, Harrow Music Service: February 2006

"Your INSET for staff went well - thank you. Both teachers and nursery nurses from all phases found it very useful and easily adaptable for different age groups. It was good to be active; everyone enjoyed playing an instrument and we all felt very pleased that we learned something new and had composed "a piece of music" by the end of the session!"

Judith Grylls – Headteacher, Osmani Primary School, Tower Hamlets: December 2005

Primary INSETs offered by David this year include COMPOSING AT KS2, MAKING MUSIC FUN, AN INTRODUCTION TO PRIMARY SCHOOL MUSIC, MUSIC IN THE EARLY YEARS and MAKING FULL USE OF YOUR SEALSONGS. Other INSETs include THINKING LIKE A COMPOSER and CREATIVE MUSIC FOR SPECIALISTS

Please contact info@creative-confidence.com for details or to request a specially designed INSET.

"Just for your information - following the music for enjoyment course I changed the way I teach writing and using a graphic score. The results were a million times better. The children commented how much easier it was to understand and how much better their compositions were as a result and that I should go to courses like that again!"

A Primary School music specialist teacher in Wrexham: June 2006

PRICES 2011-12

One-off classroom sessions from £255 per half-day
Sets of five weekly half-day classroom sessions from £1245

Song projects, including lessons, printed and recorded materials, from £1445

INSET sessions, in school, from £290 per half day
INSET after-school meeting (60-75 minutes) from £155
INSET sessions for Local Authorities from £385 per half-day

Other charges on request - All charges are subject to VAT
Travel costs are not charged within Greater London

COMMISSIONS

David writes music specially for school choirs, orchestras or other ensembles. Please ask for further details.

"Gallions Primary School commissioned David to write a piece for our 30 strong String Orchestra and the result was SLOW MEDIUM FAST. The children's lines proved challenging but achievable and, coupled with the effect of the solo parts written for the staff, created a piece which has impressed our audiences. After its premiere, one of their Year 6 colleagues told his teacher 'Wow, this should be on television!'. Praise indeed! It was wonderful for the children to be part of such an effective and carefully thought out piece. We are now looking forward to working with David again in 2007."

Aimee Gilmore - Music Co-ordinator, Gallions Primary School - Newham, December 2005