1 Organizing and Running Rehearsals Part 1 by Dennis Granlie

Music students learn more than music - they learn of life and self-worth. You are a valuable person in the lives of your students. "Don't under-estimate the importance of your work or the responsibility that your job demands; enjoy it"
The rehearsal is the delivery system for the vast majority of instruction. Because the rehearsal is so important it is imperative to structure rehearsals for maximum use of time. Because music must be rehearsed in real time or slower, you cannot compress learning. For example, you cant sing or play a piece twice as fast to save time, in the same way you might scan or speed read to learn more quickly from written text. Students can practice passages and do skill building etudes at home, but only during the rehearsal are you able to teach ensemble skills as outlined in the chart on the next page. Rehearsals are your bread and butter. Effective rehearsals are the key to student growth and to your career success. The vast majority of music teachers have approximately the same amount of rehearsal time per day, week or year. Some deliver an amazing amount of instruction while others teach entire periods without providing any real music instruction. Usually, the teacher who can provide the most amount of instruction (assuming the instruction is sound) produces the best quality ensembles, places the most students in honor groups, and gains recognition for the program.

REHEARSAL ETIQUETTE Rehearsal etiquette is an acquired musical skill and is successful group. essential to a

2 Hopefully, the chapter on classroom management will provide the necessary tools to help you gain control and manage rehearsals, but etiquette goes beyond rules. Since music is a microcosm of society, learning a few basic manners in a music class will serve students well and set them up to succeed in future group music endeavors. Knowing how to rehearse is as important as knowing how to read music. Groups that have been taught rehearsal etiquette display encouragement, respect and caring for their fellow musicians. Be certain your charges have been taught concert etiquette as well. Beware the first concert of the year if you have not taught concert etiquette! You may need to teach audiences proper etiquette as well. That can be done with a gentle reminder to turn off electronic devices, keep small children with an adult and not to move about while the group is performing. Concert etiquette can also be printed on programs. (see Appendix 2) ENSEMBLE SKILLS Some very fine voice or instrumental teachers never master the skills needed for effective rehearsals. Number one, of course, is classroom management, but there are a number of musical skills specific to ensembles that are often overlooked. Understanding the duality of individual vs. ensemble skills will help you nurture musical growth for each student while producing superior ensemble performances. The chart on the following page shows how ensemble skills are developed along with individual playing or singing techniques. The age and training of the individual musicians determines how you structure the rehearsal. Note that early in students training, most of the class time is spent focusing on individual skills; many times only notes, rhythms and fingerings. Although little time will be devoted at that point to ensemble skills, students should be taught to listen to others as they play, balance their sound, and recognize and use good tone as soon as they can produce a steady tone on their instrument.

3 As students progress through school, less rehearsal time is given for individual skills and more for ensemble work. In a highly-auditioned high school band in a large program, less skill building time will be allotted in each rehearsal and more time will likely be spent on advanced literature. In a smaller or younger program, the warm-up and skill-building may take up to half of each rehearsal. Be certain you teach to both sets of skills. You can give private lessons from the podium to correct bad playing habits, show alternate fingerings, give tips for improving tone or pitch, and provide other instruction specific to each instrument or player. Warm-up is an excellent time to check each individual for posture and playing/hand position, but make sure to correct poor habits at any time during the rehearsal. At the same time you are giving the lessons from the podium, you must be teaching ensemble. Ensemble skills have to do almost exclusively with listening, and then adjusting to what is being heard.

Since nearly 90% of the information entering the brain arrives through the optic nerve, you must develop your students listening skills (see Chapter 6). Listening begins with silence. You should have silence in the rehearsal before you begin to speak and each time before you begin to play or sing music. Until that happens, continue to focus on teaching behavior and proper rehearsal etiquette. The etiquette is derived from your management plan, but goes beyond rules to courtesy and respect for the conductor and other musicians. RECIPE FOR A REHEARSAL The structure of a good rehearsal will remain basically the same whether you have successfully gained control of the class or not. While behavior will be the priority, you must also begin introducing the kinds of procedures you want to use throughout the year.

The recipes on the following pages provide a framework for a typical rehearsal. As with all recipes, you may increase, add or subtract ingredients depending upon your situation and where you are in the rehearsal cycle (i.e. reading new music vs. nearly ready for concert). The warm-up and skill building portion will, of course, be longer for younger or less accomplished groups, and less time will be spent rehearsing literature. Recipe for a Successful Instrumental Rehearsal (just add passion) Ingredients Warm-up (begins from SILENCE within two minutes after bell rings and you are in charge) Goals: (kids should know these) gain mental focus, prepare physically, improve basic tone,improve pitch, expand range, practice rehearsal etiquette & prepare to rehearse Breathing exercises (winds) Play long tones or slow memorized scale passages Play interval exercises Play chorales Have percussionists play mallet instruments as much as or more than snare or bass drum Create ways to force students to watch conductor--do NOT be predictable. Technical studies: Goals: improve finger facility, explore new keys, improve flexibility, expand range

Play etudes from method book Play memorized scales with varying rhythm patterns, tempos Play technical passages selected from literature Rhythm studies: Goals: understand and use rhythm interpretation system, increase rhythmic accuracy,internalize pulse, introduce new and/or complex rhythms Read rhythms from method books verbally (use syllables or numbers) Play rhythms on single tone Play rhythms on scale degrees Play rhythms from notation (method books) Practice complex rhythms from literature Be certain the STUDENTS are interpreting the rhythms, not the TEACHER (dont tell them how it goes, make THEM tell YOU how it goes) Sight reading (may not take place every rehearsal, but should be frequent) Goal: help students become musically literate, able to read and make music on their own Start extremely simple and progress slowly

Use music which is easy enough to avoid frustration, but difficult enough to challenge Develop a system for checking keys, meters, repeats, etc. Work on literature (remainder of period)

Set expectations for literature rehearsal (what do you want to accomplish today?). Apply warm-up and sight reading skills to literature. Teach concepts as well as notes/parts. Challenge students to listen critically at all times. Insist on continual improvement from first reading to polished performance. Work on the SOUND of the band--intonation, balance, blend, tone quality, artistry should be addressed in every rehearsal--not just notes and rhythms. Use macro/micro/macro approach. Play through the whole piece (macro), then diagnose specific musical/technical problems (micro) and prescribe solutions. As performance approaches, put piece back together and play from beginning to end (macro). Divide literature rehearsal into two parts: 1) work on new, or difficult literature and then 2) review familiar or fun literature. Play a piece from beginning to end without stopping (macro to end a micro rehearsal). Play something you havent played for a while. Ask students or point out what was learned/achieved today. Combine ingredients.

Add kids, patience, hard work, caring, and preparation. Let simmer for one school year. Enjoy! (as with all recipes, ingredients can be changed, added or omitted to taste)