Composing Music and Mindfulness

I have to admire the strength of young people. This week a group of our students gave a talk on mental health. However, one of the group began the talk by singing one of their own songs which expressed their struggle with mental health. They then played out with a recording of another song written by the pupils on the same topic. This was a very personal reflection on what mental health awareness meant to the group, and the willingness to share this amongst the staff and pupils at school can only serve to continue this discussion.

However, there are a number of different aspects to this which are worth exploring further.

It is vital that young people have access to an education which values self-direction, personalisation and creativity. When this is translated into composition activities and projects it allows for music to be used as a form of meaning making through expressing ideas, thoughts and feelings, it can help to develop a greater sense of empathy and also foster the curiosity to explore their own creativity. The pupil who had written the song worked through their own thoughts and feelings, and felt strongly enough to put down in words and music how they felt. This was a cathartic experience for the young person who was going through a difficult time. Over the years their have been countless young people who I have worked with using their own music as a form of catharsis through dealing with issues or traumas affecting them.

To go one step further, although the composition itself can be beneficial in helping a young person express a particular emotion or deal with a situation they have encountered, the process of composition itself can be a mindful act. If time and space are given over to the process of composition, it is then possible to become focussed on the task and be very much 'in the moment.' In many ways this aligns with Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow. Being focussed on the creative task also brings with it the benefits of focussing on oneself, a sense of play and a channelling of mood and emotion.

In this article from Huffington Post, Patrick Groneman writes:

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StartFragment"Music can also be a mirror to help us better understand our own inner-world of thoughts, emotions and feelings. Vague inner-textures can find clarity of shape, catharsis and release through the teaching that is always available in musical art — listening can be healing."EndFragment

The benefits of creating and environment for young people to develop a sense of self through composition is often overlooked in favour of task oriented activities. Composition can give young people a voice, but it is important that it is their own voice.