Introduction
In the First quarter of 2026, as part of the module for the Community Music Project, I, alongside my project partners Nate Chadwick and Jack O’Reily, took part in a 12-hour, 3-week placement at Leeds Junior Conservatoire on select dates. With Graphic Notation being the main theme of our project. While this project was deemed a success by both the staff and us, this assignment and its contents will discuss the aspects that were a part of our placement as well as the considerations we took, the end goals we achieved and the feedback we received from the supporting staff, which helped us manage this project..
Background
Graphic Scores, in their simplest definitions, can be described as the representation of music through the usage of visual symbols, and fall outside traditional musical notations, while hybrid versions do exist that incorporate traditional notation with Graphic Scoring. However, with the lack of standardisation within Graphic Scoring, the variability it creates is one of its main characteristics.
The history of Graphic scores can be traced back to the early 1960’s, where composers began to experiment with contemporary visual art trends, where they would use visual symbols, images and shapes alongside text instead of using traditional notation. Graphic Scores, which are a non-traditional method of scoring, allowed composers to express complex sounds and more interpretative playing when it came to pitch, rhythm and texture. Doing this helped to create more open and flexible musical experiences, where no two experiences of the same piece would be alike.
Community Music Placement Video Evidence
Considerations and how they were addressed
While our project was to be set in a young music institution, there were three main concerns that were addressed.
Appendix: Colour Cards used
When working with graphic scores, especially ones that have multiple colours present in the score was found that participants affected by colourblindness would not be able to distinguish between the different colours that would be used. This was also applicable to participants sitting further away from the director, who would have a hard time making out the different colours they had on their score. While this project was tested with a score we did in the seminars, we were advised to add symbols as well as make the colour cards larger so that the differences between the parts could be made out. This proved to be useful with the older Cohort we were working with, as the large size of the room meant a more spread-out arrangement. The inclusion of large symbols and relatively large colour cards helped us direct with much more ease.
Appendix: Score for the color card
Another consideration we had to keep in mind was the improvisatory nature of this activity, especially with the younger participants; some of them could suffer from performance anxiety, as the graphic scores breach into new, unknown territory. To counter this, there was a workload split, while someone would handle directing, the other members of this project would be a part of the ensemble, helping alleviate any fears the younger participants may have had. This particularly helped when the younger cohort decided to direct scores they had created, as it allowed them to emulate safely what we had done prior.
The final consideration, while not directly related to the project, was the logistical constraints we would have, as our project was split over long periods of time, there were concerns that some participants in the younger cohort might forget the scores they had created in the previous sessions or not do the work we had assigned to them for the older cohort. This reared its head in the final session, with the younger cohort not bringing the scores they had created and intended to perform from their last session. We ended up performing a backup score Nate had created, with them taking the lead in directing the score. Inspired by this, we also had the participants from the younger cohort offer to direct the score. This led to us having multiple different interpretations of the same score. With the older group, the work we had assigned to the groups was left unfinished. We did have time in our provision to have the participants create scores, and the people who had done their assigned work were given the opportunity to create a new score should they wish to.
An issue we faced in the last week of the project could be attributed to my own negligence, as this assignment requires recordings to be done on Video on Leeds Conservatoire cameras and with our weird scheduling for our final week, which was our most important week in terms of results, I forgot to pick up the camera, which lost us all footage for that week. However, despite this, we were able to receive feedback from the support staff after our placement in the form of a verbal discussion between us which was recoreded for our reference.
Timeline of Project
We got the first taste of what this project could offer on the 17th of January, when we were invited by the Leeds Junior Conservatoire staff to shadow the two classes we would be working with. We were introduced to the younger cohort, who were a part of the Discovering Music sessions. These sessions were created as a way for the younger musicians to be aware of the different creative methods the composers they were studying undertook. My project partners and I shadowed the class, observed how the main staff cared for the children, and introduced new topics to the children, sometimes in the form of games, which we also took part in. On the same day, we were introduced to the much larger older cohort, in a general session where we briefly introduced ourselves to the project, we found volunteers who’d be willing to be a part of this project. After the sessions were over, we were invited to discuss our upcoming project plans with the support staff we’d be working with to show our plans of what we’d be carrying out in the classrooms.
