3 Tips to Help You Navigate
We’re pushing towards the end of April, and that means concert season is approaching. What no one but you knows (in your school at least), is that this is one of the most difficult seasons for an elementary music teacher. The logistics and details involved in planning and executing a concert are A LOT, especially if you’re doing grade level performances. It’s a full time job all by itself, and then you have to add in teaching your classes every day. There’s no extra planning time and you usually have to figure out what to do with your students while you’re rehearsing.
Today, I’ve got tips to help you navigate 3 of the many tricky situations you’ll be handling during this daunting, but also very fulfilling time of year.
- Limited rehearsal time: Elementary music teachers have very little time to actually rehearse with performers. Whether you’re teaching concert repertoire to an entire grade level or to your choir of 50 to 100 students, you don’t have a lot of time to teach your concert playlist. Usually between 30 minutes and an hour per week. Here is some advice to help you with time constraints:
- Create a realistic rehearsal schedule and stick to it.
- Prioritize the most difficult and most important elements of your song list, and rehearse those elements first.
- Be efficient in your rehearsal time by working on small chunks of music and building from there. It’s also a good idea to learn the parts that repeat first, that way you can point out how much of the song your students have already learned.
- Budget constraints: Your admin wants a fantastic, well-organized program on a shoe string budget. Not sure how you’re supposed to put that together, but somehow you manage it every year. Here are some pointers to help you create your next phenomenal show on a shoestring budget:
- If you have an active PTO or a great list of parent volunteers, enlist their help with costumes, props, and set decor. Many times parents are excited to brainstorm ideas and come up with cute costumes. If you’re in an area where parents aren’t willing or able to help, try reaching out to your middle or high school to borrow these types of items. Or perhaps talk to a community theater group in your are.
- Work with parent-teacher organizations or other community groups to fundraise for concert expenses.
- Use cost-effective solutions such as using homemade decorations or repurposing items from previous concerts. It’s a good idea to save any props, costumes, and set decor from years past.
- Limited support: As Bryson Tarbet, That Music Teacher says, we are on music teacher island. That means very little support from other teachers and staff. You’re basically a one-person show . . . and that’s very tough on top of your already formidable schedule. Here are some possible fixes for your inadequate help.
- Try recruiting staff members to help out. Sometimes you’ll find a part time choreographer, choir director, or actor on your staff. The key is to ask at the beginning of the year. I usually send out an email to ask who would be willing and able to help out. Be sure to give details about exactly what you need.
- Consider enlisting the help of volunteers or parent helpers to assist with various aspects of concert preparation. Parents are usually excited to help design costumes, props, and your set. You can also try talking to your high school drama and choir department to see if students are willing to help out. Some counties want their students to have volunteer hours, so it’s a win, win.
- You can delegate responsibilities to students such as helping with setup or cleanup. My 5th graders always love to be stage crew. They are usually able to help with props and scene changes too. Students can even help with program design.
The challenges of putting together a musical or concert are many and varied. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead and ask for help. These are just a few suggestions. If you’re looking for more, be sure to check out my Concert Season Playbook for a whole bunch of great ideas to save you time, energy, and money. Click the button below to grab your playbook today.