Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2014
5
I recently came across this quote
at one of our middle schools. It is
printed on a poster and hangs in
the main hallway of the school.
Although the quote is from 1914,
it is new to me. Seeing it made
me stop and wonder about the
responsibility we have to insure
literacy in our schools and how it
applies to music education. Are we
doing a good job of teaching our
music students how to read quality
literature? How well are we doing
in teaching them how to write and/
or notate music?
I feel great about the answer to
the first question. We teach music
performance very well. We continue
to raise the level of expectation with
regard to the literature our students
ultimately perform. The assessment
and feedback that we receive in
the UIL sightreading room indicate
the ability at which
our students can
demonstrate an
understanding of how
to read and perform
music. Keep up the
outstanding work!
The second ques-
tion regarding writing
music is an area
where I have no idea how we
are doing. Writing music is not
outwardly assessed like the reading
component. We must teach these
writing skills, as it is a part of
our state curriculum. The ability
for students to demonstrate
comprehension through written
notation is a valuable tool for a
teacher. It is a window into the
student’s mind
allowing us to
see what they
understand and can
communicate. Let’s
keep up the effort
in teaching the
elements of writing
music, and share
ideas with each
other as to the many approaches
that are used in teaching these
valuable skills.
I look forward to seeing you
soon, and hope that you have a
wonderful Holiday Season!
From the Board
Chico Port i l lo, 2014 - 15 TBA Treasurer
“The Man Who Does Not Read Has No Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read. ”
– Mark Twain
TBA Professional Development Outreach Program
Clarinet Fundamentals: How to Provide
Definitive Instruction To Your Clarinet Students
Chapel Hi l l High School
•
Cl inician: Dr. Christopher Ayer
Saturday, January 17, 2015
•
1 :30 - 4:30 p.m.
Sponsored by: