Henry T.

Law

Essay for Standard 3

Becoming a proficient musician is a long process at a university; including piano

proficiencies, secondary instrument proficiencies, composition proficiencies, and aural

proficiencies all of which force you to establish the skills required to be not only a well-rounded

musician but also a well-rounded educator. I have used different medium to write and compose

music, including Garage Band, notation software, and using paper and pencil; for composition

assignments in trombone lessons, creating backing tracks in jazz practice, and for my own

enjoyment. Reading music is an ever-developing skill that gets better slowly through years of

practice and continuation of reading. I built this skill throughout my education consistently

reading new music on the trombone and piano as well as singing my etudes and excerpts before

practicing.

Through my practice in writing and reading music, I have developed ideas for how to

teach reading and writing music. My older students will write melodies using blues chords using

both notation software and paper and pencil. My mid-level students will compose simple

backing tracks using Garage Band coming up with their own chord progression. My younger

students will work through how to write music working on identifying notes names and qualities

to advance their general understanding of music. My students will also be singing in every class

period to establish the basics of aural skills, singing melodies that they will be playing in class

broken down on solfege.

In my time at college, I have been deemed proficient in all areas that the college requires

and continue to practice each skill by researching new ways to teach them and new ways to

practice them. Through my studies, my students will develop skills in all areas that I have by
completing simple projects that build upon their previous instruction hopefully becoming a

proficient musician.