Team Orchestra

How to REALLY Teach Middle School Orchestra

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5 Reasons: CHOOSE MUSIC FOR YOUR STRONGEST PLAYERS IN YOUR ORCHESTRA, NOT YOUR WEAKEST

1. CHALLENGE YOUR STUDENTS THAT WANT TO WORK FOR YOU AND WILL Many directors choose music that their weakest player can play. I am the opposite. I focus more on my top students and push them as far as I can take them - within reason. I’m not going to choose college level repertoire for my middle school orchestra, but the music I choose is challenging, but doable for everyone if they choose to work. RESULT: higher level of musicianship

2. INDIVIDUALLY STRONG ORCHESTA I find that the students who are in the back of my orchestra are not necessary the weakest players. These are my laziest players. I have two competing orchestras. One is for the most advanced/willing to work hard students and the other is for students who love orchestra and to play, but do not want to put in the work to advance. RESULT: one orchestra who have a common goal to work hard

3. MAKE MUSIC Even middle school students can make beautiful music and there are wonderfully written pieces that are within the playing ability of intermediate students. RESULT: An orchestra that is more musically focused, not ‘play the notes on the page’ focused

4. HIGH SCHOOL READY I feel that many students who continue into their high school orchestras are not at the level they need to be at when they leave middle school. One of my goals for my students is to make that transition easier for them. The expectation is to practice and work hard from day one. Many of my students make the varsity orchestras in the high school orchestra program their freshmen year.

5. ELIMINATE THE VERY ANNOYING 'THIS IS TOO EASY’ COMMENT I try very hard to never give them something that they can sight-read through perfectly. I want them to struggle and complain because then they will work and become better musicians. It also helps my entire program strive to practice and be better musicians because they know that there is no limit to what they can learn.

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The 45min Best Orchestra Party - Happy You, Happy Students

My students often ask me if we can have orchestra parties. It's a lot to plan an after school party and coordinate food, entertainment, and chaperones. I love my students, but I have to stay too many evenings at school for them and I don't want to add more evenings away from my husband and puppy. Solution: During Class Parties. These are not new, especially to elementary school teachers, but here is how I throw a middle school social for my kids. They have a blast and I don't have to stay after school. I have 7 classes so the party line-up is on a loop all day and I have my leadership team plan it. The party lasts all day and many of my students come to the orchestra room during lunch too to continue their party. They love it. HOLIDAY PARTY: 1. FLYER Highlights on flyer: in class; informal; become a closer orchestra family; get to know each other; optional to bring food, drinks, cookie decorating supplies, cups, plates, etc. 2. PASS THE PRESENT GAME Wrap 3-5 gifts per class and start the party off by playing a "Circle Pass Left Right Game". I gather school supplies, stickers, extra last year's orchestra t-shirts, whatever really. Anything that I already have in my room that I do not have to spend money on to buy. I use butcher paper from the teacher's work room to wrap them too. No cost to me! 3. FOOD TABLE Food students bring for their class later in the day goes in my office and they can bring it out to the food table in the orchestra room when their class starts. I tell them that if any of their food is leftover they must take it with them when they leave their class if they want it or they can leave it on the food table and donate it to the rest of the orchestra classes. This helps the food supply for classes that have students who did not bring much. 4. COOKIE DECORATING TABLE Students bring store bought sugar cookies, frosting, sprinkles, etc. The kids who do not want to participate in the circle games end up at this table and decorate/eat/chat/play on their phones. 5. CIRCLE GAMES After pass the present game I announce that they can eat, decorate cookies, or play another circle game. We either play "The Cold Wind Blows", "Concentration", or "Musical Chairs". At the end of the day I give away all the leftover food to the last class to take home and they help clean the orchestra room.

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Post by Request: Teaching Intonation Through Inversions

Intonation is always my number one priority in my middle school orchestra classes. We sing A LOT and we discuss the theory behind the music to help with intonation. Building chords is essential for students to have solid intonation skills. I work with my students on triad inversions and always use a drone on the metronome.

INVERSIONS 101

Example Triad: G B D

Root Position (1st scale degree is in the bass) : GBD or GDB First Inversion (3rd scale degree is in the bass): BGD or BDG Second Inversion (5th scale degree is in the bass): DBG or DGB

INVERSION WARM-UP DRILL (goal: perfect intonation) 1. Put the root of the triad on the metronome as the drone. 2. Sing the third of the chord and have students match your pitch. 3. Students play the third on their instrument. (4. Have each student play individually if it is not in tune and tell them not to move their hand after they play. This is tedious, but necessary.) 5. Sing the fifth of the chord and repeat. 6. Move drone to the third and then the fifth of the chord and repeat.

