Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The First Six Notes with Classroom Composers
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 4 | 24 Aug 2026 | 00:25:01 | |
After students produce their first mouthpiece sounds, the next step is assembling instruments correctly, establishing faster setup routines, and creating the first full-instrument sounds. In Part 4, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how they keep percussionists engaged, teach safe instrument assembly, correct posture and hand position, and address common problems before they become habits. In This Episode
Chapters 00:00 Recapping the first 30 days Connect with Classroom Composers Teachers Pay Teachers Website Join our email community Facebook Instagram YouTube Subscribe, leave a rating or review, and share the episode with another music educator. | |||
| 29. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 3 | 17 Aug 2026 | 00:27:04 | |
Once students receive their instruments, it can be tempting to start playing immediately. However, taking time to teach instrument care, assembly, posture, breathing, and first sounds can prevent problems later. In Part 3, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how they distribute instruments, establish safe setup routines, teach mouthpiece and headjoint assembly, and help students produce their first sounds. In This Episode
Chapters 00:40 Checking out and renting instruments Connect with Classroom Composers Teachers Pay Teachers Website Join our email community Facebook Instagram YouTube Subscribe, leave a rating or review, and share the episode with another music educator. | |||
| 28. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 2 | 10 Aug 2026 | 00:28:43 | |
Choosing instruments is one of the most exciting parts of beginning band, but student preference is only one part of the process. In Part 2, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss how they introduce the concert band instruments, test students on mouthpieces and headjoints, evaluate percussion coordination, and balance student interest with physical fit, available equipment, and ensemble needs. In This Episode
Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Part 1 recap Connect with Classroom Composers Teachers Pay Teachers Website Join our email community Facebook Instagram YouTube Subscribe, leave a rating or review, and share the episode with another music educator. | |||
| 27. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 1 | 03 Aug 2026 | 00:26:34 | |
The first month of beginning band can shape the rest of the school year. Before students focus on making music, they need clear expectations for entering the room, handling equipment, following directions, and participating in an ensemble. In Part 1, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss the rules, routines, and behavior systems that help create a calm and productive beginning band classroom. In This Episode
Chapters 00:00 Why the first 30 days matter Connect with Classroom Composers Teachers Pay Teachers Website Join our email community Facebook Instagram YouTube Subscribe, leave a rating or review, and share the episode with another music educator. | |||
| 26. We're Back! | 02 Aug 2026 | 00:25:54 | |
After nearly three years away, The First Six Notes Podcast is back! Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank catch listeners up on their career changes, what they learned during the break, and why now feels like the right time to relaunch the show. Kevin discusses his move from middle school to high school and his upcoming return to middle school, while Jessica reflects on working in administration. In This Episode:
Chapters 00:00 - The podcast is back Connect with Classroom Composers Teachers Pay Teachers Website Email Community Facebook Instagram YouTube Subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with another music educator. | |||
| 25. Setting up for Success: The First Weeks of School | 05 Aug 2023 | 00:38:57 | |
Are you feeling overwhelmed thinking of all you have to do to get ready for the start of another school year? No need to stress! We've got you covered with all the tips and tricks you need to start off your music classes on the right note! We are sharing everything you need to know about what to do during teacher prep week and in the first few weeks of the school year. From recruitment strategies to setting up classrooms and instrument distribution, we’re covering it all. Whether you're a seasoned teacher or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable tips to help you navigate back to school season with confidence. Be sure to join us inside our Facebook Group and share what your favorite back to school tips are! Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/first-weeks-of-school/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 24. The Band Director Teaching Strings | 22 Jul 2023 | 00:31:15 | |
How can you successfully teach beginning strings when your background is in band? Teaching beginning strings requires a unique set of skills and knowledge. If you’re a band teacher teaching beginning strings, tune in as we dive into the world of teaching beginning strings. In this episode, we are breaking down the pros of teaching beginning strings, the 7 prerequisite skills you should have before teaching beginning strings, tips we’ve learned along the way, and what a typical rehearsal for middle school strings looks like. If you have questions about teaching beginning strings, be sure to join us inside our Facebook Group! We’ll be happy to help! Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/teaching-strings/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 23. Connecting Sheet Music to Daily Warm-Ups and Drills | 08 Jul 2023 | 00:27:18 | |
