1

A Band Director’s worst nightmare….

in this issue >>>

hot topics >>>

- Songs that make the whole world

sing—Primary Focus

- Moderation for Instrumental Music

- Boys Wot Sing—Choral Focus

- Transitioning Instrumental Students

successfully to high school

- AMPed Up at The Gap SHS Late last year, I was approached by a school band director/teacher, on how to conduct a secondary school symphony orchestra, having had little knowledge about string playing. She asked me whether I would present a session at QBOC which would give teachers in her position an insight into string playing in the school symphony orchestra.

I thought long and hard about how I could condense a life time of experi-ence into a one hour presentation. This is what I felt was relevant.

coping with Strings in Symphony Orchestra

David Maddick; Kelvin Grove State College

Statewide News and Events

Primary & Secondary Classroom Focus

Specialist Focus

What’s Happening in my Classroom

Reviews

For more information go to

www.musicresourcecentre.org.au

The Symphony Orchestra is built on the string ensemble. Each of the string sections has the ability to car-ry unison melodic lines, the ability to play lengthy passages at great ve-locity if needed, the ability to sustain organ-like vertical movement. This is the basis on which the Symphony Orchestra is built. Therefore, each of the other sections has the enormous task of creating timbres and colours; the winds with their almost vocal qualities coupled with the sounds of the single and double reeds.

The brass with their fanfare like nature and enormous dynamic power…. And finally, the secret to any good high school orchestra, the percussion section. The importance of balance and ability to create rhythmical drive, the diversity of sounds, whether tuned or untuned, can be the magic ingredient in any orchestra.

Brief History Music was first written for groups of instruments (ensembles) for dance and performance in the court. The 1st collections of such

A Journal for Music Educators in Queensland State Schools

Issue 1 2011

Metropolitan Region Music Resource Centre Department of Education and Training

2

Contents

Features

String Focus—A Band Director’s Worst Nightmare ……………………………...... Cover

David Maddick shares his insight into coping with strings in Symphony Orchestra for non string players

Percussion Focus—Teaching Percussion without losing your sanity ……………………. 5

How to set up and establish a successful percussion program by Jeff Jarrott

In My Classroom—Making the Transition ……………………………………………….. 7

Christine Jabs gives us insight into the successful transition of Instrumental Music students from Primary into high school with an overview of the program at Craigslea SHS

Brass Focus—Teaching Brass for the Multi Teacher …………………………………….... 8

Phil Ryan shares his insight and experience into the world of brass pedagogy

Woodwind Focus—Bassooner or later …………………………………………………….. 13 Bassoon player and teacher Karen Ruprecht unravels the mysteries of the bassoon

Primary Classroom—Songs that make the Whole World Sing …………………………… 14 Megan Grimmer gives us her insight into capturing student interest with the music that interests them and integrating this into her classroom practice.

Secondary Classroom—AMPed at The Gap SHS ……………………………………….. 16

Colleen Toohey-Jones talks about the award winning classroom streaming program for Instrumental Students transitioning to High School.

In my Classroom ……………………………………………………………………………. 18

Amelia Hamilton-Smith gives us insight into the innovative programs at Coorparoo SC catering for all student levels

Boys Wot Sing ………………………………………………………………………………. 22 Dr Scott Harrison talks about ways to engage boys in music making.

Tongue in Cheek …………………………………………………………………………… 5

Conducting for longer life and health—an amusing review!

Reports— ………………………………………………………………………………... 5 & 23

Q & A …………………………………………………………………………………… 9 & 11

Music Coordinator for Metropolitan Region Damian Hoey talks about Moderation for Instrumental Music and the implications of ‘A Flying Start’ - The move of year 7 into high school in 2015.

Reviews ………………………………………………………………………………… 10 & 12

Laurinda Davidson tells us about her Music App Addiction—10 & 11

Bruce Eddiehausen talks about Smart Music—12

The Semester in Review ………………………………………………………………….. 20

A summary of what’s been happening for Semester One, 2011 in Music Education in Queensland State Schools from the State Music Coordinators

What’s On ………………………………………………………………………………….. 24

An overview of Professional Development Associations and events

Regulars

This Journal is published by the Metropolitan Region Music Resource Centre

Editor: Tracey Young (Project Officer—Music)

Contact: (07) 3356 8585 Email: musicrc@eq.edu.au

3

Classical Orchestra Modern Orchestra Woodwinds Woodwinds

2 Flutes Piccolo

2 Oboes 2 Flutes

2 Clarinets (in C, B-flat, or A) 2 Oboes

2 Bassoons English Horn

2 Clarinets in B-flat, A

Bass Clarinet (and/or Clarinet in E-flat)

2 Bassoons

Contrabassoon

Brass Brass

2 or 4 Horns (in any key) 4 French Horns in F

2 Trumpets (in any key) 3 Trumpets in B-flat

3 Trombones (2 Tenor, 1 Bass)

Tuba

Euphonium

Percussion Percussion

Timpani Timpani

Snare Drum

Tenor Drum

Bass Drum

Cymbals

Tam-tam

Triangle

Wood block

Tambourine

Glockenspiel

Xylophone

Vibraphone

Tubular bells

Keyboards

Celesta

Piano

Strings Strings

6 Violins I Harp

6 Violins II 16 Violins I 4 Violas 14 Violins II

3 Violoncellos 12 Violas

2 Double basses 10 Cellos

8 Double basses

works date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. It was the 17th century, however, with the introduc-tion of opera, that the orchestra, as it is now known, grew. Opera became popular in Germany and France and in the latter part of the 17th centu-ry through Purcell in England and Lully in France.

The 18th century, saw the development of the classi-cal orchestra. Beethoven is the 1st of the classical/romantic composers to develop the symphony or-chestra lineup which has grown from about 30+ musicians to a modern day symphony orchestra of 90 and upwards depending on the work of the composer.

The instrumen

tation line up - Late 16

00’s – prese

nt; the breakdown.

4

e. Associated problems 1. Strings like sharpened keys… band instruments don’t… If a school has a strong band program and the director feels compelled to involve the handful of strings that learn at their school, because they don’t have an ensemble of their own, the trap is to transcribe flute or horn or trom-bone or tuba parts to allow the strings to participate. Either write a part which will feature the string sound at some stage and write rests just as most symphonic com-posers do for the brass or percussion, or compose string unison lines that use melodic or rhythmic material from the written score.

In this way you are not breaching copyright, as there is no music written for these instruments and you are featuring the strings timbre as a colour change within the written score.

This does not mean the strings should not double any of the lines of the band instruments, but do it discretely, not from bar 1 to the end. 2. The conductor does not use a balanced line up. Go back to the lineups of the classical and modern orchestras. 3. Take great care with dynamic levels of each section within the orchestra. Try to make the softs really soft but not weak and the louds strong but not forced.

4. Take care not to choose compositions/arrangements that expose weaknesses with individual instruments or sections within your orchestra.

The list is endless… I would suggest you jot down prob-lems to be addressed at the end of each rehearsal. Work on the solution; Don’t just sweep it under the carpet!

“ The Bow Tonal Quality

…is dependent on

/point of contact on string

/weight on bow

/speed of bow stroke Full sound = flat of hair Light sound = outside of hair

Meaty sound is achieved in the lower half. String crossings are best executed at the middle of the bow. Softer sounds are best achieved in the upper half. There are many different kinds of bow strokes employed in string playing. Understanding these takes considerable explanation. Can I suggest you refer to “Guide to orchestral bowings through musical styles” by Marvin Rabin and Priscilla Smith.

www.nastrings.org/.../guide-to-orchestral-bowings-through-musical-styles.

“ Keep as much of your orchestra in-

volved for as much of the time as

you possibly can. Leave the learning

of individual lines to the tutorial. ”

The School Orchestra a. The layout Brass on risers and preferably winds also… brass then on double height riser. Percussion split… normally tuned (immediate stage right with auxiliary percussion next and including snare and bass drum as central as poss.) Timpani to stage left with Double Basses as timpani generally play the bass of the chord.

b. Rehearsal techniques Warm ups Scales in the keys of the pieces you cover;

know the starting note for transposing instruments. Set meter and tempo as used in the piece.

Keep in mind blend, balance, tonal quality, dynamic when performing scale movement.

Scales and arpeggios can be used on rhythmic figures, different articulations (bowing articulations to be discussed shortly). Major, natural minor, whole tone, chromatic, canonic etc.

Chord Progressions Write a set of chord progressions for your orchestra. These are invaluable for vertical bal-ance and blend. You can use these, not only for intona-tion, but rhythm patterns which are employed in the writ-ten score.

