Systematic Exercises for Learning Chamber Music

The speed and ease of learning chamber music can be increased by using the exercises Learning Chamber Music by M. Schottenbauer, Ph.D. Available for traditional trios, quartets, and quintets, as well as for flexible instrumentation, these exercises provide systematic practice at seven major components of chamber music:

• Part I: Tuning, Dynamic Balance, and Basic Rhythmic Exercises
• Part II: Entrance and Timing Exercises (Tempo Setting and Timing)
• Part III: Ending Exercises (Holding Notes Full Length and Fermatas) 
• Part IV: Tempo Change Exercises (Accel. and Rit.; Section Changes)
• Part V: Other Common Time Signatures (22, 24, 34, 68)
• Part VI: Advanced Rhythm (Duple vs. Triple)
• Part VII: Articulation and Stylistic Matching Exercises

These exercises provide unique opportunities for the beginning musician to learn on basic skills by alternating the focus of practice between the instruments.

For example, consider the first three pages of Learning Chamber Music for piano trio, with piano, violin, and cello:

Discussion Questions

1. Where is the melody? 
2. What occurs with the melody in the first staff? 
3. How is the second staff different than the first?
4. What is the purpose of the dynamics in the second staff?

Discussion Questions

1. Where is the melody? 
2. What occurs with the melody in the first staff? 
3. How is the second staff different than the first?
4. What is the purpose of the dynamics in the second staff?
5. How is this page different from the first page?

Discussion Questions

1. Where is the melody? 
2. What occurs with the melody in the first staff? 
3. How is the second staff different than the first?
4. What is the purpose of the dynamics in the second staff?
5. How is this page different from the first page?
6. How is this page different from the second page?

Now, consider the first page alone.  The musicians are challenged to perform first staff in perfect balance, with no instrument being more prominent than any other. Then, in the second staff, the musicians are challenged to perform while listening to the main melody at an elevated dynamic, more prominent than the other instruments. On the second and third pages, the location of the melody changes. By alternating the location of the melody, the exercises challenge every student to practice balancing their dynamic tone with the other instruments. The task of practicing include:

1. Same dynamics: Perfect dynamic blending
2. Different dynamics: Melody contrasting to harmony
3. Different location of melody: Each student obtains practice in the above 2 skills, including all timbres and registers

By offering two different dynamic markings for the same passage, students may learn comparison and contrast skills in both listening and in tonal production.

As an additional benefit of the exercises, students may build ear training skills, so as to understand the difference between their instrument and the ensemble. This includes the abilities to hear:

1. All instruments blending equally
2. A different instrument as more prominent than oneself
3. Oneself as more prominent than other instruments

A computer-generated audio recording of these first three pages of exercises is available on YouTube.

Learning Chamber Music is available for purchase from MusicaNeo. The full list of current editions now includes:

• String Ensembles
• Trio (Violin, Viola, Cello)
• Quartet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello)
• Quintet (2 Violins, Viola, 2 Cellos)
• Woodwind Ensembles
• Flute 
• Trio
• Quartet
• Clarinet 
• Trio
• Quartet
• Mixed Woodwinds
• Trio (Flute/Oboe, Clarinet, & Bassoon/Cello)
• Trio (2 Flutes/Oboes, & Bassoon/Cello)
• Quartet (Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon)
• Quintet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Basoon)
• Brass
• Trio (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone/Euphonium)
• Quartet (2 Trumpets, Trombone/Euphonium, Tuba/Bass Trombone)
• Quintet (2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone, Tuba/Bass Trombone)
• Mallet Percussion
• Trio
• Quartet
• Flexible Instrumentation
• Band & Orchestral Instruments
• Trio
• Quartet
• Quintet
• Piano with Mixed Band & Orchestral Instruments
• Trio
• Quartet
• Quintet
• Piano Ensembles
• Piano Trio (Violin, Cello, Piano)
• Piano Quartet (Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano)
• Piano Quintet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello, Piano)
• Piano with Band & Orchestral Instruments, Flexible Instrumentation
• Trio
• Quartet
• Quintet

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Chamber Music Education at Home, at School, & In the Community

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

Free Education Resources

Big Print Ensemble: Flexible Instrumentation Pieces for Everyday!

Performing music in the home, community, or worship service is easy and affordable, with Big Print Ensemble for flexible instrumentation! Consisting of extra-large font, these selections are available in zip packages from MusicaNeo with the following components:

• Score in C
• Transposed scores or parts 
• Treble Clef (C, Bb, F, Eb)
• Alto Clef
• Bass Clef
• Low Bass Clef
• Audio File (Piano)
• MIDI File
• Instructions

The pieces are written for 3 or 4 instrumental or vocal parts, with 0 to 3 unpitched percussion. All pieces can be performed with fewer instruments if necessary. Larger ensembles can assign multiple instruments to each part. Pieces can be performed either with or without a conductor. Additional instructions regarding part assignment are available in the conductor's instructions. 