Are you using warm-ups and drills as a way to prepare your students to play sheet music? If not, you may be missing out on an incredible opportunity to help your students be more successful in band! Join us as we dive into the importance of utilizing warm-ups and drills to effectively teach and practice new concepts and skills. Hear how we use backwards planning to craft our warm-ups and how warm-ups can be strategically used to teach important concepts needed to successfully play sheet music! If you want to chat more about using warm-ups effectively, join us inside our Facebook Group and let us know what is working for you! Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/daily-warm-ups/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 22. Taking What Didn't Work This Year and Making it Work Next Year | 24 Jun 2023 | 00:38:14 | |
All over, teachers are seeing challenging behaviors that we have not seen previously. We know that in order to best serve our students and run a successful band program we need to reflect on what is working and what is not working and adapt as needed. In this episode, we are diving into the 7 main issues we saw this past school year, what our updated rules and expectations will be going forward, and how we are presenting them to students and parents to ensure there is no misunderstanding about expectations and consequences. This may be a controversial topic but it is one we feel is important to discuss so we can all continue to improve our programs. Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/taking-what-didnt-work-this-year/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 21. A Deep Dive Into Beginning Band with the Quarter Note Companion | 10 Jun 2023 | 00:35:41 | |
We’ve all gotten frustrated with method books or curriculums that move too quickly or aren’t easily understood by students. We knew there was a gap between what options were out there for beginning bands and what beginning band students and their teachers actually needed. In this episode, we are diving into how the Quarter Note Companion helps set beginning band students up for success. We are sharing the research the curriculum is founded in, a look inside the 5 components of the curriculum, and how you can use this curriculum with beginning bands or middle school bands. Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/quarter-note-companion/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 20. Beginning Band Year at a Glance | 27 May 2023 | 00:38:26 | |
Teaching beginning band can be overwhelming and challenging! We have found that having three key pillars in place has been incredibly beneficial to running our beginning band classes. Establishing these overarching pillars have helped us to build our beginning band program that is successful and enjoyable for us and our students. Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/beginning-band-year-at-a-glance/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 19. Teaching Beginning Strings with Efficiency | 13 May 2023 | 00:42:36 | |
A lot goes into teaching beginning strings. When helping students learn the correct posture, safety, bow hold, etc., it is so important that they understand your expectations and what is expected of them. That is one of the key tips our guest, Elizabeth Rohrs, shares about teaching beginning strings. In this episode, Elizabeth is diving into how she successfully teaches her very large classes of beginning strings with efficiency. She is sharing her background as a violinist and music educator, what her general scope and sequence is for beginning string students, how she structures her classes to make the best use of time, and how she teaches posture and bow hold. This episode is packed with practical information that we know will be so helpful for teaching beginning strings! Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/teaching-beginning-strings Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 18. Closing Out the School Year | 29 Apr 2023 | 00:34:31 | |
We’re reaching the end of the school year and you’re likely busy with spring concert prep and the last thing you want to think about is getting all the end of the year tasks completed. We want to help you get organized and plan for the end of the year without adding more to your to-do list. In this episode, we are diving into how we have simplified our end of the year processes to ensure all tasks get completed without adding unneeded stress. We’re sharing how we backwards plan for the rest of the year, ensure all logistics are set for field trips and concerts, clean and inventory instruments, and keep students engaged once concerts are over. Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/closing-out-the-school-year Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 17. What Video Games Can Teach Us About Teaching with Jared Brockmeyer | 15 Apr 2023 | 00:49:25 | |
What can we learn from video games and video game design that can help us as music educators? Jared Brockmeyer is joining us today to dive into how understanding video game design and student motivations can help us better reach and connect with our band students. Jared has recently been presenting on gamification in education and has so much incredible information about the topic. In this episode, he is sharing how he made the connection between video games and music education, how we can structure our instruction to resemble the structure of video game, and why it's important to understand player type theory so we can understand and engage our students better. Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/what-video-games-can-teach-us/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 16. Music Education in Different States with Andy LaRusch | 01 Apr 2023 | 00:38:13 | |
Music education looks different depending on which state you are in but many music educators would agree that Texas’ music education is better than other places in the United States. What is it about music education in Texas that helps to create such great programs? In this episode we are joined by Andy LaRusch, a head band director in Texas, who is sharing some great insight into music education in Texas. He is sharing about his background as a music educator, his journey to becoming a head band director in Texas, the teaching environments for music educators in his district, what makes Texas music education stand out, and what he sees new music educators need the most support with. Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/music-education-in-different-states Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 15. Side Hustling while Teaching Full Time with Jennifer Ferguson | 18 Mar 2023 | 00:40:48 | |
