Instrument Demonstration

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Have all the instruments assembled with reeds and mouthpieces to save time. Demonstrate each instrument for the students.

 

• Explain to the students that they will be choosing one of these instruments to play this year.

• Have Family of Instruments sheets ready.

• Teach a mini lesson about the categories of instruments and have the worksheet ready for them to fill in the answers as you demonstrate.

• Take up the handout at the end of the full demonstration. Use the blackboard or whiteboard for the students to check their answers. Insist on the correct spelling of each instrument
   

Link: Family of Instruments Sheets

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Assignments/Activities for Families of Instruments

Here are some activities that you can use with your class to make connections between care of the instruments and the family of instruments. Use these for homework assignments, for enrichment and for students having difficulty making connections.

You may want to:

•  take these up in class,

•  check them for completion only, or 

• mark them for content and completion. 
   

Included is a marking scheme with all the assignments and a breakdown of the categories of assessment. Feel free to change the assignments as required.
 

Link: ASSIGNMENTS/ACTIVITIES for your use.

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Demonstration: Overall Pointers

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Before Demonstrating each instrument

• Explain instrument families and general sound production

• The concept of creating a pleasing sound rather than noise

 

Make sure that it is a fun and catchy song for each excerpt - many directors don’t demonstrate oboe or bassoon - they wait to see who might be good candidates and introduce those individually. The teacher, senior students, professional musician or introductory videos are an excellent way to introduce the instruments. Ensure the demonstration will include information about:

 

• The role of the instrument within the ensemble

• Proper Posture

• Correct playing position

• How to make a sound on the mouthpiece

• Provide a pleasing sample of instrument performance that will relate to students

• Correct breathing best practices

• Proper tone development on percussion instruments.

 

Link:  Grade 8 Info Night Guide and Recruitment Guide from  the OBA and Bandology.

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Instrument Selection - The Process

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Have students select their instrument choice after seeing demonstrations.

 

Allow each student to try every instrument to see what they can physically play. Have students use these interactions to influence their choices.

Strategies/suggestions: 

1. Top three instruments 

2. Instrument night (demonstrations, social event, parent buy in)

3. Video providing the start of each instrument from putting it together, first sounds, posture etc. done by some of the education students as a project. They are good ones listed on the OMEA resource section.
    

LINK:

Ontario Music Educators Association Beginner Band Video Series