ABSTRACT
Creative music making (CMM) sessions consist of four simple, interrelated steps: playing, recording, listening, and questioning. The facilitator's ability to play with confidence and to support whatever music the first-time improviser creates is a crucial element in insuring a positive initial experience with CMM. CMM, the goal is to develop musicianship through self-directed questions and self-searching answers rather than through answers provided by authorities. Regular CMM sessions will be most effective if they occur within a formal course of study, with one or more sessions per week over a set number of weeks or months during a school semester. This structure would be particularly appropriate for career-track music students in a conservatory of music or a university music department. Regular monthly or bimonthly CMM sessions can be of value to student and professional ensembles by providing opportunities for the ensemble members to interact in a more relaxed and playful musical environment.