Whether a side hustle has been in the back of your mind for a while or if you haven’t considered starting one, Jennifer has some great insight for you! She is sharing an inside look at what it is like for her side hustling as a full time teacher. Jennifer has a successful YouTube channel and retail shop that she runs while still working full time as a teacher. She is sharing about her background as a music educator, how she got started with her side hustles, tips for starting a YouTube channel, how she got started with her retail shop, and ideas of side hustles that teachers can do while teaching full time. Show notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/side-hustling/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 14. Planning the Perfect Music Field Trip | 04 Mar 2023 | 00:40:45 | |
Music field trips can seem overwhelming but they don’t need to be! Whether you’ve done theme park field trips with your program before and want them to run more smoothly or if you think they’re too daunting to do, we have helpful tips for you! In this episode, we are breaking down our step-by-step process for planning our theme park field trips. We are sharing how we plan the field trip, handling the cost and funding, how we prepare our students, and all the helpful tips we have learned in the past 7+ years of planning successful theme park field trips in our program. Show notes: classroomcomposers.com/episode-14-music-field-trip Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 13. Bass Clarinet, It's More Different Than B-flat Clarinet Than You Think with Christina Rawady | 18 Feb 2023 | 00:38:46 | |
Understanding the differences in every instrument in your band can be challenging. We are so grateful that Christina is joining us today to share some insight and tips to help us better understand the bass clarinet and how we can help our students with this instrument. Christina has an extensive background in bass clarinet and teaching. She is sharing the differences between bass clarinet and B-flat clarinet, tips for starting students on bass clarinet, when to switch students to bass clarinet and what to look for in terms of readiness, her suggestions for reeds, and what her favorite pieces are that have prominent bass clarinet parts. Show notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-13-bass-clarinet Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 12. Women in Music with Erin Keeton-Howard | 04 Feb 2023 | 00:39:45 | |
There is so much to cover when it comes to women in music, the progress made in this area, and what can be done to inspire young female musicians. We are chatting with Erin about her accomplishments and the impact she has made for women in music. Erin is sharing all about her experience as a teacher, musician, and composer, her advocacy for women in music, the difference in experiences between women and men in music, things teachers can do to encourage female students, and so much more! Show notes: www.classroomcomposers.com/women-in-music/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 11. Music Composition with Matt Neufeld | 21 Jan 2023 | 00:38:40 | |
Are you looking for encouragement and tips to get started with music composition? Composing pieces for educational purposes can be a bit different than composing other pieces. Hearing from other band teachers who are also composers can be so helpful! Our guest today, Matt Neufeld, is chatting all about music composition and how he got started. Matt is sharing all about his experience as a teacher and composer, how he got started composing and why he began composing pieces for educational purposes, what makes a quality piece of educational music, and his advice for anyone starting to compose. Show notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/music-composition-conversations-with-matt-neufeld/ Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 10. Playing Clarinet with Tom Heimer | 07 Jan 2023 | 00:41:14 | |
Are you looking for a little support in teaching your beginner clarinet players? Our guest, Tom Heimer, has years of experience as a band director and professional clarinet player and is sharing some insight into teaching beginning clarinet. Knowing all about every instrument in your band can be a challenge. We are so lucky to have Tom joining us to give us tips on how to support our beginner clarinets. Tom is sharing his background, tips for beginner clarinet players, reeds, what notes to teach first, his book, and more! Show notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-10-playing-clarinet-with-tom-heimer Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 9. Composition Conversations with Aaron McMichael | 24 Dec 2022 | 00:44:23 | |
Have you wondered what it takes to write engaging pieces that your beginning band students love to play? Our guest today, Aaron McMichael, is giving us an inside look at being a band director and composing engaging pieces for beginning band students. Aaron is sharing his background and experiences as a band director and composers, an overview of his pieces, what he aims to include when writing for beginning bands, where he gets inspiration for his pieces, what his process looks like, how he maintains a work-life balance, and tips for new composers. Website: www.classroomcomposers.com TpT Store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 8. Playing the Oboe with Brenda Bressler | 10 Dec 2022 | 00:38:35 | |
Do you have questions about the oboe and how to best teach your oboe students? Our guest, Brenda Bressler, is a music educator and oboist and she is joining us today to talk all things oboe. Brenda has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the oboe and is sharing this knowledge with us! She is sharing some insight into when to start students on oboe, what types of reeds and oboes she recommends, how to start with beginning players, information about making reeds, and more!
