Running a School Instrumental Program

This Handbook is about trying to define the elements of a successful school instrumental program. Instrumental ensembles take various forms. The most obvious is the 'school band', which consists of any combination of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments (sometimes a string instrument such as a double bass is added). Large instrumental ensembles are often known as 'concert bands', although there are other associated names. Primary schools may have a training band, for beginning players; and a performance band for senior players, the concert band being for intermediate players. Primary and secondary schools may also have a stage or big band (jazz band); and high schools in particular may have smaller ensembles such as a woodwind ensemble or string orchestra. Some schools may have enough strings to field a full symphony orchestra (strings, brass, woodwind, percussion). Worldwide, only a few studies have explored what makes a school instrumental music program successful and these have generally focused more on the capabilities of the director rather than on the program as a whole. There have been even fewer studies that have sought to define the elements that go towards setting up, implementing and running a successful school instrumental music program. This Handbook is drawn from the experiences of those who run such programs as music educators, directors and conductors of school instrumental programs; and those who assist as part of the school community that supports such programs. We hope that this Guide may assist all those who seek to develop a successful instrumental program in their own schools, whether they be professional directors or conductors, school staff, volunteer parents or, of course, the players themselves. Dr. Martin Hardy B.Mus.Ed., M.Mus., A.Mus.A. PhD. is a music educator and professional musician based in Sydney, Australia. As a conductor he has worked with many of the country's finest ensembles and has worked with junior beginner ensembles through to professional ensembles in all genres. Dr. Hardy has had extensive experience as a music educator. His commitment to supporting instrumental programs and teaching music was recognised by a New South Wales Education Minister's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Currently, Dr Hardy is Head Teacher of Creative and Performing Arts at Pittwater High School, on Sydney's Northern Beaches; Musical Director of The Sydney Northern Beaches Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and Conductor of the Northern Beaches Orchestra. He regularly adjudicates instrumental festivals, guest conducts ensembles and provides instrumental workshops for both students and teachers. Dr. Gerry Bates LlB (Hons); Ph.D is a parent volunteer at a High School on Sydney's Northern Beaches who used his background in research and analysis to develop a strategy to turn around the failing instrumental program at that School. He attended grammar school in England in the 1960s and the absence in his own school of any support for music education left him with the motivation that his own children should not be so deprived. This Handbook is based upon the strategy he devised for his own school and the experiences that flowed from it.