Recruiting Students

In a recent conversation with a colleague, the topic of student recruitment was raised. As we talked about the necessity and challenges of recruiting quality students to our college programs, I began to realize that the challenge is much the same for a private teacher as it is for the college music department. As I've continued to reflect on this topic, these are a few key factors that came to my mind.

• Visibility is essential. In order to draw students, they must know where we are and what we have to offer. A teacher or music department that does not have an active performing and/or lecturing schedule is certain to fall away into obscurity. What does this look like? In addition to recital appearances, the teacher should also actively participate in adjudication and master classes as a clinician whenever possible. Visibility is further enhanced through a powerful presence on social media outlets. Hosting various workshops, festivals, and group instruction opportunities can also put a music department on the radar of potential students.
• Know your limitations! No teacher is strong in every area of musical instruction. Know where your strengths lie and focus on recruiting those students. A small music department with strengths in musical theater, accompanying, and classical performance should not focus their recruitment efforts on jazz players. The students will be disappointed, the faculty will not shine, and a negative reputation for the institution will result. Focus on what you know best and do that with excellence!
• Don't ignore the community's impact. Some of the best marketing around comes by word of mouth. Look for opportunities to involve the local community in your music making and reap the benefit of positive feelings about your program. Music departments might host a community choir or theater group. To reach families with young children, a school could offer quality musical instruction at a reasonable price through a community music school. The private teacher can be an active participant in their local chapter of MTNA and participate in local amateur activities while establishing themselves as a gifted professional. Additionally, the private teacher might provide short seminars through a local arts council. Interactions of this type can often lead to greater involvement in the future.
• Foster a sense of stability. If a private teacher wants to recruit a number of new students, families must sense that you are investing in the long-term development of the students. You have to put down some roots in the community. Music departments must make strides to eliminate constant faculty turn over. What serious student in their right mind would plan to attend a school where there is a high probability that they will have two or three different master teachers over the course of their collegiate career? That's the Catch-22 in higher education. Many small schools want to develop greater draw and retention among music majors, but they are unwilling to invest the finances to permit qualified, passionate faculty to make a long-term investment in the department necessary to build the program.

What other actions that lead to successful student recruitment and retention come to your mind? What has been most effective in your personal studio or college music department? What challenges have you faced? I'd love to hear about it all in the comments below.

Musicianship and Theory Classes

Currently, I am teaching at a junior college that offers very little musical training.  Other than the music appreciation course I teach, our students have the opportunity to participate in the jazz ensemble and choir.  Since private lessons and group piano class is a major step, I am in the process of discussing the possibility of adding two new courses to our curriculum:  musicianship and music theory.

Musicianship is a class designed for students who have no formal training.  The course will focus on melodic and rhythmic notation with some attention given to keyboard geography and sight singing.  As music educators, it is important to provide solid musical training to young people who are interested in music, but don't necessarily want to enroll in lessons.  Who would a musicianship class benefit?  Not only would it be a service to our students, but also members of our community who sing in church choirs or participate in community theater productions and find themselves limited because they cannot read music.  Additionally, the course could be a wonderful addition to the kids' college summer program, providing valuable training to students beginning their music studies at the junior high level.

As a junior college, many of our students plan to transfer to pursue a bachelor's degree.  High school juniors and seniors enroll in courses that will prepare them for college coursework.  These factors combined with the outstanding music programs available in the county point out a section of the student population that we can better serve:  the rising music major.  These students play their instruments well, but have no background in music theory.  Regardless of where the student attends school, they will be required to complete the course;  for many, this fast-faced, demanding class leads them to end their musical study.  By providing an introductory theory class, we equip students with the basic tools they need to succeed as a music major.

Music theory begins where musicianship ends.  The course examines key and scale construction before moving into the area of harmony and chord progression.  By analyzing compositions and writing their own original works, the rising musician becomes more knowledgeable of the complex math and science at work in the music.

For both of these classes, little special equipment is required.  As long as a dry erase board is available, we are good to go.  In a best case scenario, an upright piano or synthesizer (full-sized) would be highly beneficial.  It is my hope that the administration will see the benefits and possibilities provided by adding these two important classes to our course offerings.  I'll keep you, my loyal readers, posted on how things progress.

Discoveries

This week has been full of joy, excitement, frustration, and laughter--all rolled into one big roller coaster ride! Today is proving to be quite full as I am spending this last day before the holiday weekend putting the finishing touches on preparations for the course I will be teaching during the summer session that begins on Tuesday.

I wanted to share a couple of posts that I found extremely interesting myself written by colleagues in the field this week.

First is a look at the Brahms Sonata, Op. 120, No. 2 by Jere Douglas, the clarinetist that I had the privilege to work with in Houston last weekend. His commentary on metronome markings will give my readers another perspective after my earlier rants. Take the time to follow the links to learn more about the history of the metronome; the perspective they provide is valuable. I am honored and humbled by Jere's kind words. We both enjoyed our experience together so much so that we are already making plans for another program later this fall.

The other link is to a video of a lecture given by Benjamin Zander on music and passion. I stumbled upon this wonderful clip while reading Footprints in the Snow, a charming blog by a music education major in Ohio (I believe!) I have only followed Willow's blog for a few days now, but I have been very interested in her insightful commentary and fresh observations related to music education. You should definitely check her out.

Don't miss the Zander video! It is roughly 20 minutes long, but is amazingly practical to musicians and non-musicians alike. The role of passionate leadership presented by the Maestro here is one that many of us seem to forget as we go through the routine of our days.

Enjoy your holiday weekend.....be safe and happy.....and I'll see you again early next week.
Kennith