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Stop Stressing On Concert Day - 5 Steps To A Student-led Concert

1. STUDENT SPEAKERS Prior to each concert I write out a script for the concert. My leadership team of four students do all the talking! I only say a short welcoming statement at the beginning to start the concert and a short closing statement to end the concert. Make sure to say the concert is "student-led" and let the students take over. 2. STUDENT CONERT JOBS My varsity orchestra students always have a job on concert day. They love helping and it eliminates the need for me to do everything. About a week before the concert I let them choose what job they want. -Pizza duty (manage the pizza line, pick up trash, etc.) -Set-up duty (chairs and stands) -Clean-up duty (put away chairs and stands) -Audience set-up (chairs and programs) -Picture duty (students walks around with my iPad during the concert to take pictures) -Tuning (give the kids tuners and have them tune your beginners) 3. STUDENT-LED DRESS REHEARSAL My varsity students are responsible for tuning themselves and the other orchestras. This is a huge stress factor for me so I just decided to let the kids do it. During the dress rehearsal the leader of each orchestra makes a few announcements pertaining to their orchestra (concert order, reminders, etc.) and then I take over to warm up the group. 4. COMBINED PIECE - NO CONDUCTOR There are many advantages to performing a combined piece. A) it involves all of the orch students b)all the parents love seeing everyone play together c) perform at the end to ensure students and parents do not leave during the concert/after their student performs d) parents get to see their student perform again e) it always ends up being a lot of my students' favorite part f) I only snap/count off to begin the piece and then move out of the way since there is no point to conducting when half cannot see you anyway 5. SET-UP EACH ORCHESTRA - NO ONE MOVES ON AND OFF STAGE I set up each groups for four mini stages in the cafeteria. This way the concert moves faster and students are not having to move during the concert.

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How To Get Students To Practice

FACT: Kids do not practice…. They might take home their instrument, “practice” (meaning they played through xyz and called it practicing), etc. but I know they don’t practice. No matter how many times I talk about practicing, how to practice, how to practice smarter not harder, tell them over and over that they need to practice, etc….. The truth is that play station will always win the battle.

SOLUTION: Ribbon Testing and Level Testing This is a win-win. The students want the ribbon/my initials on their chart and want to be a higher chair (the level they are on determines their chair placement) and they will correct anything I ask of them to earn the ribbon/level. At the beginning of the year I create a chart that is associated to each active line in their method book or an essential line that I want them to learn.

THE SECRET: They must complete the ribbons/levels IN ORDER. Kids are competitive. They want to move higher up the chart just like in a video game. And they will play in tune, fix a fingering, correct bowing errors, play with a straight bow, etc. if they know that if they do it I will pass them off to get to the next level.

OPPORTUNITIES: I give my students every opportunity to come in and pass off levels/ribbon testing. I even tell them that they can pass off levels/ribbons when we have social events. They love it. Win-win.

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5 WAYS TO KEEP STUDENTS LOVING ORCHESTRA

1. DAILY FUN PICTURE ON PROJECTOR SCREEN Each morning I choose a picture from my Orchestra Pinterest page and put it on the projector screen. When the kids come in they look forward to seeing the new picture. Sometimes it's a music joke, orchestra joke, cool picture of a violin, etc. 2. MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT STUDENTS WEARING ORCHESTRA T-SHIRTS When the kids wear an orchestra t-shirt I always tell them I like their shirt as I come around to tune. They feel proud wearing it. 3. SHOW ENTHUSIASM FOR THE MUSIC After I play the recording of the piece we are rehearsing I always say how much I love it. The kids mirror this response and say what they love about it too. This way they re excited to practice it and learn the piece. I also know what types of pieces my students like too though - know your audience. 4. PURCHASE NEW SUPPLIES/ACCESSORIES I recently purchased some wheels end pins for my bass players so they do not have to worry about lifting their instruments anymore. I made a huge deal about how excited I was about these and they thought it was the coolest thing ever to have wheels. Everyone likes getting new gadgets. 5. SHOW COOL VIDEOS Every Friday I try to show my classes a cool video I find of someone playing, how they make string instruments, how to make rosin, etc. The videos help inspire the students especially when it is of a student their age playing something really cool.

