COMPREHENSIVE MUSICIANSHIP – CREATING A CLASSROOM FOR ALL

The BIG Question: In our effort to rehearse, do we neglect to teach?

Many band, choir, and orchestra directors find themselves on a perpetual hamster wheel of preparing repertoire for the next performance. Yet, in the haste of preparing for the next concert, is comprehensive musicianship overlooked? What is Comprehensive Musicianship (CM), and what does a CM-based classroom look like?

The concept of Comprehensive Musicianship is not new. To some, it is narrowly defined as making conceptual connections through a unit-study composition. To others, it is broadly defined as the many ways people interact with and share music. This article explores the latter perspective.

Before presenting a rationale for CM, we should reference four pivotal events that initiated the CM movement:

1. 1959 – Contemporary Music Project
2. 1965 – Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project
3. 1965 – Seminar on Comprehensive Musicianship
4. 1994 – National Standards for Arts Education

For this article, CM is defined as developing musicians and enhancing their skills by fostering a deeper, more complete understanding of music. This includes exploring various ways people interact with and share music, such as: playing, singing, listening (ear training), studying (history, world music, theory), conducting, composing, arranging, evaluating (critiquing), improvising, and advocating.

Why Pursue a CM-Based Curriculum? The rationale includes:

1. CM aligns curriculum with National Standards.
2. CM allows for discipline-based, holistic (non-fragmented) music teaching and learning.
3. CM reaches a broader, more diverse population of learners, addressing various interests and learning styles.
4. CM develops musicians and strengthens their skills.

How to Shift to a CM-Based Classroom

Shifting from a rehearsal-only classroom to a CM-based classroom can be achieved through four steps:

1. REFINE what you have.
2. RECRUIT students for other music programs.
3. EXPAND CM involvements.
4. SELECT CM-friendly materials.

Refine

While rehearsing and perfecting repertoire for performances, consider going beyond typical rehearsing. Some suggestions include:

1. PROGRAM NOTES – Have students write notes related to the repertoire, including composer biographies and historical context.
2. PERSONAL REFLECTIONS – After performances, show a post-concert video and have students note what went well and what could be improved.
3. STUDENT NEWSPAPER – Collaborate with your school’s newspaper to have students write critiques of performances or advertisements for upcoming events.
4. GLOSSARY OF TERMS – Appoint students to record terms and concepts discussed during rehearsals. At the end of the term, compile these into an alphabetized glossary to distribute to the class.

Recruit

Promote other arts-related offerings at your school or in the community:

1. CLASSES TO PROMOTE – Include band, choir, orchestra, jazz band, marching band, pit orchestra, all-school musical, madrigals, mariachi, general music class, guitar class, AP music theory, art (painting, ceramics, photography), drama, and dance.
2. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS – Encourage participation in community theater, church choirs, junior college bands, or Drum Corps International.
3. PRIVATE LESSONS – Invite local private teachers to present recitals and distribute flyers about their music studios.

Expand

Enhance classroom activities to support CM:

1. STUDENT CONDUCTORS – Appoint student conductors and provide mentorship in conducting. This strategy can inspire students to pursue careers in music education.
2. SINGING – Incorporate vocal exercises like pitch matching, singing solfege, or vocalizing neutral syllables to chorales and repertoire phrases.
3. COMPOSING – Assign projects like creating unconventional sounds and notating them. Encourage students to pursue copyright or publication opportunities.
4. LISTENING – Play recordings, take field trips, or establish an artists-in-residence program. Expose students to live performances and local artists.
5. WRITING GRANTS – Apply for grants to support music programs. Successful grant applications can fund commissions, guest artists, and unique projects.
6. PLAYING BY EAR – Assign familiar tunes for students to figure out by ear, such as “Happy Birthday” or the “Star Wars Main Title.”

Select

Choose CM-friendly materials:

1. MUSIC IN VARIETY OF STYLES AND FORMS – Include diverse transcriptions and styles to broaden students’ musical exposure.
2. WORKSHEETS – Use worksheets like Two-Column Notes and Analysis Check Sheet to deepen students’ understanding of repertoire.
3. OTHER MATERIALS – Incorporate CDs, DVDs, and method books. Consider resources like Measures of Success: A Comprehensive Musicianship Band Method, which covers various CM activities and assessment.

Engage Community Experts

Seek out community experts who can share their cultural heritage. For example, at F.E. Peacock Middle School, I invited Joe Podlasek, whose family’s Ojibwe heritage enriched our understanding of American Indian culture. By collaborating with composer Brian Balmages and incorporating authentic drum beats, we demonstrated how a CM approach extends beyond the rehearsal room, fostering a deeper understanding and connection through music.