Thanks to technology and modern conveniences, the world continues to become a smaller place, while communities become more diverse. At the same time, it's becoming easier to learn about the world's many cultures, to appreciate their unique qualities, to understand their significance--and their fragility. For music teachers with wide-ranging…

The guitar is an extremely versatile instrument. It can produce complex chords and arpeggiated textures as readily as single-note melodies. In the twentieth century alone, it has appeared in a wide range of genres; classical, jazz, blues, rock, and bossa nova compose a partial list. The guitar is also a difficult instrument. Inconsistencies across…

Practically all teenagers find pleasure in music, yet the majority are not involved in traditional school music ensembles. College requirements, the quest for high grade point averages, scheduling conflicts, uncooperative counselors, block schedules, students with too many competing interests, or the need to work may limit participation in music…

This article outlines how to make music programs more inclusive and therefore enable music teachers to compete more effectively for enrollment. Fortunately, music affords teachers many compelling options to win the hearts and minds of students, and thereby to create a more musically literate and supportive public. The author suggests that music…

Some pianists have idiosyncratic ways of keeping their hands and fingers relaxed. Glenn Gould, for example, religiously soaked his digits in hot water before performing or recording. While the jury is still out on the effectiveness of Gould's routine, there are plenty of other exercises and practices that will keep a pianist's fingers limber.…

The mountain dulcimer is a folk instrument that children (and adults) can learn to play quickly and easily. Even more exciting than learning to play it is making one of your own. Making and playing a dulcimer allows students to explore an instrument for themselves and create a music-making environment. From an inexpensive, prepackaged kit,…

This article describes "Build a Band" hands-on activity from "Design Squad Nation," which allows kids to use simple materials to build a four-stringed instrument, then tune it and play a song. Kids explore frequency, pitch, and sound energy while following the steps of the engineering design process. By weaving "Design Squad Nation" episodes,…

In this article, two marching band students from 2009 Bands of America Grand National Championship finalist bands show how students of all abilities benefit from involvement in band and music. (Bands of America is a program of Music for All.) Emily Ingram of James Bowie High School, Texas, and Cameron McCanless of Avon High School, Indiana, have…

If one asks many small-town band directors, most will say that working and performing with a small band can be just as satisfying and musically robust as directing a larger one. There are a lot of advantages as well; smaller class sizes, fewer extracurricular activities, and more time to work one on one with students are just a few of the benefits…

MENC's first Music Education Week in Washington's purpose was twofold: to celebrate the value of music education and to give those in the profession the chance to come together and explore ideas and techniques both old and new. Most of the celebrating was reserved for special events such as the Jazz Academy Showcase concert featuring celebrated…

Faced with meager enrollment in band, orchestra, and choir programs, schools are using digital technology to excite students about creating music on today's terms. This article discusses how music educators reinvent their profession by acknowledging and incorporating the way students interact with music today--digitally. Bill Evans, a music…

Although music educators in training complete a battery of courses pertaining to the playing and teaching techniques of the instruments that will be found in their future classrooms, the intricate details of learning to play and teach the five Western woodwind instruments successfully are at times overlooked in teacher preparation programs.…

In the past few decades, the steel band art form has experienced consistent growth and development in several key respects. For example, in the United States, the sheer number of steel band programs has steadily increased, and it appears that this trend will continue in the future. Additionally, pan builders and tuners have made great strides in…

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. Autism does not discriminate; it occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. It can impair a person's ability to communicate and relate to others, and symptoms can range from very mild to…

The author discusses getting elementary students involved in a band. The goals of an elementary band instructor should include introduction of good practice habits, working within an ensemble, and rehearsal procedures, along with the focusing on the essentials of music. Instructors should let students use the basic instruments: flute, clarinet,…