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FORM MULE - Automated emails directly to parents! I recently discovered Form Mule and it is the absolute best way I have found to document parent communication when their student does not have their instrument and/or supplies for my class. Form Mule is and "add-on" in Google forms that will send an automated email to the student's parent when they do not have their... fill in the blank... for your class. How to: 1. Create a Google form. (Make sure to include a "parent email" section and make all entries required questions.) 2. Make sure to check the boxes at the bottom to "submit a new response" so that the students can pass the iPad without having to close out the app and open it again every time. 3. Click on "Responses". Click on "add-ons". Search "form mule". 4. There is a YouTube video that shows you how to setup your email when you click on the "help/learn more" button. 5. Practice sending yourself a fake email to ensure that the email looks how you want it to. I used this in my middle school classes today and received a ton of parent emails assuring me that their student would have their instrument and/or book tomorrow - works like a charm!

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5 Ways To Set Students Up For Success On A New Piece

1. PLAY THE RECORDING as students are walking into the classroom and while they are unpacking. And play the same piece every day or the same part of the piece that you need students to focus on. 2. REHEARSE THE SCALE, position, or finger pattern BEFORE looking at the repertoire. I have my students learn the scales required for the pieces I chose and then give them the music. 3. CLAP AND COUNT rhythm flash cards to isolate key rhythms that are in the piece BEFORE giving students the repertoire. 4. Find a MEASURE or section where all parts are playing in UNISON RHYTHM to build confidence in the students' for sight-reading skills. I usually isolate one - four measures at a time and first perform it for them while they shadow bow to hear it played correctly before they play it. 5. INCLUDE A QR CODE that links to the recording of the piece on their repertoire copy.

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The BEST way to help your beginning orchestra students

STUDENT LEADERS I have a handful of students each year that are in my intermediate and advanced classes on their principal instrument and choose to learn a second instrument in one of my beginning orchestra classes. I also am very fortunate to have 2 orchestra student aides. These older students already "know they ways of the orchestra" and are able to help beginners adjust to orchestra life. Having a student show and demonstrate for the beginners is a HUGE factor in the success of my beginning orchestra. My aides walk around the room just like I do and assist students. It's just like team teaching or having an assistant. If I do not have an aide, but I have advanced students in my class I can use them to demonstrate like how to play with a metronome, clap and count correctly, etc. Since I have students read announcements every day (see my post on announcements) I have one of these older students read them so that they can answer questions that the younger students have.

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Source: marketingmusiced

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3 Ways To Get Your Students Interested In Music Theory

I try to keep music theory fun and interesting for my students. I never want them bored in orchestra so when I need to explain something more dense, like music theory, I try to stick to the below tricks. Recently one of my 8th grade students received a Music Theory Certificate of Achievement at her music camp! 1. STUDENT FOUR MEASURE COMPOSITIONS I keep it short to keep their interest and restrict what they can and cannot use. For example, only quarter notes and eighth notes and only use D, E, F#. I always have them work in pairs. They show me their piece, then they practice it together while others finish. I ask for volunteers to perform their composition and they love announcing the title and saying their names as the composer. They get a sticker if they can play their whole composition together and with the metronome. 2. CHANGE A METHOD BOOK LINE I take an easy line or one that we have been working on in class frequently and use it to teach a new theory concept. For example, if the line is in natural minor, we discuss what harmonic minor is, and then play the line in harmonic minor. I alternate between harmonic and natural to drill in the difference and then we will either increase the tempo or change between natural and harmonic half way through, etc. 3. ENTHUSIASTIC REPETITION I show enthusiasm a lot when we "stumble" upon something we have been talking about in our repertoire. I try to make it sound fun and exciting so they will too. For example, if I want them to identify arpeggios, I'll stop rehearsal, get really excited, call a measure, demonstrate the arpeggio on my violin or viola, and ask who knows what that is called. And then I ask what the scale degrees are. I repeat this same overly enthusiastic cycle until they have clearly gotten it. They think it's fun and they remember the concept.

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CHIN REST HACK I always use paperclips from my desk drawer to tighten my students' chin rests. It's faster than searching for my actual chin rest tool.

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6 Opportunities For Student Leadership

1. PEP TALK TEAM When I feel my groups loosing their drive to try for upcoming contests I ask two students if they can help me inspire the group. I usually talk to them in advance so they have time to think of what they are going to say. I choose students who care a lot and show it and I tell them that’s why I chose them. They love being the pep talk team.

2. COMMITTEES I have a small leadership team for the whole year who are in charge of making various committees when I present them with tasks. Forming committees encourages more students to be leaders instead of only the main four students. For example, you can ask them to find students who want to be on the “concert decorations” committee, “stage setup” committee, “t-shirt design” committee, etc.

3. DAILY ANNOUNCEMENTS See my post on announcements - this one is great for teaching students public speaking skills.

4. LEAD CLASS ON SUB DAY If I have to get a substitute for the day I will ask one or two students the day before if they would like to lead class. I train the kids how to lead class and I have them practice usually the day before I will be out so they know what to do if they are new to leading class. This is great for the sub because all they have to do is watch them.

