In an exciting educational initiative, the Arizona Philharmonic is putting recorders — and creative power — into the hands of Prescott third-graders. Now in its second year, the innovative Composition Collaboration Project goes beyond simply teaching children to play instruments: it empowers them to compose their own orchestral music.
“Part of our vision is to strengthen the arts infrastructure within Arizona,” explains Maria Flurry, one of the program’s leaders. Working with her husband Henry, the couple brings decades of music education experience to the classrooms at Lincoln, Taylor Hicks and Abia Judd elementary schools.
The program follows a thoughtfully designed curriculum that introduces young students to the basic tools of music composition: tempo, instrument choice, melody, dynamics and harmony. After learning to recognize these elements in a movement from the classic Disney film Fantasia, students break into small groups to become ‘experts’ on different musical components.
What makes this approach special is its emphasis on authentic learning. “There is no wrong answer,” Maria emphasizes, noting how validating this is for students “in a world where there are a lot of wrong answers.” By the end of the first session nearly every child shows physical signs of engagement, with about 25% of classes featuring students voluntarily singing their musical ideas.
The creative process unfolds over three classroom visits. First, students craft melodies using three notes they’ve learned on their recorders. During the second session they collaborate with Henry and Maria to add orchestral accompaniment that enhances the emotional content of their compositions. By the third visit, students rehearse their parts with computer-generated orchestration, preparing for a special performance. With each class adding its own section, the piece evolves into a collective composition.
The program’s impact extends beyond music education. Thanks to a partnership between AZPhil and PUSD, with an Acker Trust Grant, every third-grader has received their own recorder to keep and practice at home. This initiative aims to boost band and orchestra enrollment as students get older, having experienced the joy of instrumental music.
Joel Timmins, music teacher at Lincoln and Taylor Hicks, is enthusiastic about the Flurrys’ work with her students. “Henry and Maria Flurry have ignited every third-grader’s mind with music composition. Their lessons are very productive in teaching the process of writing music for the orchestra. The computer program they use demonstrates the children’s musical ideas in real time. The children are engaged in every lesson and deeply excited about what they have created together. It is an incredibly exciting program for my students. I am thankful for the Flurrys’ time and dedication to music-making in our community.”
The highlight of this program will take place on April 25, when the students gather at the Ruth Street Theatre to perform their original composition alongside professional musicians from AZPhil. They’ll experience firsthand what it means to be part of an orchestra, playing in harmony with others while seeing and hearing their own music come to life. Then on April 27 this student-created piece will open AZPhil’s final concert of the season, showcasing the students’ work for the broader community.
Beyond the notes and rhythms, this program fosters creativity, confidence and a deep appreciation for music. It also underscores the importance of public support for the arts. As funding for arts education continues to be a challenge, initiatives like this serve as a reminder of the profound impact music can have on young minds.
“Kids comprehend a lot more than most adults give them credit for,” Henry notes. This belief drives the program’s approach, which treats children as capable creative partners. The proof comes when the students surprise their instructors with sophisticated musical concepts, like one child who suggested adding a pause between phrases, an advanced compositional concept.
With each note played and every melody created, Prescott’s young musicians are not just learning music, they are shaping the future of their community’s artistic landscape. Through this program AZPhil demonstrates its commitment to making music education accessible and participatory, fulfilling its organizational philosophy that “what’s good for one arts organization is good for all arts organizations.”
For those interested in supporting AZPhil’s educational outreach, donations can help expand these programs and ensure that future students have access to meaningful musical experiences.
More information is available through AZPhil.org, including program notes and tickets for Echoes and Riffs, the season-finale performance, which will begin with the collaborative piece and include works by Arvo Part, Ernest Bloch, Frederick Delius and Nikolai Kapustin.
