At this point, it's pretty much indisputable: The guitar is a cool instrument. For many years, it's appealed to students because of its prominence in popular music. Lightweight, portable, and inexpensive, it makes a more immediate impact than most other instruments--players can begin to make satisfying music on guitar with just a few easy chord…

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…

The author shares her experience when she accepted an invitation from Jianhua Lu, a music teacher and a visiting scholar at the University of Minnesota, to spend two weeks teaching teachers in China. While there, she gave presentations at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and at the Northwest Normal University in Lanzhou and Tianshui…

Maintains that the ability and experience of improvisation is an essential component in young musicians' education. Discusses one teacher's trial-and-error efforts in introducing improvisational exercises into her students classical training. Includes a list of resources and representative musical examples. (MJP)

Provides some tips on jazz instruction for the beginning music educator who may not have had much experience in that field. Specifically recommends teaching guide tones, the root, third, and seventh chords, as an invaluable aid to jazz improvisation. Includes musical notation showing guide tones for two jazz standards. (MJP)

Divides musical composition selection for student orchestras into two categories, teaching repertoire and concert repertoire. Provides a number of helpful hints and criteria for selecting both. Includes "Ten Terrific Titles,""Super String Selections," a list of premiere selections for grades two through six, and a list of selected resources. (MJP)

Presents a piece-by-piece description of everything an educator needs for a one-computer music classroom. Provides detailed comparisons between the Macintosh and IBM compatible and gives current prices for all pieces of equipment. Defines and describes related software and provides some beginning instructional advice. (MJP)