In last week’s blog, I shared some ideas on how I've used SmartMusic to help students become more independent musicians. This week’s blog takes the Solo Friday idea a step further.
First some background: My beginners typically start in September. Early on I decided they should have their first public concert in January rather than in December. We all know how much preparation time concerts require; I want to devote more of that initial class time toward developing skills and learning the basics. An extra month means that their first performance can be more of a natural extension of what is being taught in class – and less of an exercise in anxiety.
However, after I integrated SmartMusic in my teaching, I found that my students were developing faster, and (due in part to the activities I mentioned in my last blog) were more comfortable playing in front of others. While this improved rate of progress could have facilitated an earlier concert, I decided instead to perform more challenging material at a higher level!
The solution? A public version of Solo Friday!
We held this event in the band room at our normal class time so the students would feel more at ease. Because it was to occur during the school day, I recognized that not all parents or family members would be able to attend, but decided to judge the pros and cons afterwards and adjust accordingly for the following year's event.
Students were allowed to select any piece from our method book for their solo (remember, it was all about the students). I simply planned the program order to separate the few songs that were duplicated. In preparation, I covered performance etiquette and tips with the students. The benefits of preparing for this activity are too numerous to list here.
We created a flyer that was displayed in the school and distributed to parents. (If you are wondering about the title, I was inspired by Sunday Night Football on Thursday!)
At the beginning of our session I gave a brief overview to the audience. I also announced each student's name before they performed, and each student announced the name of their selection. I made any necessary tempo adjustments, set the accompaniment to ON, and set the melody OFF. Four clicks and away-we-go!
During the performance, when a student had a lapse, I would temporarily turn the melody line to help out. Each time I did this, the student immediately got right back on track. Students learning early on – to keep playing no matter what – is priceless!
The response of the audience was fantastic: They enjoyed it as much as the students.
In review, here are a few things I might do differently today:
• Record the event and use it at the upcoming concert as mentioned in this blog
• Send recordings (electronically or on CD) to parents who could not attend
• Allow students to play from other method books as well – now possible because the improved Playlist function makes switching between methods so much faster
Writing this blog brought back many good memories – thanks!
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