So You've Never Played A Stringed Instrument by Jeffrey S. Bishop
Any good musician can become a good orchestra teacher through hard work and dedication. I was taken under the wings of some very well-respected pedagogues, conductors and music educators. With their help, support, and nurturing, I was able to begin a new career. The same help is available to you.
So You’ve Never Played A Stringed Instrument, Twelve Steps on Getting a Late Start
By Jeffrey S. Bishop
So you’re going to teach strings, and you’ve never played a stringed instrument? Congratulations! You’re in good company. Many of our sting and orchestra teachers did not begin as string players themselves. Because of drastic cuts in school arts budgets, some band, choral, or general music instructors were asked to take on additional classes, which included orchestra.
Any good musician can become a good orchestra teacher through hard work and dedication. I was taken under the wings of some very well-respected pedagogues, conductors and music educators. With their help, support, and nurturing, I was able to begin a new career. The same help is available to you. Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Don’t Freak Out. As with any 12-step program, know you’re not alone. You’re
not the only person to change teaching objectives. If you don’t know of anyone else, think of me: essentially a conductor of bands, I am now a string specialist in my school district. Start with confidence and everything becomes easier.
2. Ask for help. Many conservatories, universities and colleges sponsor string
teaching workshops. The American String Teachers Association (ASTA) hosts summer workshops, which are a great way to learn the rudiments of playing a stringed instrument. Ask the advice of string pedagogues. Most are very accessible and willing to help. Don’t know any? Check with string teachers in your school system, neighboring communities, or your state education department.
3. Stockpile Ammo. Become organized and prepared for anything. Make an events
calendar for the entire year and stick to it. Start planning before the school year begins, and you’ll stop problems before they start. Check with your music coordinator or school administrator to find out if there is a required text. If you are teaching middle school and high school, make sure you have a technique book that is appropriate to the age and playing level of the group. Your program should challenge, not overwhelm.
4. Become a Card Member. Your local public library, nearby university library, or
“up-scale” bookstore usually contains a wealth of textbooks and literature. Many current textbooks for beginning string players include lesson plans. Read and understand everything you assign to your students before you teach them. This builds your self-confidence in the subject matter and increases your ability to deal with student questions.
5. Pack Lightly. Most sting teachers like to play and demonstrate an instrument.
Maybe you’ve always secretly had a yen to play the bass. Keep in mind a violin or viola is easier to carry from class to class or from school to school. If you really must play cello or bass, make sure each school or classroom has one available for your use.
6. See Someone Else. Most communities have multiple private string teachers.
Local conservatories, universities and colleges will be a great help in finding a teacher. Check with the department chairperson for recommendations. Interview the recommended teachers and choose one with whom you feel most comfortable.
7. Become a Freshman. Enroll in a class – any string class. Take courses in string
pedagogy, orchestral literature, conducting, or any other areas you want to develop. Broaden your base of knowledge so that you can give more to your students.
8. Check Dark Corners. If you are an experienced classroom music teacher, choir
director, or band director, you already have a broad base of musical knowledge stored upstairs. Use it? You’ll be amazed at how many musical ideas transfer from one discipline to the next. Notation, dynamics, rhythm, posture, note-reading skills, and music history are integral to any music class.
9. Don’t Blame your Dog. Your beginning students won’t know or care whether
you are an experienced string player. Neither will your “bosses” – their parents and the school administration – as long as your students make progress. So, don’t make excuses. If your inexperience becomes an issue for older students, explain that even though you’re just beginning your string-playing training, you are a highly qualified music educator. Often, however, the subject just never comes up.
10. Understand Belly Laugh Dynamics. Teaching strings should be rewarding and
fun! Enjoy the students; their triumphs; their silly mistakes; their musical growth. Use humor in your classroom. Laughing is good medicine and an even better teaching aid. Play your instrument for and with your classes.
11. Reward No 1. Teaching strings, or any other music curriculum, can be time-
consuming. Don’t burn yourself out. You can work on class materials from dawn until midnight and still feel as if it’s not enough. Don’t get caught in this trap! Take time for yourself, your family, and your friends. Keeping a balance in your personal life will help you maintain the balance in your professional life.
12. Keep a Journal. If you aren’t already doing so, keep a journal of your progress
toward your goal. Sometimes it may seem like no progress, but your journal will prove differently and help keep you encouraged and focused.
As you talk with other string teachers and professionals, you’ll discover many more
ways to make the transition to a string teacher easier. Allow yourself to grow naturally as a string player and teacher. It may take a while, but it’s worth it. Long before you may feel that you are a “real” string teacher, you will have been teaching youngsters the joy of learning strings!
Jeffrey S. Bishop is a string specialist in the Shawnee Mission School District, Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Prior to this appointment, he taught band and orchestra in the Wichita, Kansas, public schools. Active as a conductor, Mr. Bishop has served as the Music Director/Conductor of the Hutchinson (Kansas) Symphony Orchestra, Associate Conductor for the Wichita Wind Ensemble, Conductor of Opera Kansas, and Guest Conductor for the Kansas City Philharmonic. His compositions for orchestra, string orchestra and wind band have been commissioned and performed nationally and internationally. He recently was the winner of NSOA’s 1997 composition contest and the winning composition “Symphony No. 1” will be played at the 1997 Midwest Clinic by the Denton, Texas Orchestra.
