If you teach beginning band like I do, you know that preparing for the Winter Concert is a huge challenge. Here are a few ideas to make that first performance a little better.
1. Use piano accompaniment. Let’s face it: A unison rendition of Hot Cross Buns and Jingle Bells is pretty frightening. Having a piano accompanist who can fill out the harmonies will go a long way in adding color. Ever since I started using a pianist about 10 years ago, I can’t imagine doing it any other way. Hint: Decide on your metronome markings in advance and tell your accompanist. Also, bring in the accompanist at least once before the performance to get the students used to the idea.
2. Feature various instrument groups at the beginning of each song. For example, the clarinets might play Mary Had a Little Lamb alone (with piano) first, and then the rest of the ensemble joins them on the repeat. Hint: Feature your strongest section on your most difficult piece, and a weaker section on an easier piece. For me, that usually means the trombones get featured on Hot Cross Buns, and the clarinets get featured on Jingle Bells.
3. Allow a student to introduce the songs to the audience. You’ll want to select a student with a good speaking voice, not necessarily your best musician. Rehearse their speech with them. (By speech, I mean “Our first song is Hot Cross Buns. It will feature the trumpets.”)
4. Give parents a moment to take pictures while the students are on stage with their instruments. I didn’t start doing this until I had children of my own, and my wife took a gazillion photos of every move they made. Now I appreciate the fact that parents want to capture the moment.
5. Make sure there is at least one administrator and another teacher at the performance. If your concert features more than one ensemble, you need someone to supervise the students who aren’t performing. And if a more serious incident occurs during the performance – like an injury, a squabble among parents, a power outage, etc. – you’ll need an administrator to manage that issue while you lead your performers.
Any other bright ideas? Share them here!
Music Ed Lounge 
I actually allow pictures all the time. I figure musicians are some of the best looking people around. They’ll get used to the flash photography.
As far as concert behavior during performance, we actually walk through it in the days preceding the performance. I warn the kids that if they “forget”, we will practice each day the following week on how to be a proper audience member. No ensemble has forgotten in three years. I know a group will at some point, but the week of practice will make a point for many years.
Hello!
My name is Elizabeth Potter and I’m working on a documentary about how and why to continue music after high school. I recently came across your blog and thought you might be interested in our project. Here’s the link to our Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/828077127/carry-the-tune?ref=live. Feel free to pass it on to anyone you think may be interested!
Thanks so much!
Hi Elizabeth. I’m not able to help financially with the project right now, but if I can be of help in another way, let me know.
I love all of these ideas!!! So great! I’m a beginning beginning band teacher (haha) so I really appreciate this post!
One thing I have been doing is having my students help me choose concert songs. That seems to help a lot. The kids usually know what they are capable and they either 1) pick a song they can already play which is great because then we’re set for the concert and can practice something else! or 2) they pick something difficult and then practice their tails off to achieve their goal which is awesome!
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