Strategies For Teaching Strings

Strategies for Teaching Strings: Building a Successful String and Orchestra Program, Second Edition, is an essential guide for prospective, novice, and experienced string teachers alike. Now featuring an integrated DVD, this comprehensive text provides all the information necessary to develop and manage a successful school-based program. Based on the national standards for teaching strings and orchestra, the text covers performance objectives, strategies for teaching technical and performance skills, and solutions to common playing problems for elementary, middle, and high school skill levels. It also offers rehearsal strategies to develop large-group ensemble techniques, practical approaches to teaching improvisation, and advice on how to increase student recruitment and retention. What's new in the third edition? * An expanded section on string instrument parts and equipment * More solutions for common playing issues * Bonus strategies for teaching shifting and vibrato at all levels of instruction * Updated information on national standards * A new section devoted to non-string players teaching strings * Additional suggested further resources, both print and online * Links to best-selling full and string orchestra works from J. W. Pepper, for students at all levels

Strategies for Teaching Strings is an essential guide for prospective, novice, and experienced string teachers. Acclaimed instructors Donald L. Hamann and Robert Gillespie share their years of experience, providing readers with all the information and skills necessary to teach string instruments in schools and to develop a successful school orchestra program. Based on national standards for teaching strings and orchestra, the text begins by introducing the string instrument family and presenting an overview of the school orchestra program. Subsequent chapters--divided into three levels of string competency corresponding to elementary, middle, and high school skills--cover performance goals and objectives, strategies for teaching technical and performance skills, and solutions to common playing problems for each ability level. Rehearsal planning and preparation, rehearsal techniques, practical approaches to teaching improvisation, student recruitment and retention, and choosing literature for the school orchestra are also covered. The book is enhanced by illustrations and photographs that demonstrate correct playing techniques and fingering positions. An appendix includes information about special pedagogical approaches and professional string associations. A full listing of the national content standards established by the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) and by the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) appears in Chapter 6.

Strategies for Teaching Strings: Building a Successful String and Orchestra Program, Fourth Edition, is an essential guide for prospective, novice, and experienced string teachers alike. This comprehensive text provides all the information necessary to develop and manage a successful school-based program. Based on the national standards for teaching strings and orchestra, the text covers performance objectives, strategies for teaching technical and performance skills, and solutions to common playing problems for elementary, middle, and high school skill levels. It also offers rehearsal strategies to develop large-group ensemble techniques, practical approaches to teaching improvisation, and advice on how to increase student recruitment and retention.

Teaching Strings in Today’s Classroom: A Guide for Group Instruction assists music education students, in-service teachers, and performers to realize their goals of becoming effective string educators. It introduces readers to the school orchestra environment, presents the foundational concepts needed to teach strings, and provides opportunities for the reader to apply this information. The author describes how becoming an effective string teacher requires three things of equal importance: content knowledge, performance skills, and opportunities to apply the content knowledge and performance skills in a teaching situation. In two parts, the text addresses the unique context that is teaching strings, a practice with its own objectives and related teaching strategies. Part I (Foundations of Teaching and Learning String Instruments) first presents an overview of the string teaching environment, encouraging the reader to consider how context impacts teaching, followed by practical discussions of instrument sizing and position, chapters on the development of each hand, and instruction for best practices concerning tone production, articulation, and bowing guidelines. Part II (Understanding Fingerings) provides clear guidance for understanding basic finger patterns, positions, and the creation of logical fingerings. String fingerings are abstract and thus difficult to negotiate without years of playing experience—these chapters (and their corresponding interactive online tutorials) distill the content knowledge required to understand string fingerings in a way that non-string players can understand and use. Teaching Strings in Today’s Classroom contains pedagogical information, performance activities, and an online virtual teaching environment with twelve interactive tutorials, three for each of the four string instruments. ACCOMPANYING VIDEOS CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: www.teachingstrings.online

String Methods for Beginners is designed for students to receive the essential playing and teaching skills on all orchestral string instruments. The goal of this textbook is to be truly methodical in its approach, and to assist the instructor, completely eliminating the need to do additional research, or reorganization in preparation to teach this class. Students will gain the basic knowledge and experience to teach bowed stringed instruments in public schools. String Methods for Beginners covers the necessary topics to learn and teach the violin, viola, cello, and string bass. It explores the fundamentals of those instruments and teaching considerations, utilizing a heterogeneous approach. As the primary resource to any college- and university-level String Techniques, String Methods, or Instrumental Methods class, this course book fits into a standard semester, comprised of 25 lessons, which correspond with two hourly classes per week for the term. It provides the instructor with the tools to teach a classroom of non-majors or string education majors, or a mixed classroom of both. FEATURES Offers a blueprint for a semester long string methods course. For beginning students, and also comprehensive for more in-depth study or for reference. Logical, step-by-step "recipe-like" approach.