Written by Judy York, Class of 2023
Last week, Missy and I had the wonderful opportunity to organize and host RU NAfME’s “Teaching Orchestra: A Crash Course” event, held on Thursday, February 18th. We were so fortunate to hear from the guest presenter, Dr. Elisabeth Sato. She earned her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in violin performance from Temple University. Dr. Sato also holds a Master of Education in Music and Music Education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Doctorate in Music and Music Education from Teachers College. Dr. She has been teaching in New Jersey public schools for eight years and is currently the orchestra director both at the high school and at one of the elementary schools in Summit, NJ.
Her presentation covered the following main topics: Repertoire, Rehearsal Planning, Programming, Resources, Recruitment, Differentiation, Classroom Management, and Additional Recommendations.
Repertoire
Use your personal experience as a starting point
Make sure to program contrasting pieces (i.e. composer, genre, tempos, keys, meters, etc)
Score Study: Look through the music first and play through the parts, note what may be difficult for students (i.e. bowing/fingering, range)
Make sure to choose pieces with appropriate difficulty levels and increase pieces’ difficulty levels through the year
Look at previous concert programs for inspiration
Practice sight-reading with your ensemble
Always keep additional pieces on hand (pop/holiday selections, chamber books)
They can be used for sight-reading practice, and other events/performances
Rehearsal Planning
Choose a specific area of focus (i.e. notes, rhythm, articulation, dynamics, etc.)
Combine and refine skills
Use the selected repertoire to guide rehearsal and supplement them with warm-ups and exercises
Scales, rhythm, method books, warm-up exercises, create your own
Reinforce skills and technique
Programming
Contrasting pieces (i.e. fast piece followed by a slow one)
String/Symphony Orchestra
Number of ensembles
Plan ahead
Festivals/Adjudications/Trips
Consider your timeline
Avoid over-programming
Resources
Colleagues: Guest artists
District-wide technology
Professional organizations (NAfME, ASTA, NJMEA, etc.)
Conferences and Seminars
Development credit and networking
Music stores and repair shops/luthiers
Private teachers
Existing music curriculum
Social media groups/forums
Students
JWPepper, IMSLP, etc for sheet music
Recruitment
Be active and plan ahead!
Collaborate with colleagues
Meet and greet opportunities
School performances
Field trip
Differentiation
Varied pieces
Part modifications
Advanced students: explore other techniques, different parts, student leadership/assistance
Stand partner assignments
Lesson and chamber groups, other extracurricular ensemble opportunities
Classroom Management
Establish Routines (rehearsal etiquette, agenda, tuning, announcements, assignments, and assessments)
Designate areas for supplies and classroom materials (i.e. rosin, extra sheet music, extra strings)
Seating (assigned or free, seating charts, rotated seating, and vary up room setup)
Full student participation (engage other students when working with a specific section)
Guided listening
Additional Recommendations
Stay organized (calendars, inventory, and plan ahead)
Review, Reflect, and Repeat
Be flexible and creative, debrief after lessons, self-assess, and reflect
Don’t be afraid to ask questions (learn as you go)
One of the best physical reference materials that Dr. Sato recommended is “Strategies for Teaching Strings: Building a Successful String and Orchestra Program” by Donald Hammann and Robert Gillespie.
Dr. Sato’s Contact Information: esato@summit.k12.nj.us and elisabethrsato@gmail.com
Watch the recorded event here! (Please note that you need to be signed in with your Rutgers Zoom account to have access): https://rutgers.zoom.us/rec/play/8TWqId134aYsflovwmLaVOoLteMrEfDsxKHKeKlf0Mfks9j_LJXIY-C0VUkjvKYrE0djO38ehPpVG2kF.Wzz72bX2GMNt_r6R
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