Technique Tips and Tricks for Group Instruction
Bow holds falling apart? Posture slipping? Jessica and Janet share their most effective strategies for teaching and reinforcing fundamental technique in a group setting—without losing your mind or your rehearsal time.
Episode Overview
Every orchestra teacher knows the struggle: you've carefully taught proper bow hold, and three weeks later half the class has reverted to "creative" alternatives. In this episode, Jessica and Janet address the eternal challenge of maintaining technical fundamentals in a large group setting.
What You'll Learn
- Quick checks and reminders that don't derail your rehearsal
- Games and activities that reinforce technique naturally
- How to prioritize which technical issues to address (and which to let slide—for now)
- Building a culture where students self-monitor their own technique
Key Takeaways
Teaching technique in a group setting requires different strategies than private instruction. The key is building habits and systems that make good technique the path of least resistance for your students.
Show Notes
- Paul Rolland Society website is here.
- Shirley Nelson's Beginners Please "pamphlet" from Thames Television has been republished by Boosey and Hawkes, but, interestingly, only in German and French! If you speak those languages, check it out here. Your best bet is to watch the 1987 TV special by the same name.
- If you teach upper elementary or middle school, add Rehearsing the Middle School Orchestra to your collection. It is a very easy, quick read (each chapter is essentially an essay by a different master teacher) and a wonderful resource.
- The Bornoff Foundation for the Advancement of String Education Facebook page advertises several free Zoom workshops a year. They tackle everything from the string cycles to finger patterns. Or, visit the Foundation's homepage.
- Follow String Technique on Youtube. I also recommend following The Orchestra Teacher - there is a corresponding podcast too! Give a listen!
- The Orchestra Teacher bow seatbelt video is here.
- The String Technique bass posture video is here.
- The cello posture video is here.
- Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists Conference - if you live near Madison, WI or are willing to travel there, attend the teacher workshop at this 2 day conference. I loved it. Or, send your bass students to the conference. All levels are welcome and the atmosphere is truly joyful!
- Last but not least, the ultimate resource for great tips and tricks for teaching strings is the School Orchestra and String Teachers Facebook page. Strings teachers from all over the world post and respond to questions and together great ideas are shared. We check it several times a day, every day!
- The bow hold videos by Panya that Jessica discussed are on this Facebook page: cello/bass and violin/viola
References
Barnes, G. V. (2008). Challenging the middle school orchestra. American String Teacher, 58(3), 38–41. doi.org/10.1177/000313130805800307
Barnes, G. V., Balmages, B., Gruselle, C. L., & Trowbridge, M. (2013). Measures of success for string orchestra: A comprehensive musicianship string method. FJH Music Company Inc.
Fletcher, S., Rolland, P., Roswell, M. A., & Krolick, E. (1971). New tunes for strings. Boosey & Hawkes.
Goldie, S. B. (2019). Rehearsing the middle school orchestra. Meredith Music Publications.
Nelson, S. (1987). Beginners Please. Thames Television.
Wright, E. (2013). 10 ways to improve your school orchestra program. Strings, 27, 39-40. Retrieved from proquest.com/magazines/10-ways-improve-your-school-orchestra-program
Young, P. (2019). Playing the string game: Strategies for teaching cello and strings. Shar Music Company.