Start are the heart of the piece or a musical obstacle.
Listen together and ask the questions: What do you think this piece is about? What does it remind you of? Is there anything familiar to something we've played or you've heard before?
Tell an interesting anecdote about the piece (if there is one).
Be a storyteller and tell the story of the piece, or the story of its text (if it is interesting). Be dramatic and act. Follow up by asking what the piece will sound like or what they will see in the music.
Talk about the composer. Is there something inherently interesting about the composer, or about his or her relationship to the piece at hand? (e.g., Orlando di Lasso being kidnapped as a child because of his beautiful voice).
Use a short writing assignment that relates to a concept or the heart of the piece, which is then shared with the group.
Focus on the historical milieu of the piece and its composer.
Read a letter (that you create) from the composer about her intentions for the piece.
Play (or write out for them) the important themes of the piece before the first read-through.
Give students the title of the piece only and ask them, "How do you think it will sound?" Engage their imaginations before they even see the notes.
Teach folk songs, spirituals, and arrangements of folk melodies by ear first. This places the emphasis on the beauty of the melody and students will make beautiful music immediately. Try teaching the entire piece by rote and discuss the lessons you learn as you focus on the music making experience as opposed to the note reading. This method reinforces development of aural skills.
Tell a personal story that relates to the music.
Ask them to reflect on a time they felt like what the music is meant to express (e.g., longing, or hope) Ask them to try to imagine what music might sound like if it could reflect the mood or event. See if they were close, and ask what makes it so?
Articulation
Composer
Compositional Devices
Contemporary of the composer
Form
Genre
Historical Background
Instrumentation
Key Signature
Language
Meter
Modulations
Rhythmic Motif
Scale Type
Solos
Style Period
Texture
Tonality
*Have them sit up straight when you step on to the podium and bring their instruments up when you bring your arms up.
*After cutting them off try to say no more words than the number of their age.
*Always have the kids work on something that you are not rehearsing with. Give the large group the order first, and then the section you are working with.
Clap and count the rhythms of their parts. - You might first have to get them counting: 1. count with me "1-2-3-4...." 2. Clap on Beat 1..... Beat 2..... Beat 2 and 4... etc.). It is essential they do a motion for the rests.
"Tizzle" "Sizzle" or hiss their parts.
Air and Fingers - Just blow through their instruments without making sound.
Have students just say their pitch names in rhythm.
Have them sing their parts.
Play their part for them, then they play it. Can do it twice.
Listen to a recording (good or bad for different purposes).
Play a metronome over the speakers and on the projector so they can see it too.
Have students tap a steady beat while one section plays. Or have the percussion play a steady beat.
Competition - Have each part such as the melody, accompaniment, bass, and rhythm work in groups and compete to see who can learn their parts the best.
Sit in and play with a section.
Get off the podium and walk around the room. Bonus if you have a student conduct.
Listen to the music while showing the score up on the projector
Have everyone clap a part while looking at the score on the projector
Sing, clap, or finger their own part while somebody else plays theirs all while looking at the projector
Build from the bottom up like a tree. Start with the percussion, then the low brass, then the harmony, then finally the melody. If you start with the melody then that will be the part that is stuck in everybody's head.
Have small groups of students sit out to listen and critique.
Vary tempos of the music.
Challenge them - "I dare you to watch me more than I watch you."
Cut out certain beats, like every beat 2, or only play beat 1
Play "Who's Watching?" - Keep looking around the room while they are playing and if someone doesn't look up at you, stop and start over.
Stop in random places to adjust tuning for that chord. Build it up starting with the low voices.
Add-on method - Work just the first measure, then the first two, then the first four measures, etc.
Ask who thinks they have it and let them try it together
Get sections and individuals to play it. Ex.) The first two measures everyone does, then the flutes take the next two, then Susie gets the next two, then Adrian, etc.
Hold sectionals where students go off in a group to practice by themselves. You can also have them perform for their sections individually.
Write out the melody and other parts to have everybody play them.
Teach a motive by ear before handing out a piece.
Silent (or "Monk") Rehearsal!
Have a list of things for students to do while working with a group such as writing in their notes, writing in the counting of the rhythms, critiquing the group that is playing, fingering through a difficult section of the peace, completing a worksheet or question written on the board.
Have sections count themselves off when running through a part like they would in sectionals.
Change up the seating arrangement - Let them pick their own seat for the day, bring the back rows to the front, have them sit in a circle, or have percussion stand right behind the director--percussion stand right behind the director.
Practice memorizing the music.
Record your band then swap it with another band to critique.
Do your lesson and all the talking in the first part of class. The rest of the time should be spent playing with minimal interruptions.
Give students a piece of scrap paper to tape on their folder to write down questions for the end so there are minimal interruptions during rehearsal. Students should ask to go to the bathroom nonverbally.
Ask the kids what they need to work on and why they think they are having trouble.
Penny method - place 3 pennies on one side of the stand and every time you play the excerpt correctly move one penny over. If you make a mistake move 1 penny back to its original side until you have gotten all three to the completed side.
Let students roll a die to see how many times we will practice a section.
Speed Run - See how many times you can play through a segment with accurate rhythms in 30 (or 60) seconds.
Play "drop out" where they all are standing and as you play through an excerpt or rhythm they sit down (but continue playing) if they make a mistake. It is important to first do it on something they can do well. Tell them the point of the game isn't to make you feel bad but to have fun. It goes on the honor system, so if you make a mistake, please sit down because your neighbor will know if you mess up, and you don't want them to think you aren't being honest. After playing the first time have them all sit. Thank those that sat down because you know you can trust them. (don't praise the people standing until they've done this numerous times). Now how many of you that made a mistake know what you missed? How many think you could fix it if we try again?
I'll Mess You Up - After they have gotten good at a song, or marching, intentionally try to mess them up to see if they can stay with it.