ABSTRACT
All aspects of culture in Trinidad and Tobago have been shaped by the context of creolization, the dynamic interaction between different peoples in the Caribbean. This process has led to a plethora of musical styles in the region, specifically – in Trinidad and Tobago – the Indigenous tradition of calypso and the music created for orchestras of the islands’ national instrument, the steelpan. There are also several Trinidadian and Tobagonian composers who write art music, ranging from solo instrumental works to symphonic pieces. With this musical landscape as a backdrop, this chapter offers an overview of the composition components taught at primary, secondary, and tertiary level institutions, and of the more informal contexts in which learning takes place. The sections on composition taught in schools and the section on teacher training have been formulated through data collected from 17 teachers in primary and secondary schools across Trinidad and Tobago and then cross-referenced with the relevant governing documentations that they follow. This section also details the teacher training available in Trinidad and Tobago and considers the standardization – official and unofficial – that exists in the teaching of composition nationally.