Rehearsing like voices Try each section eg. woodwind, brass, strings for all the elements as mentioned in the warm ups above. This is also a good practice to use with sections of music from the score. Let each section hear what each other sounds like during a rehearsal.

Focus your attention towards the instrument sections you don’t specialize in rather than those you teach. ie. strings for the band directors.

c. Score analysis Firstly, make sure all parts have bar numbers and that letters/figures are clearly marked. It will save time and frustration if it is done at the 1st rehearsal. Make sure you mark your score so that you are aware who has me-lodic lines, counter melodies, natural harmony to the melody, ostinatos, bass movement. This will help with setting dynamic levels among other things. Talk to the musicians about the piece, not only historical-ly but stylistically.

d. Matching articulations 1. Strings need to anticipate the start of a note as the response of the string sound is slightly delayed. 2. Strings need to listen to woodwinds, brass and percussion for stylistic attack and release of note. eg. trumpets tonguing fanfare style.

5

Teaching percussion …without losing your sanity By Jeff Jarrott—Kedron State High School

This brief article does not contain a magic formula to solve all your

percussion problems, though it will provide you with some useful tips to help

set your percussionists up for success. If all else fails, drink more wine.

Teaching percussion can be an extremely frustrating and over-whelming task. Percussion sections are notoriously chronically disor-ganised and chaotic places to be.

I have taught percussion in more schools than I can remember over the past ten years or so. One thing I have learnt from my teaching experiences, is the majority of percussion problems can be solved by following one simple rule…

“ Recruit the right

students! ”

A wise person once said: “Fix your percussion section and you fix your ensemble”. You are not helping anyone by allowing unsuitable students to learn percussion, no matter how keen they are! I cannot stress this enough.

Successful recruitment can be done many different ways, though as part of the process students must demonstrate the ability to play sin-gle (RLRL) and double (RRLL) strokes, in quavers, on a drum pad while counting aloud. Interest, organizational skills, piano experience and parental support are other important factors to be consid-ered. Ensure students and parents are aware of the expectation to play both drums and mallets.

Teaching mallets is similar in many ways to teaching woodwind and brass instruments, so the remainder of this article will focus on snare drum technique.

Snare drum technique forms the basis for all other percussion tech-niques involving the use of sticks or mallets. There are, of course, some differences though regardless of which method book you use. Three things will set your students up for success:

1. Counting

2. Technique

3. Sticking

Continued Page 6 >>>

Specialist Focus — Feature article >>>

Live Longer and lose weight by Conducting!

Can it be true? Are we going to live to

be 140 because we conduct

every day? Oh joy!

This is the publisher’s blurb for a new

book by Dr Dale Anderson

(try to read it without laughing):

Dr. Anderson has adapted the conducting

motion into a full health and fitness pro-

gram that will strengthen heart and lungs,

improve posture and appearance, reduce

weight, reduce pain, reduce stress, and

raise your endorphin level. A Simple Fit-

ness Program that’s Music to Your Years.

A study conducted by the Metropolitan

Life Insurance Company shows that or-

chestra conductors live 38 percent longer

than the general population. The reason is

simple conducting is good cardiovascular

exercise.

Any-one can benefit from this break-

through technique a great alternative to

full body workouts that doesn’t require

special equipment or a lot of time. The

Orchestra Conductor’s Secret to Health

and Long Life also includes other innova-

tive health advice, supplemental exercis-

es, and suggested music to “conduct” to.

Available at Amazon.com or, online book

shop, The Book Depository.

Conducting for fitness?

Tongue in cheek…>>>

Congratulations to the following choirs for their inclusion as State Representatives at the Choral Fanfare State Gala:

Mansfield SHS Chorale Metropolitan Region Sunnybank Hills Senior Choir Metropolitan Region Benowa SS Benowa Voices South East Region (Southern) Cleveland SS Senior Choir South East Region (Northern) Toowoomba SHS Glee Choir Darling Downs South West Region Middle Ridge SS Junior Choir Darling Downs South West Region Banksia Beach SS Choir North Coast Region Norville SS Choir North Coast Region

Choral Fanfare 2011

Report >>>

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1. Counting (Aloud)

If you were to teach your percussionists just one thing, teach them to count aloud! To develop a secure sense of rhythm, students MUST develop the ability to count aloud when playing. This relatively simple concept works best if taught and constantly reinforced from the very first lesson. Rhythm names (ie. ta/ti-ti, etc) may assist in the process, but beat num-bers (and subdivision) MUST be used. Counting inside one’s head should be reserved for performances.

1. Snare Drum Technique

The following techniques are essential for becoming a good snare drum player. Each exercise should be introduced prior to playing a study/piece that uses the technique. FIRST LESSON: Start with basic strokes with each hand (8, then 4, then 3) Use full strokes, keeping all fingers on the stick

Play in the centre of the pad

Relax!

Allow sticks to bounce in a fluent, vertical motion

Single and Double strokes (count aloud!)

Paradiddles, Flams and Accents Exercises for developing these can found in all method books

Buzz strokes / Developing Multiple Bounce Rolls Fingers ON for single strokes, last 3 fingers OFF for buzz strokes Snare drum rolls are simply semi-quaver buzz strokes

3. Sticking (Right-Hand Lead)

Different instruments require different sticking systems. Working out effective sticking patterns is critical in devel-oping fluency and precision on all percussion instruments. Stickings should penciled in to music to ensure they are played the same way every time.

I strongly believe the best sticking system for snare drum is right-hand lead. Left-handed students should be encour-aged to play left-hand lead. This sticking system places the dominant hand on each beat of the bar for quaver and semi-quaver rhythms. If a rest is on the beat, then an ‘air-stroke’ should be used.

The following exercises will help to develop this sticking system (remember to count aloud!):

7

Teaching Percussion….continued from Page 6 >>> Organisation

Last, but certainly not least, an organised percussion section is invaluable in any ensemble. To create this you will need to do the following:

1. Appoint a section leader (the most organised student, not necessarily the best player)

2. Have your section leader write a list of who plays what in each piece

3. Allocate percussion parts prior to rehearsals

4. Have a place for everything and ensure everything is in its place

Instrumental Music teachers and their high schools must be extremely proactive towards primary graduates to retain good numbers in a secondary school music programme – and Craigslea State High School is no exception.

Working together: Craigslea’s primary and secondary schools are situated adjacent each other in West Chermside, north Brisbane. In-strumental Music (IM) is just one of the many enrichment programs occurring between the schools. The primary school has a healthy IM participa-tion rate with almost 30% playing an instru-ment from Year 3 – 7. The high school pro-gram involves just over 14% of the total school population. Our combined program operates throughout the school year and provides a mu-sical challenge for the majority of Year 7s yearning for extension, greatly reinvigorating their motivation to practise.

Year 7 string players are proud members of the High School String Orchestra and ad-vanced Year 6 and 7 students play in the high school’s second Concert Band. As regular members of these groups, the children attend camps and tours, perform at school events and in competitions. Most importantly, they are re-spected and nurtured by the older musicians in the group.

Showcase – marketing our product: Each No-vember, ensembles from both schools perform in “Showcase”. This culmi-nating concert is ex-tremely important to our school communities, as it

The secrets of successful streaming into Craigslea High

By Christine Jabs Craigslea SHS

Feature article >>>

Making the transition: Keeping student interest in high school

comfortable in the general environment and more readily embrace greater ex-pectations of our music program, espe-cially the more challenging repertoire. Solid staffing: Staffing consistency is an important component in our long-term retention rate. Our percussion, string and multi IM staff has taught to-gether for 13 years and teach across the campus. While the primary class-room music teacher is an asset to our team, we also have great support at the secondary level by our Arts Head of Department. I am employed for one full day from flexible staffing funds to coor-dinate the program and without this, the management across the campus would be extremely difficult. Coalition Band – the last word: When most high school programs are in shut-down mode each November, a "Coalition Band" is formed comprising of Year 6 and 7 band students from up to nine of our feeder schools. We hold three rehearsals and perform on Year 8 Orientation Day in early December. This is extremely successful and popular with the students - another chance for the IM program to ease the high school transition and demonstrate IM’s stance as a showpiece for CSHS. Instrumental Music is a unique program in that we work with students over a wide age range and sometimes offer the only link between a student’s famil-iar primary environment and the daunt-ing expanse of faces and buildings at the secondary level. Our program is a tremendous opportunity for students to make this transition through an artistic endeavour. The future of Instrumental Music in high schools depends on teachers working hard on retaining numbers, keeping the program vibrant, presenting quality repertoire and valua-ble performance experiences. It’s hard work, but it’s imperative for our high schools to have their program perform-ing at its best.

