The First Six Notes with Classroom Composers

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More music does not always mean a better concert. When music educators program too much or choose repertoire that requires every rehearsal just to survive the notes, there is less time to actually teach musicianship.

In Episode 36, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss why music educators should stop overprogramming concerts and focus instead on choosing an appropriate amount of music at the right difficulty level. They share how leaving room in the rehearsal process allows students to move beyond notes and rhythms and spend more time developing tone, balance, dynamics, articulation, and musical expression.

In This Episode

• Why music educators tend to overprogram
• Choosing quality over quantity when selecting repertoire
• Programming music at an appropriate difficulty level
• Leaving enough rehearsal time to actually teach the music
• Moving beyond simply learning notes and rhythms
• Giving students time to develop musicality
• Recognizing when you have programmed too much
• Adjusting your concert expectations to fit your ensemble
• Creating performances where students can feel successful

Chapters

02:30 How much music do you really need?
05:30 Choosing music your ensemble can be successful with
08:30 Difficulty level versus amount of repertoire
11:30 Getting beyond notes and rhythms
14:30 Making time to teach musicality
17:30 What happens when you program too much
20:30 Adjusting expectations for your ensemble
23:30 Quality over quantity
26:30 Final thoughts on concert programming

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What if you could spend less time planning every individual lesson and more time actually teaching?

In Episode 35, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how music educators can create a more predictable, low-prep school year by planning the big picture first, building repeatable routines, organizing resources ahead of time, and using systems that keep instruction moving without constantly reinventing the next class period.

In This Episode

• Planning the school year before planning individual lessons
• Creating a clear scope and sequence
• Building repeatable daily and weekly routines
• Using consistent warm-ups and skill-building activities
• Organizing curriculum and resources ahead of time
• Letting long-term goals guide daily instruction
• Reducing unnecessary day-to-day lesson planning
• Creating systems that make teaching more manageable
• Adjusting the plan when students need more or less time

Chapters

00:00 What does a no-prep school year look like?
02:00 Planning the big picture first
04:30 Creating a scope and sequence
07:00 Building repeatable classroom routines
09:30 Organizing your teaching resources
12:00 Using consistent warm-ups and skill work
15:00 Planning around long-term goals
18:00 Reducing day-to-day prep
21:00 Adjusting when students move at a different pace
24:00 Building a system you can reuse every year

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Running a successful music program takes more than good teaching. Music educators also have to understand where school money comes from, what funds are available, and how to advocate for the resources their students need.

In Episode 34, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss school funding, budgeting, fundraising, purchasing, and practical ways music educators can make the most of the money available to their programs.

In This Episode

• Understanding the different sources of money available to a music program
• Working with school and district budgets
• Advocating for the equipment and resources your students need
• Prioritizing purchases when money is limited
• Using fundraising to supplement school funding
• Navigating purchasing procedures and purchase orders
• Finding additional funding opportunities
• Making long-term financial decisions for your music program

Chapters

02:00 Understanding your school budget
05:00 Where music program funding comes from
08:00 Advocating for what your program needs
11:00 Deciding what to purchase first
14:00 Fundraising and additional sources of money
17:00 Purchasing procedures and purchase orders
20:00 Making limited funds go further
23:00 Planning for future program needs

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Not every music educator gets the ideal schedule, class size, instrumentation, or teaching setup. Sometimes success means adjusting your expectations and finding a system that works for the students and circumstances you actually have.

In Episode 33, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss their experiences teaching in unusual situations and how they have adapted instruction, pacing, routines, and priorities when the traditional model does not fit.

In This Episode

• Adapting when your teaching situation is not ideal
• Working with unusual schedules and limited instructional time
• Adjusting pacing based on how often students meet
• Teaching students with different experience levels
• Making the most of the students and instrumentation you have
• Prioritizing what matters most when time is limited
• Building routines that maximize instructional time
• Avoiding comparisons to programs with completely different circumstances
• Finding success by adapting instead of forcing the ideal model

Chapters

00:00 Not every teaching situation is ideal
02:00 Adapting to unusual circumstances
05:00 Working with challenging schedules
08:00 Making limited instructional time count
11:00 Different experience levels in the same class
14:00 Adjusting expectations and pacing
17:00 Prioritizing the most important skills
20:00 Building routines that save time
23:00 Working with the program you actually have
26:00 Defining success in your circumstances

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Good classroom management is not about having the perfect consequence system. It starts with creating clear expectations, predictable routines, and an environment where students know exactly what is expected of them.

In this episode, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss practical classroom management strategies for music educators, including establishing routines, responding consistently to behavior, handling problems privately, and avoiding power struggles with students.

In This Episode

• Creating clear expectations and routines
• Establishing procedures for the entire class period
• Being consistent with rules and consequences
• Correcting behavior calmly and privately
• Avoiding arguments and power struggles with students
• Creating a safe and predictable rehearsal environment
• Recognizing that the behaviors you allow can quickly become the norm

Chapters

00:00 What good classroom management looks like
02:00 Setting clear expectations
04:30 Building predictable classroom routines
07:30 Procedures throughout the class period
10:30 Consistency with rules and consequences
13:30 Correcting behavior without stopping rehearsal
16:00 Handling problems privately
18:30 Avoiding arguments and power struggles
21:00 Creating a safe and predictable environment
24:00 Final classroom management takeaways

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Once students can assemble their instruments and produce a full instrument sound, it is finally time to start learning notes and making music.

