MUS 344: Teaching of Instrumental Music

1. MUS 344: Teaching of Instrumental Music Literature Selection 3

2. Recap of Greek Folk Song Suite Q-Factor: what is your number for this piece? Grid Analysis: structure and elements? Ostling: what are your recommendations?

5. Ostling (1978) • How does GFSS measure-up based upon these questions? • Form: structure, framework • Is there contrast and repetition? (“music is the same or it is different”) • Scoring: Instrumentation • Is it effective? Is there contrast? • Creativity • Is it interesting and unique? Cliché? • Style • Consistent style? Good quality throughout? Variety of colors?

6. MUS 344: Teaching of Instrumental Music Concert Programming 1 – Content Strategies

7. Length of Concerts • Typical problems • Too short • Too long – the marathon concert • Recommended length • 60-75 minutes (number of groups, transitions) • Check with parents and administrators for help

8. Variety and Contrast • Content • For you, the students, and the audience • Entertain and educate • Tempo • Typical for all fast and one slow • Change from piece to piece • Avoid 2 consecutive slow pieces

9. Variety and Contrast • Duration of pieces • Elementary pieces are usually too long • Follow a long piece with a short piece • Avoid 2 consecutive long pieces • Key signatures • Concert B-flat or limited accidentals are typical • Why not play a variety?

10. Variety and Contrast • Number of movements • Don’t need to play all movements • Logical progression (e.g., end on fast) • Consider relative durations • Separate multi-movement pieces • Contemporary versus traditional • Number of generations in audience • Introduce symphonic repertoire and music that students experience regularly

11. Variety and Contrast • Form and structure • Avoid concerts of all the same type of music (e.g., overtures) • Embed skills and development of concepts • Multi-cultural • Know your community • Comprehensive musicianship and cross-curricular opportunities • Color or orchestration: not all tutti; expose all sections, promoting development; solos?

12. Difficulty Considerations • Balance among your selections • Easy selections • Accuracy achieved more quickly • More time to work on other selections • Selections matching current ability • Judge based on the majority of the class • Focus is on ensemble skill and refinement • One piece that challenges • Develop skills, might not be perfect • Play multiple times; grow with the piece

13. Special Events • Theme concerts • Patriotic, school anniversaries, holiday concerts • Community events; performance requests • Guest soloists (who can be a guest artist?) • Provides contrast • Audience appeal • Promote the program • Provides a model • Ensemble accompanying skills

14. Starting a Concert • Start with an easy piece • Eases students in; nervousness • Is this a first concert for some students? • Lively and energetic: gets audience’s attention (march?) • Something students enjoy • Not too long

15. Ending a Concert • Climax of the concert • Make it memorable • Consider pop music arrangement • Marches • Medleys • End with a “wow” • Sousa: always leave them wanting for more

16. Remainder of the Program • Increase and decrease intensity • Light to serious • Long to short • Fast to slow • Tutti to solo/soli; different instrumentation • Second selection • Most serious, challenging, endurance • Audience still has fresh ears • Soloist to end first half or entire concert?

17. Additional Considerations • Think about concert as a whole, not individual pieces • Be thoughtful and creative • Move pieces around while planning • Faculty band • Combine bands • Parents and administrators • Must consider students, teacher, and audience • Balance of education and entertainment

18. MUS 344: Teaching of Instrumental Music Concert Programming – Units, Scheduling, Planning

19. Units of Study – Time Between Concerts • Impact on teaching • Long term planning – daily planning • Type of performances • Comprehensive musicianship • Assessment schedule • Number of rehearsals • Standardized testing, final exams, snow days, emergencies, holidays, illness (teacher and students) • Concerts (Plan each spring – early!!) • 9 to 12 week cycles • 2 to 4 per year

20. Concert Scheduling Considerations • School Calendar • Sports, vacations, quarters vs. semesters, staff development, block vs. traditional • What are typical events during the school year? • Day of the week? • Not Wednesdays or Sundays? (know your community) • Not Mondays or Fridays • Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays • Before or after a contest? • Use concert as warm-up (before) • Use contest comments as learning opportunity (after)

21. Content of a Unit of Study Concert preparation Comprehensive musicianship – curriculum? Sightreading Assessment

22. Preparing for a Performance • Smaller Segments • 1-week plans, 2-week plans, full cycle plans • Repetition • Within day, day-to-day, within cycle • Framework • Plans reflect each segment size (1, 2, 8-week) • Plan extra time, just in case you need it! • Plans are more specific within smaller plan segments • What happens the week after the concert/contest? • Goals? • Don’t be afraid to modify the plan according to needs

23. For Monday Instrumentation assignment is due Read scheduling resources from Compass Literature groups?