For more information, find us at;

http://www.craigsleshs.eq.edu.au/

“Instrumental

Music teachers

and their high

schools must be

extremely proac-

tive towards pri-

mary graduates to

retain good num-

bers in a second-

ary school music

programme”

demonstrates how the long-term commitment from tiny beginners throughout their school life results in quality outcomes in the senior years. Retention of our participants is very high. They more easily manage the major ad-justments into second-ary school - they are

8

we have little or no visual aids in identifying the causes of less than pleasing results. Where many other instruments have chal-lenges that concern fine motor skills of the fingers, at least these are tangi-ble. Like singers we are stuck with more ethereal and hard to define so-lutions to playing challenges. With a poor set of practice priorities it is possible to work very hard on brass instruments and yet go backwards. This can be infuriating and deflating for student and teacher alike. Issues such as these are the experience of specialist brass teachers as well as multi -teachers. Given my years of experience, here are a few ideas that might help, though I give no guarantees!

What are we trying to do? If you choose to Google ‘trumpet pedagogy’ or ‘trumpet technique’ you will find a huge amount of wordy material that is in all honesty not likely to be of much assistance. Being over prescriptive is a trap that is easy to fall into! Perhaps it is best to start by identifying an agreed set of goals before starting the arguments about how we achieve them! My favourite article on trumpeting is a 1988 interview in the now defunct ‘Brass Bulletin’ with Maurice Andre where he states quite simply at the end of the interview, ’for me, trumpet practice is about looking for the right sound with a precise attack’. That statement might be short on detail but it is as close as I have seen to a true and universal statement about how to approach the brass family. On a brass instrument the essential

mechanics are that we make a sound, change pitch and articulate. How we go about these is of course open to ar-gument, but at least we can have a common starting point.

The brass family comes with its own set of mechanical is-sues that are as unique as any other instrument group. At the forefront of these is the fact that

Specialist Focus—Feature Article >>>

Teaching Brass for the Multi Teacher Article by Phil Ryan—QACI

Sound A resonant tone is the ultimate indi-cator of mechanical success and not only a worthwhile aesthetic goal. There are as many ideas as to how to produce a good tone as there are brass teachers. My first comment would be that when you are confident that an idea has been tried and that it has not worked, find another one! Keep looking! Read an article! Ring a friend! The fundamental require-ment of a brass teacher/student is that they have imagination. Instructions such as ‘use more air’ or ‘more breath support’ can become a dull mantra when used repeatedly and without success. My own experience is that stubborn pursuit of a resonant

tone in the middle register was the ma-jor factor in me acquiring a high regis-ter. That is, putting the high register to one side and pursuing a resonant tone led me to discover what I needed to do to find a high register. A good tone has a physical sensation, something vaguely like whistling which I resolutely pursue. I have heard others describe the quality of ‘warm air required for a good tone ’. My most frequent and most successful embouchure alteration to assist with tone production is to suggest that it is ok and often necessary to point the instru-ment downwards and to direct the air downwards. A perception does exist

“A resonant tone is the

ultimate indicator of

mechanical success and

not only a worthwhile

aesthetic goal.”

among some brass players that a brass instrument should extend from the player at an angle close to 90 de-grees, and that the air needs to be blown at a similar angle. Given that the vast majority of celebrity brass players play slightly downstream this is hard to understand. Puffing the cheeks is always to be discouraged though for the Tuba this seems less of a problem. Also, don’t forget that the first sign of good intonation is a good sound and the first sign of the right sound is the fact that he/she plays in tune. Facility Non brass players will be familiar with Remington or Schlossberg exer-cises even if they can’t identify them. They hear these before and af-ter most orchestral rehearsals! Lip-slurs challenge brass players to change pitch without losing tone

quality. However, simply negotiating the slalom course of lip-slur routines without applying some sort of strate-gy seems meaningless. The imagina-tion needs to be engaged in finding how to manage these challenges more and more efficiently and relia-bly rather than mindless observation of routines. One way of progressing a slurring routine is to repeat an ex-ercise with ever-decreasing pressure. This forces the player to look for focus in the embouchure rather than force as the means of getting around the range of the instrument. Train-ing students to respond to facility challenges with some alternative to ‘pressing and blowing hard’ is often vital to their success. Prescriptive strategies such as blow the air fast-er /make a small aperture/use vowel sounds certainly have their place but they are not in my experience uni-

9

versally successful. Nevertheless, the question of how we tighten lip mus-cles without impeding the flow of air and therefore lessen the tone’s reso-nance, seems the central question that faces us as we teach facility. It is bet-ter answered with trial and error rather than empirical fact. At a beginner lev-el simply playing songs on the mouth-piece or imitating police sirens on the mouthpiece may establish the idea that facility is the player’s problem and the valves/slide are not much help. Tonguing The great thing that brass instruments offer is the variety of musical style in which they are involved. Musicians as diverse as Tommy Dorsey/ Louis Armstrong/Maurice Murphy/Arturo Sanderval seem so variable, their mu-sical context so at odds, it seems re-markable that they would all fit under the heading, ‘brass players’. Articu-lation seems so context driven that it is impossible to come up with advice that can be applied ‘across the board’. Nevertheless it might be useful to some to make the point that over- reli-ance on the tongue is universally ap-proached by use of breath attacks. That is, the exercise of repeatedly pro-ducing notes without articulation of any kind in order to throw the breath into sharp relief. A clean attack al-lows a well- defined beginning to each note and therefore unequivocal rhyth-mic signals from the player con-cerned. The value to any ensemble, of brass players with precise attacks will be obvious. In addition precision in attack is an essential ingredient in any rapid tonguing passage. When the attack is laboured, virtuosity is not going to happen! In general It is as beneficial for your playing to play really easy pieces as well as your favourite brass player as it is to slog away at your concerto, high notes or party tricks.

Teaching Brass for the Multi Teacher Continued from Page 8 >>>

high register replied that he learned to play simple jazz standards perfectly, and simply transposed these upwards when he was satisfied he was playing this with a good, well produced tone. This is a template for all brass players.

Good luck!

“ When the fundamentals

are secure, the more

spectacular things

become possible. ”

When the fundamentals are secure, the more spectacular things become possible. It seems far more important to me that multi teachers of brass in-struments are able to model good tone for their students even if they them-selves are limited in range or facility tricks. A simple hymn tune chorale is suffi-cient to demonstrate this. Maynard Ferguson , on his last visit to Brisbane in an interview on 4QR, when asked how he managed to de-velop his extraordinary ability in the

The government has announced that, from 2015, Year 7 will be the first year of secondary school.

Secondary schools will introduce Junior Secondary from 2013, with Year 7s joining them in 2015. This change will bring changes for teach-ing staff in primary and secondary schools. For primary classroom music teach-ers this will mean that there will be one less cohort in the school. As spe-cialist time is allocated according to

the school enrolment this will need to be addressed. There will be a transition period up to 2018.

For secondary music teachers there will be an extra cohort, as well as the transition to Jun-ior Secondary schooling.

For instrumental music teachers there will be large effects for primary school pro-grams. It is likely that teach-ers’ itineraries will need to be adjusted with more time in their secondary schools and less in primary schools. At present students may not enter the woodwind, brass and per-cussion program before Year 5. The changes would mean that primary school bands would lose their most experi-enced and advanced players. Some teachers have suggested that students could enter the band program earlier. This, however, would require extra funding. It is expected that any change would need to be fund-ed from existing resources. There will be less of an effect on strings programs.

The government has an-nounced up to 500 scholar-ships for state primary school teachers to prepare them for teaching in Junior Secondary, as well as providing extra pro-fessional development pro-grams for Junior Secondary teachers, and support for teachers to introduce the new Australian Curriculum It is expected that further information will become avail-able over the next two years.

Further information is available at:

www.flyingstart.qld.gov.au

Damian Hoey Regional Music Coordinator (Metropolitan Region)

Q: A:

What are the implications for Music Teachers of Year 7 students moving to high school in 2015?

10

Review >>>

Suggested apps for Music Teachers with a Similar Affliction by Laurinda Davidson - Kelvin Grove SC

My Music App Addiction

Hello fellow app addicts! You know who you are…I’ve encoun-tered you at many a music camp huddled in corners sharing your latest find downloaded from the App Store! If you’re like me, you can’t help controlling your trigger finger when it comes to buying all the newest music related apps from the App Store and what can be worse than buying something and getting buyer’s remorse moments later?