The 31st of January soon arrived, and with it the first session with the younger cohort of the placement. The early nature of the session meant that a lot of the participants arriving would be tired from waking up early. To start the session, we discussed the music with any willing participants who would be interested in sharing with the entire room. This was a good way to get the participants energised and ready to engage in any discussion that would happen going forward, this would while we were still waiting for the participants to arrive. We would then use one of the warm-up activities that we observed during the session where we shadowed the staff. (0:01 – 0:26 ) This proved useful as it was a familiar activity the participants were used to, and it helped to get them ready and be centered to be a part of the week’s activity
Appendix: Week 1 Tentative Timeline
As this was the first session over the 3 weeks, there was an executive decision amongst us to introduce the theme of Graphic Scores to the younger group. We went over a few different composers that were popular for their usage of Graphic Scores, which included Wadada Leo Smith, Matana Roberts, Mark Applebaum and Joana Ward, alongside their famous works. After the presentation, we also performed a piece that Nate had created, as we were joined by a few external visitors from the University. This segment of the session helped as it gave the participants a second-hand experience of how graphic scores tend to be performed (1:22 1:51). We then asked the participants of the activity for any feedback, which ranged from the piece being very abstract, but at the same time, our performance had fit the themes of the piece well, with some feedback given to add certain aspects, such as more happier sounding sections. Using this feedback, we performed a shorter version of the piece, which fit the feedback really well.
Appendix: Week 1 Presentation
After this, there was the opportunity for the younger group to be a part of the creation of their own scores, with the colour pencils, crayons, sketch pens as well as clipboards and paper we provided, the next hour, including the time after the scheduled break, was used to for them to create their own scores (1:51 – 2:25). After the scores were created, we used it as an opportunity to discuss what the participants and we had created, and how they would perform them should the need arise. Since this week’s session had some time remaining, a few participants were allowed to play the scores voluntarily, which was seen as a positive step in building improvisational skills. (2:30 – 2:40)
The older group’s first half of the session followed a slightly changed format, as it did not need a warm-up activity; it started with a round of introductions from us as well as the participants. The same presentation from the younger group was used, but this time with the addition of a score that Nate had recorded, after the performance of the same score and a round of feedback from the participants, which fell along the same lines. However, after the break, there was a performance of another score Nate had created, performed by the participants and us (4:00 – 5:30), with feedback driven from the participants after each individual performance of the score. This helped and made sure that none of the performances had any repetitive elements, which gave the participants first-hand experience on how to approach a graphic score. The session was then concluded with a preview of what we would be working on in the coming session.
Appendix: Scores performed and showcased with the older group
The second session on the 14th of February initially got off to a much more subdued start, as the time was approaching the scheduled half-term break, there was a sense of generally subdued behaviour and lack of anticipation from the younger group. As with previous sessions, this session also started with one of the games we used as a warm-up activity, and we discussed the music that we and any volunteering participants listened to over the week. Despite this, the energy remained subdued, and Nate decided to lead the participants in a rather energetic warmup activity (5:30 – 6:30 ). After spirits had been lifted, we moved to the main theme of the younger group’s session. They were given a few pictures and allowed to create their own scores, with the aim of being played in the next session. After the scores had been created with the materials provided, we split the participants into groups led by us, and we discussed how we would like to perform the scores.
Week 2: Tentative Timeline
Appendix: Presentation relating music and color
For the older group, this session focused on how colour played an impact on the creative processes of many artists, in a presentation led by Jack. The presentation kept its standard nature of being a source of information, should any students be interested in graphic scoring. The presentation tied in, we would perform one of Nate’s scores, a multi colored score with each score having different sections visible. The first half of this session was directed by Nate (7:10 – 8:50) , and after each performance, there were discussions on how certain parts should sound. This went on until the break, where it was decided that we would be rotating directorial duties. With the participants and us, this in turn helped to give the participants an experience with directing a piece, even if it started with a rather unconventional method of reading and performing scores. (9:00 – 11:13)
The Third week started off with a lapse in judgment as I failed to obtain the camera from the AV department at Leeds Conservatoire. However, despite the lack of footage, the project went rather successfully.
