Elements of a Successful Program

I believe that the most important element of a successful Instrumental Music program is the School and Community's desire to have a program. Without any support, a music program would be constantly neglected and dismissed, and one would be constantly fighting an uphill battle to get funding, support, time, and any effort towards it.

Also, instruments and equipment are vital to having a successful program. Without the tools, it would be nearly impossible to give the students the education and experience of instrumental music.

A good repertoire of quality music is another essential. Even with instruments, equipment, and support, a music program is nothing without the music is just an exercise in assembly and care of instruments.

On the part of the students, an effort and desire for excellence is necessary for the success of the program. Without a desire to be the best they can be, and to learn and grow, the students will not put forth the effort it takes to learn an instrument and play it well, resulting in a successful and satisfying sound.

Even with commitment and drive, the students' passion for excellence will be severely hindered if the director does not effectively use rehearsal time. Efficient rehearsals are vital to correcting mistakes and to offer learning opportunities to the students, furthering their education and enjoyment of music.

I feel that to have efficient rehearsals, the director needs to plan well in advance, and to have plans and options available for every situation. Concert planning, repertoire planning, seating, and fund-raising all take a large amount of time, and that is just outside the classroom. The actual instruction of the students is the most important aspect, and deserves all the attention and care of the director, not to be diminished by a full plate of everything else he or she is worrying about.

Dedicated facilities for a music education program are another important aspect of a successful program. The students need a place where they can all meet together to play and make music, and also somewhere to safely store their instruments when the day is done. The room should be fairly soundproof, to avoid distracting and annoying students in other classrooms as well.

A yearly budget is vital to an instrumental music program. Instrument maintainance is not cheap, and on top of getting new music, buying supplies, and even hopefully getting new instruments, there isn't much money left over, so a good budget is of the utmost importance.

No matter how good the budget is, however there will never be enough money to cover everything, so the booster clubs and fund-raising organizations made up of parents and friends is key to getting more money to get the essentials.

And finally, students practicing outside of the classroom is an important element of a successful program. Most often, the best learning comes from the student's self-discovery, and maay not always happen in the classroom. If a student takes the initiative and practices at home, they not only increase their chances of making big musical discoveries, but also further their proficiency on their chosen instrument.