In June of 2014 the National Coalition for Core Art Standards released the new Core Music Standards. The overarching goal of these new standards is to foster Music Literacy defined as the ability to understand a medium and communicate in that medium.
The best way to build better sight-readers? Make them sight-read!
Of course, teachers know that’s easier said than done, especially when students aren’t physically present in a classroom.
Putting on a successful concert means taking care of a lot of details. Obviously, preparing the music is most important (and comes with its own processes and challenges).
Instrument fitting days are exciting events for your incoming students. They’re also a perfect opportunity to get logistical details out of the way early, freeing you and students to focus on music when school starts.
Brass players talk about lip slurs and flexibility to describe mastery over a simple concept: buzzing the right pitch. Band directors are all too familiar with a brass player buzzing the incorrect harmonic partial while fingering the correct notes.
For better or worse, teachers spend a lot of time measuring students. This measurement is necessary to ensure that effective teaching and learning are happening in each classroom.
Educators agree: sight reading is important. It develops musical literacy, challenges students technically and musically, and checks for understanding of important music theory skills.
Yesterday we talked about how incorporating differentiated instruction into your classroom can help meet student needs, empower them, and help them learn new skills faster.
What if there was a way to make your classroom more efficient, save you time, and better communicate with your administrator all at once?
Why create lesson plans? After all, music ensembles are largely judged on their performances – at concerts, at festivals, at contests, and at school assemblies.