So, here are some tried and true apps that I use regularly that will hopefully save you some money.

Metronome: Tempo by

Frozen Ape Pte. Ltd $2.49 I use this App every single day and also have it installed on the iPad!

Features: -35 different time signature includ-ing compound and complex meters. -6 rhythm patterns for simple

meters and 3 for compound meters. -Visual feedback in the form of pulsing LED’s and the option to flash the whole screen on beat 1. -Turn on and off pendulum anima-tion. -Customise accents. -Tap tempo function. -Tempo ranges from 10 to 800. -Landscape or portrait presentation -Vibration mode. -Choose from 9 sound sets. -Italian tempo markings -Plays over ipod music!

According to Apple this is the bestselling and most

accurate metronome on the app store with over 160,000 copies sold.

Tempo Advance is also available now for $2.49 retaining the same accurate audio engine but the inter-face has been completely rede-signed to put the focus on the met-ronome display.

Cleartune – Chromatic

Tuner by Matthew Finn

$4.99

Also proudly displayed on my home screen and used daily!

Cleartune is a seriously cool iPh-one app which helps you tune any musical instrument using your iPh-one, iPad (or iPod touch which has an external mic) I have used this to tune piccolos, tubas and timpani!

Features: - Note Wheel Display. - Responsive 25 cent range fine tuning display. - Selectable notations such as

solfege. - Support for transposing instruments. - Tone generator/ pitch pipe. - Automatic or manual note selection

Smudge Apps “Band” by

Reuben Bijl $0 (Free)

As reviewed by James Morrison at the Maryborough Music Teachers Conference 2009! This is great for teaching jazz standards and improvisation. Play-a-long with real musicians controlling how loud each musi-cian is, or whether they are playing at all. Band comes with the Jazz Standard Water-melon Man and you can download addi-tional songs through the app. Even though the app itself is free, you need to buy addi-tional song at $2.49 a pop. Many jazz standards are featured including: - Autumn Leaves - Blue Bossa - Bye Bye Blackbird - Fly Me To The Moon

11

- Have You Met Miss Jones - Summertime

Instruments In Reach Basic

by John Ferland $3.99

(Illustrated next column) If you were quick, you could have downloaded this for free, but due to it’s popularity it has quickly become a paid item! Not sure how to play a G# on bas-soon, a high F on saxophone or an Ab on trombone? Never fear! The an-swer is only a tap away with this App!

Acoustic Guitar by H2indie LLC

$1.19

I can’t stop playing this! It’s just like strumming a guitar! Handy for spontaneous and im-promptu jamming while on the go. No need to bring a real guitar with you! Features: - Over 974 chords - Multiple variations for each chord - 3 different play modes: Upright, Sideway, and Fretboard - Capo supported - Finger picking supported - Realistic strumming actions - High quality acoustic guitar sounds - Chord sets are easy to customize and save for later use I could add page after page here but will stop now before they start to edit me!

Remember, the first step to getting help with any addiction is

admitting you have a problem!

A fingering chart on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. This application is designed as a quick reference per-fect for young band and orchestra students (or teachers!), Created by a former band director you simply choose your instrument and scroll thru the chromatic scale to find a fingering or position. In this version, only the most com-mon fingerings are included and only the basic ranges of each instrument, however, an advanced version is be-ing developed and will soon be re-leased that will include extended ranges, alternate fingerings and more reference guides as well as additional instruments.

My Music App Addiction….continued from Page 10 >>>

Hot Topic >>>

Q: A:

How should Instrumental Music Teachers engage in Moderation for Reporting and Assessment?

Instrumental Music should be included on the One School reports.

The reporting outcomes should be based on the levels from the Instrumental Music Curriculum Guide and be consistent across all schools.

A number of sessions have been held for teachers in Metropolitan Region with sample recordings of students at various levels. It is envisaged that in the fu-ture samples will be available of students at each module of each level, at an ‘A’ and a ‘C’ level.

It is highly recommended that teachers in local clusters share the outcomes of

their students. Metropolitan Region will be developing a system where teach-

ers meet to moderate results in Instrumental Music. A trial will begin in Semes-

ter 2 this year.

Damian Hoey (Music Coordinator—Metropolitan Region)

12

use the program as a home tutor and can self pace through each unit as they record themselves and email activities that they have been set by the teacher.

Downloading. Students download a copy of Smartmusic over the internet and pay $36 US to access the program for 12 months. They can then ac-cess over 17 method books, more than 9000 scale exercises, solos for all levels and all instruments and thousands of band arrange-ments that they can rehearse on the computer screen. There are several excellent features that help students with their home practice. They can touch a note and it will give the student the fingering for that note, they can adjust the tempo of anything that they download and they can rec-ord themselves and email the re-cordings to anyone who wants to hear them. All they need is an ex-ternal microphone and a computer that has the internet.

Set work. Each unit that the students are working through can be split into several different elements that the students can practice and record. Method Book - I use the Stand-ard of Excellence and I set several of the medal songs for students to record. If the songs are too fast, they can slow them down before

they finally record them. They also have the option of having accompaniment or just the melody line. Tuner – A built in tun-er gives students a chance to learn to play long notes until they

Smartmusic is a tool that is useful to both teachers and stu-dents. It is helpful to collect evidence and keep track of student progress. Students can

Smart Music - A Wonderful Tool Review by Bruce Eddiehausen (Warwick District)

can play them in tune. This is very helpful for students to learn pos-ture and embouchure that results in tuneful playing. Scales can be recorded using the tuner. Scales – There are a huge range of scale exercises for students to work through and master. This has to be the best way to get students playing their scales. Ear training – Simple patterns are played that students listen to and copy. This leads to increasingly complex activities for students to master. Singing – Students can record their voice as they sing either rhythms or melody to songs from the method book. This gives me another chance to build a portfolio of student progress in reading and rhythm work. Solos – Smartmusic has a huge range of solos that can be down-loaded, rehearsed and recorded. Band arrangements – If you match the band arrangement that you are working on at school with those on Smartmusic, they can be down-loaded and practiced at home. When students have learned their part they can email you the recording.

Student progress One of the biggest advantages of using Smartmusic is that students

can progress through the book at their own pace and send you the evidence that they have actually completed the work at home. To make things a little easier, I have set up a special email account for students to send through their re-cordings and I have folders for all students to store their work. A spreadsheet or checklist for each student keeps track of all assess-ment tasks that they have completed. Into the future. Not only is this technology highly motivating to students but it is opening up many new teaching ideas. I have only just begun to explore the use of Smartmusic on the inter-active white boards and I am look-ing forward to using this technology in my band rehearsals. It is also a great way to preview new music before you buy it. You can download all of the parts that you need to check for difficulty lev-el and hear the recording of the piece. Next year I am looking to start to select music for my bands that are all on Smartmusic so that students can use it as a practice tool for band.

Review >>>

13

Bassooner or later…

A basic guide to getting started with bassoon

Article by Karen Ruprecht—Music Resource Centre

Specialist Focus — Feature article >>>

The prospect of teaching bassoon for the first time is met with fear and trepidation for some teachers.

The aim of this article is to remove some of the mystery from teaching this fantastic instrument. In many schools, in a dusty back corner of the music room or in an old forgotten cupboard, you may find an old bassoon, a relic that may not have been played for many years and sometimes never serviced. May I suggest, pull it out, dust it off and begin a bassoonist in your band! With a little guidance, practical advice and courage, it’s maybe not as difficult as you thought! Before recruiting any double reeders, have a good look at the instrument. A service is a good idea if the instru-ment has been neglected for a long period of time. Apart from all the usual issues with woodwind instruments, such as leaky pads, there are several things pertaining to bassoons to be assessed prior to starting a beginner. It is also beneficial to have the instrument played by a professional.

Common Issues Crooks It is a very common sight in schools to see bassoons with badly damaged crooks (also known as bocals). If the instrument is not carried correctly (by holding the butt joint so that the upper pieces don’t come out), the bassoon can easily fall into pieces and the crook (minimum $100 ) is the first thing to be damaged. Stu-dents should be shown in the first lesson how to put the crook in with-out bending it and also how to hold and carry the bassoon. The crook should be removed from the instru-ment and placed into the bell when moving around. A damaged crook will severely affect the performance of the bassoon. Crooks should be cleaned every few months with a drop of dishwashing liquid and warm water and a special flexible brush can be purchased for this process. Never attempt to clean the tiny hole at the base of the crook by inserting anything into it. Bas-soons are generally sold with two crooks, a “1” and a “2”, which are used for tuning purposes. The higher the number, the longer the crook and hence flatter the pitch. No.”3” crooks

can also be purchased if sharpness is an issue.

