The Internet has made it way easier for young musicians to learn any instrument, because they can find lessons, demonstrations, exercises, and performances on the internet. However, music education mainly focuses on learning music that has already been written. Very few resources introduce young students to the process of creating music of their own.
PieceFoundry was created to help fill that gap.
As a pianist and composer, I was more interested in understanding how music is created over simply performing music. I wrote my first composition at age seven and am continuing to write original works for solo piano. Composition let me experiment with melodies, patterns, harmony, and structure. Meanwhile, it has developed ideas that were my own.
More recently, I began expanding beyond solo piano through advanced composition programs, including the Penn State Young Composers Institute and the Indiana University Jacobs Composition Academy Summer Intensive. These programs introduced me to writing for duos and chamber ensembles, a starting point for including multiple instruments. It gave me opportunities to develop music that was recorded or performed by professional musicians.
During this period, the idea for PieceFoundry began to take shape.
I wanted to create a place where younger students could discover composition earlier without needing years of experience or advanced musical training first. PieceFoundry is designed for students in Grades 1 to 8, including those who have never written music before as well as young composers who are already working on their own pieces and would like feedback and guidance.
Tutoring through PieceFoundry is completely free. My goal is not to make composition feel exclusive or inaccessible, but to give young musicians an opportunity to take their first creative steps and discover what they are capable of making.
Beyond Performance: The Art of Composition
Learning to perform music written by others is an essential part of becoming a musician, because it develops technique, musicality, discipline, and an understanding of great works.
However, composition offers another side of music: the opportunity to create something that did not exist before.
A student might begin with only three notes. From there, those notes can grow into phrases, sections, harmonies, and complete pieces.
At PieceFoundry, students are encouraged to explore melody, rhythm, harmony, patterns, form, and musical structure while developing their own ideas. The goal is to help students understand how musical choices work so that they can use those tools creatively.
There is no requirement to already think of yourself as a composer. Composing begins simply with curiosity, not knowledge.
Bridging STEM and Symphony
I grew up with interests in both STEM and the creative arts. I see music as an art, because music can be abstract, realistic, and objective while maintaining creativity, just like art. Composing music also has some logic and intuition towards it. That is the main thing I find most fascinating about composition: it combines logic and creativity.
Through PieceFoundry, students can see that composing does not have to be mysterious. A piece of music can be approached step by step. For instance, it can be experimented with an idea, listening to what happens, changing it, and gradually building something larger, which is the main characteristic of minimalism.
While there is logic, there is no formula to create any meaningful music. Creativity provides imagination, and imagination somewhat determines where those possibilities end up.
Learn, Create, and Share
PieceFoundry is more than a collection of lessons. Students can receive guidance on their own compositions, explore educational materials, and learn through my blog, where I share composition ideas, techniques, observations, and creative exercises.
Most importantly, I want PieceFoundry to give young musicians permission to think of themselves not only as people who play music, but also as people who can create it.
Join the Journey
PieceFoundry is for students who are curious about what happens when they stop asking:
“How do I play this note?”
and begin asking:
“What could I create?”
Whether you are in Grade 1 or Grade 8, whether you already have a piece in progress or have never written a single measure, you are welcome to begin here.
It is free. It is open. And it starts with your first three notes.
Are you ready to compose your own story?