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Tuneful Teaching
Cheryl Floyd, 2018 TBA Featured Clinician
When our son Weston was 4 years Row, Shark Song” (Jaws), and, yes, Let’s face it. Young students are
old, he started taking Suzuki piano sometimes even the bass line to “Louie, more likely to practice a tune than an
lessons. This significant milestone Louie!” To me this outcome became exercise! Why? Its fun! They can relate
had a tremendous impact on me and more important than meticulously to it. They can share it with others.
recalibrated my approach to teaching learning expressionless lines from a In truth, familiar melodies are an
our youngest students. You see, core book or mastering the perfect Concert F. integral part of the human experience.
to the Suzuki philosophy is listening In practice nearly all of They give us cultural
to and learning familiar melodies, this “tuneful learning” At the convention, identity and they are
repetition, learning w/others and took place before the Cheryl will present at the epicenter of
parental engagement. beginning book was “Rehearsal our musical comfort
We dutifully listened to all of the ever opened. Even Strategies for zone.
“Twinkle” variations, “Go Tell Aunt after instruction in the the Young and the A beauty of
Rhody,” “French Song,” and so on in book began, I found it Restless” on “tuneful teaching”
the car going to and from school each beneficial to continue is the fact that you
day. He then learned to play those same some rote teaching. July 26 at 1:30 p.m. can put it in the
pieces and many more on the piano. As Let’s look at it and “Picking Pieces most convenient,
time went on we attended many studio another way. Do you for Picky People” on “user friendly” key
recitals with the other Suzuki students remember the first July 27 at 1:30 p.m. for each instrument.
and Weston was always looking tune you ever learned She will also join There is no need to
forward to learning the next piece on your instrument? with Richard Floyd, be in lock step with
in the book! It was all about playing I do! It was “Oats, Frank Ticheli, and Dr. everyone playing
songs and making music. The craft, Peas, Beans, and Barley the same notes
the technique, and the rhythms were Grow.” It was in the Tim Lautzenheiser at the same time.
simply an expectation for achieving Silver Burdett Beginning to present Parallel fifths? No
the ultimate goal and that goal being Band Method. Why do “Kindred Spirits” on problem. Melodies in
having fun and making music! I remember? Thank July 26 at 9:30 a.m. 3rds? Be my guest.
Because of these early Suzuki you to my teacher Everyone is playing
experiences I have come to believe Vickie Cowles. She was a great singer, a recognizable song. How cool is that!
that it is both essential and priceless an equally competent saxophone There are other benefits that are
for students to play familiar melodies player and she made playing songs only limited by your imagination and
that their parents, siblings, and friends fun. I also must confess that in 8th creativity. I had a reluctant private
recognize as soon as possible. Over grade at Euless JH, my best friend flute student who was struggling with
time I concluded that it was important and I wanted to drop choir. We loved the top octave of the F concert scale.
to me that when my students took their band, but were no longer attracted to It was always a challenge to get him
instruments home for the first time that the choir class. But, then one day we to learn something. So, I taught him
they could play several tunes by rote. came to choir class and our teacher to play “Snake Charmer” using third
These needed to be songs that only use passed out the Coca-Cola Song…you octave D-E-F. He thought it was fun,
3-5 notes. Some of the songs that have know “I’d Like to Teach the World he learned it and then could play the
worked for me are: “Hot Cross Buns,” to Sing”. Guess what? We stayed for top octave of the F scare effortlessly.
“Merrily We Roll Along,” “French Song,” the rest of the year because we really Through repetition of a melody, he
“Mary Had a Little Lamb,” “Lightly wanted to learn that song! acquired the skill to be successful!
Bandmasters Review • June 2018 7 Texas Bandmasters Association