These are some of the students in JHS 275, Brooklyn,NY
who, in 1964, proved it could work.
It started earlier- in 1952 at the New Lincoln School in NYC
under the leadership of a genius named Hugh K. McElheny.
It was my first year to find out if I could teach, and he
enthusiastically mentored me for four wonderfully rich,
thoughtful, exhausting, productive years.
He taught me that rhythms came first-the whole body in response to music.
Afterwards I felt ready to go out and see if what I had learned in a sheltered private school could work in
the public schools. I learned under Hugh, Ibby Gilkeson, Jack Brooks, Ed Bley, that learning was the goal
- not teaching. If the teaching wasn't working there was no one to blame. Ear Training- pitch recognition
and more had always been dictated by the teacher following an old Method Book. I remember McHose
examples. But why not let kids make up their own examples?
In “Ear Training Games” the girl is trying to find the pitches
the boys send her with bars they cut to their own length.
Accuracy is only approximate- but knowing what is wrong is as
valuable as knowing what is right.
“Gimme 3 Notes”: Two matching marimbas provide accurate intonation drill, and students decide how many
of the 8 bars on each one they will use. Gimme 4 notes,5 notes – new tones, or repetitions of others. No
time limit, student can try until the match is right. No grading. They know.
It was a situation that needed analysis without guilt, examination of the students and the situation, then
shaping the material so learning could take place. The students,administration and teachers were all
together in a partnership, and respect was the rule.
For me this experience was sunlight after years of darkness in an ego centered conservatory where
teachers routinely used students against each other, ranking themselves, using cutting "put-downs" as
legitimate teaching method. The memory of that grueling obstacle course served as a major
encouragement to work out different ways of teaching and learning music, which I tried in various venues .
Finally, when I was in my 70s, liberated from personal problems, and encouraged by the advent of new
technology, I became determined to bring some of the tools I had once developed into a form that might
help others learn the best of music in a slightly new way. But those early years had brought many
wonderful opportunities and produced some exciting results.
The first year at JHS 275 there were no instruments. It was a new experimental program, a new building,
and instruments wouldn't arrive for a year. I was acting chairman of music, and I had a wonderful side kick-
Bruce Bernel who led the vocal music program. We clicked together and did some crazy things that
created powerful student involvement and carried our work out to the elementary feeder schools so
students could come before school at 8:00 once a week and try out instruments they could apply for the
following year.
For the first year I had bought junked instruments from a rental company in the Bronx- Bronens Mus Co.
who had rented instruments for New Lincoln, and guitars for my evening adult guitar and folk singing
courses in Scarsdale and Bronxville. After a quick course in instrument repair, with a group of willing
students, we patched together some string instruments, and started a program.
It went so well with these junkers that a wonderful Principal, Julius Rubin sent an impassioned letter to Sam
Chelimsky, Instrumental Music Director for NYC- to please send us our allotment of new instruments. Sam
and I became friends much later on- and here's where I missed a golden opportunity to spread this
program througho9ut much of New York City. More on that, maybe-later.
Routine instructions were all taped, with 5 tape recorders in the classroom: 2 for violins I,II, Viola, Cello and
Double Bass. I installed outlets for the 5 circuits on the risers so students wouldn't trip on wiring. Each
class had about 10 minutes of taped drills, instructions, bowings, fingerings, and the first student seated
ready to play had the tape recorder turned on for that circuit. There was very little wasted time because
people didn't want to miss any of it.
Each instrument was muted, but I could go around, and listen to
what each student, make suggestions very privately, that no one
else was able to hear -everyone was on earphones. Students
were asked to estimate when they would be ready to test play their part alone - for a tape recorder in the
closed instrument room. So each class there would be several who were ready, and no one else would
hear them, and I would play the tapes during my lunch- typing comments and suggestions as I listened.
With no accompaniment to lean on- the students were musically naked to my ears- and I took care to
respect their vulnerability and give gentle encouragement. Their morale was fabulous, parent support was
powerful. They came to the program, sat IN the orchestra next to their own children, and in the middle of
the program each child handed the instrument to the parent and showed her how to pluck a sequence ( 4
D's, 4 A's, etc.) so they could play along with a simple folk tune.
Music meant a lot of singing, and I insisted on assemblies every week. Whatever else was ready for
performance was given preference, and nice framing with singing before and afterwards. But every class I
taught did a lot of singing – and by taping my own accompaniments which students heard on earphones
while they were singing – I could concentrate on THEIR voices and not have my own playing drowned out
their voices. But a delicate approach to suggestions was the order, so they would continue to give out
without fear of being ridiculed.
Frequently students would pour into class upset or
angry. To get them ready for full out singing,
I installed a large marimba with random length
bars and many beaters on both sides. A tape of a
conga drum beat was started and they spread out to
play fast and loud on this “punching bag for aggression”. I wore ear plugs – since they only endured it
once or twice a week. At the right moment I would raise my arms, bend them showing first 1 finger, then 2,
and on 3- dropping my arms- and they would crescendo up until the 3rd beat, then stop in complete
silence. Then I quietly said: “ Deep Breath”- let it out., and now let's sing.
In the next chapter I'll take all this out on the streets, around this country, and around the world via
National Endowment for the Arts.
