Henry T.

Law

Essay of Standard 4

Music teachers must have skills in listening, analysis, describing, and performing music.

In my time at K-State, the main curriculum has been about listening to, analyzing, describing,

and performing music. In private lessons and in ensembles, I have learned how to perform

music, rehearsing every day and learned from teachers here to become the best performer I can

be. I have performed both solo and ensemble literature ranging from jazz solos, big band

playing, unaccompanied trombone works, concertos with full orchestra accompaniment, chamber

wind, and large ensemble music. In those experiences I have developed a full understanding of

how to perform and how to teach performance. In the music theory and music history classes, I

have been taught to analyze and describe music in the way most commonly practiced by modern

musicians and scholars. I have analyzed a full orchestral piece identifying the chordal structure,

the form, the melodic structure, and the emotional aspect of the piece giving a presentation to my

peers communicating to them what I learned. In aural skills classes and my own practice, I have

learned how to listen to music, identifying scales, modes, form, and transcribing chords, melody

and harmony from listening to a piece of music. The best example is when transcribing a piece

of music for jazz combos and jazz solos needing to identify the chords, melody, and harmony all

from a few listens.

In classes my students will learn the skills that I have developed through individual

practice and scaffolding exercises that will take them step by step through a process. For

example, my students will listen and analysis music to better their understanding of music we are

playing in the class room. They will transcribe, music by listening analyzing the chord

progression of the and find ways to transfer what they learned in that exercise to the rehearsals in
class. They will also perform music at many different venues. Through my experience

performing everywhere from world class stages to patios and private parties, my students will

learn through discussion and trial how to perform anywhere they want to.

Skills in listening, analyzing, describing, and performing music are essential to becoming

a well-rounded musician. Through my education process I have used and am still developing

skills in all of those areas. In the classroom, my students will begin the process of those skills to

become the best musician they can, to fulfill their need for music in whatever capacity they need.