Action Research: Combining wind and string instruction at the beginning and intermediate levels.

Action Research Goals: To earn a rating of I at the ETSBOA concert festival demonstrating improvement in the integration of the string program and the wind instrument program at University School.

Question: Can a program which teaches beginning and intermediate winds and strings together prove to be an effective method of music education?

Subjects: Advanced instrumental students at University School

Definitions: String Keys: The major keys in which beginning strings players usually begin. These would be primarily the sharp keys of G, D, A and E.

Wind Keys: The major keys in which beginning wind players usually begin. These would be primarily F, Bb, Eb, Ab and C.

String and wind multi-key approach: Using both the primary beginning string keys and the beginning band keys with both winds and strings together.

Procedures:

1. Establish a base line of performance by participating in the East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association Concert Festival (April 2005) and other concert festivals with independent evaluations of University School Instrumental Ensemble performances.

2. During second year (2005 – 2006), begin combining string key instruction into wind program and continue teaching wind key instruction with string players.

3. At the end of the second year again participate in the ETSBOA Concert Festival and compare ratings and judges comments to first year.

Results: At the ETSBOA festival in April 2005 the instrumental ensemble earned a rating of Excellent (II) on the three prepared pieces and a Superior (I) on sight reading. The written and recorded comments of the judges are attached. The instrumental ensemble competed at the grade 2 level.

At the ETSBOA concert festival in April 2006 the instrumental ensemble only earned a performance rating of Good (III). However, the ensemble maintained a Superior (I) in sight reading.

Conclusions: The current method of teaching strings with winds and using only the standard key approach used by winds appears to be adequate. However, the instrumental ensemble has as yet to achieve a Superior rating at the ETSBOA festival. The question remains: Using a combined string and wind multi-key approach, will the ensemble improve to the Superior quality at grade two.

The drop in the 2006 performance rating was a surprise. Rehearsals had gone quite well. There were two major problems: One, several key members were missing which affected the balance of the group. It also led to some players trying to over compensate for the missing personnel. Two, there was a major rhythmical counting error by a whole section in the second piece which disrupted the entire ensemble.

Another general factor is that the leadership in the violin section did not take the ensemble this year. This may have led to a weakened section.

Recommendations: 1. Continue to teach winds and strings together. 2. Incorporate a combined key approach next year. This would entail transposing the wind method pieces into appropriate string keys. This would necessitate a greater emphasis on learning the chromatic scale from the beginning of instruction. Also, concert literature would be selected from both band and orchestral sources. 3. Continue to participate in the ETSBOA concert festival and other judged festivals. 4. Compare the 2005 ratings and comments with the 2006 ratings and comments to see if significant improvement takes place. 5. In 2006 – 2007, incorporate the assistance of a professional string teacher to further enhance the mixing of the string and wind programs. At that point, determine if preparing a written methodology for others to use is a viable option and a need. If so, then begin to development such a pedagogical method and approach.

Comments: The instrumental ensemble participated in the 2004 East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association concert festival. However, this was for comment only with no rating given. Though the comments were helpful for this year, there was no rating to allow this to be used as a pre-test as I had originally planned. Therefore, the pre-test will be the 2005 Concert Festival. As stated above, this year validated that even using a straight wind approach with both groups can be effective.

One of the judges for the 2005 festival made the following comment on the adjudication form: "Did an amazing job blending strings with band ensemble." This again confirms that the program is on the right track by combining strings and winds from the beginning of instruction.