Learning to perform with other musicians provides a unique and valuable learning experience. Chamber music, which requires assembling only a few instrumentalists in one space at one time, can serve as a learning tool for both elementary and advanced students. Yet, chamber music is often overlooked, due to school schedules which place emphasis on band and symphony orchestra. Students who seek to improve their ensemble skills may focus on the following tools, containing solutions which remove traditional barriers to chamber music education:
Big Print Ensemble
Even one elementary student can learn chamber music with Big Print Ensemble! Currently consisting of 40 pieces grouped into levels by difficulty, these educational pieces provide a variety of popular folk tunes, classical music excerpts, exercises, and original compositions for elementary to intermediate students. Each piece includes audio & MIDI files for home practice, so that even one student can practice alone. Plus, each package includes flexible instrumentation scores, suitable for any combination of band & orchestral instruments. The convenience of flexible instrumentation allows for unusual instrument groups to practice together, including odd combinations such as a saxophone, tuba, and xylophone! With flexible instrumentation scores, instruments can easily switch parts, sharing the practice of melody, harmony, or bass. Students can also take turns playing the unpitched percussion parts, or even conducting the group! With such flexible options, elementary students can use Big Print Ensemble with friends, neighbors, and/or family to hone their music skills!
Big Print Ensemble is available for download from MusicaNeo, for only $2 for most pieces.
Learning Chamber Music
For intermediate students who are comfortable with regular-sized print, the series Learning Chamber Music provides an optimum solution. Available in both specific and flexible instrumentation for trios, quartets, and quintets, this series provides specific exercises for students to hone essential ensemble skills, including tuning, dynamic balance, rhythm, pickup notes, entrances, timing, endings, tempo changes, time signatures, advanced rhythms (syncopation, duple vs. triple), articulation, and style-matching. Instrumentation is available for strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, and percussion. The series can also be used with voice, using the syllable "ah."
Learning Chamber Music is available for download from MusicaNeo, for only $10 for specific instrument combinations, and $20 for flexible-instrumentation scores.
Additional Information
Schottenbauer Publishing