Big Print Ensemble pieces are grouped into 4 levels, with the following difficulty:

• Level 1
• Common Time
• Quarter, Half, and Whole Notes
• One Octave Range
• Level 2
• Duple Time
• Eighth Notes
• One Octave + Perfect Fifth Range
• Level 3
• Triple Time
• Two Octave Range
• Level 4
• Dotted Rhythms

There are currently 40 pieces available, including:

• Popular Folk Music
• Popular Classical Music Exerpts
• Original Ensemble Pieces
• Original Ensemble Exercises

Examples include:

• Row, Row, Row the Boat (Folk Tune)
• Twinkle (Folk Tune)
• Three Ships (Folk Tune)
• Blue Danube (Strauss)
• Ode to Joy (Beethoven)
• William Tell Overture (Rossini)

Schottenbauer Publishing also offers a variety of other instrumental and ensemble pieces, both in regular and big print. Additional information is available via the links below.


Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Vendors of Big Print Ensemble

Sheet Music & Multimedia from MusicaNeo!

What is Flexible Instrumentation?

Flexible instrumentation refers to a set of music which includes multiple scores for each part. Usually, this involves the provision of scores transposed for all common Western orchestral and band instruments, including the following:

• Instruments in Treble C
• Instruments in Treble F
• Instruments in Treble Bb
• Instruments in Treble Eb
• Instruments in Alto Clef
• Instruments in Bass Clef
• Instruments in Low Bass Clef

These transposed scores can be used in any combination, to accommodate the availability of student instrumentalists when practicing the exercises.  

Flexible instrumentation chamber music is useful for small school or community ensembles (bands or orchestras) or home ensembles, when an unconventional number and/or type of instruments are likely to be present. In such cases, the traditional repertoire is either not available, or limited. Flexible instrumentation is also useful when the number and/or type of instrumentalists might change often, such that multiple traditional scores would need to be purchased. In each of these situations, flexible instrumentation provides a solution, without purchasing more than one score package.

Flexible instrumentation music for chamber music ensembles is available from Schottenbauer Publishing on MusicaNeo, along with other contemporary and pedagogical music by composer M. Schottenbauer, Ph.D. Two of the main offerings with flexible instrumentation include Big Print Ensemble and Learning Chamber Music.


Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Expansion of the Series "Learning Chamber Music"

The series Learning Chamber Music has been expanded, to include trios, quartets, and trios with flexible instrumentation! This allows more students to benefit from the exercises originally written for piano trio.  

The full list of current editions now includes:

• String Ensembles
• Trio (Violin, Viola, Cello)
• Quartet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello)
• Quintet (2 Violins, Viola, 2 Cellos)
• Woodwind Ensembles
• Flute 
• Trio
• Quartet
• Clarinet 
• Trio
• Quartet
• Mixed Woodwinds
• Trio (Flute/Oboe, Clarinet, & Bassoon/Cello)
• Trio (2 Flutes/Oboes, & Bassoon/Cello)
• Quartet (Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon)
• Quintet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Basoon)
• Brass
• Trio (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone/Euphonium)
• Quartet (2 Trumpets, Trombone/Euphonium, Tuba/Bass Trombone)
• Quintet (2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone, Tuba/Bass Trombone)
• Mallet Percussion
• Trio
• Quartet
• Flexible Instrumentation
• Band & Orchestral Instruments
• Trio
• Quartet
• Quintet
• Piano with Mixed Band & Orchestral Instruments
• Trio
• Quartet
• Quintet
• Piano Ensembles
• Piano Trio (Violin, Cello, Piano)
• Piano Quartet (Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano)
• Piano Quintet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello, Piano)
• Piano with Band & Orchestral Instruments, Flexible Instrumentation
• Trio
• Quartet
• Quintet

Similar to the original edition of Learning Chamber Music (Piano Trio: Violin, Cello, and Piano), these new editions are divided into 7 sections, each with a particular theme: 

• Part I: Tuning, Dynamic Balance, and Basic Rhythmic Exercises
• Part II: Entrance and Timing Exercises (Tempo Setting and Timing)
• Part III: Ending Exercises (Holding Notes Full Length and Fermatas) 
• Part IV: Tempo Change Exercises (Accel. and Rit.; Section Changes)
• Part V: Other Common Time Signatures (22, 24, 34, 68)
• Part VI: Advanced Rhythm (Duple vs. Triple)
• Part VII: Articulation and Stylistic Matching Exercises

All editions are accompanied by instructions for practice. Flexible instrumentation scores include parts for all common Western band and orchestral instruments, including those in Treble Clef (C, F, Bb, Eb), plus Alto Clef, Bass Clef, and Low Bass Clef.

Learning Chamber Music is available for purchase from MusicaNeo, along with other pieces by composer M. Schottenbauer, Ph.D.


Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources