Just Good Teaching: Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance in Theory and Practice

by Laura Sindberg

Overview

Student learning in school music ensembles is often focused on technical skill development. Give your students broader experience involving multiple music learnings, technical proficiency, cognition, and personal meaning. The Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) model will help you plan instruction for school ensembles that promotes a holistic form of music learning and will allow you to use your creativity, passion, and vision. With model teaching plans and questions for discussion, this book can give you richer, more meaningful challenges and help you provide your students with deeper musical experiences. Sindberg combines the theoretical foundations of CMP with practical applications in a book that’s useful for practicing teacher-conductors, scholars, and teacher educators alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610483391
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	03/29/2012
Pages:	122
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Laura Sindberg is assistant professor of music education at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education. Prior to earning her doctorate at Northwestern University, Dr. Sindberg taught public school music for 17 years, during which time she became heavily involved in Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance—also the topic of her dissertation research. Dr. Sindberg continues to be actively involved with CMP in all facets of her teaching and has written and presented extensively on the topic.

Table of Contents

Foreward 13
Janet R. Barrett
Preface17
Acknowledgements21
Chapter 1—Looking in a CMP Classroom1
Class Begins23
Day One—Introducing Battalia24
Day Two—Sounds Different26
Day Three—Going Deeper27
Day Four—A Letter Home29
Day Five—Biber and the Baroque31
Day Six—Battalia as Satire? 32
Reflecting on the Rehearsal Vignettes33
Overview of the Book35
Going Further—Questions for Discussion36
Chapter 2—The CMP Model37
Introduction37
Music Selection37
Analysis40
Outcomes43
Long-term Outcomes45
Transfer46
Strategies47
Assessment50
Music Selection, Revisited53
The CMP Teaching Plan 54
Conclusion55
Going Further—Questions for Discussion55
Chapter 3—Looking at Shenandoah from a Choral and an Instrumental Perspective57
Why Shenandoah? One Piece, Two Classrooms, and Three Outcomes57
Shenandoah CMP Teaching Plan36
Background58
Analysis59
Melody60
Harmony60
Form62
Rhythm64
Timbre65
Texture66
Expression67
The Heart of Shenandoah68
Outcomes69
Strategies69
Assessment 71
Music Selection72
Conclusion73
Going Further—Questions for Discussion74

Chapter 4—CMP and Teachers75
From the Teacher’s Point of View75
Teacher Knowledge—An Overview76
CMP Viewed Through a Lens of Teacher Knowledge78
Repertoire Matters78
Contextual Matters79
A Fluid Model81
A Dynamic Model83
The Different Phases of a Teaching Life and CMP—Stories from the Field84
CMP and Preservice Music Educators84
CMP and Novice Music Educators86
CMP and Veteran Music Educators87
CMP as a Model for Professional Development88
Intention90
Conclusion91
Going Further—Questions for Discussion92
Chapter 5—Enacting the Teaching Plan93
Taking Shenandoah into the Classroom93
Introducing the Piece93
Infusing the Teaching Plan into the Rehearsal—From Planning to Implementation95
Connecting Warm-ups to the Repertoire96
The Rehearsal96
Contingencies97
Towards Musical Understanding98
CMP and Concert Programming99
Excellence in Performance and Musical Understanding100
The Students’ Experience as CMP is Implemented102
Intersections of the Points of the CMP Model—A Function of Enactment 105
Transfer Revisited106
Conclusion108
Going Further—Questions for Discussion109
Chapter 6—CMP and the Music Curriculum110
Beyond the Classroom110
CMP as Philosophy111
CMP as Approach112
CMP as a Process112
The CMP Practice113
Considering the Affective Dimension115
CMP and the Music Curriculum117
Long-term Outcomes117
Standards and Standards-based Curriculum119
State and Local Curricula121
Curriculum and Music Selection122
CMP and Reform-minded Music Teaching125
Conclusion128
Going Further—Questions for Discussion129
Chapter 7—The Evolution of CMP130
The Need for Comprehensive Musicianship130
Significant Events that Informed the CMP Project131
Contemporary Music Project132
Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project133
Yale Seminar and Tanglewood Symposium133
A Vision Takes Shape135
The First Summer Institute and Development of a Two-year Pilot Project137
Outcome of the 1977 Institute: The CMP Model139
Conclusion141
Bibliography144
Appendices152
Appendix A: Battalia for Strings (score excerpts), Heinz Ignaz Franz Biber, ed. Joel Blahnik
A.1Movement 1152
A.2Movements 2, 3, 4153
A.3Movements 5, 6, 7154
A.4Movement 8155
Appendix B: CMP Teaching Plan Worksheets156
Appendix C: CMP Teaching Plan, Battalia163
Appendix D: CMP Teaching Plan, Orpheus With His Lute170
Appendix E: CMP Teaching Plan, Jody182
Appendix F: CMP Teaching Plan, Rhosymedre191
Appendix G: Original CMP Proposal194

Index

Editorial Reviews

Just Good Teaching: Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) in Theory and Practice is a uniquely valuable contribution to music teacher education. Laura Sindberg situates CMP realistically in lived experiences to facilitate music teachers in applying comprehensive musicianship methodology. A major distinction of this work is that it provides not only models of CMP but also multiple perspectives of CMP from music teachers in various phases of their teaching life. This is a text that challenges teachers at all levels of experience to learn as well as teach in ways that will transform ensemble rehearsals and performances with enhanced musical understandings.

Molly A. Weaver

Laura Sindberg takes her many years of teaching in the Wisconsin public schools, her years in higher education, and her direct involvement in the Wisconsin CMP project and gives the music education profession a much needed reminder—leading students toward becoming comprehensive ensemble musicians is just good teaching. This book takes a look at CMP's historical roots and projects possibilities for CMP teaching and learning experiences in current-day practice. Sindberg provides model plans that encourage teachers and students not only to focus on note-learning and technique, but also engage in rehearsal discussions and other experiences that lead to informed music-making.

Jody L. Kerchner

The music education profession has been waiting for a long time for a book like this that will guide band, choir and orchestra teachers to teach in a comprehensive way. Nearly 30 years ago Robert Garofalo published Blueprint for Band, followed 10 years later by his Instructional Designs for band. Sindberg's book, Just Good Teaching, not only follows up with these initial texts of teaching comprehensively in an ensemble setting, but the ideas she offers come from a proven "system" (the Wisconsin CMP project) that has been working successfully for years. A highlight of the book is the offering of real anecdotes and practical suggestions within a solid philosophical foundation. This book is a must read for band, choir and orchestra teachers who want to teach in more meaningful and educational ways. It will also be valuable in our collegiate pre-service methods classes.

Maud Hickey

Just Good Teaching serves as a concise description of Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) and its application to an ensemble setting. The book is grounded in pedagogical and theoretical aspects of CMP, as well as in research on best practices in music education. The author builds a strong case for the use of CMP by drawing on her own experience in the classroom, her expertise as a leading researcher in this field, and the many experiences of teachers who use the framework of CMP within their classrooms. ... This book is an excellent read for music educators.

Music Educators Journal

Laura Sindberg has been an important voice in instrumental music education for over three decades, a gifted musician, conductor, and teacher now devoting her life’s work to teaching others how to teach. Just Good Teaching: Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance in Theory and Practice is an insightful and compelling overview of a philosophy of teaching that enhances student learning in the rehearsal hall, and engages and inspires the creativity and the musicianship of conductors of all types of ensembles. This is a must-read for every music undergraduate music education major and for every veteran music educator. Enjoy the journey!

Craig Kirchhoff