(sample) Pedagogy for undergraduate and graduate flute

Dr. Nicole Riner

Objectives and Format

In this class, students will review the history of the flute’s development and the instrument’s impact on literature, survey staple repertoire for the instrument, and develop pedagogical techniques to explain foundations of playing while incorporating knowledge of literature and history of the instrument. The format for this class will vary, including seminar-style discussion, individual research projects, and a teaching practicum. In addition, all notes and research will be compiled into a reference notebook, which will be reviewed and graded at the end of the term. This notebook is also meant to serve as a reference for future work and study.

Grades

Students will be graded on their research, writing, teaching, and the organization and thoroughness of their final notebooks. The seminar nature of these meetings requires that students conduct individual research between classes in order to fully participate in discussions; therefore, they will also be graded on participation in and preparedness for class discussions. The components of the final grade are as follows:

Participation & weekly assignments: 40%

Research paper: 20%

Teaching practicum: 10%

Final notebook: 30%

Assignments and Projects

In addition to weekly assignments, each student will write one research paper, due Friday, March 10 at 5pm via email, on a topic of the student’s choice. This paper should be a minimum of five pages typed (double-spaced, 12 point font in Word Perfect or similar program) and should incorporate research from a minimum of three sources. Topics must be approved with the professor by Wednesday, February 20.

Each student will also be observed teaching a lesson at the end of the term, which will comprise the teaching practicum. The student and professor will arrange a mutually acceptable schedule for this project at the beginning of the term, and the goal for the student should be to incorporate what s/he has learned in the class as effectively as possible in the lesson. This practicum will be graded based on effectiveness, practicality of teaching, and demonstrated knowledge of the subject matter.

The final notebook should function as a well-organized reference for your future as a graduate student and teacher. Every topic covered in this class should be included in the notebook, and every assignment should be present. The notebook will be graded for completeness, clarity of organization, and usefulness as a source of study. Correct spellings, grammar, etc. are also crucial in this and every writing assignment. It is due on the last day of class.

Structure of the class

At the end of the term, reference notebooks will contain the following projects. Class meetings will serve as a way to discuss and develop each of these assignments. On the day each assignment is due, come to class prepared to report your findings; you will not need to turn in the written assignment until it is compiled in your notebook at the end of the term. Specific due dates are printed in the Schedule of Assignments.

I. History

A. For each time period–Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern–discuss general points of music history, including a representative list of composers for flute; the development of the flute to that point and its abilities/ limitations; general notes on performance practice; three representative pieces from the literature.

B. Catalogue the basic extended techniques employed in 20th/ 21st Century flute literature, including a brief definition of the technique, an explanation of how to execute the effect, and at least one example from the flute literature:

flutter tongue multiphonics whistle tones

key clicks harmonics note bending

sing-and-play

II. Repertoire

A. By reviewing your personal library and the references and holdings in UNC’s music library, create a survey of method/ scale books and of etude books. For each item listed, provide a brief description of the book’s contents and a brief history/ biography of the composer when applicable.

B. Construct a staple repertoire list for each of the three categories: elementary, high school, college students. For each repertoire list, choose ten total important pieces, some from each of the four aforementioned time periods in section I.

III. Pedagogy

A. Describe these basics of flute playing:

embouchure technique/hand position

breathing articulation

For each term, define correct approach, explain how to teach as a concept to a new student, list common problems associated with the term, explain how to correct these problems, and recommend specific exercises or pieces in the flute repertoire to help practice the correction.

Schedule of assignments

Week 1: Introduction

Week 2: Introductory remarks on the psychology of teaching

Week 3: History/ Baroque (I.A)

Week 4: History/ Classical (I.A)

Week 5: History/ Romanitc (I.A) *Class will meet from 6-7 pm this day.

Week 6: No Class: Research Day (paper topic due via email by midnight)

Week 7: History/ Modern (I.A.) (In lieu of class, complete notes are due on email by midnight.)

Week 8: History/ Extended Techniques (I.B)

Week 9: Repertoire/ method & scale book survey with recommendation for use (II.A)

Research Paper due on 3/14 at 5pm

Week 10: Spring break: No class

Week 11: Repertoire/ Elementary literature (II.B)

Week 12: Repertoire/ Intermediate (high school) literature (II.B)

Week 13: Repertoire/ College literature (II.B)

Week 14: Pedagogy terms (III.A) (In lieu of class, complete notes are due on email by midnight.)

Week 15: Teaching observation

Week 16: Final class; Notebook due in class

Recommended References (all print resources are available in Coe Library):

Bate, Phillip. The Flute: A Study of its History, Development, and Construction. Norton: New York, 1979.

Boehm, Theobald. The Flute and Flute Playing in Acoustical, Technical, and Artistic Aspects. Mc Ginnis & Marx: New York, 1960.

Howell, Thomas. The Avante-garde Flute. University of California Press: Berkley, 1974.

Rockstro, Richard Shepherd. A Treatise on the Construction, the History, and the Practice of the Flute. Rudall Carte: London, 1928.

Solum, John. The Early Flute. Oxford University Press: New York, 1992.

Toff, Nancy. The Flute Book. Oxford University Press: New York, 1996.

Credible web sources:

www.flutehistory.com

www.flutepage.de/englisch/history/history.shtml

www.larrykrantz.com

www.theflutesource.com/articles.html

www.nfaonline.org

www.jennifercluff.com/advance.html

www.homepage.mac.com/johnwion/vibrato.html

www.members.aol.com/UtahArts/lam/articles.html