TTTV064: Why Creativity Matters with Dennis Alexander

Dennis Alexander didn't train formally as a composer. He always wanted to teach, and that's what he studied. He stumbled upon composing a little way into his teaching career, and boy are we glad he did!

Dennis's own teacher embraced his improvisations and flare for creativity. Had he had a different teacher growing up, we might not have his fantastic pieces on our shelves today. It's no wonder that he believes in nurturing his own students' creativity.

It was inspiring to meet Dennis at NCKP 2015 and I'm delighted to have him on the podcast today. Take a listen to one of the foremost pedagogical composers. We're talking about the importance of creativity, teaching composing and even getting an exclusive performance from the man himself.

Transcript

Please find a full transcript of this episode at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, click below to download a PDF. If you are an TopMusicPro Member, you can find the full video and transcript in the Member Resources Area. Not a member? See below for how you can get $50 off your membership today. 

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In this episode, you’ll learn

• How Dennis Alexander got his start as a composer
• The way creativity was approached in his own piano lessons
• How you can get your students composing and improvising
• Why Dennis loved to use the Clavinova in his teaching
• The place of rote pieces in modern piano teaching
• Dennis Alexander's own composing process
• Some of Dennis Alexander's personal favourite compositions

Links Mentioned

• Dennis Alexander's Website
• Creative Composition Toolbox
• Repertoire by Rote by Dennis Alexander & Amy Greer
• Rhythm Roulette
• Especially in Romantic Style (include 'The Promise of Spring')
• A list of all Dennis Alexander's Toccatas
• NCKP 2017

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Thank you for Tuning In!

There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine.

Being a full-time teacher myself, I know how busy teachers are and how much time, effort and passion we put into our students. Sometimes, the last thing we want to do in our time off is listen to more piano teaching stuff! So, well done for using this time for self-improvement.

Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons.

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Full Transcript

[spp-transcript]

What's your favourite Dennis Alexander piece?

Do you have one piece or book of his that you turn to again and again? A piece that's been a student saver for you?

What stood out to you about his approach to creativity and composing?