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First, thank you for following along to the end of the semester. We have been able to cover in some depth the most essential topics related to horn teaching and performance.
So what about actually teaching horn students?
But there is, in reality, a topic rarely mentioned in the resources we have read from this semester, the topic of actually teaching students, or more to the point teaching them effectively.
Part of it, of course, is there are different ways to teach and different methods of teaching that will meet the needs of different students. Getting closest to part of the answer was Harry Berv, as he suggests specific etudes to train different skill areas. But still the lack of looking seriously at this aspect of horn pedagogy is puzzling.
Fortunately, I have a couple new resources to suggest. If you are interested in insights into how to guide students to a higher level of performance (and you should be!) I highly recommend Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson. In this article I posted a summary of the book (of sorts) in Hornist Hamster memes.
Four points to ponder
As to how to best use those insights I secondly suggest a wonderful (and brief) article by Froydis Wekre that was recently posted in the IHS website. Titled “Experiences and Strategies in Teaching,” this article is certainly worth reading. She concludes with these four points to ponder:
Be demanding, in a non-threatening way.
Be a teacher who is on the students’ side.
Keep yourself updated. Find out what is new in the profession, concerning repertoire, teaching methods, the way students learn, etc.
Give positive recognition to progress – whether small or big.
The topic of the “Cruel Teacher”
As a teacher you have some choices. One choice should be to not be cruel. This recent article has a lot to say on the topic of actually teaching horn students:
The teacher is judged more strictly
Looking back at the course as I work on revisions over the years brings home even stronger the idea that teaching tactics will change over time, as noted this article. And I would also quote this passage from the book of James in the Bible: “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” No teacher is perfect, but I hope this class has helped with insights as to how to develop your playing and has given you more tools in your toolbox as a teacher.
A final, “important” resource, a “complete method”
As a very final item of the semester, there actually is a lighter side to horn teaching and performance, and it would be a good time to reference the ultimate “Classic” horn method, the Complete Method für der Waldhorn oder der Ventilhorn by Professor Eric Von Schmutzig. A book I would highly recommend reading at this point in the semester, you may learn more about this “method” here.
But wait, we are not quite done yet!
This is the final review session of a fourteen week course in horn pedagogy. The introductory article is here, and the series is presented for the educational purposes of our readers.
