SAMPLE LESSON PLANS
MOSCOW 1941
This lesson is for second year band students in their fourth week of rehearsing Brian Balmages' "Moscow 1941." It demonstrates my passion for teaching pieces that have historical connections. In this case, it gives students the opportunity to learn about the battle of Moscow and then discover as a group how Balmages paints the battle and its historical context within the music. Click here for the lesson plan.
VOICES OF THE SKY
This lesson is for Wind Ensemble students rehearsing Samuel Hazo's "Voices of the Sky." This lesson demonstrates the facilitation of students making musical interpretive decisions and taking musical ownership during the rehearsal process. Students balance the timbre of the unique "voices" that Hazo creates, then layer the voices in context to discover how the composer uses texture to create different depictions of the sky in the piece. Students make rehearsal decisions about how the voices must be balanced to facilitate the composer's vision. Click here for the lesson plan.
CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
This lesson plan was for a chamber ensemble day. At my current program we dedicate two class days a week in third quarter to chamber ensemble rehearsals to prepare for a chamber ensemble concert. Chamber ensembles give students the opportunity to select their own music and lead their own rehearsal process. While this is a skill that we develop during large ensemble rehearsals regularly, chamber ensembles ensure that the students get a small group environment to apply these skills. There is a rotating schedule for the students to work with me, however, even when the students are with me my priority is not to rehearse for them, but to ask them guiding questions to facilitate their listening and musical decision making, or to guide them to solve a technical problem (without giving them the answer). This allows them to develop confidence in their musicianship as they make phrasing, balance, and stylistic decisions. It also enables them to be better individual technicians because if something isn't working the way they want it to they need to figure out what practice and rehearsals strategies to use to solve the problem. These lessons carry into their individual practice and performance. Click here for the lesson plan.
PEER CRITIQUE
In this lesson, students work in their sections to develop their ability to give and receive critique graciously. This lesson follows the research that in order for peer mentorship to be effective, students need to be taught how to kindly offer useful critique and graciously receive feedback. By critiquing one another and providing concrete strategies for improvement, students also are more able to use these skills in their individual practice. Click here for the lesson plan.