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Developing effective rehearsal strategies for Junior bands - Part 4

17/12/2013

3 Comments

 
In this, my final instalment of this 4 part series on Developing Effective Rehearsal Strategies for Junior Bands, I would like to present just a few final details for consideration:

The importance of practicing our conducting skills and attending to score study and preparation

It is important in our rehearsals to keep our attention off our conducting!  Rehearsals are not about developing one’s conducting and score reading skills, so prepare the score, and practice conducting outside rehearsal.  Since conducting is really about sharing musical interpretation, remember to use it as a tool for showing, rather than telling, as showing is generally a more effective communicator than telling.   Effective rehearsal technique requires us to get the score in our head, not our head in the score!  

As young band scores rarely require eyes to remain in the score for any length of time, the junior band repertoire should provide ample opportunities to focus on 'looking' like the music, so don't be afraid to convey the score through utilising expressive gesture and emotional engagement.  It is the ensemble’s responsibility to keep the pulse, not yours. This is especially true regarding the method book or technical exercises.  If you choose to use the Ed Lisk programme of study, one is not allowed to conduct the exercises.  Lisk exercises are designed towards developing internal pulse and independent decision-making, without a conductor.  Besides, when not conducting, we generally 'hear and see' more effectively what is going on within our ensembles.

It is important to use student’s strengths in addressing their weaknesses. When the need for verbal correction arises, always identify a strength that is present while linking it toward addressing the problem at hand.  When most of our rehearsal time is spent on identifying and correcting mistakes we take on the role of ‘band corrector’, thereby inhibiting our student’s development in self-motivated learning. Instead, encourage student responsibility by asking them to take an active role in problem identification and solution suggestions. 

It is essential for our student's successful learning and progress development that we introduce and employ effective personal ‘listening/reflection assessment skills’. These skills will assist them in acquiring the ability to engage in the process of reflecting on identifying, responding to, and mastering both the technical and expressive challenges in music learning.  This will effectively aid in personal musical growth, development and pleasure.  Our rehearsals should foster the ability to both identify and master, through aural, and body feedback, the technical and musical challenges.  If our students are to progress, they must be able to experience both the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards gained through personal responsibility and accountability. To this end, actively encourage personal ownership and participation in their education and progress.

The importance of seeking professional development:
  • Never tire of developing and searching out new teaching/learning pedagogical strategies.
  • You must be aware of what your rehearsals are producing, allowing for regular accurate measuring and assessing progress. 
  • Video your rehearsals and work out personal assessment criterion. The camera is one of the best teachers you will meet! Why not share them with your mentor?

Learn to identify your educational and musical targets/goals and Student Learning Objectives:
  • Work toward developing internal/individual pulse, while reinforcing the importance of meter/natural accent. 
  • Insist on consistent correct pitches and commitment to aural/sight cognition, thus training our students to both hear and see what is before them. 
  • Work on improving sensitivity in phrasing towards interpretive note-grouping and inflection.
  • Introduce and reinforce key/tonal relationships through scales, interval practice, including method book exercises.
  • Finger patterns: develop automatic responses through ‘mindful’ repetition.
  • Foster rhythm vocabulary acquisition, through 'mindful- repetition'. Share and use your favourite counting system. 
  • Establish the importance of understanding the harmonic context in phrase shape, nuance and contour. 
  • Insist on accurate articulations - accent, staccato, legato, marcato, slurs, ties, etc. They are not optional.
  • Musical intuition/sensitivity – Be sure to make time to regularly introduce and share recordings of fine performances.
  • Regularly provide opportunities to demonstrate the immediate reward of success through employing the ‘5 minute’ goal strategy.
  • Remain committed to modelling and sharing effective self-learning skills in each rehearsal and don't forget to reinforce the intrinsic rewards of investment in the above points!  
Finally...!
    1. Encourage motivation through introducing definable, achievable and rewarding goals in each rehearsal. 
    2. Regularly celebrate your student’s successes, especially during rehearsals!
    3. Foster an effective, personally rewarding home practice routine. 
    4. Consistently reinforce personal preparation and practice through providing opportunities in your rehearsals to engage students in developing their process of reflection and critical assessment.

“Professional ensembles rehearse because they give concerts. Educational ensembles give concerts because they rehearse”. Craig Kirckkhoff 

The establishment of high expectations, professionalism, respect and pursuit of excellence is essential for a lasting, positive impact on our students.  Remember, we wield a powerful influence for good or for ill, as there are no ‘on-off’ switches in the teaching profession.

For more information on the Ed Lisk material, check out the website "the Creative Director series - http://www.meredithmusic.com/the-creative-director-series
3 Comments
Ian Riethoff
7/1/2014 01:13:42 am

G'day monte. Excellent to have a template on how to do this. Perhaps some links to some Ed Lisk materials would be good in your blog. Development is the biggest key here. What are your thoughts on teachers who are time poor?

Reply
Ian Riethoff
7/1/2014 03:47:35 am

Hi Toff,

Thanks for the comments. Yes, I will endevour to provide some Ed Lisk links.

Hmmm... 'time poor' teachers. "You have time to do what you want to do, and/or are good at." Benton Minor. I think that 'time poor' is often about priorities, or lack of confidence in ourselves. This is not about judging one's priorities. Only the individual can do that. However, what is our priority/commitment to on going professional development, gaining and implementing new training strategies and improving score study for the rehearsal before us? Time management is tied up with regulating our choices as to what believe most important to us, and how we see ourselves.

Do we shun taking on new ideas and strategies because we don't feel that we have the skills, or are we uncomfortable with learning and incorporating new training strategies because we find change difficult failing to see the connections between musical outcomes and the need to 'rote learn' the parts in preparation for the 'concert'.

While it is true that time is precious, every teacher knows how insidiously time can be eroded by mindless organisational tasks that contiue to pile up from on high. However, we must never let the lack of time be our blanket excuse. Let us not forget the dream of sharing music that inspired us to become music educators. Let us make time for keeping our prfessional development healthy.

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    Mr. Mumford holds an international reputation as a conductor, adjudicator and clinician, contributing regularly to the field of music education and performance studies through conference presentations, publications, professional development offerings, and master classes. He is highly regarded for his musical experience, expertise, passion and effective teaching style. He is in demand as a guest conductor, music education consultant, and adjudicator, providing performance strategies and professional development for music educators, administrators and students alike. From 2015 -2017 Mr. Mumford was engaged as Advisor and Lead Educator for the Melbourne Youth Orchestra Teacher Professional Development Programme. ​  

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