ABSTRACT
Composing is often considered to be a creative act in its own right. This interlude problematizes the notion of creativity and questions what it entails when thinking about the teaching and learning of composing in educational settings. Definitions of creativity are considered and discussed, and ways in which composing can be considered as an everyday act by children and young people in normal classrooms are described as being worthy of attention from educators, as well as the isolated genius acts often traditionally associated with the Western classical composer. Stages and types of creativity are outlined, and ways in which changing modes of thinking over time have affected the ways in which composing can be both conceptualized and operationalized.
