- Covering different styles of music and various musical periods
- In tradition instrumental/vocal music learning, repertoire are usually Eurocentric and resides in Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th century periods
- Besides famous repertoire, we encourage teachers to seek different historical and cultural styles
- Historical Styles
- Medieval
- Renaissance
- Baroque
- Classical
- Romantic
- 20th century
- 21st century
- Cultural Styles
- American
- European
- Latin American
- Asian
- African
- Middle Eastern
- etc.
- Different age ranges and temperaments
- Different age ranges of students have different life experiences
- Teachers should consider their temperaments when selecting repertoire for each student
- Avoid “one-size(piece)-fit-all” approach
- Finding imaginative and attractive pieces
- Programming music by great composer presents the opportunity to learn about the life and work of a great artist
- E.g.: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 learn about Beethoven struggled with depression during his composing process
- Developing various aspects of instrumental playing technique
- Different styles of music require different instrumental/vocal technique
- Instrumental/Vocal music lessons should include wide range of repertoire that develop students’ abilities
- including fast passages, long breathe/bow, expressiveness, pedaling and so on
- Choosing Repertoire
- Music Examination Board (ABRSM, Trinity, LCM etc.) provides excellent resources for teachers to select appropriate repertoire according to their levels
- In ABRSM syllabus –
- List A: Faster moving and require technical agility
- List B: More lyrical and invite expressive playing
- List C: Wide variety of musical traditions, styles and characters
References:
ABRSM. Practical Grade Exam Syllabus.
Feldman, E. (2016). Instrumental Music Education: Teaching With the Musical and Practical in Harmony. Routledge.
Harris, P. & Crozier, R. (2000). The Music Teacher’s Companion. ABRSM.