The First Six Notes with Classroom Composers

37. Band and Modern Teaching

Send us Fan Mail Music education has changed, but many rehearsal techniques still rely on the same teacher-directed approach that has been used for decades. In Episode

36. Stop Overprogramming

Send us Fan Mail More music does not always mean a better concert. When music educators program too much or choose repertoire that requires every rehearsal just to survi

35. The No-Prep School Year

Send us Fan Mail What if you could spend less time planning every individual lesson and more time actually teaching? In Episode 35, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss

35. The No-Prep School Year

Send us Fan Mail What if you could spend less time planning every individual lesson and more time actually teaching? In Episode 35, Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank discuss

34. School Money for Music Educators

Send us Fan Mail Running a successful music program takes more than good teaching. Music educators also have to understand where school money comes from, what funds are

33. Finding Success in Unusual Circumstances

Send us Fan Mail Not every music educator gets the ideal schedule, class size, instrumentation, or teaching setup. Sometimes success means adjusting your expectations an

32. Classroom Management for Music Educators

Send us Fan Mail Good classroom management is not about having the perfect consequence system. It starts with creating clear expectations, predictable routines, and an e

31. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 5

Send us Fan Mail Once students can assemble their instruments and produce a full instrument sound, it is finally time to start learning notes and making music. In Part

30. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 4

Send us Fan Mail After students produce their first mouthpiece sounds, the next step is assembling instruments correctly, establishing faster setup routines, and creatin

29. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 3

Send us Fan Mail Once students receive their instruments, it can be tempting to start playing immediately. However, taking time to teach instrument care, assembly, postu

28. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 2

Send us Fan Mail Choosing instruments is one of the most exciting parts of beginning band, but student preference is only one part of the process. In Part 2, Kevin Hoff

27. The First 30 Days of Beginning Band, Part 1

Send us Fan Mail The first month of beginning band can shape the rest of the school year. Before students focus on making music, they need clear expectations for enterin

26. We're Back!

Send us Fan Mail After nearly three years away, The First Six Notes Podcast is back! Kevin Hoff and Jessica Frank catch listeners up on their career changes, what they

25. Setting up for Success: The First Weeks of School

Send us Fan Mail Are you feeling overwhelmed thinking of all you have to do to get ready for the start of another school year? No need to stress! We've got you cove

24. The Band Director Teaching Strings

Send us Fan Mail How can you successfully teach beginning strings when your background is in band? Teaching beginning strings requires a unique set of skills and knowled

23. Connecting Sheet Music to Daily Warm-Ups and Drills

Send us Fan Mail Are you using warm-ups and drills as a way to prepare your students to play sheet music? If not, you may be missing out on an incredible opportunity to

22. Taking What Didn't Work This Year and Making it Work Next Year

Send us Fan Mail All over, teachers are seeing challenging behaviors that we have not seen previously. We know that in order to best serve our students and run a success

21. A Deep Dive Into Beginning Band with the Quarter Note Companion

Send us Fan Mail We’ve all gotten frustrated with method books or curriculums that move too quickly or aren’t easily understood by students. We knew there was a gap betw

20. Beginning Band Year at a Glance

Send us Fan Mail Teaching beginning band can be overwhelming and challenging! We have found that having three key pillars in place has been incredibly beneficial to runn

19. Teaching Beginning Strings with Efficiency

Send us Fan Mail A lot goes into teaching beginning strings. When helping students learn the correct posture, safety, bow hold, etc., it is so important that they unders