In last month’s issue of Band & Orchestra News we visited Cleveland Heights High School where director Frederick Mayer has organized a successful and well balanced chamber music program for their bands and orchestras. His simple ten-step program was outlined as: 1. Acquiring Financial Support; 2. Recruiting Ensemble Coaches; 3. Forming groups; 4. Scheduling; 5. Communication; 6. Selecting music; 7. Finding Performance Venues; 8. Managing the "Gig"; 9. Using Publicity; and 10. Obtaining Academic Credit.

A key factor in raising the respect of chamber music a legitimate endeavor at Cleveland Heights High School is the process he went through to earn academic credit for the efforts of their student musicians. That began with writing a course of study for chamber music and then successfully presenting it to his administration for review. Today, students can sign-up and receive academic credit for their efforts as chamber musicians at Cleveland Heights High School. We hope that this course of study will also assist you in building and maintaining a thriving chamber music program at your school regardless of the grade level or ensemble you currently lead.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: CHAMBER ENSEMBLES

Elective. This course is considered to be year-long, although students may elect to enroll only in a single semester. The class is for students who wish to participate in a chamber ensemble (string trio or quartet, woodwind trio, quartet, or quintet, etc.) to acquire additional experience in performance techniques and musical repertoire. The class will meet before or after school and will be coached by professional musicians and educators.

Successful participation in this ensemble requires attendance/participation in all activities including, but not limited to: one coached and one "uncoached" rehearsal weekly, a minimum of four performances each semester (either formal or informal), seminars and workshops (either in school or in the community), and assessment/evaluation of each performance. The course is open to any musician in Cleveland Heights HIGH SCHOOL

Fee: None Unit of credit: .25 per semester

Open to Grades: 9-12 Prerequisite: Audition

1.0 TO DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING AND APPLY SKILLS FOR REHEARSING AND PERFORMING CHAMBER MUSIC.

1.1 Students should learn to read a musical score for the chamber music they are preparing.

1.2 Students should be able to start and stop, make tempo changes, and observe all musical markings without a conductor during performances.

1.3 Students should learn to prepare their individual musical parts independent of their ensemble.

1.4 Students should learn non-verbal techniques (example: eye contact, breathing as an ensemble) commonly used in chamber ensemble playing.

1.5 Students should learn to take responsibility for safekeeping and maintenance of their sheet music.

1.6 Students should learn to take responsibility for time management in rehearsals and performances.

2.0 TO STUDY THE MUSICAL CONTEXTS OF CHAMBER MUSIC REPERTOIRE.

2.1 Students should understand the context of the music being studied with knowledge regarding the historical events and the composer's life.

2.2 Students should provide a formal analysis of the music they are studying.

2.3 Students should observe through their attendance at chamber music events, both the standard and non-standard instrumentation of chamber ensembles.

3.0 TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES.

3.1 Students will perform at seminars and informal recitals at school.

3.2 Students will perform at formal chamber music recitals.

3.3 Students will perform at school functions.

3.4 Students will perform at community functions.

3.5 Students may perform in other venues which they themselves have established.

3.5 Students may perform at regional, state, or national contests for ratings.

4.0 TO DEVELOP MUSIC RESEARCH SKILLS THAT WILL ENABLE STUDENTS TO GATHER INFORMATION FOR ENHANCING THEIR MUSICAL PERFORMANCES.

4.1 Students will learn how to access biographical information about composers.

4.2 Students will learn how to locate and acquire authentic editions of music and compare them to their current performance editions.

4.3 Students will identify and locate U.S. and international sheet

music resources.

5. TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP MUSIC BUSINESS SKILLS.

5.1 Students will learn how to establish and maintain personal contact with those requesting chamber music performances.

5.2 Students will learn how to use a written contract to establish a performance commitment.

5.3 Students will learn how to determine and fulfill the musical needs of performance requests.

5.4 Students will learn practical/professional skills of promptness, preparation of musical parts, having proper accessories, interdependence of ensemble members.

6. TO HELP STUDENTS BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE CONSUMERS OF CHAMBER MUSIC.

6.1 After recognizing public advertisements referring to chamber music performances, students should be able to form a level of expectation based on knowledge of performance practices.

6.2 Students should attend chamber music performances in the community.

6.3 Students should acquire chamber music recordings for their listening pleasure or further study.

6.4 Students should be able to develop preferences among recorded chamber music performances based on their musical learning.

1. The course is a performance class that focuses on chamber music repertoire. Chamber music implies that there is only one musician playing each musical part in a conductor-less ensemble.

2. The course will focus on skills required for making chamber music. They include, but are not limited to: musical and personal responsibilities, rehearsal and performance techniques.

3. The course will require the development of music research skills including, but not limited to: collecting biographical data and general historical background, authentic edition searches, and sheet music catalog searches.

4. The course will give students the opportunity to learn and apply music business skills through chamber music performances. This includes, but is not limited to: establishing personal contacts with those requesting performances, determining proper repertoire for each performance, performance preparation, and fulfillment of performance obligations.

Each chamber ensembles will be coached by professional musicians/educators:

1. Each ensemble will meet with their coach on a weekly basis.

2. Coaches will assist in the selection of repertoire appropriate to the skill level of the ensemble members.

3. Coaches will guide students in ensemble techniques necessary for attaining a cohesive ensemble sound .

4. Coaches will demonstrate and guide students in learning nuances of performance practice for the style of music that they are studying.

Chamber ensemble musicians will develop music research skills, the results of which may be presented:

1. In written form.

2. In a lecture performance.

3. Original format determined in collaboration with the ensemble members, coach and director.