Revisiting a Controversy: Vertical Curriculum in Band by William L. Berz

Reprinted with permission from Tempo, the official magazine of the New Jersey Music Educators Association.
Citation information: Berz, William, "Revisiting A Controversy: Vertical Curriculum For Band." Tempo, 57(1), October, 2002, 66-67.


[Note: This article was written as a reaction to the perception in a number of school systems in New Jersey that instrumental programs should not be coordinated across grade levels.]

In almost any subject in schools, there is a need to consider curriculum vertically across grade levels, and it is necessarily an area of considerable discussion and debate among educators. The need for a consistent course of study seems beyond criticism. For example, one cannot teach advanced literature in high school without first having excellent reading classes in elementary and middle schools. This same factor is doubly important for instrumental music. However many music teachers seem to bristle at the mere mention of the subject.
 
Consideration of the overall curriculum across grade levels is absolutely essential for the band and orchestra program for two primary reasons. The first is the same as in any subject area: skills should be taught in appropriately developmental ways across different grade levels. Specific skills build on prior training. For example, elementary teachers begin to develop students’ understanding of pulse and basic rhythmic reading skills. Middle and high school directors continue with more advanced concepts and ever more complex rhythmic challenges. If the beginning teachers do not teach basic skills, then the later teaching of advanced concepts is very difficult if not impossible. How can the high school director teach such topics as mixed meter if students do not understand pulse and subdivision? The building of curriculum is absolutely basic to the educational process and seems beyond debate. There would seem to be no controversy here.

The second primary factor that makes a vertical curriculum absolutely essential for instrumental music is instrumentation. In many ways this consideration is unique to us, and many teachers in other fields do not recognize how vital that this is. However it is here where some controversy is generated.

Proper instrumentation is a very important element in fashioning the musical fabric of every performance ensemble. Composers write with a certain sound in mind, this true for beginning as well as for advanced levels. The students’ educational experience is lessened considerably if music is performed with incomplete instrumentation. What would we think about a New York Philharmonic performance if they decided to omit the viola section? Viola jokes aside, the suggestion is totally inconceivable. Yet, in bands we accept this practice almost without question or criticism. We routinely excuse and rationalize performances where the band bears little semblance to a “musical” ensemble in terms of instrumentation. There may be no bass instruments; the only alto and tenor instruments might be saxophones. Even in elementary literature, composers expect to hear a good balance.

Band legend Frank Battisti has spoken often about his years as a high school band director in Ithaca, New York. He wanted to perform the great band classics with his students. To perform them well, he realized that he needed to have a well-instrumented band and he then worked to encourage and teach students to play certain ones. I believe that this is an excellent model for all of us.

Granted, it is very difficult challenge to convince students to play certain instruments. However, many students are not really sure what instrument that they want to play when they start. Teachers should work with students to select an instrument that is well suited to their abilities and can meet the needs of the overall program. Obviously some instruments are not always appropriate for elementary students. For example, starting a fourth grader on bassoon might not be the best approach. Elementary and middle school teachers need to coordinate how and when students might switch to certain instruments. Some students would welcome a switch to another instrument if approached.

The concept of a “feeder program” seems to be offensive, particularly to some elementary band and orchestra teachers. Perhaps the service nature of the concept can indeed go beyond reasonable bounds in some places and circumstances. Certainly, elementary programs should not exist solely for producing future high school band and orchestra members. However, how is a school to have a successful and educationally viable program without having ensembles with workable instrumentation?

Elementary ensembles exist primarily for the education of participating students. However the consideration of instrumentation, which seems to be the primary area of contention, is not in conflict with this objective. The elementary and middle school ensemble will be more rewarding for teacher and student alike with balanced instrumentation. It is a vital goal.

It does appear that some high school teachers might place unfair expectations on their colleagues who teach on the elementary or middle school levels. (I have no high school director in mind. Please no one take offense!) High school teachers must realize that their colleagues do not exist simply to provide bodies who happen to play certain instruments. All teachers have their own challenges and everyone, particularly high school conductors, must realize that there must be cooperation to reach a common positive goal.

The direction of the high school program might cause some practical problems. Obviously, concert and marching bands have different instrumentation needs. Marching bands require a great many brass and percussion players. The concert ensemble does not, but instead has other needs, a contingent of double reeds as but one example. Here too, the teachers at all levels need to communicate to try to coordinate programmatic requirements.
 
Certainly, there are ways that high school directors can provide tangible help. Taking high school ensembles to the middle or elementary school can provide a wonderful way to encourage younger students to participate in the high school group. Sometimes high school directors can help school administrators understand the need to purchase certain instruments for the elementary and middle school program. If these schools do not own such instruments as tubas, euphoniums, horns, and bassoons, the high school program will be suffer.

During my public school career in Michigan, I was “lucky” to essentially be my own feeder program. While there were two instrumental teachers, each of us taught at each level every day. I taught fifth grade woodwinds, sixth grade woodwinds, 7th grade band, and high school band everyday. My colleague taught the two elementary brass classes, 8^th grade band, and the second high school band. In a small town like Leslie, Michigan, we had the ability to structure responsibilities in this somewhat unconventional way. We all benefited by being able to identify the needs and coordinate the direction of the entire program. We were able to work together to build good instrumentation and to teach concepts vertically across grade levels.

This article has focused on the curriculum from a vertical orientation. Obviously teachers in large districts who teach at the same grade levels need to coordinate as well. For example, all elementary teachers should agree on what rhythmic counting system will be taught, and all should use the same method book. Then middle and high school teachers can follow the same general approaches and students will not be unnecessarily confused. In this way horizontal and vertical curricula are connected.

Music education faces many challenges: finances, scheduling, advocacy, as well as a great many more. Good communication is absolutely essential to address both practical and theoretical challenges. Now more than ever, it is absolutely vital that teachers at every level of instruction communicate and work whenever possible toward common goals. Our programs and our students will greatly benefit from the coordinated effort.

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