Key mechanism The “whisper key” is played with the left hand thumb and closes the pad on the crook. This mechanism should also work when played with the right hand thumb on the E key only (large round key- sometimes called the “pancake key”, on the butt joint). Occasion-ally the long rod associated with this mechanism becomes bent and doesn’t operate correctly. It is important that students know how to put the bassoon into its case correctly. Some cases make it dif-ficult to determine which direction each joint is to be placed. If they are not packed correctly, damage to keywork can occur once the case is closed and the bassoon moves around in transit.

Inappropriate suspending devices Ensure that the case contains a seat strap rather than a neck strap, which puts a lot of weight on be-ginning bassoonist’s necks and hands. It also causes the instru-ment to fall at an awkward angle. A seat strap transfers the weight

from the neck and hands to the strap.

New Bassoons If, however you are lucky enough to be in the position to purchase a new instrument, there are some things to be aware of. As with all musical instruments (and anything else, for that matter!) you general-ly get what you pay for. Fine in-struments are expensive and often the money you save on a cheap instrument is spent over the fol-lowing years on repairs. Polypropylene bassoons are worth considering. Although profession-als and advanced students play wood bassoons, polypropylene in-struments are much easier to main-tain. Wood bassoons in schools often encounter poor storage con-ditions and humidity, damage to the finish and issues with water being left in the bassoon from poor cleaning. They are also susceptible to cracking if they undergo dra-matic changes in temperature or humidity. This is particularly rele-vant in Queensland with instru-ments moving from high heat and

Continued page 19 >>>

14

One teacher takes P–2, the other Years 3-5 plus extra-curricular. As well as singing, our students have the opportunity to play guitars – inc. elec-trics and bass, recorders, ukuleles, marimbas and drum kit. Our aim has always been to involve as many students as possible in active music making. In order to attempt to achieve this we strive to holistically support David J. Elliott’s idea that:

Our primary classroom goals are to encompass the concept of how Music Matters by providing participation opportunities for all students through the ‘layers’ of what makes a song or a piece of music work (Elliott 1995). Because the number of students who possess a musical intelligence is also yet to be scientifically proven, it re-mains fundamental to our classroom practices to assume that all students need to have permission to discover just how musically intelligent they are (Gardiner 1984).

At Kelvin Grove State College Junior School, we are fortunate to have an extremely well-resourced Classroom Music program. These resources grew and developed with the assistance of program development funds the principal had discretionary access to for a period of approximately 5 years. The most valuable adjunct to the resources was the addition of significant, music-specific teacher aide time. The music teacher aide maintains all equipment; including IT, frequently accompanies (on guitar), and works along-

side all classes to help facilitate withdrawal group activities and support instruction on a variety of levels. There are two classroom teachers who share the classes across the P-5 campus.

Primary Classroom—Feature Article >>>

The Songs That…. Make the Whole World Sing!

By Megan Grimmer —Kelvin Grove SC

....music making and listening are unique sources of the most important kinds of knowing

that human beings can gain.

(Elliott 1995).

Central to the operation of our classroom program is the use of a wide variety of songs as initial stimuli. These songs come from the students as well as the teachers and aide, and can be anything that anyone has experienced which is appropriate for use in a classroom. We very much enjoy working from the premise that: ......the songs that make the whole world sing...... are many and can present themselves at any time! Once we identify a song that someone has a particular emo-tional connection with it can quickly become the learning tool through which the elements are covered. This is done by a simple deconstruc-tion of the song to identify things like; key, harmonic structure, lyric

content, melodic appeal etc. One surprising recent example is: Numb by Linkin Park

At the beginning of this year it became evident that our Yr 5 cohort (our seniors) had many students interested in the keyboard (piano). This was in contrast to the last couple of years where the emphasis had been primarily guitar-based. In week 2 as we were exploring where we might go and what some of the new songs were, one rather quiet student came to us at the end of the lesson and said that he’d been trying to play the piano version of Numb. He went on to state that he wasn’t going to rest until he’d mastered it - and was getting most of it off YouTube and his piano teacher was helping a bit! This song is neither recent nor obvi-ously accessible at a glance. He played a bit for us and we acquired the audio track.

Some elements which have been introduced via this song so far in-clude: • new recorder notes – both played and read • reading marimba notes on the staff and accurately playing them

with everyone else • keeping in time with percussion – both practically and conceptually • singing against what is being played – separately and together • fairly detailed discussion of the song’s meaning.

15

Outlined below are some of the deconstruction techniques explored by us in the song Numb. As it Happens in Our Classroom, we do this style of activity frequently, often adding strings, band instruments from IM plus turns at beatboxing- and teaching and playing ukulele and guitar chords.

The piano version is in Dm (different from the whole track with guitars and vocals - F#m ). This is of course not great for beginner recorders! The students were keen on the ‘pensive piano-y’ version which actually underlies the vocal version. The melody of the chorus isn’t heard so much in the piano piece but is able to be identified and provides a specific listening activity.

We very often use a CD recording to play along with at the beginning of a project of this nature. We used this

song in its recorded key but often transpose a track through Audition or Acid in order to get it out of keys with flats.

1. In Numb by Linkin Park, the first pattern or ‘loop’ is structured as follows:

2. It was

decided that recorder notes C’ and D’ might be explored so we taught these to fit into an accompanying practice pattern.

(Older students who are familiar with using both hands could naturally play lower D E F#, but at the begin-ning of Yr 5 we decided to go with notes in the left hand.)

3. Diatonic marimbas were then given:

(Some less capable students struggled with this at first, so they just played 3 D’s and 3 C’s to get the ‘shape’ of the song by still being able to play along.)

4. Hand untuned percussion (djembes) were added either singley or amongst a couple of players along the lines

of: or between a team of 3 players:

By this stage we could practice variations on the patterns without the CD. I would play piano but in one class, another 10 year old student could actually play the whole piece from memory. This was unknown to us at the start. In fact, we wouldn’t have chosen this as a song with working potential at all - if the child who was desper-ate to play it hadn’t told us about his mission! With these ‘layers’ of the song covered, students were able to play and practise a number of options:

• either all together as a class choosing, or taking turns of a part • in smaller groups • various keyboard permutations on other keyboards or with me • sing the chorus and/or other appropriate parts.

At the end of term 1 we had accomplished this much in and around other activities. If we choose to present a demonstration performance of this we will continue to work on a final ‘edit’. In Our Classroom we are fortunate to never find ourselves short of new experiences which are rewarding to us as much as to the students. We frequently marvel at how these types of activities change perceptions of old songs or introduce details of new ones and continue to do so across age levels and instrumentation options. Because there is always another good song to discover we find ourselves constantly on the look-out for possibilities - at the movies, in the car with our own children and discussing with friends. We gratefully acknowledge and thank those who have assisted us pursue and ultimately realise this artistically and musically satisfying occupation.

Songs that make the Whole World Sing! continued from previous page >>>

16

The Accelerated Music Program - “AMPed” - at The Gap High demonstrates “Music theory into BEST practice”.

It was awarded Education Queensland’s Showcase in Excellence Award for Academic Excellence in 2010. Essentially the program is an integrated approach from both Instrumental and Classroom music.

The AMPed curriculum focuses on academic excel-lence through extension studies in music theory to gain deeper knowledge and understanding of the lan-guage of music. This is then applied at a higher level through the dimensions of composing and performing. Students gain external accreditation for their theory studies through undertaking Australian Music Exami-nation Board 2nd and 3rd grade theory exams. In addi-tion to the academic rigour that such theoretic study demands, the ‘AMPed’ course is digitally enhanced for a world of music creation beyond the classroom. Class sets of Macbook laptops and MIDI keyboards as well as SMART boards in the music classrooms allow for technology to be embedded throughout the curric-ulum. AMPed performing ensembles have worked with and are currently working with Australia’s best.

Gaining an external

accreditation is a

challenge for

AMPed students

and takes

considerable

commitment and

dedication to their

studies.

Recent performances at Regional, State, National and International levels have indeed shown the appli-cation of “Music theory into BEST Practice”.

