Elementary Band Materials and

Resources

Richard Laprise

February 21, 2017

 Agenda
Beginning band
Selecting a
Method Book
Sight Reading
Selecting Music
Teaching the
Music
Composers of
the Week
 Beginner Band
Developing Squeaks and Squawks
into Beautiful Sounds
Curricular Considerations for Adolescent Musicians
Is the ensemble
A feeder program?
An activity or for entertainment?
Academic and literacy based?
Other Considerations
Is the performance an assessment
or entertainment?
Who decides this?
Is the performance a demonstration
of what students have learned (not
part of assessment)?
Is music at appropriate difficulty
level for the ensemble?
Other Considerations for Beginner Band
Not their first musical experience

What experiences do you think they have?

How does that affect how you teach?

Beginner Band does not mean Elementary Band

Should High Schools have beginner options?

New Horizons
 Selecting a
Method Book
Enhance, not Restrict
What makes a good method book?
The viewpoint of a Teacher The viewpoint of a Student

Full ensemble all inclusive Visually Appealing

Explanations of concepts to remind students Is it music?

Team Green
Logical sequencing Does it have pictures?

Fingering charts Adequate challenge

Opportunities for creativity Team Yellow

CD play along

Fun songs that kids will like to play

Remember, anything a
method book lacks
can be added by YOU!

Enhance, not Restrict!

Sight Reading in
Beginner Band
Early and Often
Why Teach Sight Reading?
What are the benefits?
 Key Signature, Style, Mike
The STARS Method Sticking Fraley

S
Anything
to add?
S T
Time Signature,
Signs Tempo

R A

Rhythm, Repeats Accidentals, Attitude

Use STARS for Melody in F by Rubinstein
Key Signature, Style,
S Sticking

Time Signature,
T Tempo

A Accidentals, Attitude

R Rhythm, Repeats

S Signs
 Kenneth
Three Steps to Better Sight Reading in Beginner Band Beard

Three skills
that are
necessary to Rhythm Notes
sight read:

Tone
Step 1: Clap, Count, Pat Foot (CCP)
Step 2: Finger, Name, Pat (FNP)
Step 3: Play, Pat, Count (in head) (PPC)
 Selecting Music
We know what makes it high-quality,
but can our students have a successful
experience with it?
Things to Consider when Selecting Music
Beyond the discussion of what is High-Quality Music

Is there Open scoring?- Solos and Solis

Are percussion instruments used creatively?
Is it formulaic?
Does it feel commercial?
Are you excited about it?
 Selecting Music for Young Band

Grade Some
LetsAnything
Music!
You would change? Bruce Pearson
What Grade is This Piece?
What Grade is This Piece?
Selecting Music for Young Band

Pick a Score and

Grade It!
 Teaching
Beginner Band
One Method: Pestalozzi
 Marguerite
A Comprehensive Approach to Teaching Grade 1 Band Music Wilder

Using the
Pestalozzian
System of Music
in beginner band
 Principles of the Pestalozzi System of Music
Principle What it means to us

1. To teach sound before signs and to make the child learn to sing before Rote to Note
he learns the written notes or their names

2. To lead the child to observe by hearing and imitating sounds to make Modeling
active instead of passive in learning

3. To teach but one thing at a time before the child is called to the Isolating Concepts
difficult task of attending to all at once

4. To make the child practice each step of each of these divisions, until he Simple to Complex
is master of it, before passing to the next Repetition

5. To give the principles and theory after the practice Experience First

6. To analyze and practice the elements of articulate sound in order to

apply them to music

7. To have the names of the notes correspond to those used in

instrumental music
Modeling- Who and What can be a Model?

What can be modeled and imitated?

How can we use Pestalozzian
Principles to teach Chant and
Celebration? by Feldstein and OReilly
Rhythm
Sounds Like:

Repeat on note in key

Looks Like:

Assessment:

Flashcards then relate to music

 Melody
By ear

Give starting pitch

and play pattern
Build bridge
between patterns
Repeat patterns
that had mistakes
Morph into
tempo & style of
piece
Form
Give students

Lead sheet-
Melody
Bass line
Harmony
Scales
Write out scales in the rhythm patterns of the piece
Any light bulbs?
Beginning band
Selecting a Method
Book
Sight Reading
Selecting Music
Teaching the Music