with less talking and thus save precious
9. The Most Effective Way to Start
week or more if possible. This process will
rehearsal time.
Rehearsal on Time: Start on Time
require good planning on your part, to have
If the rehearsal is to begin at 8 am, step
the upcoming music sets ready for the play-
6. “Stir the Pot”
onto the podium promptly at 7:59 am and
ers ahead of time, but it will pay good divi-
At the beginning of your rehearsal,
begin. The first time you do this the envi-
dends in the end. After all, this is what pro-
greet students and ask them to set up as
ronment may be somewhat frantic, as stu-
fessional musicians do. We should aspire to
normal. After your normal setup and warm
dents rush about the room to open music
instill the same processes for our students.
up, then instruct students that they have
folders, sharp en pencils and assemble
This kind of planning is also what any
two minutes to silently move themselves,
instruments. If you exercise this habit on a
high-level classroom teacher does.
their instrument, and their music to anoth-
consistent basis, how ever, students will dis-
Benefits of providing more ensemble
er seat within the concert arcs seating
cover that you are seri ous about the value of
litera ture include:
arrangement. The rules are that they may
rehearsal time. Without having to lecture
• Students less likely to become bored.
not sit next to someone who plays their
the students or exert undue stress on your-
• Ensembles will begin to sight read
same instrument, and that they must move
self or on them, you can gain back the time
better and learn literature faster.
to a different “zone” of the room (tubas
that is often spent waiting for students to be
• Remember: the performance of the
cannot remain back by the tim pani, etc.).
ready.
music is the outcome, not the goal.
Disrupting the normal listening zones can
The rehearsal process is of the most
be very telling of what work needs to be
10. Consistency in Teaching is the
Cornerstone of a Good Ensemble
value to students.
done! NOTE - this does not work well
Remember, your students are children.
when students are just beginning to work 13. Consider the Possibilities of “Kid
Treat them as young adults, but remember
on a new piece of music (they need and rely
Power”
that you will have to repeat yourself. Be
on section strength) and this does not work
Empower students with the “business
patient! An unwise band director once said,
with beginners.
of the band,” and recognize how much time
“... but I told them that back in
and energy can be conserved by the director
7. Use a Set Time Interval
September!” Yet, to be successful, you will
toward other tasks. Make a list of simple
Utilize a kitchen-style egg timer or
have to tell them to sit up in their chairs at
duties and pre-/post-rehearsal tasks that stu-
stop watch on your music stand. Set it for
least 1,247,316 times this semester. Teach,
dents can do. For example, consider assign-
eight minutes. Following the warm up rou-
and re teach. This is our job!
ing students to erase the board at the end of
tine, press start on your timer, and start each rehearsal, remove papers and other
11. Sight Read Early and Often
working on the first item on your list. trash from the instru ment room floor,
Have sight reading materials readily
When the timer sounds eight minutes later, straighten up the chairs and music stands,
available for your ensemble rehearsals and
move immediate ly on to your next listed sharpen pencils, and so on. It is amazing
use them fre quently. Pull a few older/easier
item. This will con dition you, the director, how much directors can become dis tracted
things from the music library that this
to stay on task and to prioritize and pace by the business side of the job, and our stu-
year’s ensemble has never seen, or borrow a
your work. This tactic, of course, is not dents are often willing and able to take on a
few simple pieces from the junior high or
always practical in the early stages of learn- reasonable level of responsibility. Doing so
elementary library. The sight reading
ing a new set of music, but can serve as a helps them to establish a feeling of owner-
process should be an ongoing experi ence in
very refreshing change of pace a few weeks ship within the organization.
your classroom! Ensembles that sight read
prior to festival performance. You may also
well at festivals are not ensembles that wait
find that the musicians are enter tained to
14. Train and Use Student Conductors
until the prior week to learn about the
see if their director can get the job done in
Training student conductors can be
process. Frequent new pieces of music on
eight quick minutes!
very quick, can yield great time savings for
the stand will also keep students alert, with
the director, and can actually yield more
8. Visualize the Melody
a fresh musical experience.
student playing time. Students can conduct
When students have achieved a moder- warm ups, allowing the director to circulate
12. Complete a Full Cycle of Music Each
ate level of confidence with the notes and
Semester
through the room checking such items as
rhythms, ask them to participate in a game
Plan to devote one hour this week to
posture and behavior. Students can conduct
as they play through a designated chunk of
design on a piece of paper a skeletal map of
sections of the music at a woodshedding
the piece. During this time, ask those with
the pieces that you plan to program for the
tempo, allowing the director to stand in or
the melody to stand, and to sit when their
remainder of this school year. On the flip
near the section needing correction to check
instru ment group ceases to have the melody
side of that same piece of paper, start to
progress and assist as need ed. Student con-
(á la Canadian Brass). This will help all
map out some possibili ties for next year. As
ductors can conduct music the class already
players in the room visualize the melodic
ideas come into your head for new pieces to
knows when the director is absent and a
material, and help to emphasize what needs
program, add them to your list. Leave flexi-
quality music sub cannot be found.
to be brought out in the sound, and what
bility for possible changes, but do have a
Students conducting can allow the director
material is sup portive. Students will love
plan in place. Overlap the rehearsals of
to complete a timely task. Training is as
this!
these different sets of music by at least one
simple as providing a chart of a conducting
MAY 2009 13 TEMPO
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