Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2013
18
• An expressive shape, direction
and conclusion for every
phrase
• Specific tempi and fluctuations
in tempi with respect to the
composer’s indications
• Specific style information such
as articulations, releases, note
lengths, and note shapes
Know the Instruments
In order to assist your students
and help them improve, it is
important that you learn as much
as you can about each instrument
including basic function, intonation
tendencies and solutions, alternate
fingerings, articulation options,
and stick and mallet options for
percussion. The best teachers
constantly strive to learnmore about
the pedagogy of each instrument
throughout their careers. Start with
the most unfamiliar instrument and
make that your strength.
You must also study the music
from the perspective of pedagogy.
This type of study is an important
prerequisite for the construction
of your lesson plans. Sing through
each part in the score to determine
potential performance issues as
well as techniques and skills the
players will need to master in
order to perform effectively. This
could include multiple tonguing,
slurring, range, mallet technique
and many others. Look at the
combination of voices vertically
within the score to determine
potential ensemble performance
issues such as rhythmic clarity,
composite rhythms, intonation, or
balance and blend issues. Finally,
determine what musical concepts
the students need to learn in order
to effectively perform the music.
PLAN
Effective score study and
knowledge of instrument pedagogy
leads to efficient rehearsal plans.
The curriculum for your program
should be designed with the end
result in mind. What do you want
your students to be able to achieve
at the end of the lesson, week,
six-weeks, semester, year, or upon
graduation? The curriculum should
be based on expectations for four
main areas: individual performance
skills, ensemble skills, cognitive
information (theory, history) and
artistic expression. The ultimate
goal is to create independent
musicians. In order to accomplish
this you must utilize detailed,
concept-centered lesson plans that
incorporate curricular goals and
the skills and concepts necessary
for students to perform the music
effectively.
Conceptual teaching
The most efficient type of
instruction is conceptual teaching.
This takes place when the weekly
and individual rehearsal plans are
linked to one or more musical
or pedagogical concepts. Concepts
can serve as links between several
pieces of music within a rehearsal
or between multiple rehearsals.
Weekly rehearsal plans can be
tied to performances and long-
term curricular goals. In addition,
the teaching of concepts results
in a higher rate of retention and
provides much easier assessment
opportunities.
I f I Only Had One More Rehearsal !
Warm-up: Daily skill development exercises with a final
exercise introducing or focused on the concept.
Teach: Explain and/or demonstrate the concept.
Apply: Apply the concept within the music; this can be one
piece or across multiple pieces.
Reinforce: Reinforce the concept by putting it in a larger context
within the music
Summarize: Ask the students to verbally summarize the concept
THE CONCEPT-CENTERED LESSON PLAN