1. Structure Within the AMPed program, transi-tioning Instrumental music students are grouped together in two form classes. For the first semester of year 8, these classes share all core

subjects and electives studies as well as an additional ex-tension 35minute music theory lesson each week, which culminates in students completing the Australian Mu-sic Examinations Board (AMEB) second grade theory examination. Students also attend Instrumental music lessons and ensemble rehearsals together. In Term 1 the annual music and year 8 class camps are held – two fur-ther opportunities to cement social, academic and cultural networks within the AMPed students. Forming strong friendship groups with common learning goals has assist-ed in ensuring the successful outcomes of the AMPed program as students meet the challenges of rigorous aca-

demia within the study of music.

Due to the success of the AMPed program and its ex-pansion into third grade AMEB theory studies during 2009, the program has further evolved to have Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) approval to commence a Variable Progression Program (VPP) such that year 10 AMPed stuents undertake Senior Music studies in Semester 1. It is therefore a sustain-able program that provides an accelerated pathway of learning through the Middle and Senior phases of schooling. VPP students will complete the Senior Music course in year 11 and will be able to take Mu-sic Extension as an additional overall position (OP) subject in year 12 without an extra subject workload or ‘dropping’ a subject. This is an exciting prospect for our AMPed students and is the first such acceler-ated program to be phased into the Senior School. This course enables AMPed students to complete sev-en rather than six OP subjects and provides greater opportunities for academic placement in Tertiary courses.

2. Pedagogy – Music Theory into Best Practice The AMPed curriculum has been developed such that it integrates learning experiences within the In-strumental and Classroom Music programs and mandates participa-tion in Instrumental music as a pre-requisite to joining the AMPed course. The underlying pedagogy seems a simple adage, but is challenging in

its application - “not just theory into practice – but theory into best practice!”

It is important to acknowledge that considerable productive pedagogies are used in the teaching of music theory at The Gap High. The methodology is one of catering to all learning styles -- inclusivity – auditory, visual and kinaesthetic within a supportive classroom environment. An observer of lessons focussing on music theory will see AMPed students playing often quite physical games to apply aspects of their learning or will be working in groups to

AMPed Up at the Gap SHS ... A close up look at this revolutionary program getting r eal results. By Colleen Toohey-Jones—The Gap SHS

In My Classroom—Secondary Focus >>>

17

solve a music problem that will unlock the next level in an extended learning sequence. Collaborative teamwork is emphasised – a reflection of their en-sembles working together to create cohesive, confi-dent performances, sometimes at a competitive level.

The music theory component builds deeper Knowledge and Understanding of the language of music. The external benchmarking through the Aus-tralian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) levels of theory study provides students with qualifications from a recognised national authority in the curricu-lum and assessment of music performance and theo-ry. Students typically come to the program with lim-ited music theoretical knowledge but rather more of a practical understanding of music making.

3. Higher Order Application of Knowledge and Understanding Through deeper understanding of music theory, stu-dents can engage at a higher level in all aspects of music. Composing and Performing are dimensions of music that provide opportunities for students to further synthesise their knowledge and understand-ing of music theory.

3.1 Technology and Composing To enrich and enhance their studies as well as to pro-vide relevance, Information Communication Tech-nology (ICT) has been central to expressing music understanding through composition. The AMPed program is innovative and cutting edge in its use of ICT. Students apply their advanced knowledge in music theory and use technology to create music compositions that may be published as CDs or DVDs for film soundtracks, used as ringtones for their phones, added to a podcast or their playlist on iTunes. They are able to work in the digital world of music and are confident in the manipulation of music not only in its notational sense but also as a wave-form. Many students cite composition as their fa-vourite dimension of study because it combines two of their passions – technology and music.

3.2 Performing The instrumental strand of AMPed centres on devel-oping learning experiences, which literally transfer music theory into best ‘practice’ or performance. Musicians are often told from any early age that “practice makes perfect” and students within the AMPed program are no different – with the excep-tion that they are taught that it is the “application of music theory in performance that makes for BEST practice”! Again, with deeper understanding of music knowledge, students are able to play more challenging works and express these more

confidently to an audience. Success is demonstrated through many of the ensemble and individual student performance achievements from the AMPed program.

3.2.1 Modelling Best Practice – Nationally and in the Community Along with developing their knowledge and perform-ing skills, AMPed students are also modelled excel-lence. Australian acclaimed artists such as James Morrison, Grant Collins, The Ten Tenors, The Idea of North and recently renowned artist, Wiliam Barton, are regularly engaged to workshop with the AMPed students to provide them with industry knowledge and share technical skills and expertise.

Paralleling this focus on nationally renowned artists enriching the music excellence program, local musi-cians and parents also contribute to modelling best practice. This includes Paul Dean, previously of Southern Cross Soloists, an acclaimed composer and performer, and parent of one of our AMPed students, who has collaboratively composed an original work “GAPocalypse” for our school orchestra. This work is based on the storm cell, which devastated The Gap community in 2008. This is excellence in rehearsal within our Instrumental program. In 2011 our orches-tra will participate in Tutti World Youth Music in Bei-jing for further extension.

Achieving Best Practice In conjunction with working with both local and na-tional artists, our Instrumental ensembles perform lo-cally, at a regional, state and national level. Competitions supplement benchmarking of the suc-cess of the performance component of the program through providing independent, professional feedback to further develop music skills that are evident in best practice.

4. Summary The AMPed program has been evolutionary and is now revolutionary at The Gap High. The program ini-tially developed out of the Performing Arts Depart-ment identified need to attract transitioning year 7 In-strumental music students from feeder primary school students. The program has evolved to its current form where AMPed students, on accepting placement, un-dertake a two-year course of study of integrated class-room and instrumental music with extension studies in music theory. Due to the success of the program, this focus has now changed from needing to attract stu-dents, but to challenge and provide quality learning outcomes for these numerous students. The growth in both classroom and instrumental programs has also seen outstanding results in students’ academic achievements and the school’s instrumental program success at local, state and national events.

In My Classroom—Secondary Focus Continued from previous page >>>

18

In My Classroom—Feature Article >>>

What’s Happenning in my Classroom?

By Amelia Hamilton-Smith, Music Teacher & Head of The Arts Department at Coorparoo Secondary College

My classroom covers Year 8 to 12 with a diverse range of talented, musical, creative students. I have been teaching in these classrooms at Coorparoo Secondary College for 9 years and have been fortunate enough to be able to intro-duce innovative and relevant programs that my students enjoy. This has been a process in which I am still engaged and while the following “happenings” in my classroom are now well established I continue to search for new ways to teach music.

Nautilus

The name ‘Nautilus’ is the brand for extension programs at CSC and is a metaphor for the philosophy that underpins the program. Just as the Nautilus cephalopod develops from a

single chamber and over time builds and grows into the

magnificent shell that is prized across the Pacific

we hope our students will grow across our pro-

grams to reach their full musical poten�al.

In 2010 I launched a new program at CSC called Nauti-lus Music. My aim was to provide real life experiences in a flexible learning environment for students who want to be extended academically within the context of mu-sic. With the support of my Principal I designed a curric-ulum that encourages and supports students to pursue their passions and talents and above all nurture their creativity. Cultivation of creativity and the acknowledge-ment of multiple types of intelligences allow students to think deeply and to solve problems through the use of higher order thinking skills.

My Music Classroom Looks Like…

Cross-Curricular Tasks

For example, in year 8

English our students cre-

ate a poetry anthology. In

this unit they study various

styles of poems including

ballads. They learn the art

of rhythm and rhyming,

the use of metaphor, simi-

le, alliteration and onomat-

opoeia and then use these

skills to create a ballad to be used as lyrics for a song.

Technology These students then discover several styles of composing

appropriate for word-setting and compose a song using Si-

belius or Garage Band. They then create a performance of

these songs

and record

them in our

recording

studio.

Differentiation Differentiation plays an important part in my music class-rooms. For example, in my senior class my students range from those who have had very little music experience to stu-dents who have studied privately for over a decade. There-fore, differentiation is something I have to do every day in every lesson. Here are a few examples of how I do this… These are specific ongoing activities or assignments on which students can work independently and throughout a unit of work. Noughts and Crosses is a great anchor activity which can be used for when students finish work early.

In this task students complete 3 activities. Students choose 3 across, 3 diagonally or 3 down but they must

complete all 3 as they increase in complexity.

19

In My Classroom—Feature Article continued from previous page >>>

Tiered Tasks Tiered tasks are designed to provide 3 different levels

of the same task. So while the learning outcome is

the same, the task is differentiated in content, pro-

cess or complexity to accommodate a range of stu-

dent abilities. Depending on the task students are

allocated a tier or are given a choice as to which level

they wish to undertake. My goal is that students can

make the right decision when selecting which tiered

task they can complete successfully.

