Considering Music Composition in Context

It is odd to think of music composition as a process of creating a piece by combining elements of music, as is the more common notion in the West. From an African perspective, creativity always results in something original and new. Fontana (1988) asserts that creative thinking involves originality and fluency that breaks away from existing patterns and introduces something new. Stein (1974) agrees, suggesting that creativity is more than just combining elements of music but encompasses bringing forth a novel product. While Onyeji (2019) points out that the process of composition involves creating, assessing, appreciating, and approving music or discarding musical idea, Rogers (1959) notes the importance of context stating that any novel product stems from amalgamation of the task of an individual on one hand, and the influence of people, events, materials, and life circumstances, on the other. These observations highlight the inter-relationship between the creator and their surrounding contexts.

The circumstances that form the setting for music-making, as well as the situation in which the music is made, are critical contexts in African music-making. In Uganda these contexts are categorized as cultural and social. The cultural context impacts the composed music and its performance as it requires an understanding of the specific norms and cultures of the communities that govern creative principles, elements, and approaches. Therefore, music as a means of cultural expression stresses communal over individual music-making. The processes reflect the ethos of community and are evidenced in the music that arises from social interaction. Further, the social context denotes a particular classification of people in whose locality the music composition is happening. This might be a school, place of worship, or other location. The social context also shapes the musical composition; the more formal the context of creation, the more structured the music created.

Though music composition arises from varied social and cultural contexts and experiences, participation aims to address the cognitive domain through the acquisition of knowledge, the psychomotor domain through the acquisition of skills, and the affective domain through activities that require responding to and in creative acts. For these aims to be fulfilled, music educators need appropriate resources and equipment coupled with effective pedagogical skills (Blaak, Openjuru, and Zeelen, 2013). Borko and Putman (1996) state that in order to maintain authenticity of the activity in the classroom teaching, the teacher must use the kind of thinking and problem-solving skills that are fostered by the activity, which are important beyond school settings, in the wider community. In Uganda, this remains a challenge.

Composition in Uganda has typically been learned through oral traditions, musical festivals, and spontaneous creativity. Presently, Uganda finds itself with multiple approaches to music education. Music is taught formally in schools and non-formally/ informally based on the oral tradition known as Okugunjula. This approach seeks to preserve the musical past and traditional indigenous education. Music education is also taught formally based on Western traditions and administered by the Department of Education.