Percussion Discussion
Percussion instruments are a perfect medium for teaching general music in the classroom. The pure physicality of hitting things with sticks, mallets or bare hands is just plain fun. But there are many other advantages to incorporating percussion into your music curriculum. Engaging students in active music-making is an excellent way to foster the development of music literacy skills and, there’s no question that group performance activities contribute to a collaborative learning environment and positive social interactions.
On my initial visit to the International School of Paris, where I was about to start my first teaching job, I discovered a closet full of Orff xylophones and metallophones. As a composer and flutist, I hadn’t taken a single course in music education throughout my undergraduate or graduate studies. I’d never even heard of Orff pedagogy nor had I ever laid eyes the kind of pitched percussion (‘Orff’ instruments) that were becoming standard equipment in American and European music classrooms. It didn’t take long though, for me to recognize the potential of these instruments as a pedagogical tool.
That was the beginning of a long career in music education, one in which percussion performance has played an important role. Some of the things I most like about teaching with percussion are:
The instruments stay in tune—no intonation problems!
The bars of a mallet percussion instrument serve as a strong visual reference (as does a piano keyboard) for understanding concepts like scales and interval relationships.
Pitched Orff and other mallet percussion instruments do not require high levels of motor skill development, meaning that even very young students can successfully play simple melodies and ostinati—anyone can play a mallet instrument!
The instruments are durable, easily stored and require little maintenance.
Kids of all ages (and adults, too) enjoy making music together with percussion instruments.
Pitched instruments are a great tool for teaching composition and improvisation.
Most public and private school music classrooms are equipped with an assortment of drums, hand percussion and pitched percussion instruments. Well-made xylophones and marimbas can be costly. If your school is inadequately equipped, don’t be shy about asking administrators for additional funds. I’ve also had good luck in procuring some of the larger and more expensive instruments I needed through school grant programs. You could even find ways of having your students advocate for the music program.
Some post-secondary music education programs offer certification programs specifically focused on Orff pedagogy. But almost any music educator should find it relatively easy to incorporate mallet and non-pitched percussion performance activities into the curriculum. A vast selection of reproducible music and lesson plans are available for purchase. But you might also find that arranging and composing for percussion ensemble is not too difficult and highly rewarding.
• • •
If you’re looking for some new material for you classroom or percussion ensemble check out the book of original reproducible scores and parts on the Shop page.
You can also find individual pieces on Noteflight Marketplace:
https://www.noteflight.com/marketplace/search#/keyword:Susan%20Calkins
