Bridging the gap between effective teaching and artistic musical performance is difficult to define and filled with intangibles. Peter Boonshaft's thoughtful book is a groundbreaking volume that discusses the issues with the insight of a true professional. Instructional and inspiring, Boonshaft's vision for excellence is so clearly presented that seasoned veterans and first-year teachers will be nodding their heads in approval with each succeeding page. This is a book that you will open again and again throughout your teaching career.

Without a doubt, this is the most important, up-to-date and informative book on technology for music teachers that we have seen yet! This is a must-have book for anyone looking for appropriate and worthwhile ways to integrate technology into the music classroom. No matter what your experience in the high-tech world, we're sure that you will benefit from reading this superb book. Novices will find clear, easy-to-follow material on the basics of hardware, software and tech jargon. After the basics, you'll find a wealth of advice on how to make the technology work for you in the classroom and with your performance groups. Clear teaching strategies will allow you to apply technology to each of the National Standards as developed by MENC. You'll find descriptions of many of the software programs available, how to incorporate them into your program, how to purchase hardware, and even information on electronic bulletin boards, online services and the internet! This second edition also includes a companion CD-ROM with student assignments, projects, lesson plans, and links to web sites that offer free software, demo programs, and up-to-date technical information. In a few short years technology will be an integral part of every music program in the country, and this is the book you need to make sure you're ready for the future!

Here is a unique, innovative, and comprehensive textbook devoted exclusively to the teaching of rhythm. This book presents traditional as well as nontraditional 21st century outside-the-box concepts and strategies relative to the teaching of rhythm. There are five main parts to the book, which focus on: introducing students to the performance of rhythms; a look at the The Whole Note System; other counting systems and their effective uses in the classroom; compound meter; and irregular and mixed meters. All music teachers, whether band, orchestra, or choir directors, classroom music teachers, or private studio teachers, must deal with the problems inherent in getting students to first perform and then to understand rhythms. Rhythmic independence is one of the most important skills for students to master; this book will be an invaluable resource for all music educators.

This book presents a practical source of authentic assessment strategies for music educators. Includes over 70 pages of tasks and charts for assessing the learning process as well as the product. With today's school systems demanding student accountability in all disciplines, this text provides music teachers with information regarding: assessment and its purpose, classroom conditions necessary for authentic assessment, choosing assessment strategies, understanding and developing scoring criteria, and descriptions of several alternative types of assessment.

A professional violinist and teacher, Sheila Nelson provides a comprehensiveview of the violin and viola as well as her recommendations on how stringsshould be taught. She details the historical development and changingstructure of the two instruments supported by musical examples and diagrams.

Here is a pedagogical resource that teachers can use in the private studio and in the classroom, too. Numerous musical examples are given throughout, and each idea discussed is followed by a musical example specifically geared to the development of the idea.

Editors' Choice
The invaluable information contained in this book is based on the work of cellist and educator William Conable. He developed the concept of Body Mapping to free the body and mind to move and make music naturally and expressively. This spiral-bound book is written clearly and concisely. It can be effectively applied by all types of musicians including instrumentalists, pianists and singers. It describes the structure and movement of the head and neck; the spine; the torso; the legs; the arms the hands and the head. It details brain and movement; Body Mapping; how to support the instrument and breathing. You'll immediately be equipped to apply the concepts to yourself and educate your students.