Performing arts

14 Creative Teaching & Learning n Volume 1.1

members. It tells the story of a rock musician masquerading as a music teacher starts a rock band out of a stiff private school class. The film conveys the sense of togetherness and joy playing pop music can create. It was the perfect title for my workshop.

At my school of rock, I was determined to give the students a chance to perform together, listen to each other and play in unison. I decided to get the children to record a soundtrack for a silent, three minute film clip in groups.

The kids had to do more than just form a band, though. They had to encourage and listen to each other, and provide a suitable musical counterpoint to the images in the clip. This is sophisticated work - but I was confident that these mixed-ability students could do it and enjoy it.

StarterI started by showing the kids clips from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Rocky, Star Wars, Grease and Bugsy Malone – first

Putting music to film images can show music to young

people in a new way. Kofi Acheampong reports on the

‘soundtrack composing’ summer workshop he ran with

year eight students

School of rock!

Music and film have a special relationship - music can add surprising meanings to images. Many iconic films are memorable because of their

soundtracks. I work for FILMCLUB as a schools’ support coordinator.

For the DSCF’s ‘Year Of Music’, FILMCLUB is funding ‘Music and Film’ events for schools throughout 2010. I started the initiative by leading a three day summer ‘School of Rock’ soundtrack writing workshop with 12 students from St Andrew’s high school in Croydon, South London.

Developing the workshopBefore I joined FILMCLUB as a schools’ support coordinator, I worked in a specialist music school in South London. I taught guitar, bass and piano to year 7-11 students, helped GCSE students with their final year solo music compositions and led bands, string quartets and vocal choirs.

‘School Of Rock’ is a very popular movie among FILMCLUB

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Performing arts

15Volume 1.1 n Creative Teaching & Learning

without the music, then with it. We discussed what the music added to the clips – tension, poignancy and emotional depth.

I tried to show a range of composing techniques in the films I chose. Chariots of Fire showed how electronic music can recreate the freedom and endless possibility of being young and athletic. John Williams’ unforgettable ‘Jaws’ motif expresses a lurking danger. (In fact, viewers become so accustomed to the shark’s leitmotif that they are doubly surprised when the shark suddenly appears without music.)

I tried to show the class how music can set a scene and help viewers follow a plot.

The challengeI showed my students two silent film clips - from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Billy Elliot. They discussed emotions on screen and how to express these with music. They then divided into groups.

The Billy Elliot group was given a montage scene where the miners strike is the backdrop to young Billy’s ballet practice. It shows how difficult it is for Billy to learn grace in a macho, working class culture.

The group wrote a track using everyday sound effects from the scene. When a character throws a tea cup to the floor, the students crashed cymbals.

At the end, I showed the children the scene with the music, from The Clash. I explained that The Clash used their music to express socialist ideals and glorify workers like the miners. Films use music from the time period to set the scene – and, in this case, to express the violence of the political struggles of the 80s.

2001: A Space Odyssey is open to many interpretations. The narrative is loose and often metaphorical. Due to its extremely sparse dialogue, music is essential in this film to create mood. In hindsight, I think the film was too hard to ‘read’ - but I wanted the students to be imaginative and to give them scope for experimentation.

It was fascinating to see that the two groups who worked on this film produced such different tracks. One group created a beautiful, haunting melody on saxophone and clarinet with xylophone and piano accompaniment. The other group produced a sound collage of unusual noises - not a coherent, melodic track.

ResultsI think the workshop gave the students an insight into how directors and composers try to affect their audience. Ebony, a 12-year-old student, said: “Next time I watch a film I will listen to the soundtrack more - normally I just pay attention to the pictures”.

By separating them, the kids were able to consider how pictures and images become more than the sum of their parts when used together. They also got to analyse each component without distraction.

The Billy Elliot group showed that they understood the

difference between sound effects and background music. I think their experience of working together creatively showed what a rewarding, but difficult, process it is – and helped them to appreciate the experts.

It was also great to watch how the musically talented kids naturally led their groups. All the students supported each other and provided constructive feedback - even across groups.

I’d like to help a group score a whole film next. The American film Koyaanisqatsi, which has no narrative except a succession of beautiful images, would be a great challenge, requiring real imagination.

Kofi Acheampong is a music Teacher and a FILMCLUB Schools’ Support Co-Ordinator. FILMCLUB is a government funded network of after-school film screening clubs. In conjunction with the DCSF’s ‘Year Of Music’, FILMCLUB has started a season of films with great soundtracks and is running composers’ school visits.

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