In conclusion, it has been my experience that when

curriculum is designed to challenge and appeal to

students’ interests and when they are given choice

they will engage and produce high quality, innovative

work.

www.e-lr.com.au This site provides an aural section where students can work at their own pace and at different levels at school or at home. It also has analysis tools which are great to support Music Extension, excellent units of work and a composing projects section which I recently used in my senior classroom.

www.cpdl.org This is the Choral Public Domain Library which provides you with free choral sheet music in the public domain.

www.imslp.org This is the Instrumental Music Score Library Project and is a community-built library of public domain sheet music featuring a collection of original scores scanned to PDF.

www.ted.com TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Check out Sir Ken Robinson’s talk on ‘creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity or Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, speak about music and passion. My students love his theory of ‘one buttock playing’!

Useful Websites

humidity outside to air conditioning inside. The manufacturing process for polypropylene with regards to keywork and bore drilling is much the same as for wood bassoons. The Fox black poly-propylene bassoon, while not the cheapest bas-soon on the market, is a very robust instrument and produces a lovely sound.

Preparation Complete, now for a likely candidate. It’s time to recruit a player! Switching from other woodwind instruments to

bassoon: Despite the large size of the bassoon, students in year five or six will manage, provided they don’t have particularly small hands. However it is not common for primary schools to own a bassoon and it’s more often a high school student who takes up the instrument or switches from another woodwind instrument. The saxophone is probably the best instrument to switch from, as the em-bouchure is rounded and loose. This should delight many teachers, who often have an abundance of saxophone players. These students would just need to familiarise themselves with bass clef. Clarinettists may have difficul-ty forming a bassoon embouchure.

Bassoner or later...continued from page 13 >>>

Continued on page 20 >>>

20

Cairns: (Lizanne Smith)

♦ Recent Events include

♦ PFD 24 January teachers had a Repertoire Reading day looking at new Concert band, Stage Band and String Orchestra music.

♦ 11 July - teachers have requested workshops on bass guitar,

Darling Downs: (John Bloom)

∗ Choral Fanfare held on Thursday 16 June (20 choirs)

∗ Instrumental Music delivered via Elluminate program.

∗ Advanced Music Camp next term – QSO Brass Ensemble visiting.

∗ THYME – being held at USQ this year.

Metropolitan: (Damian Hoey)

∗ Metropolitan Region has a new Project Officer, Tracey Young. Tracey looks after projects including the re-gion’s twenty four camps, Fanfare, Singfest and Choral Fanfare.

∗ Regional Music Coordinator, Damian Hoey responsible for professional support, staffing and supervision.

∗ The Region is focussing on the retention of students in the program as well as student progression. Data will be collected through One School on student levels and progression.

∗ Instrumental Music will be offered to students in selected schools electronically using One Channel.

∗ Looking at options to adapt the allocative model for instrumental music in the region. Options to consider include school enrolment, current and recent instrumen-tal music participation, school support for program including budget, resources, facilities.

∗ Choral Fanfare during Term 2. State Gala later this year.

North Coast Region: (Ken Hodgkinson)

∗ Ken has been appointed to the new regional music coordinator position.

∗ This is a new management structure, with a new gov-ernance group (4 principals + PAES).

∗ Project Officers have been appointed to assist Ken in specific areas.

∗ Ken has visited every cluster in the region to explain the expectations and his role as regional coordinator.

∗ Choral Fanfare and Choral Fest are being run across the region.

Around the Regions Report >>>

South East

Region-Southern:

(Pam Lowry and

Shaun Dorney )

Recent Events include ∗ Secondary workshop with Qld Symphony Orches-

tra 4 and 5 April ∗ Secondary workshop with Aust. Army Band Bris-

bane 6 April. ∗ Primary schools concert with Australian Army

Band Brisbane 6 April ∗ Secondary workshop with Opera Queensland 20

to 24 June ∗ Primary schools advanced instrumental music

camp 20 – 23 June. ∗ Primary beginner workshops in cluster groupings. ∗ Voice Fusion Choral Workshop for primary

schools 7 April ∗ Choral Fanfare for Gold Coast and Scenic Rim

(24 Choirs) 25 May ∗ Logan area Advanced Music Camp. ∗ Choral Fanfare for Redlands (3 choirs), and

Logan (13 choirs). 24 and 26 May ∗ Bayside Beginners Music Camp (assist

organisers) ∗ Logan area Intermediate Music camp June Professional Development 15 April 2011, Voice care for classroom music

teachers & peer tutoring of teaching and learn-ing strategies, Reading session for IMT.

∗ 1 June 2011, Instrumental Music with Mark Fonder

Flautists may have more success, surprisingly, due to the flexibility of their embouchure and with no experience with reeds, they will have no habits to change. However either are potential bassoonists. Despite the oboe being part of the double reed fam-ily, the “double” reed is the only thing that bassoon and oboe have in common. This is probably the most difficult change in embouchure due to the tightness in the corners of the mouth.

Bassoner or later...continued from page 19 >>>

21

Reeds The selection of reed has a big impact on what comes out the other end. Double reeds are also expensive compared to their single counterparts.

A significant amount of money can be wasted by a careless student, which is why there is some-times a temptation to purchase plastic reeds. While they may be more robust, they don’t per-form in the same way as cane, so in the long run they are not a good option for the student. Cane reeds will generally sound better than plastic.

Generally, beginners will get the best results from a soft or medium soft reed. As they become more advanced, a harder reed can be used, nor-mally producing a more desirable tone.

Reeds need to be soaked for a short time prior to playing. A small container, for instance a 35mm film canister kept in the instrument case is a prac-tical way to do this. Generally the time it takes to set up one’s instrument is sufficient time to place the reed in water (no longer than 2 or 3 minutes). If soaked too long, reeds will become water logged and difficult to play. Bassoon reeds should be totally submerged in water, rather than in the mouth which only wets the outside. After playing, it is important to ensure ventilation around the reeds as they will go mouldy if stored in a plastic airtight container. Reed boxes can be purchased or a small cardboard box will suffice.

A pair of pointy nosed pliers will come in handy for simple reed adjustments, which most reeds will need in order to play well. Ensure these are only carried out once you have soaked the reed, otherwise it may crack. Gentle and small adjust-ments can be made to the first wire (closest to the tip) and the second wire (near the thread). Ad-justing the first wire will either open or close the tip opening. The hardness of the cane dictates how open the tip can be. i.e. students will pro-duce a stronger, more substantial sound if the tip is more open, but if the reed is too hard, they will have trouble controlling it. By gently opening the throat of the reed (second wire) by pressing on the sides of the reed (not top to bottom), one can improve tone and make it less “nasally” and thin to a more rounded tone.

Reeds will also change with the weather, so it’s inevitable that adjustments will need to be made at some stage. Advanced students will be able to start reed adjustment themselves, beginners will likely need the teacher’s intervention and help in this area.

Embouchure The first step is to have the student “crow” the reed. This is a buzzing sound, not an actual steady pitch and on a good reed, this sound should have both low and high notes. In doing this, students will learn both the lack of lip pressure on the reed and also the quantity of air re-quired to vibrate the reed. There is nothing difficult about the bassoon embouchure: • Simply mouth the syllable “oooh” as in the word “do” (similar to whistling). • Place the reed into the mouth and form a relaxed cir-cle with the lips. One should imagine a drawstring bag tightening, where all sides come inwards, not just top and bottom. • The jaw should be lowered slightly. • The lips should come close to the first wire, but not touch it. • The teeth and jaw should not bite down on the reed. This can cause a “squeezed” sounding tone and can make the pitch sharp. It may even cause the note to jump up an octave. The reed blades should never be squeezed together. • The embouchure really only serves to prevent air leaking out and should not be creating any pressure on the reed. • The mouth should be open as if yawning with one’s

lips closed.

Posture Ideally, the bassoon should lean across the body, so that the student is reading the music over the top of the instru-ment. The player should ensure that they bring their in-strument to their mouth, rather than having an inappro-priate posture to move their mouth to the instrument. The reed should hit just below the bottom lip so that the head tilts downwards slightly to meet it.

Method Books The “bible” of bassoon playing is the “Weissenborn” Method. While it doesn’t contain melodies and pieces that students will recognise, it is an excellent resource for the serious student. Many bassoonists enjoy working from the “Blow the Bassoon” Books one and two. They are a good mixture of serious studies as well as familiar melodies. “The Art of Bassoon Playing” is a comprehensive publi-cation, handy to keep as a reference.

