OPINIONS UPON THE PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF COMPOSING TECHNIQUES IN MUSICOLOGY DEPARTMENTS

Abstract

It is possible to see that composing techniques have important places in the curriculum of Musicology departments in the countries which are clinging to the tradition of composing that is special to international classical music. Within this context, this article, by examining the examples of former Soviet Union countries and France, puts forward the fact that these countries set some major standards in terms of training for composing techniques. In setting the position of the composing concept in the process of education-training, without ignoring the practice all over the world, some problems are touched upon in order to give an efficient and meaningful example in Turkey in this matter. It is the primary problem that there are not enough courses opened on the theory of music in most of the curriculums for Musicology departments in our country. Especially in the universities of the cities at the Eastern part of Turkey, not opening the music theory courses, which are important in terms of profession, in Musicology departments poses an obstacle for training individuals who are proficient in the mentioned field. Another problem is that although the Musicology Departments are active in Faculties of Fine Arts, the Musicology departments opened in Conservatories cannot bring any innovation or difference with regard to composing techniques. However, the number and the subjects that the departments, which focus on Musicology at European universities, have to make the students gain the ability for composing and arrangement are worthy of respect. When the current situation resulting from the musical education/training process in Turkey is examined, it is obviously seen that the requirements to completely perform the aforesaid courses for composing techniques are not met. In this study, there has been made some suggestions to popularize these courses on learning the composing techniques, to make them compulsory and to perform these courses in conformity with global standards. In the research, descriptive survey method was used. A number of internet resources were used to be able to compare the education/training processes in Turkey and other countries. As a result of the analysis of examined examples and gained teaching experience, it has been determined that there are critical deficiencies about the field of composing techniques. However, by considering these deficiencies, it has been concluded that the current conditions should be improved and that it may be possible to add the composing techniques course in the curriculum of the Musicology or Music departments under one title.