orchestra
Building Bridges to the Music Classroom Cynthia Kiepert, WMEA State Chair, Orchestra
Students in the 21st century want to learn and experi- ence things about their own time in history. For some, it may be all about composing, forming a band of their own, learning to fiddle,
exploring Celtic music, classical, jazz, hip hop, Latin, introducing and learning about authentic musical instruments of a particular heritage, rock music of the 21st century and of the past. Our students have diverse interests in types of music when it comes to what their passion is to study and explore. As music educators, we supply the inspiration for them to discover their own musical interests and encourage them to create, perform and reflect.
When thinking about how to write this article on “bridging the gap” to the music classroom, I looked around the orchestra classrooms at the elementary and second- ary levels. Students were listening to their smartphones, iPods, beating their pencil on a stand or a desk creating rhythm, watching a YouTube video or just moving to music. So what is it that engages these students and holds their attention? What is it that awakens an interest in them to attend a musical class?
I decided to search various Wisconsin cur- riculum guides to see what we, as music educators in our state, are offering our students in the public schools right now. It is a wide variety of classes with subjects such as symphonic orchestra; chamber or- chestra; orchestras for advanced students; instrumental jazz classes; band, choir, vo- cal jazz and ensemble classes; string choir ensembles using movement (Barrage); music composition; music appreciation; AP music theory; GarageBand; history of popular music; contemporary music studies; movies and music; piano; key- board; classical piano; guitar I & II; digital
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music production and multiple technology courses. As you can see, the list of courses includes performance opportunities, tech- nology, advanced courses for the music major student and introductory courses that require little or no music training at all. These courses are making a bridge for students with music ability and for those without a musical background to the mu- sic classroom. If I were going to school now, I would enroll in the contemporary music studies course, which explores hip hop, musical composition and movies and music (I love older movies, movies from the present time – Star Wars – Pirates – to mention a few.) I believe that I watch because I want to experience the films’ musical score, especially from the great film composers, I get “tingles.”
Another bridge a teacher may use to help “connect the dots” may be in collaborating with an academic classroom colleague, like making a connection with students through a history lesson and using music to tie them together for understanding. It can be done with science projects, el- ementary science days, math, art projects or a dance class in the high school. There are a plethora of collaboration ideas. I just recently experienced an elementary school that uses theater productions in sixth grade classroom to teach a history lesson and they use music as one of the teaching tools.
A young cellist came up to me the other day; told me of his favorite Irish tune for piano and was wondering if I could turn that tune into a cello part for his whole cello lesson group (12 cellos). I said “yes, can you sing it to me?” He sang it! I was so excited. I said “sure and we will both teach it to the cello class on the next Day 3” (six-day elementary schedule for MAPES). It is an example of bridging an idea from an activity performed at home to school and to the classroom. It is a con- nection made using a student’s musical interest that the classroom may not have
experienced. Students continually have these interests daily.
As a more senior music teacher, I am find- ing many innovative ideas other teachers are using to engage students with or with- out musical backgrounds. One such way is forming ensembles within the classroom setting. Another idea is composition, which can be incorporated into any music program at any age; young elementary stu- dent through adult with little or no musical background (with guidance from a music teacher or teaching artist). How about adding dance movements, drumming or electronic instruments to your class? Are these ideas that you could enhance what you are already doing in the music classroom? Will they excite and bring students into the music classroom? These are questions I am asking myself.
On a final thought, I find it really impor- tant to come up with at least one piece of special music for each student, each group or the whole orchestra class. At a recent violin lesson, I selected a piece for a senior violinist that I thought she would really enjoy and fit with her choices of music through the years. We ended up having an extended lesson after school and this violinist left with a smile on her face; so did the teacher! It was the perfect choice and she really appreciated having her very own piece, senior year. It is one of the many reasons I chose this profes- sion and I am sure many of you feel the same way.
Connection is the bridge to any aspect of life. In teaching, building a connection with a student or a group of students is one of the most important aspects that a teacher can do to bridge the gap to the music classroom.
Cynthia Kiepert teaches orchestra in the Stevens Point Area Public School District. Email:
ckiepert@pointschools.net
April 2016
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