While talking to the younger cohort about performing their scores, they had created, we realised a lot of them had forgotten their scores at home. However, we kept a contingency plan to still allow for fruitful music-making in the shared space. We used the score that Nate had created for the Older cohort and undertook the same practice. We swapped scores across the participants and gave them the chance to direct the score as well. After this, we decided to have the participants create another set of scores, and if willing, give them the opportunity to perform the same. As this was the final session, we gave them feedback, as well as potential ideas to incorporate the techniques they learnt into their own practice
With the older group, since a few of them had not finished the assigned work, we allotted some time after my presentation on extended techniques they could use in their own practice. After the remaining scores were completed, there was an opportunity for the participants to direct their own scores and have us perform the scores with the other participants of this project. This went on for the entire session. Before the project came to a close, we got the opportunity to discuss how they could use the lessons they learned from the three sessions we took in their own practice. We both received positive feedback from the support staff of the younger as well as the older cohort noting our skills to adapt to any sudden situation.
Appendix: Presentation about extended techniques and Scores created by a particpant from the older cohort
Appendix: Week 3 Planned Timeline
Evaluation
This project broke away from the usual trend of community music projects by being completed in the shortest amount of sessions needed, as well as having the longest number of hours, coming to 12 hours of work done in 3 sessions. This project was deemed a success by both the staff that we worked with and us. This particular section of the assignment will explain why.
One of our main goals with choosing Graphic Scores as the central theme of our activities throughout the placement was to improve the improvisatory skills of all parties involved, as due to the non-traditional nature of scoring involving colours, lines, shapes and visual cues rather than the rigid nature of traditional notes, making them act as artistic guides rather than strict instructions.
While with the younger group, while wanting to introduce the theme of Graphic Scores we also wanted to foster compositional skills from a young age, and it was deemed a success as there was an overwhelming response for the opportunity to create scores for the younger group, with a few even volunteering to play the scores they had created. This also helped to alleviate any fears we had about performance anxiety that the participants would face.
With the older group, one of our main focuses was to improve their understanding of graphic scores, as some participants had a limited knowledge of the scores prior to our session, it helped us to mold the knowledge even better. Another main byproduct of using Graphic scores was to improve the improvisational skills, while a bit tricky for the participants to understand how to improvise, but after trial and error, there was a cohesive product by the end of the project. Alongside better improvisational skills, this was also helpful in learning different approaches to explore their instrument and help them implement their skills in a non-traditional way.
Refrences
12tone (2018). Graphic Scores: Beyond The Written Note. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy9I-lC93gE [Accessed 7 Oct. 2021].
Brewer, H. (2022). Graphic Scores and Improvisation | Henry Brewer. [online] Arts.ac.uk. Available at: https://henrybrewer.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2022/04/29/hgkjs/.
Campbell, L. (2023). Centering Students In The Music Education Classroom: Five Approaches To Encouraging Student Voice – LEARN Blog – learning from each other and building a community. [online] LEARN Blog. Available at: https://blogs.learnquebec.ca/2023/01/centering-students-in-the-music-education-classroom-five-approaches-to-encouraging-student-voice/ [Accessed 4 Jan. 2026].
Kojs, J. (2011). Notating Action-Based Music. Leonardo Music Journal, 21(21), pp.65–72. doi:https://doi.org/10.1162/lmj_a_00063.
Mathieu, V. (2026). Unlocking Creativity with Graphic Scores – Suzuki Association of the Americas. [online] Suzukiassociation.org. Available at: https://suzukiassociation.org/journalarticle/unlocking-creativity-with-graphic-scores/ [Accessed 4 Jan. 2026].
Merwitzer, N. (2021). Play on: how to build community on campus through music. [online] THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/play-how-build-community-campus-through-music [Accessed 4 Jan. 2026].
Music Teacher Resources (2025). 10 Engaging Icebreaker Activities for Your Music Classroom. [online] Music-teacher-resources.com. Available at: https://www.music-teacher-resources.com/blog/10%20Engaging%20Icebreaker%20Activities%20for%20Your%20Music%20Classroom.
