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In the traditional ensemble setting, the music director typically makes all the programming decisions for what the ensemble will perform. These programming decisions are typically informed by what the director thinks is appropriate technique-wise for the musicians, what the director thinks students may be interested in playing, as well as the director’s own frames of reference, and the director’s interests and musical tastes.
When we consider a culturally responsive approach to music education, we see that this traditional approach to programming is devoid of a key aspect: student voice & choice.
I define Culturally Responsive Music Education as “a robust approach to teaching music that utilizes students’ cultural frames of reference in order to make music learning more relevant, while employing music as a vehicle for students to advance their understandings of self, others, and the world as they develop independent musicianship.”
Part of shifting to a Culturally Responsive lens in our performance-oriented classrooms, is intentionally embedding learning moves to move our young musicians from dependent to independent learners. In order to achieve this, music ensemble directors must intentionally center their musicians and view their role as more of a facilitator, rather than the holder of all knowledge and decisions.
In this blog post, let’s explore some specific strategies for programming concert repertoire that intentionally makes space for student voice and choice.
Concert Programming Structures: A continuum of voice & choice
When considering how to make your ensemble setting more culturally responsive and relevant to your musicians, think of how you can release control gradually along a continuum.
On the teacher directed and led side of the continuum, this is where you see the traditional approach: the director makes all the programming decisions, the student musicians learn the music.
On the student directed and led side of the continuum, this is where the students make all the programming decisions with the director serving as a guide on the side.
In between the two, are several “stops” along the way wherein the director holds less control, and the student musicians hold more. Here are some examples:
Teacher directed with some student choice
- The director selects all but one piece for a concert program, then allows the students to choose what the final piece will be.
- The director selects a number of options of pieces for a concert program and presents them to the students. The students listen to and/or read the pieces, then share their feedback on each one. Finally, students rank the pieces in order of preference.
Example: An orchestra director designs a concert program to explore music from movies and selects four pieces that will allow the students to practice their current musical concepts and skills, as well as learn some new ones. The director allows the student musicians to choose the fifth piece for the program.
Teacher guided with student voice & choice
- Director presents students with a topic and shares repertoire resources with students. Students use the resources to find repertoire that fits in with the topic. Students collaborate to decide which pieces to perform.
- Director poses a big idea or question to students. Students discuss, then use repertoire resources to design a concert program to support the big idea or question.
Example: A beginning band director wants to design a concert program to explore musical celebrations. The band director shares print copies of specific pieces that could work for the program from the school library, as well as several online sources to listen to and preview written music. The students make a list of their top choices, then vote for which pieces to learn and perform.
Student directed and led
- Students brainstorm topics to explore musically, then narrow down the list to one topic. Students then explore repertoire resources to select pieces according to the chosen topic.
Example: A choir is posed with the question “How can we design and perform a concert?” The singers brainstorm and then choose a topic that they want to explore musically, then explore pieces that would support the topic with teacher given resources for repertoire, and finally collaboratively decide on what the final concert program will be.
Note: I used orchestra, band, and choir examples above, however there are so many other types of ensembles! Also consider how small group, or chamber ensembles can increase student voice and choice as well as further their independent musicianship.
My own elementary choir students are currently engaged in a student directed and led concert design process for our spring performances. So far, my fifth grade choir has decided that they want to learn songs about the spring and they want the program of songs to be bilingual (English and Spanish). In my sixth grade choir, they have decided that they want to do a program about parties and sing songs about different experiences one can have at parties.
Yes, this process does take a bit longer than if I just chose the concert focus and repertoire myself, but by putting the power in their hands and guiding them on the side, I am:
- Increasing their engagement by cognitively involving them in the design process,
- Demonstrating that I value their voice and believe that they are capable of designing their own performance, and
- Supporting the development of their musical independence
Putting it into Practice
Especially if your students are not accustomed to making so many musical decisions, we don’t want to start at the student directed and led side of the continuum as this would be overwhelming. Instead, consider how you could start with giving students just a few choices, then more and more over time as you eventually build to having them design and lead their own concert programming.
What about assessments?
I know that many ensemble directors (especially those in the traditional band/choir/orchestra space) must also prepare students for district or regional assessments. While I personally don’t agree with the existence of these assessments in the first place, I also think that you can still implement a culturally responsive program even amidst preparing for an assessment.
So, how can we still implement a culturally responsive music education program that centers student voice and choice while also fulfilling the district assessment requirements? Involve the students in the process!
Instead of you as the director making all the decisions, share the assessment requirements with the students and co-design with them! Share repertoire resources with your students and work together with them to select the pieces they want to perform that will also meet the requirements for the assessment.
Remember, a central focus of a Culturally Responsive Music Education program is moving students from dependent to independent learners. Engaging them in the design process is one way to support the development of independence.
How do you involve students in the programming decisions in your ensemble classroom?
I would love to hear how you’re involving students in the programming decisions in your ensemble classroom! Share below or share on social media and tag me: I’m @ACuthbertson10 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Also, let me know what you think of this post! If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for my weekly email newsletter where I’ll be sending these blog posts each week, as well as other music ed resources and tips.
Until next time,
Ashley
P.S. I’m continuing my monthly webinar series next week with “Culturally Responsive Music Education for the Performance Oriented Classroom”! It will be next Wednesday, March 30th at 7pm EST.
I’ll be sharing practical applications of my framework for Culturally Responsive Music Education specifically for the performance-oriented classrooms at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
We will explore:
- Attending to one’s mindset in order to reduce and remove obstacles and barriers to student participation in ensemble programs
- Practical strategies for developing a supportive learning environment that promotes belonging
- Strategies for ensuring diversity and balance in concert programs; and
- A variety of programming structures that center young musicians in the concert programming process
This webinar will be full of information to help you implement a culturally responsive and relevant music ensemble program; you won’t want to miss it! The webinar will be recorded and available to all registered participants.
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