Survival Tips for Orchestra Directors
by Deborah Perkins
When demonstrating for beginners, mirror what you would like them to do. For example, hold the instrument or bow with the opposite hand. Many students are visual learners and will do what you do, not what you say.
-Send home a questionnaire inviting parents to assist you orchestra activities.
-Have students participate in leading daily warm-ups. Once they know a few scales and rhythms, student leaders can be very creative in selecting different warm-up activities for the class. This gives the teacher time to finish tuning, replace broken strings, fix hand positions and/or answer the phone …it also gives the students leadership and responsibility opportunities.
-Make a copy of the rehearsal calendar and allow students to sign up for the day they would like to “student conduct.”
-For those teachers who use tapes for beginning students, try using car “pin-striping” tape. It can be purchased in many colors (I use gray, silver, and black combination). It is not extremely sticky and it is thin. Also remember research suggests that tapes are only really useful during the first year of instruction.
-Instead of tapes for budding cello players, try “white-out” on the side of the fingerboard; it is easily seen by the student, and not the audience. It will not harm the instrument and will scrape off easily.
-For keeping track of quickly-changing chair positions, put the name of each individual student on a sticky note and place the notes separately on the inside of the manila folder. This way, they can be easily rearranged without rewriting the list of student names.
-Do not give students or parents your home phone number unless it is an individual parent you absolutely trust. By giving out your home phone number, you are inviting parents and students to call with problems that could be easily solved during regular school hours. It is only a matter of time before one of your orchestra parents will expect a conference during your much-needed time at home.
-Speaking of home numbers, I do give my number to selected students for “dial-a-tune.” During specified hours, I will accept phone calls from bass students who need help tuning their basses. Doing this over the phone takes about one minute and the parents can avoid bringing the bass to school or the music store.
-When demonstrating for beginners, mirror what you would like them to do. For example, hold the instrument or bow with the opposite hand. Many students are visual learners and will do what you do, not what you say.
Deborah Perkins, a cellist and Scherl & Roth String and Orchestra Professional, received her Bachelor of Music degree from the State University College at Potsdam, New York (Crane School of Music) and her Master of Music Education degree at the University of South Carolina. She is nearing completion of her PhD. in Music Education at the University of North Texas and teaches at Wilson Middle School in Plano, Texas. Ms. Perkins is past president of the South Carolina unit of ASTA, the Orchestra Division of SCMEA, ant the Florida Orchestra Association. In addition, she has served in various positions with the National School Orchestra Association and has adjudicated festivals and presented clinics throughout the United States.