The prerequisites
Musically minded –The prerequisites:
Like any special project, particular effort and enthusiasm are needed to achieve a success. This enthusiasm must be maintained long term because the project is itself long termed. The most important prerequisite is that the president of the school and the principle music teacher (to be the executive director of the project) are both profoundly convinced. If both are not so convinced, or do not believe in the project, or are not strongly enthusiastic, it is better not to start.
A team is necessary
The team comprises: The president (Head) of the school, the principle music teacher (to be executive director of the project), up to 3 part time instrument teachers and the parents of the students. If the project is to be a success all need to play their roles.
The role of the President/Head
- Convince parents, teachers, local community leaders and business groups of the educational and social advantages that the project will bring to the students and the
- Find funding and external support for the project to be started and maintained. The funding may be from the local community, discretionary funds within the school, regional bodies, local firms, local business organisations, the local concert band. We note that some such musical projects elsewhere request subscriptions directly from parents.
- Buy instruments and hire part time teachers in an economically functional manner.
- Defend the project from any criticism of teachers who could be disturbed by the inevitable increase in background “noise”the students playing in the school or from teachers / parents that other academic subjects are not treated with equal attention.
- Initiate a trip for the school band at least once per year to participate in a competition. Our experience is that such trips, especially lasting some days, are strongly motivating.
- Coordinate with the local community political and business organisations to have the school band play locally in public from time to
- Organize a concert for Christmas and at scholastic yearto present the result of the year’s work and thank the various teachers, sponsors, supporters and parents who have contributed to the project
The role of the principle teacher of music
To become executive director of the project, this person will coordinate the project and be director of the school band.
- To be fully supportive of the method of teaching used for example in “Accent Achievement or “Essential Elements”.
- Choose and buy economically the instruments and ancillary equipment (in collaboration with the head of school), the teaching method books and musical pieces to be played by the school band.
- Guide each student in the choice of which instrument to play.
- Motivate and oversee the activity of part time teachers.
- To know or be willing to learn how to teach beginners to play all the individual instruments of the band, and to direct the school band.
- Develop the educational programme with enthusiasm using all the time available to teach the project for the full scholastic year.
- Direct the school band during performances and conduct rehearsals outside school hours once a week..
The role of the part-time instrument teachers
- Be a specialist in teaching beginners of Brass (trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba), Flute, Reeds (Saxes, Clarinet)
- Conduct lessons using the musical method of the school such as “Accent” with energy for all the time at their disposal.
- To be available to teach regularly. Continuity is important to establish a goodwith the students.
- Be available to give extra individual lessons outside normal school hours.
The role of parents
- Support the project by accompanying their children to rehearsals and performances and offer logistical support when the band travels away from school.
- Encourage their children to practice at home and be always present at rehearsals and performances.
- The parents in our project are not required to pay for the project. However we do recognise that students selected for the band are obliged to buy their own instrument and that this is at the expense of the parents.
(We note that some other schools who have developed a project such as ours are funded largely by parental monetary monthly subscriptions)