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 7. Staying Sane During Concert Season | 26 Nov 2022 | 00:32:33 | |
Concert season is upon us! We all know how stressful preparing for a concert can be so we are sharing tips that we have started to implement in order to save our sanity and reduce our stress as we prepare for upcoming concerts. In this episode, we are sharing 5 things to think about to keep things in perspective this concert season, 8 tips we implement in order to reduce the stress that comes with concert season, and why these tips are so important and our experiences with implementing them. https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-7-staying-sane-during-concert-season/ www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 6. Playing Trumpet with Rachel Doolittle | 12 Nov 2022 | 00:36:42 | |
If you have any questions about teaching trumpet to middle school and high school students, this episode is for you! Trumpet extraordinaire, Rachel Doolittle, is joining us to answer our questions and talk all things trumpet. In this episode, Rachel is sharing her musical background and how she got started playing trumpet at age 6, how to start with a student who has no experience with their instrument, what order you should be teaching notes for trumpet int, suggestions for different exercise to improve playing and range, and how to improve lyrical playing for middle and high school trumpet players. Show notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-2-playing-trumpet/ www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 5. Help, I have 20 Beginning Saxophone Students! | 29 Oct 2022 | 00:33:10 | |
Many middle school bands run into the issue of many students wanting to play saxophone and percussion. However, this can cause issues when we are trying to achieve balanced instrumentation. In this episode, we are covering what ideal instrumentation looks like in beginning, intermediate, and advanced bands, ideas for how to decide who gets to play the highly requested instruments, and tips for encouraging students to switch to more advanced instruments in higher level bands.
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| 4. Chair Testing: The Pros and Cons | 15 Oct 2022 | 00:32:33 | |
Chair testing is very common in band and orchestra programs. Today, we are diving into the pros and cons of chair testing and sharing what we’ve seen in our own programs. In this episode, we are diving into our personal experiences with chair testing, the pros of chair testing in band and orchestra programs, the cons of chair testing especially in elementary and middle school, and what we are trying as an alternative in our own program. Show Notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-4-chair-testing-the-pros-and-cons/ www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 3. Preparing for a Successful Band Concert | 01 Oct 2022 | 00:31:58 | |
Concert season will be here soon so it’s time to start thinking about concert prep. We all know how important it is to have a solid concert prep plan but sometimes it can be a challenge trying to figure out when to fit it all in. In this episode, we are sharing the 6 week concert prep timeline we use to have successful concerts. We are sharing when and how we pick out concert music, why we include a mindset talk in our prep, how we practice the concert pieces, how we ensure our students know exactly what our expectations are, and what we do the week leading up to the concert. Show Notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-3-preparing-for-a-successful-band-concert/ www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 2. Running a Better Rehearsal | 01 Oct 2022 | 00:33:13 | |
If your rehearsals don’t have a set routine or if you are only running through concert pieces every rehearsal, this episode is for you! We are sharing, step by step, how we run our middle school and high school groups and our elementary groups. We’re covering everything we do from the moment students walk into our rooms until the bell rings and how we are able to teach new notes, articulations, etc. while still playing sheet music. Show Notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-2-running-a-better-rehearsal/ www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| 1. How to Grow Your Band and Orchestra Program | 01 Oct 2022 | 00:36:07 | |
Welcome to The First Six Notes with Classroom Composers! We are so excited to be here with you and can’t wait to share insights and tips for teaching band and strings. In our first episode, we are introducing ourselves and sharing our background, giving you actionable tips to grow any size program, and talking about the three phases of a band program and sharing ideas on how to grow at each phase. Show Notes: https://classroomcomposers.com/episode-1-how-to-grow-your-band-and-orchestra-program/ www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Classroom-Composers | |||
| Welcome to The First Six Notes with Classroom Composers! | 11 Sep 2022 | 00:00:31 | |
Are you a string teacher or band teacher who is looking for insight, advice, and tips from experienced teachers? You're in the right place! | |||