ABSTRACT
The topic of this chapter is composition and creativity in music education in Iceland. The chapter begins with a discussion on Icelandic terminology used to describe music composition in the context of education in comparison to the context of professional music composers. The different uses of terminology reveal how composing music in a pedagogical context may be thought of as inherently different than music composition by professionals. The pedagogical context indicates an understanding of composition as a creative process, while the terminology for professional music composing indicates a stronger emphasis on the final musical product. It is explained that creativity became a central term in the Icelandic National Curriculum in 2011 and subsequently, the effects of creativity in the Icelandic National Curriculum on music as a subject. This is followed by a brief overview of music education in Iceland with a focus on composition and creativity. Instances of creative projects in music education in Iceland are provided. Research findings demonstrate that new technology seems mostly used for creative music projects and that technology has encouraged music teachers to implement creative projects in music classes more than they had done before. Ultimately, some speculations are provided for future directions in composition and creativity in Icelandic music education.
