Table Of ContentInstrumental Music Education
Instrumental Music Education: Teaching with the Musical and Practical in Harmony, Second Edition is
intended for college instrumental music education majors studying to be band and orchestra directors at
the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. This textbook presents a research-based look at
the topics vital to running a successful instrumental music program, while balancing musical, theoretical,
and practical approaches. A central theme is the compelling parallel between language and music, includ-
ing “sound-to-symbol” pedagogies. Understanding this connection improves the teaching of melody,
rhythm, composition, and improvisation.
The companion website contains over 120 pedagogy videos for wind, string, and percussion instru-
ments performed by professional players and teachers, over 50 rehearsal videos, rhythm flashcards, and
two additional chapters—“The Rehearsal Toolkit” and “Job Search and Interview.” It also includes over
50 tracks of acoustically pure drones and demonstration exercises for use in rehearsals, sectionals, and
lessons.
New to this edition:
• Alternative, non-traditional ensembles: How to offer culturally relevant opportunities for more
students, including mariachi, African drumming, and steel pans.
• More learning and assessment strategies.
• The science of learning and practicing: How the brain acquires information.
• The philosophies of Orff and El Sistema, in addition to the existing ones on Kodály, Suzuki, and
Gordon.
• The “Double Pyramid of Balance”: Francis McBeth’s classic system for using good balance to influence
tone and pitch.
• Updated information about copyright for the digital age.
Evan Feldman is Conductor of the Wind Ensemble and Associate Professor of Music at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ari Contzius is the Wind Ensemble Conductor at Washingtonville High School, Washingtonville, NY.
Mitchell Lutch is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Central College in Pella, Iowa.
Instrumental Music Education
Teaching with the Musical
and Practical in Harmony
Second Edition
Evan Feldman
Ari Contzius
With contributions by Mitchell Lutch
Foreword by Frank L. Battisti
Please visit the companion website at
www.routledge.com/cw/Feldman
Second edition published 2016
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2016 Taylor & Francis
First edition published by Routledge, 2011.
The New ASBDA Curriculum Guide. Written and compiled by The American School
Band Directors Association © 1997 Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp., A Division of Alfred
Music Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Feldman, Evan, 1970-
Instrumental music education : teaching with the musical and practical in
harmony / by Evan Feldman, Ari Contzius, with Mitchell Lutch.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
1. School music—Instruction and study. 2. Instrumental music—Instruction and study.
I. Contzius, Ari, 1971– II. Lutch, Mitchell. III. Title.
MT1.F42 2011
784.071—dc22 2010008244
ISBN 13: 978-1-138-92139-9 (hbk)
ISBN 13: 978-1-138-92140-5 (pbk)
ISBN 13: 978-1-315-68641-7 (ebk)
Senior Editor: Constance Ditzel Copy Editor: Lorraine Slipper
Editorial Assistant: Aurora Montgomery Proofreader: Damian Penfold
Project Manager: Jamie Hood Cover Design: Salamander Hill
Marketing Manager: Amy Langlais
Contents
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xix
Unit 1 tHE PROCESS OF tEACHinG inStRUMEntAL MUSiC 1
Chapter 1 An introduction to Sound–to–Symbol 3
The Connection between Language and Music 4
An Introduction to Kodály 7
An Introduction to Orff’s Schulwerk 7
An Introduction to Suzuki 8
An Introduction to Music Learning Theory 9
A Contemporary Approach to Kodály 10
Eclecticism and Hybridization 12
El Sistema 13
Modeling vs. Rote Instruction 14
On Adopting Sound–to–Symbol in the Instrumental Class 15
Further Reading 19
Chapter 2 teaching Rhythm and Rhythm Reading: Audiation, Pulse, Pattern,
and Meter 20
Dalcroze Rhythm, and Movement 21
Using Movement in the Instrumental Music Classroom 23
Choosing a System of Rhythm Syllables 25
Teaching Rhythm Words 29
Using Flashcards 30
Rhythm Words and Reading 34
Teaching the Theory behind Rhythm Notation 38
Teaching Students to Feel Internal Subdivisions 42
Further Reading 47
vi Contents
Chapter 3 tonality, Melody, and Singing 48
The Importance of Tonal Understanding 48
Teaching “Melodic Words” 49
Singing in Rehearsal 51
Teach Lots of Melodies! 52
Further Reading 53
Chapter 4 teaching improvisation and Composition 54
Incorporating Improvisation and Composition into the Rehearsal 54
Teaching Improvisation 55
Teaching Improvisation with Musical Patterns 56
Using Improvisation to Teach Other Musical Fundamentals 59
Teaching Composition 60
Further Reading 63
Chapter 5 the History of instrumental Music Education and its Philosophy:
A Brief introduction 64
Further Reading 73
Chapter 6 Special topics: Constructivism, Concept Attainment, and Direct instruction 74
Teacher-Centered Approaches—Direct Instruction and Expository Teaching 74
Constructivism and Discovery Learning 75
Concept Learning 76
Further Reading 79