In Part 5, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how they introduce the first notes, connect fingerings with music notation, build note changes, incorporate percussion, and decide when students are ready to move into method book exercises and simple songs.

In This Episode

• Teaching the first notes on each instrument
• Connecting note names, fingerings, and notation
• Deciding how quickly to add new notes
• Practicing clean transitions between notes
• Incorporating articulation from the beginning
• Keeping percussion involved with the winds
• Moving from isolated notes into short exercises and songs
• Knowing when students are ready to move forward

Chapters

00:00 Recapping the first 30 days
01:00 Moving from first sounds to first notes
03:00 Introducing the first fingerings
05:30 Connecting fingerings to written notation
08:00 Adding additional notes
10:30 Practicing note changes
13:00 Incorporating rhythm and articulation
15:30 Keeping percussion involved
18:00 Moving into exercises and simple music
21:00 How quickly should beginners progress?
23:30 Wrapping up the first 30 days

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After students produce their first mouthpiece sounds, the next step is assembling instruments correctly, establishing faster setup routines, and creating the first full-instrument sounds.

In Part 4, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how they keep percussionists engaged, teach safe instrument assembly, correct posture and hand position, and address common problems before they become habits.

In This Episode

• Keeping percussionists engaged from the beginning
• Building stick control and rhythm skills
• Teaching safe instrument assembly
• Using timers to improve setup routines
• Checking instruments section by section
• Teaching posture, hand position, and instrument placement
• Producing the first full-instrument sounds
• Preparing students to learn their first notes

Chapters

00:00 Recapping the first 30 days
01:00 Keeping percussionists engaged
02:00 Starting the percussion section together
04:00 Stick control and rhythm exercises
06:30 Balancing percussion and wind instruction
08:00 Moving to full-instrument assembly
09:30 Demonstrating instrument assembly
10:00 Building a faster setup routine
10:30 Checking instruments section by section
12:00 Teaching safe instrument handling
13:00 Helping individuals without stopping the class
15:00 Hand position and holding instruments
17:00 Posture and breathing
19:00 Instrument-specific playing positions
21:00 Producing full-instrument sounds
23:00 Correcting common tone problems
24:00 Moving into the first notes

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Once students receive their instruments, it can be tempting to start playing immediately. However, taking time to teach instrument care, assembly, posture, breathing, and first sounds can prevent problems later.

In Part 3, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how they distribute instruments, establish safe setup routines, teach mouthpiece and headjoint assembly, and help students produce their first sounds.

In This Episode

• Checking out and labeling instruments
• Teaching safe case and assembly procedures
• Establishing posture and breathing routines
• Preparing mouthpieces, reeds, and headjoints
• Assessing students’ first sounds
• Using mouthpiece work to troubleshoot problems
• Introducing articulation and pitch before reading music

Chapters

00:40 Checking out and renting instruments
02:00 Teaching instrument responsibility
02:30 Distributing and labeling instruments
06:00 Posture and breathing exercises
08:00 Opening instrument cases correctly
10:30 Identifying instrument parts
12:00 Building efficient setup routines
13:30 Attaching reeds correctly
16:00 Preparing mouthpieces and headjoints
17:30 Producing the first sounds
19:00 Assessing students individually
21:00 Starting class with mouthpiece work
22:00 Troubleshooting sound-production problems
23:00 Introducing articulation and pitch

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Choosing instruments is one of the most exciting parts of beginning band, but student preference is only one part of the process.

In Part 2, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how they introduce the concert band instruments, test students on mouthpieces and headjoints, evaluate percussion coordination, and balance student interest with physical fit, available equipment, and ensemble needs.

In This Episode

• Introducing students to every instrument
• Using short videos, guided notes, and demonstrations
• Testing woodwind and brass sound production
• Evaluating percussion coordination
• Managing instrument testing with a large class
• Balancing student preference with ensemble instrumentation
• Helping students succeed on their assigned instrument

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Part 1 recap
02:00 Introducing the instruments
04:00 Videos, guided notes, and demonstrations
07:30 Building balanced instrumentation
09:00 Handling high-demand instruments
11:00 Setting expectations for percussion
12:45 Preparing for instrument testing
15:30 Flute and woodwind testing
18:00 Brass testing and physical considerations
20:00 Selecting percussionists
21:30 Percussion coordination exercises
25:30 Assigning instruments

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The first month of beginning band can shape the rest of the school year. Before students focus on making music, they need clear expectations for entering the room, handling equipment, following directions, and participating in an ensemble.

In Part 1, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss the rules, routines, and behavior systems that help create a calm and productive beginning band classroom.

In This Episode

• Creating clear classroom rules and procedures
• Teaching an effective entry routine
• Setting expectations for instruments, music, and phones
• Handling consequences calmly and privately
• Avoiding vague policies and classroom arguments

Chapters

00:00 Why the first 30 days matter
01:15 Handbooks and written expectations
03:15 Revising unclear policies
06:00 Creating an entry routine
08:00 Rules versus procedures
10:00 Teaching students how an ensemble works
13:15 Instrument and equipment procedures
18:00 Consequences and accountability
23:45 Why procedures should not be rushed

Connect with Classroom Composers

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