In the "Divertimento" section of "Teaching Music," teachers share stories, strategies, and quesitons with their colleagues. This "Divertimento" covers the following topics: (1) one teacher's surprise at a student's novel take on the tambourine; (2) a question about teaching bowing symbols to beginning students; and (3) a question about breaking…

Provides a strategy from the book "Strategies for Teaching Middle-Level General Music" that addresses Standard 3C from the National Standards for Music Education in which students improvise melodies in various styles on the keyboard using the G-flat major and E-flat minor scales. Describes the procedure, indicators of success, and…

Presents a lesson plan for keyboard instruction excerpted from "Strategies for Teaching Middle-Level and High School Keyboard" (compiled by Martha Hilley and Tommie Pardue. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1996). Provides objectives, materials, required background knowledge, procedures, evaluation indicators, and…

Discusses how choral directors and choirs can collaborate with a percussionist when a drum or other instrument is needed for a performance. Explores details, such as instrument availability and storage as well as working with a percussionist. Focuses on specific types of music. (CMK)

Discusses the process of introducing the trombone to beginning students and addresses the issue of warming-up. Provides resources for beginning trombone methods, band methods, and daily warm-up studies. Includes resources for scale studies and etudes for beginning to intermediate trombone players. (CMK)

Discusses how to develop both African drum and steel pan ensembles providing information on teacher preparation, instrument choice, beginning the ensemble, and lesson planning. Includes additional information for the drum ensembles. Lists references and instructional materials, sources of drums and pans, and common note layout/range for steel pan…

Describes a unit used with sixth-grade students focusing on jazz and blues that taught improvisation. Discusses the different levels of improvisation that were used, providing the beginning activities, and describes activities that focus on the third level of improvisation called product-oriented improvisation. (CMK)

Describes the Lab Band project used with 12th grade students at the Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute in Thunder Bay, Ontario (Canada). Explains that each band student taught a peer how to play their instrument which created versatility in the band. States that all students kept a reflective journal. (CMK)

Proposes that music teachers should have their students practice during those spare moments during the school day by using a pencil instead of their actual instrument. Explains that students can practice chromatic fingerings, memorize short pieces of music, or review scales. Gives instructions on how to "pencil practice." (CMK)

Asserts that including mariachi ensembles in schools with high Hispanic populations encourages students to remain in school. Provides a history of mariachi and discusses mariachi instruments. Includes information on developing a mariachi ensemble, including lists of resources, such as mariachi conferences and sources of sheet music. (CMK)

Asserts that good band members play in tune because they listen during tuning routines and playing exercises. Maintains that the usual method of tuning bands, adapted from the orchestra, does not work. Presents recommendations for band tuning routines and methods for band members to develop listening skills. (CFR)

Provides guidelines to assist band directors in teaching beginning drummers. Includes auditioning prospective drummers and using an instructional method that has mallet and snare drum techniques taught concurrently in one book. Observes that by devoting time and effort to percussionist players, directors can eliminate "drummer syndrome"…

Contends that many violin and viola students develop preferences based on fear of using more difficult fingering techniques. Recommends that students be exposed to advanced techniques earlier in a matter-of-fact approach. Includes a list of four books recommended for further reading. (CFR)

Maintains that use of the Suzuki, Orff, and Dalcroze methods have assisted string teachers in helping music students achieve mastery from the beginning of instruction. Describes how these methods are used by five music teachers. Includes addresses of organizations that provide information about these music teaching methods. CFR)

Maintains that many music education associations sponsor chorus or band festivals at the middle and high school levels, but meeting the needs of prekindergarten and primary students is a more challenging task. Describes a one-day music festival for early elementary children. (CFR)