Using “Informances” in General Music

Abstract

General music teachers might be faced with formal performance expectations placed on them by administrators. While performance expectations are common in performance-based ensembles, meeting these expectations can be cumbersome and daunting to those who serve in the realm of general music. Informances—informative presentations of student learning that emphasize the learning process—provide an alternative to traditional concerts or programs. Informances serve as an excellent way of communicating one’s educational objectives to parents, administrators, and community members by sharing what and how students learn in the classroom. This article explores the benefits of including informances in one’s yearly programming, aligning the role of informances to address the new core music standards, two differing types of informances, as well as suggestions on how to successfully include them in the general music curriculum.