1) Learn how to put the instrument the music, In most cases they would Routine
together and take it apart correctly. quickly recognize that they have
Sounds easy but try teaching it to a already played these first lessons in the In Ed Sueta Book 2, there are five les-
large class of eager students. This was book. sons that are similar, but each introduces a
important for all instruments, but 8) By this time, the class was able to different scale. These lessons, the first three
especially for the clarinets and saxes. quickly learn to read the first few les- lines, became the daily warm-up routine for
2) Teach them how to produce concert D sons because they had already played my second-year students. I was accomplish-
and hold the note for four beats. most of the lessons without the book. ing two things: a good warm-up and the
3) Watch each section, one section at a The only addition was the reading. I learning of five scales. They also made Book
time put their instruments together. would also have the students write in 2 go by much more quickly than Book 1. I
Have them play the B flat concert and the names of each note . I would allow was constantly using call and response play-
add a concert F flat. I taught these them to do this for the first half of the ing and with the scale lessons, I could have
notes first because they were so much book only. individual students do the call portion. A
easier for the flutes to team, and they typical lesson for me included: having the
are good beginning notes for brass, as After these first four weeks of basic students play the scale lesson for about five
well. I generally asked each student to teaching, I always felt like many things had minutes or so; introducing or reviewing the
play his or her note separately, and been established: posture, instrument posi- lesson they were working on for most of the
quickly helped each student to play the tion, tonguing, embouchure and class period; perhaps having a test or having the
note correctly. Again I did lots of back expectations (raise hand to talk, etc.). This students play individually for a few meas-
and forth, with me playing first and does not mean I was through teaching these ures; and then ending the lesson with a
then having the students play. I wan- concepts, only that they had been presented review of something fun to play, probably
dered in and out of the rows of musicians, and would be constantly monitored and from a previous lesson.
reinforcing posture and embouchure. re-taught until they became second nature
4) Add concert F to the other notes. for the students. Final thoughts
Teaching the concept of holding each
note for four beats (five foot-taps). In Method books In closing I would like to bring up a
addition to teaching notes these first few points and thoughts about being an ele-
few lessons, I gave careful instruction The method book that I used for the mentary band teacher. These don’t fit
about how to tongue properly, starting majority of my teaching was the Ed Sueta neatly into any particular category except
the note and when to end the note. Method Book. I experimented with different that each is important to me.
Lots of up and down and lots of method books at one school each year, but 1) Teaching the class was important to
call-and-response type of playing. Lots I always came back to Ed Sueta. I believe all me. Students know when something is
of individual playing. of the method books are good; you have to important to the teacher, and if it is
5) Add concert B flat and concert C. Have find the one that best suits you and your not, they will also know that. I tried to
the students play the notes in scale teaching situation. For a twice-a-week, never cancel a class for any reason.
order. Lots more call and response and 45-minute class, Sueta was excellent in that 2) Try to make producing a tone the top
lots more checking each individual. a new lesson could be introduced the first priority. Dick Bantsari once told me
Always wandering around the room day, and the second day it could be pretty that if he could get the student to pro-
and encouraging posture and well played. Having a playing test would duce a good tone then he could get
embouchure and instrument position. add another day to the lesson. The book fol- them hooked on band. I found this to
6) More up and down the five notes and lowed a good sequence. What was intro- be very true.
helping each student. I would actually duced in one lesson was pretty well used 3) Learn to pace yourself. It is fine to go
be playing several of the first lines of throughout the book thereafter. I also liked to other programs and to get involved
the book I would eventually use, but the fact that it got the clarinets into the in school and with your teaching but I
we were not reading the book yet. I was upper register quickly and included a great have seen excellent teachers burn
constantly monitoring posture, instru- section for that purpose. I supplemented themselves out by trying to do too
ment position and listening to see if the book with talk about the composers, the much and then getting to the point
the student was tonguing properly. period of the music and a little history where they no longer enjoyed teaching.
7) Introduce the method book that was about the music. What I really liked about 4) Follow the students in their music
being used. I would have the students Sueta was that the teacher had to do the careers. I loved watching all of my
set up the stand and the book. (I loved teaching, but the book was an excellent out- former students in junior and senior
the wire stands because when I had stu- line. I would use Standard of Excellence and high contests (I could see all of the
dents print their names in large letters Accent on Achievement for my private stu- bands on the same day), and I would
on the front of their books, it would dents. What I liked about those two books occasionally go to the state solo contest
really help me to learn their names.) I were the fin tunes and the fact that I could and watch students perform there as
would play a line and have the class teach the students to use SmartMusic with
point to each note or measure, reading them.
continued on next page
MAY 2009 37 TEMPO
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