Monthly Archives: January 2009

Organizing Printed Music

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Most of us music teachers have advanced well beyond the stage of OPBS (Overflowing Piano Bench Syndrome) into OBSS (Overflowing Book Shelf Syndrome). Books and sheet music are piled onto shelf after shelf, and it is a well-kept secret as to which book or piece is in which stack. :-) I just received an e-mail this week from a teacher wanting suggestions on how to organize all that music in a more efficient manner. So, I thought I would post some pictures of one way that I’ve come up with of organizing music. All you need is a file cabinet, or perhaps I should say several file cabinets if you have as much music as I’ve managed to accumulate!

FILE CABINET ONE – a wonderful 4-drawer lateral file that I couldn’t live without!

Drawer One (Top)

Method Books arranged by level – Primer Off-Staff, Primer On-Staff, Level One, Level Two, etc.; Supplemental Technique Books; Supplemental Theory Books; Sight-reading resources.

Drawer Two

Repertoire arranged according to Time Period – Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Late Romantic/Impressionistic, 20th Century. Within each of the categories, the books and sheets are placed alphabetically according to the last name of the composer. Following the chronologically arranged files are anthologies according to level – intermediate, advanced (I just had to move the elementary level anthologies to the next drawer down because this one was getting too full).

Drawer Three

Supplemental books and sheets arranged according to level – beginner, elementary, late elementary, early intermediate, intermediate, late intermediate, advanced. Each category contains file folders with sheet music first followed by file folders with books. Following those are folders for Arrangements & Transcriptions, Concertos, and Elementary Classical Repertoire Anthologies.

Drawer Four

Miscellaneous categories – seasonal music (mostly patriotic music), movie music, wedding music, songs; I also have a section for my Duds – books or sheets I don’t want anymore and want to send on the next time I receive the Duds Box.

FILE CABINET TWO – a 5-drawer standard sized cabinet (just make sure you get the kind where the drawers pull all the way out!)

Drawer One and Two – still empty, or just a storage for some hymnals, old studio assignment books, etc.

Drawer Three

Duet and Ensemble Music – Elementary 1P4H, Intermediate 1P4H, Advanced 1P4H, Teacher/Student Duets, 1P6H, 2P4H, 2P8H, Other Ensemble (P=Piano, H=Hand)

Drawer Four

Christmas Music – Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, Piano Duet, Piano Trio, Other Ensemble

Drawer Five

Sacred Music – Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, Piano Duet, Other Ensemble

This has proved to be an easy-to-maintain system for my studio. Not only can I find and pull any given piece of music in a matter of seconds, but my students also know where to look for certain music. All of my music is a part of the studio lending library. Students are permitted to look through the file cabinets at any time and check out music to take home with them. And now that I use the handy Lending Library feature on Music Teacher’s Helper, I’m much less likely to permanently lose books and pieces of sheet music!

Wise Words from a Classroom Music Teacher

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I have been looking forward with great anticipation to the posts Steve indicated he might write as he spent time rethinking his approach to managing and teaching his music classes. His first post on this topic is up, and it is incredibly insightful! Classroom Managament through Attention to Individuals hits on a fundamental understanding that sets apart teachers who truly make a difference in the lives of students from just average teachers. Whether you teach in a classroom or an independent studio, Steve’s words are a reminder of what we should all keep in mind as we teach our students.

Review of Teaching Musicians – A Photographer’s View

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What makes a great musician? What makes a great teacher? You will find a panorama of answers to these questions in this beautiful book – Teaching Musicians: A Photographer’s View into the Art of Music Teaching by Diane Griliches (Bunker Hill Publishing). Every teacher is unique. Each one manifests his own philosophy in his approach to teaching. And yet, all are about the business of passing on a musical legacy to the next generation.

