ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of composing and creative music making in primary and secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. The impact of grass-roots initiatives and volunteerism on teacher practice are examined, underpinned by progressive education movements that persist amid a climate of neoliberalism. Following a discussion of the national context of composing in schools is an illustration of the current situation with three examples. The first one considers an adaptation of the Orff approach in primary schools that revealed challenges faced by generalist teachers in developing a composing curriculum that is coherent and demonstrates progression. This is followed by an examination of the assessment of group composing and song writing for the national secondary school qualification, the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). In these two examples, the authors examine the challenges teachers face when assessing individuals in collaborative groups and describe the influence of national youth music competitions as proxy assessments. Finally, the authors explain how teachers’ concerns for students composing from aural traditions, particularly Māori, have generated significant curriculum and assessment reform in composing and its assessment in secondary schools.
