solving can be accomplished through musical performances and projects like

composing (Elliott, 1995, p. 72). Elliott suggests that performance of a musical work is

especially valuable in assessing musical achievement because it provides authentic and

tangible evidence of a person's moment-to-moment musical understanding (Elliott,

1995, p. 76).

                               Theoretical Rationale

       Guiding students through a structured composition activity with clear limitations

may help insure success in the composition process. Brophy (1996, p. 17) concludes

that "guided composition is an excellent technique for building confidence in students'

creative and notational skills". Guided composition involves the instructor controlling as

many parameters of the composition as necessary for the developmental level of the

student composers. Brophy (1996, p. 15) states that "a beginning composer who is not

yet familiar with music notation needs to become personally involved in writing music

within a context that is creative, comfortable, and developmentally appropriate in order

to build his or her understanding of musical signs and symbols."

     The guided composition process is systematic. First, the educator sets the

necessary parameters for successful composing and notation by the students.

Depending on the developmental level of the students, these parameters may include

rhythm, length, scale, clef, and ending pitches. Next, the students learn the prescribed

aspects of the composition, and practice notating these elements individually. After

gaining an understanding of these elements, students improvise a melody on an

instrument set up with the pitches determined by the educator. When students have

developed a melody they prefer, they notate that melody in a first draft. Once students

have finalized the composition, they are asked to create a final copy using the