Session abstracts and slides:
Developing competency as a collaborative ensemble leader requires a robust blend of empathy, study, mentorship, and practice, yet the increasing demands on a music educator’s time precludes many from refining their skills through formal lessons or an additional degree. In place of modeling interpretive ideas or technical recommendations, ensemble leaders rely more on talking during rehearsals, an approach which reduces student engagement and rarely results in a truly collaborative and satisfying music making experience for all constituents. Regardless of ensemble size or level of proficiency, effective conducting - really gesturing, is a powerful mode of communication that logically aligns with our expressive intuitions, resulting in unified and musical performances which are a true demonstration of student growth. In this session, we will explore practical strategies to guide music educators on their journey toward becoming more effective non-verbal leaders on the podium. We will also address communication from the lens of the student, unpacking what they need to know in order to effectively engage as a collaborator in the ensemble environment. This will be a hands-on experience, appropriate for any educator who leads “conducted” ensembles or coaches chamber groups.
Session Objectives:
- Attendees will acknowledge the differences between conducting professional and student musicians.
- Attendees will discuss the classroom conditions required for an authentic collaborative environment for learning and musical performance.
- Attendees will identify and engage with strategies for guiding their students toward more effectively interpreting conducting gestures.
- Attendees will identify and engage with strategies for strengthening and building their conducting gesture vocabulary.
As the demands on a public school music educator’s time increases, rehearsal planning often becomes an afterthought. Pick great music and then just…well…rehearse it! While reacting in the moment is a critical skill for effective ensemble leadership, we should not rely solely on this practice for guiding our students on their musical journey. During this session, we’ll take a closer look at principles of curriculum design for ensembles, the development of fundamental musical and ensemble skills, the role of developmentally appropriate repertoire, and methods for remaining organized. Additionally, we’ll unpack the idea of engaging in a music-forward approach to planning, resulting in an authentic, relevant, collaborative, and engaging experience for all constituents…including you!
Instrumental music educators across the northeastern United States have long relied on pull-out group lessons as a mode for supplementing learning and assessment already occurring in the large ensemble space. These lessons, which may constitute the bulk of an educator's teaching load, are a rare find elsewhere in the nation. Students, families, colleagues, and administrators have long viewed pull-out lessons with mixed feelings, and some music educators feel that this time is better spent working with students not already enrolled in large ensemble classes. As districts take a closer look at how curricula promote the transfer and application of skills and consider how to most efficiently utilize their faculty while minimizing class disruptions, it is prudent for music educators to reflect on how to best engage with students during this valuable instructional time. In this session we will acknowledge the benefits and challenges of the current pull-out lesson system, discuss how we might respond if lessons were no longer an option, and consider how we might reimagine this valuable time so our work with students centers on fostering musical independence, not merely pulling off a terrific concert.