Effective Time Management in Ensemble Rehearsals

Abstract

One of the most common problems for school music ensembles is the lack of rehearsal time to prepare for public performances. Many rehearsals are cancelled or shortened due to in-service and vacation days. In addition, because of illness, field trips, and athletic events, not all students attend any one rehearsal. Music directors all too often feel they need to eliminate various parts of the rehearsal-such as proper warm-up, tuning, sight-reading, or exercises for developing students' musicianship-so that more time can be spent on rehearsing performance literature. This approach can be shortsighted, however, because it doesn't necessarily help students improve their ensemble performance. Many factors contribute to an effective rehearsal. The single greatest factor that affects rehearsal success is pacing-the teacher's ability to effectively manage time during the teaching period. Ensemble directors should strive for a learning environment characterized by a consistent level of positive effort and concentration from students, with a proper balance of time allocated for teacher actions (usually verbal feedback) and for student actions (performance of music).