Creating Student Rehearsal Guides for String Orchestra addresses two important phenomena that takes place when teaching a string ensemble. The first is the need to differentiate lessons because of diverse student needs. In instances where orchestra programs only have mixed instrumental rehearsal/class settings, the educator must present music concepts and performance techniques that address each instrumentation. The second critical string ensemble element is programming concert repertoire and implementing lessons/learning units that address skills needed to perform the concert repertoire. Zabanal recognizes the complexity of presenting concepts and technique that keeps all students engaged while developing students’ ability to perform concert repertoire. Zabanal proposes the use of student rehearsal guides.

“An SRG is a series of exercises and excerpts used to teach repertoire-based concepts and techniques across all ensemble instruments.” Teachers are encouraged to study their music score and generate/compose learning segments that tackles a particular part of the piece. Because many pieces feature the melody in the violin part, teachers can use a music composition software to write the melody part for viola, cello, and bass. This allows the entire class to study the melody of the piece. Recently, publishers have introduced flexible or adaptable instrumentation pieces that offers every instrument the melody and harmony parts. Zabanal did not specifically suggest using flexible or adaptable instrument repertoire because SRGs are customizable to help teachers sequence exercises and engage all students and instrumentation with a unified learning goal.

SRGs is an approach that can organize lessons around music concepts while preparing repertoire for performance. The focus is not on concert preparation, but music concepts and technique that carries into repertoire performance. Zabanal encourages teachers to highlight several teachable moments within each repertoire piece. Teach about a common rhythm across all instruments a few measures at a time. Create multi-level parts so students have a choice to perform accessible and challenging rhythms.

An SRG is needed in today’s orchestra learning environment. The academic achievement gap might have widened since the COVID lock down in spring of 2020. Students have retured to in-person orchestra rehearsals and a great way to help students feel successful is to meet them at their performance level. Creating an SRG allows students to move into the next challenging level while knowing they are learning the same concepts as their peers.