Teaching Musicians is a compendium of quotes, biographical sketches, and black and white photographs that give the reader a glimpse into the lives and studios of some of the greatest music teachers of our time. These are more than candid shots. Ms. Griliches, a musician herself, masterfully captures artists in action, uninhibited, as though unaware of the presence of a camera. And the quotes themselves are a treasure trove of advice from and about these master teachers! Here are two in particular that inspired me:

Not a single missed beat nor a misplaced stroke will elude his vigilant ear. Though always gentle, he is exacting. In every lesson, Swapanji expects us to stretch our capabilities.
~a student, speaking of Swapanji Chaudhuri, a world renowned Classical Tabla Player

I think the greatest thing about Dorothy Delay is that she has the ability to look at a young student and pretty much size up their character, their personality, and how in a short period of time what’s the best door to use to get them in. And that’s her method – the fact that there is really no method.
~Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, speaking of Dorothy Delay, revered violin pedagogue

I found myself eagerly perusing each page – studying the photographs, reading the accompanying short paragraphs of text, looking for thoughts and tips that I could apply in my own teaching. The collection is varied. Teachers from Emmanuel Ax to Yo-Yo Ma to Dorothy Delay to Roberta Tzavaras Guaspari – whose story inspired the film, Music of the Heart – come alive on the pages. The object of their arts encompasses tuba to piano to erhu to conducting to composing film scores. A world of music! The clean interior layout enhances the photography, successfully captures the emotions of the musicians contained in them, and invites the reader to flip through the pages and read the entries that grab her attention.

Be sure to read the front matter of the book where you will “hear” from the photographer herself about why she chose certain teachers and instruments, and how she gained access into what she calls “their inner sanctums.” Teaching Musicians is a great “coffee table book,” and would be a wonderful gift for any music teacher!

New Repertoire for a New Year

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This March, our local music teachers association is organizing a World Music Festival. In preparation for it, I decided to find repertoire for each of my students that represents a different country. It’s quite a big task to find engaging ethnic pieces for a bunch of students all at once, so I thought I would document the steps I go through to make this a more efficient operation. (This is how I select repertoire at the beginning of the school year and for other festivals throughout the year, too. Even when I go to the music store to scour the books, I take my supplies and go through the same steps!)

STEP ONE: Gather the necessary supplies – note pad, pencil, and sticky flags.
STEP TWO: Go through file cabinets and pull out every book or sheet music that has the name of another country or something representative of another country in the title.

STEP THREE: Write out each student’s name on the note pad.

STEP FOUR: Play through each piece and determine if a particular student would like the piece. If so, write the student’s name on one of the sticky flags and affix it to the sheet music or book. Then, write the title of the piece next to their name on the note pad.

STEP FIVE: Repeat step four until every student has been assigned a fun piece!

STEP SIX: Excitedly anticipate each student’s lesson when I can introduce them to their new repertoire and watch their eyes light up. I think I love having them start new music as much as they do! :-)

I’m sure there is some more technologically advanced method for doing this, but for some things I’m still a paper and pencil person. By the way, this World Music theme has turned out to be a great way to try out new repertoire that I might otherwise overlook. I think I should try focusing on a specific theme like this every year. Does anyone have suggestions for successful themes they’ve used in their studios/recitals?

Presidential Inauguration Musical Performances

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About.com’s Music Education Blog has some great information about the musical performances scheduled to be a part of the Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies on January 20. On this historic day, Americans will be hearing from:

The Marine Band
The San Francisco Boys Chorus
The San Francisco Girls Chorus
Aretha Franklin
John Williams with Yo-Yo Ma, Anthony McGill, Gabriela Montero, and Itzhak Perlman
The United States Navy Band

You can visit the Presidential Inaugural Committee website for a complete schedule of events and order of ceremony.

Get a Magnetic Dry Erase Board for $1!

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It’s at times like these that I really wish we had a Staples in our area! This week they are having Dollar Days, and you can get some incredible deals. By far, the best one in my opinion is the magnetic dry erase board with two magnets for only $1! I use my magnetic dry erase boards more than any other items in my studio. And to get them at just $1 is a steal. Getting a 4-pack of colorful gel pens for free wouldn’t be bad either! Can you tell I’m about to have a pity party for myself? Oh well, hopefully some of you who have a Staples nearby will benefit from this great deal. Just think of me as you plunk down your dollars. :-)

Check out their weekly ad for details.