Unit 2 DiRECtinG BAnDS AnD ORCHEStRAS 81
Chapter 7 Classroom Management 83
Setting the Tone/The Importance of the First Weeks of School 84
Behaviorism and Operant Conditioning in the Music Classroom 84
Rules, Consequences, and Punishment in the Classroom 86
Non-verbal Cues for Small Behavioral Problems 91
Procedures—Moving Beyond the Right and Wrong of Rules 92
Designing Classroom Procedures 92
Maintaining and Enforcing Procedures 95
Addressing Students about Discipline Issues 96
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 97
Crucial Factors that Affect Classroom Management 98
Involving Parents in Classroom Management 102
Further Reading 103
Contents vii
Chapter 8 Curriculum, Assessment, and Grading 104
Issues Concerning the Curriculum 104
National and State Standards 106
NAfME Core Music Standards 107
Critics of National Standards 108
What to Teach—Curriculum Guides, Component Skills, Observable Behaviors 109
Assessment 112
Formative Assessment: Regular and Individual 114
Summative Assessment: Detailed and Systematic 115
Using Rubrics for Assessment 117
Assessing Conceptual Understanding 119
Writing Assignments 124
Tests of Declarative and Procedural Knowledge 127
Metacognition 129
Grading Systems 134
On Assessing Behavior, Participation, and Attendance 134
Merit and Demerit Grading Systems 137
Further Reading 140
Chapter 9 Repertoire 141
On Musical Quality 142
The Debate about “Educational Music” 144
Using Categories and Dispositions: Programming with Balance and Variety 145
Teaching the Curriculum through Repertoire—Comprehensive Musicianship
through Performance 147
Form, Structure, and Theory 149
Study Sheets: Holding Students Accountable for What We Teach
through the Repertoire 151
Resources for Finding Quality Literature 152
Repertoire Logs 153
Evaluating the Difficulty of a Work 154
Adjusting Scores to Fit the Characteristics of Your Ensemble 155
Transcriptions and Arrangements 156
Competition and the Non-Musical Benefits of Group Music-Making 157
Programming Music for Contests and Festivals 158
Programming Pop Music 159
Teaching Music through Pop Selections 160
Listening to Students and Giving Them Input 162
Recommended Resources 164
viii Contents
Chapter 10 Score Study 165
Phase 1—Macro 166
Phase 2—Micro 166
Phase 3—Macro-Redux 171
The Interpretive Dance—Warning: Give Yourself Permission to Look Foolish! 171
On Using Recordings 172
Marking the Score for Conducting 172
Further Reading 178
Chapter 11 Large Ensemble Set-Up 179
Measuring the Physical Space 179
Evaluating the Ensemble 180
Ten Basic Principles of Set-Up 181
Considering the Placement of Specific Instruments 181
Examining Sample Seating Charts for Band and Orchestra 184
Chapter 12 Rehearsals 191
Part I: Basic Rehearsal Technique 191
Macro–Micro–Macro 191
Communicating with the Ensemble 194
Engaging the Entire Ensemble During the Rehearsal 196
Student-Centered Learning 198
Lesson Planning—Structuring the Rehearsal 203
Rehearsing the Music 205
Part II: Components of an Effective Rehearsal 208
Types of Rehearsals—Balancing Pace, Intensity, and Detail 208
The Science of Learning and How to Apply It in Rehearsal 211
Part III: Diagnosis of and Prescription for Common Problems 214
Correcting Basic Rhythm and Note Issues in the Rehearsal 215
Developing Your Conductor Ear (Score-Study, Audiate, and Make
Interpretative Decisions) 218
Listening for Common Problems 220
Experts and The Curse of Knowledge 221
Differentiated Instruction 222
Developing Your Rehearsal Thesaurus 226
Additional Ways to Enrich the Rehearsal Experience 229
Teaching Students Good Practice Habits 231
Further Reading 232
Chapter 13 Special topics: inclusion—instrumental Music for Students with Disabilities 233
Getting Started 233
Teaching Strategies for the Learning and Physically Disabled Student 234
Contents ix
Chapter 14 intonation 239
Developing an Awareness of Pitch Discrepancies 240
Defining the “Sound” of Sharp and Flat 241
Teaching Students About Acoustics 242
Implications for Performance 245
Context and Pitch Center—The Unintentional Curse of Equal
Temperament Tuners 247
Using Drones and Long Tones to Develop Good Tone and Pitch 248
Other Factors that Affect Intonation 250
Tuning the Ensemble 257
Tuning the Band 258
Tuning the Full Orchestra 259
Further Reading 261
Chapter 15 Directing Other Ensembles 262
Alternative Ensembles 262
Marching Bands/Pep Bands/Parade Bands 267
Musical Pit Orchestra 268
Conducting the Pit Orchestra—Tips and Strategies 270
Jazz Ensemble 272
Chamber Music 276
Further Reading 280
Chapter 16 Special topics: Motivation 282
Rewards—Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation 282
Belief: Success Breeds Success 287
Further Reading 288
Unit 3 ADMiniStRAtiVE iSSUES 289
Chapter 17 Recruiting, Organizing, and Starting the Band and Orchestra 291
Building Programs from the Bottom Up 291
When Should the Study of Band and Orchestra Instruments Begin? 292
Building and Maintaining a Balanced Instrumentation 293
The Process of Recruiting 297
The Eight Steps of the Recruiting Process 297
Organizing Beginning Instruction 314
After the First Year: Switching Students to New Instruments 317
Retention 318
Further Reading 321
