High Brass Class (235-0-1)
Instructors
Patrick William Horton
Meeting Info
RCMA 1-176: Tues, Thurs 5:00PM - 5:50PM
Overview of class
This course introduces students to the techniques and pedagogies of high brass instruments, specifically trumpet and horn. Students will complete several performance assessments on both instruments and develop materials to aid in the teaching of the instruments to beginning and intermediate musicians. The pedagogy learned in this course will chiefly relate to teaching brass instruments to school-aged children and will primarily be explored through laboratory experiences, modeling, and peer teaching.
Registration Requirements
There are no registration requirements for this course.
Learning Objectives
Course Goal 1 - Demonstrate the characteristic tone of each instrument using effective posture, hand position, instrument placement, embouchure, breath support, articulation, and other selected technical skills.
• Perform tone production and articulation exercises on each mouthpiece.
• Perform selected major scales in one octave up to four sharps and four flats on each instrument.
• Perform a 1.5-octave chromatic scale on each instrument.
• Perform music at sight at a beginner level on each instrument.
• Perform a prepared etude from the course materials on each instrument.
Course Goal 2 - Describe the basic mechanics and acoustics of brass instruments.
• Explain the fundamentals of tone production for brass instruments.
• Identify fingerings for the practical range of each instrument.
• Identify tuning tendencies for each instrument.
• Describe basic maintenance for each instrument.
Course Goal 3 - Create and evaluate instructional materials and learning activities that use standard music notation.
• Transpose music from both concert to written and written to concert pitch for both trumpet and horn.
• Compose or arrange simple exercises for beginning or intermediate brass players.
• Critique selected method books, ensemble parts, and other instructional materials for beginning, intermediate, and advanced trumpet and horn players.
Course Goal 4 - Plan and demonstrate effective pedagogies and teaching strategies for beginning and intermediate trumpet and horn players.
• Diagnose common brass performance issues.
• Implement appropriate teaching and practice strategies that support the remediation of common brass performance issues.
• Evaluate their own performance as well as the performances of peers.
• Teach instrument assembly, posture, hand position, instrument position, embouchure, articulation, and initial tone production.
• Plan and teach a song using a sound-before-sight approach.
• Plan and teach a beginning exercise with given music notation.
Course Goal 4 - Plan and demonstrate effective pedagogies and teaching strategies for beginning and intermediate trumpet and horn players.
• Diagnose common brass performance issues.
• Implement appropriate teaching and practice strategies that support the remediation of common brass performance issues.
• Evaluate their own performance as well as the performances of peers.
• Teach instrument assembly, posture, hand position, instrument position, embouchure, articulation, and initial tone production.
• Plan and teach a song using a sound-before-sight approach.
• Plan and teach a beginning exercise with given music notation.
Teaching Method
This course will include direct instruction, instructor modeling, and lab-based student practice. This course is designed to allow for a flipped classroom approach to brass techniques so that class meetings can focus on applying technical and pedagogical learning. Students will be expected to transport the university-provided instruments to and from each class, play with classmates during each class, lead selected exercises, and provide constructive feedback to peers.
Evaluation Method
Weekly performance assessments on trumpet and horn, self-reflections, short composition exercises, short teaching episodes, transposition and fingering quizzes, professionalism and participation, and a final oral exam.
Class Materials (Required)
• Weidner, B. (2023). Brass Techniques and Pedagogy (2nd Ed.). PALNI Press. https://pressbooks.palni.org/brasstechniquesandpedagogy/
• Trumpet (provided by Northwestern)
• Horn (provided by Northwestern)
Class Materials (Suggested)
• Valve oil (Al Cass recommended)