A Pedagogical Model for Creating African-Inspired Piano Compositions: A Conceptual Thought

Abstract

This paper is a review to establish a pedagogical model aimed at fostering creativity and cultural expression in piano composition through the lens of African musical traditions. As the world of music education embraces diversity and inclusivity, there is a growing need to explore pedagogical approaches that empower students to draw inspiration from their cultural heritage while developing their compositional skills. It is a proposed model that integrates elements of African musical traditions, including rhythms, melodies, and harmonic structures, into the process of piano composition for the various proficiency levels of piano instruction. The pedagogical model seeks to broaden the creative horizons of African compositions for the piano and deepen the understanding of the composers to exhibit cultural expression and inclusivity in music. Through a literature review, the paper births a model that can be leveraged to compose piano works within a certain complexity level at the students' experience. It is envisaged that the developed model can be used by composers for the piano within the concept of African pianism to make a potential impact on students' musical development. The paper contributes immensely to practical insights for educators seeking to inspire creativity and innovation in piano composition instructions.