What’s Your Rep? Integrative Approaches and Perspectives to Repertoire Selection

Abstract

teaching string lessons and orchestra classes for grades 3 to 8. He is also a co-conductor of Rockland Youth Orchestra (New York) and conductor of the InterSchool Orchestras of New York's Morningside Orchestra. Actively immersed in connecting theory to practice in music education, string pedagogy, and teacher preparation, Matthew recently earned his doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University, where his dissertation research explored the complex relationships between student interests and identities, teacher training and philosophy, and repertoire selection practices in public school orchestras.

An Examination of Orchestras and Repertoire Performed at the American String Teachers Association’s National Orchestra Festival (2004–2020)

“…It may also highlight a need for music publishers to advertise and promote repertoire by underrepresented composers and arrangers, for state music organizations to diversify their repertoire lists, and for professors in teacher preparation programs to introduce their students to a more diversified range of composer and arrangers. Emphasizing representation in the music classroom is especially important, considering recent literature emphasizing the need to include representation as a factor in repertoire selection (Rotjan, 2018), to introduce students to non-Western music traditions (Walden, 2020), and to engage in culturally responsive teaching (Reed, 2019).…”

“…ASTA and NOF may also want to consider providing incentives for participating orchestra directors to program more diverse repertoire. In addition, members of the string education community may want to assess repertoire lists and selections to expand the literature beyond the European canon of largely White male composers (Rotjan, 2018). By selecting music that is more representative of their students, orchestra directors may create a more inclusive and welcoming environment in their orchestras.…”

“…Selecting repertoire is an important task that orchestra teachers must complete when planning for the school year. Although there are general pedagogical discussions related to selecting orchestra repertoire (Hamann & Gillespie, 2018; Rotjan, 2018), other discussions focus on selecting contemporary music (Bergonzi, 2001), eclectic styles (Bergonzi, 2008), and pieces appropriate for music performance assessments (Allen, 2001). It is apparent that orchestra directors must consider several factors when selecting repertoire appropriate for their students.…”

Collaborative Composing in Middle and High School Chamber Music Ensembles

“…Rotjan (2018, 38) wrote, “Our schools and classrooms are increasingly diverse, and our repertoire should reflect the students in our classrooms.” What could possibly reflect your students more than music they composed themselves?…”

Creating Student Rehearsal Guides for String Orchestra

“…Due to the nature of how composers historically wrote string orchestra music, viola, cello, and double bass parts may not be as challenging as the violin parts. Although recent compositions may provide an equal challenge for all parts, teachers must carefully select repertoire so that all students are learning new techniques or improving old ones (Gillespie 2001;Hamann and Gillespie 2018;Rotjan 2018). Selecting music where half the class is performing a challenging part is akin to teaching a math class where half the class learning from an algebra textbook and the other half is learning from a calculus textbook.…”