The playing of the bassoon offers the first time musician or the continuing instrumentalist the opportunity to expe-rience a truly wonderful sound and more importantly a challenge that is very rewarding.

With a little preparation, multi-instrumental teachers will find themselves producing fine bassoonists.

Bassooner or later…. Why wait???

22

Music can be the means through which both boys

and girls express themselves.

For boys it can provide opportunities for growth like no

other activity in their social, intellectual and emotional

development. Some boys can, however, be disinclined to

participate in certain styles of music, particularly school-

based choral music. In addition, some boys tend to shy

away from music that sounds high, soft or gentle be-

cause of a perceived association with femininity.

However, boys will participate fairly readily in popular

music styles and theatrical productions. The interroga-

tion of the unique nature of these performances provides

researchers and practitioners with possible solutions to

engaging males in music. The successes of the Birralee

Blokes and the local adult group Men Wot Sing are proof

that when strong leadership, appropriate role models and

choice of repertoire are factors, men will happily engage

with music making. Australia is blessed with a fantastic

array of musical role models. Consider the diversity of

this representative but not exhaustive list: Jimmy Barnes

belting out Working Class Man; Richard Tognetti play-

ing a Bach Violin Concerto; Peter Allen giving his ren-

dition of I Still Call Australia Home. Slim Dusty singing

Pub With No Beer; The Presets belting out their electro-

punk My People on stage at the ARIAS; the dark, brood-

ing Nick Cave (who, incidentally, sang in Wangaratta

Cathedral choir and the choir at Caulfield Grammar

School) singing his spooky Murder Ballads and the tal-

ented multi-instrumentalist and ARIA Award winner

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu strumming with his gui-

tar and singing Djarrimiri in native Yolngu.

Internationally, young men are seeking to involve them-

selves in music, too. Like the Birralee Blokes, the Unit-

ed Kingdom’s Only Men Aloud is a fine example of the

achievements men can have in choral singing. This all

male group won the tele-

vised competition Last

Choir Standing and have now recorded and toured to critical

acclaim. Boys in the United Kingdom have embraced new

ways of learning through the Musical Futures program, in

which boys were interested in music because they knew they

were going to put on a show and have jolly good fun! Initial

results from Sing Up – the £40m campaign launched in 2007

in order to make singing integral to every primary school

curriculum in the United Kingdom by 2011 – reveal the re-

surgence of singing by boys. Patrick Freer’s work in the

United States demonstrates similar findings, while Robert

Faulkner’s effort with male singers in Iceland documents the

use of singing throughout Iceland as a means of creating tra-

dition and rebuilding nationhood.

The main concern for music educators is finding readily

available sources with feasible solutions for engaging boys.

Practical tips can now be found in a number of recent publi-

cations on this subject. Martin Ashley, although based in the

United Kingdom, emphasises the importance of peer role

models in music and interrogates the role of repertoire and

genre, through his 2008 book Teaching Singing to Boys and

Teenagers. He has a video to accompany the book that

shows the boys speaking on their own terms. Well known

Australian choral conductor Noel Ancell’s The Kelly Gang

have recently released a DVD with in a similar vein. Oh

Boy! Masculinities and Popular Music by Jarman-Ivens pur-

sues this line of reasoning further, presenting and analysing

suggested repertoire for boys and men. Masculinities and

Music provides insights into the extent of gender role rigidity

in schools and also gives examples of men and boys making

music. The personal stories of boys, the problems and reme-

dies described above are clearly elucidated in this

publication.

Choral Focus—Feature Article >>>>

Boys Wot Sing Dr Scott D Harrison—Griffith University

23

Report—Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Instrumental Music

Congratulations to the 77 musically outstanding state school students who took part in the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Instrumental Music Gala Concert held at the QPAC Concert Hall on Thursday June 30. Selected from across Queensland, the students undertook twelve days of extensive musical de-velopment with top conductors and tutors in a residential camp held at Brookfield. Congratula-tions to all students and staff involved and organ-iser Anne Roylance (Senior Education Officer—Teaching & Learning Branch))

Report—MACussion success on ‘Australia’s Got Talent’

Macgregor State High School’s Percussion En-semble, ‘Macussion’ was successful in getting through to the semi-finals of ‘Australia’s Got Tal-ent’. The group, directed by Percussion Teacher David Adelt, was applauded for their innovative, entertaining and note perfect performances. Congratulations to all involved!

Perhaps the most recent volume of interest to Australian

music educators is Male Voices: Stories of boys learning

through making music. This book draws on accounts of

boys creating music in a diverse array of distinctly Aus-

tralian contexts and provides ideas for music teachers

and community music leaders across the country.

Through the excellent work of Anita Collins (Canberra),

Curtis Bayliss (Melbourne High), The Ten Tenors the

Birralee Blokes, Anthony Young and others, the book

gives practical examples for:

1. Involving parents, particularly fathers and

grandfathers, in making music

2. Enabling flexible approaches that match the cul-

ture and expectations of the school

3. Persuading the school leadership team to support

music in tangible ways

4. Bringing an integrated arts approach to fruition

through school productions, movement classes, dance,

media, drama and visual art

5. Managing transition periods, particularly from

primary to secondary school

6. Advocating a non-judgmental approach by

accepting participation over “right notes”

7. Embracing informal, relaxed learning

environments

8. Using technology for engagement and

9. Creatively using limited resources

10. Being (and employing) positive role models

These “top ten” initiatives are only part of the remedy to

engage boys in music making. With moves towards a na-

tional curriculum take giant steps forward, the time is ripe

for music educators and school music programs to ensure

that school music helps boys’ growth and development ra-

ther than hinders them in their socialisation. Taking ac-

count of the positive role models and initiatives suggested

here will ensure that all students have the opportunity to

willingly engage in music making without fear of failure or

ridicule.

Note: A more extended version of this paper was

published in Music in Action in 2009.

Choral Focus—Feature Article >>>> Choral Focus—Feature Article >>>>

Ashley, M. (2008) Teaching Singing to Boys and Teenagers: The young male voice and the problem of masculinity. Lampeter: Edwon Mellen. Jarman-Ivens, F. 2007. Oh boy! Masculinities and

Popular Music. London: Routlege. Harrison, S. D. (2008) Masculinities and Music. Newcastle-on-Tyne. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Harrison, S.D.. Ed. (2009) Male Voices: Stories of boys learning through making music. Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research

24

Conferences: Education Queensland's Maryborough Music Conference will be held from 9 - 13 July, 2011. In-

formation about the presenters, program and registration are available at

http://www.maryboroughmusicconference.com.au/. This is the premier music education event in the country,

with over 500 teachers attending, national and international presenters, and sessions targeted at primary

classroom, secondary classroom, and instrumental music teachers. Presenters for 2011 include Bob Phil-

lips, George Torbay, James Morrison, Peter Boonshaft, Julian Bliss, Bruce Pearson, Peter Hunt & Jo McNally,

and Sharon Burch. See you there!

The ASME National Conference at the Gold Coast from 2-5 July, http://www.asme.edu.au/conferences.htm

The International Kodaly Conference at the Qld Conservatorium from 5 - 8July.

http://www.iks2011.org.au/

Other Recommended Seminars Other professional development are listed on the music calendar

http://www.learningplace.com.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=38495

Professional Associations for music educators include; Australian Band & Orchestra Directors' Association (ABODA) http://abodaq.org/

Australian National Choral Association (ANCA) http://anca.org.au/1index.html

Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) http://www.asmeqld.org.au/

Australian Strings Association (AUSTA) http://www.austa.asn.au/qld.html

Kodaly Music Education Institute of Australia http://www.kodaly.org.au/

Queensland Orff Schulwerk Association at

http://www.ancos.org.au/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=35

Other recommended providers of professional development for music

teachers include; Crescendo Music Education at http://crescendo.com.au/

Futura Music Education http://www.futuramusiceducation.com.au

Sound Thinking Australia http://www.soundthinkingaustralia.com

Solavoce Choral Conducting and Musicianship Courses http://www.solavoce.com.au

Further information is available from Damian Hoey, 3356 8585, email musicrc.eq.edu.au

Professional Development Opportunities & Organisations >>>

thoughts... final

This is the first publication of the new look Opus for 2011. Our aim is to create a Journal by teachers for teachers and as such we would love your contributions.

If you have suggestions for topics or stories and articles you would like to contribute, please forward them to Tracey Young—Project Officer (Metropolitan Region) at musicrc@eq.edu.au. We would love to see regular contributions from Primary, Secondary and Instrumental Music teachers all across Queensland. The next edition of Opus will be released in Semester Two, 2011.