Mentorship Work 6

Last Friday (3/21) was the most recent day that I went to work with my mentor, and the last time I planned a exercise routine was earlier today. For last Friday, I went to Los Cerritos and worked with their band as they prepared for their concert April 17th. Since I last attended, they have improved in their musicianship and the brass players that worked with me have become more definite in their note transitions and technique. Overall, the band has become more of a band. The basic foundation has been laid, and I noticed that one cut off in particular was exceptionally good and a sign of proper development. They are responding to the conductor properly and are accustoming to the proper mindset of a concert environment. I also noticed how the students themselves are becoming aligned with their instrument. As studies have shown, each instrumentalist has a certain personality based on the instrument they play. In general, the flutes and clarinets are calm, collected, and very social, and there is no doubt that the woodwinds I have seen fit that description. The brassier players tend to be a bit more rambunctious and full of energy and competition, and most all of the students have displayed this behavior, most likely due to my influence of being a brass player. As for the sax players, being an in between of the woodwinds and brass, usually tend to have a laid back feel to things, and they fit that to the mark. I believe that these young musicians will do excellent if they continue down this path.

As for my outside work, I have referenced several pages out of my Arban's Method Book of Conservatory Method For Trumpet, notably the first studies and the lip slurs section. I hope to give copies of exercises to any trumpet players that are interested in furthering their development.

I am at a total of 22 hours now, with only 3 to go. 

Outside Project Work

Basically, while I am not working in the classroom setting with my mentor with the students at various schools, I have spent a few hours researching on how to properly teach elementary school kids how to play music. My primary source was my music teacher at South San Francisco High School, Mr. Talbert. I spend about an hour weekly talking with him about music education and how I can apply it properly. What he has told me is that the simpler it is, the more easier it is digested by the students. He explained further, saying that the same method works across all age levels. It encompasses a three step method: the first is if the student can clap the rhythm. The second is if the student can say the rhythm. The last one is if the student can sing the rhythm. If the student can do these three steps, they will have an easier time trying to play the rhythm that if they didn't do the above steps. He also said that they have to have thier own idea about how they play. If they think something needs work, it's a good sign of musicianship. My mentor knew this before I did, leading to his implication of it in his classes.

Aside from this, I have done experimenting with the lip slurs that I have been designing for the elementary level. I have referenced different things, like the internet, collegues, and personal method books. I am still in the process of determining what method would be at their level of achievement and growth.

These total the four hours outlined. Along with those are two more done in prep work, putting me at 20 hours. I aim to meet the 25 hour minimum within the next month.

Mentorship Work 5

These last two Fridays were the most recent days that I went to work with my mentor. I went to the same place as usual for Fridays, Los Cerritos. The first of the two (2/21) was when my mentor couldn't make it to class, so I subbed in for his combined class from 2 to 2:40 pm. I knew that I would be subbing a week prior, so after confirming it with my mentor and the school office, I began to research how I would plan the days activities. I also reviewed what my mwntor wanted to have done in class, so i spent some time planning how the class would run. I arrived at the school at around 1:30 to set up the 40 chairs that were needed to fit the combined class. After I set up the chairs and music stands, I read through the note and e-mail my mentor left me with, and I flipped through the method book that would be used for the lesson. After studying the music scores, the kids came in at around 2:00. From there I proceeded to take them through a routine warm up that their regular teacher does, and then I conducted them through the list of songs given to me. The song playing took up the majority of class, with some work on things like performance standards and volume control. That conculded my work for that day. The second Friday (3/7) was a normal day with my mentor teaching and me assisting.

This puts me at 15 hours of work under my mentor,and I have done 2 hours of prep work on my own, putting me at 18 hours total, and 7 to go to meet the requirement.