<p>Just a quick word about the matter of composition lessons/teachers. One way to go is to have a piano teacher who encourages students to write pieces (or allows some assignment of contemporary “new music” pieces in lessons). Maybe even a teacher who gives CD’s of various composers, including 20th and 21st century ones, to educate the student on composition in general.</p>
<p>The other thing is that at teacher can be consulted once a month, or even less often, if the student is busily working on his or her own. This does not squelch creativity, but helps it along. If the student meets with a teacher when this meeting is needed, by the student, rather than on a set schedule, the process can work very well for some students who like to go on their own creative steam.</p>
<p>Sometimes, a teacher can bring some inspiration and ideas at the beginning of a composition project, and a lot of fine-tuning, tips on craftsmanship, as well as support and validation, at the end, but even a beginning student can make a lot of progress in the middle of the work, without a teacher.</p>
<p>Musicinthebones, love your list and hope it can be more prominent in the site. Totally agree that hearing variety in a composition program’s student works is an important sign. This was one of our daughter’s main criteria :)</p>
<p>Different strokes for different folks, but just want to mention that option.</p>