5. STUDENT-LED CONCERTS I say a short welcome to start my concerts and then the students take over and do the rest of the talking. I write out a script for the students and give it to them a few days before so they can practice their parts. We also practice saying all of the parts in a brief meeting before the concert.

6. HANDOUT/COLLECT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING Instead of just letting students handout and collect papers, let them be in charge of collecting all the tuners or distributing rosin, cleaning cloths, stickers, etc.

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UIL RUBRIC - SUPERIOR 1 I got some butcher paper and copied the UIL criteria for a superior one to post in my classroom. It's hard to tell based on the picture, but it's the size of a door. I post it behind my podium so that during rehearsal students see it constantly. We talk about the rubric throughout the year and follow it for every piece we work on. I think it helps that it's colorful and highlights the important aspects of each section. Students are able to specifically identify what it takes to achieve a superior one this way.

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Teach Beginning Orchestra in 5 Steps

I teach my beginning classes with these five steps. You'll notice that the teacher step is usually a step ahead of the students. This is to allow the students to hear it correctly multiple times before they arco. By the time students arco, they have heard it played and/or sung by me correctly at least 5 times. They hear correct intonation thus are able to match pitch both singing and on their instrument and perform with the dynamics, style, rhythm, tempo, etc that I have demonstrated for them. If I do it, they do it. For example, if you play with dynamics when demonstrating you do not have to say "remember the dynamics". I repeat each step at least 3 or 4 times. Once they have mastered the step, I move on to the next step. If they cannot master the step I use a 'remedial step' that I have listed below. Metronome on 60bmp - Every step is used with the metronome. 1. CLAP AND COUNT THE RYTHM (*Teacher: same step, but louder than students) 2. SING NOTE NAMES (*Teacher: same step, but louder than students) 3. PIZZICATO (*Teacher: arco - incorporate obvious dynamics and style) 4. SHADOW BOW (*Teacher: arco - incorporate obvious dynamics and style) 5. ARCO (*Teacher: does not play, observe class, check for student understanding) REMEDIAL OPTIONS 1. Slow down tempo 2. Shorten the passage 3. One measure at a time 4. Break down the measure 5. Repeat steps 6. Isolate problem areas 7. Rocket bow the bowing 8. Say the bowing in rhythm 9. Sing pitches while saying the bowing 10. Arco only the bowing on an open string

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TEACH BOW HOLDS - WITH STRAWS!

I teach bow holds on straws instead of pencils. Straws encourage students not to squeeze and tense their muscles from the beginning. If you hold the straw too tight it will bend which the students understand is incorrect and I can see the tension more clearly. I use the straws for several weeks until students can demonstrate that they have mastered the “straw phase”. I like to use regular sized straws like the ones from Starbucks. The thinner straws do not work well.

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10 PRACTICE TIPS TO TELL YOUR STUDENTS

1. SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE Find a friend who is more advanced than you and ask them to help you. They will be flattered.

2. PLAYING VERSUS PRACTICING If you sound good practicing, you are not practicing… Playing through the music is the reward for focused attention on measures that you cannot play. Work first, play later.

3. VIDEO RECORD Students can video record themselves practicing to allow them to hear and see their playing from an audience perspective.

4. PRACTICE ONLY ON THE DAYS THAT YOU EAT - SUZUKI I tell my students this all the time when they ask me if they have to practice.

5. HOW TO PRACTICE WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO Just get out your instrument, rosin your bow, set your music on your stand, set the metronome, and put your bow on the string…. That’s it. (They will always start practicing - try it yourself when you don’t want to practice.)

6. FRIEND PRIVATE LESSON Students can take turns giving each other private lessons via FaceTime, Skype, etc.

7. MORNING PRACTICE IN THE ORCHESTRA ROOM My orchestra room is packed in the mornings because their friends are there practicing. I get to school an hour early and allow the students to come to school early to practice. Students can earn ribbons, get help from other students, and can get help from me. I blast the metronome so everyone can hear it. My advanced students get really good at playing in cut time because the beginners need slower tempos.

8. SLOW METRONOME Always practice with a metronome and start slower than tempo. If you cannot play it, go slower. I model this by always using a metronome in class and always requiring that every playing test is performed with the metronome. It’s a nonnegotiable in my teaching.

9. SAY NO TO CIRCLES Always mark in your music, but never circle things in your music. You will forget what the circles mean. Write short and clear notes to yourself.

10. RIBBON TESTING I highly recommend ribbon testing. See my post about it. For older students you could do the same concept without ribbons.

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