2 of 7

Sightreading starts at the beginning

Concert MPA sightreading starts in 6th grade

You have to start the process early

Making your students feel at ease

Have a system that you use all the time

The sightreading room is a different

performance in itself

NCBDA MPA sightreading adjudication form

3 of 7

Concert MPA sightreading starts in 6th grade

-To be successful at concert MPA you must begin to train your students from the beginning of their involvement in band class

-Count, Note Name, Note Name and Finger, Play (do this as many times as you need)

-Doing this on a daily basis will make the process easier and easier as the students get older

-Sightreading Factory

4 of 7

You have to start the process early

-Not only do we start the process early in the music educational process, we must do it early in the year and in the MPA season

-You don’t have to use the exact method, but maybe more of streamlined process that mirrors your full fledged process

-I gathered many peoples different ideas and created my own method that gathered pieces from theirs (Ed Rooker SR judge extraordinaire)

-Any sightreading practice is good practice (pieces, books, apps, online programs)

5 of 7

Making your students feel at Ease

-The more you do the process the easier your students will feel about it when you are being judged

-Read a level above what you will be required to play at

-I brought a Mickey Mouse with me that all of the kids high fived when they went into the sightreading room

-Sightread at your Pre MPA concert in front of your parents and your judging panel there

-Use the stage microphone to let the parents listen and hear what is going on (most have no idea what it is or means)

-Be sure to study the percussion instrumentation and part assignments

6 of 7

Have a system that you use all of the time

-Ask others what they do

-Typical 5 minute prep period:

30 sec. all students study with a partner
30 sec. teacher talks through the piece
Tizzle period begins talk about melody, tricky rhythms, balance, tempo, rallentandos, key signature reminders, etc….
Once done, go back and review in traps or tricks that you have seen that might derail your students
Time is usually about up at this point

7 of 7

The sightreading room is a different kind of performance

-It is important for you to talk your students through all of the parts before you ever get there

-Be sure to assign parts for all winds and percussion

-Be sure to take all of the percussion instruments you will need (especially if you are using some of them on the stage)

-Be sure to spread the wealth (move your best readers around in the section)

-From the moment you set foot in the room, until the last person leaves the room kids should know their role

-The more professional your students are the better they will feel

-The more relaxed you are the better they will feel