Music Teacher Newsletter: Summer Work Newsletter

Instrument skills decay without practice. A student who was playing confidently in May and does not touch their instrument until August may regress enough to affect their chair placement in September and spend the first month of the fall semester catching up rather than advancing. A clear summer work newsletter with specific, manageable expectations prevents that regression for students who follow through, and gives families the context to support the practice habit.

Start with the consequence of not practicing

"Students who practice three or more times per week over the summer arrive in September at the level they left in June. Students who practice once a week arrive a few weeks behind. Students who do not practice at all typically regress by four to six weeks of development, meaning they start September playing music they were comfortable with in April. That regression affects chair placements, learning curve on new repertoire, and confidence in the first weeks of school." Naming the consequence concretely is more motivating than "keep up your skills."

Set specific, measurable practice expectations

Vague summer practice expectations produce vague results. Be specific. "For students in the concert ensemble: practice 20 to 30 minutes, three to four days per week. Focus: long tone exercises, major scales in all keys at a comfortable tempo, and the last two pieces from our spring concert. For students in the honors or advanced ensemble: practice 30 to 45 minutes, five to six days per week. Focus: scales, technical etudes from the book we use in class, and the audition materials if applicable."

Give a summer practice structure students can follow

Here is a newsletter excerpt that provides a concrete weekly practice structure:

"Suggested 25-minute summer practice session: Minutes 1 to 5: Long tones. Play each note in the lower register of your instrument, holding for four counts at a full, resonant sound. This is not boring. This is building the foundation of your tone. Minutes 6 to 10: Scales. Two major scales per session, slowly and evenly. Set a metronome to 60 and do not go faster until every note speaks clearly. Minutes 10 to 20: Repertoire. One or two pieces from our spring concert, or the audition material if you are auditioning in September. Identify the hardest passage and work on that specifically, not the whole piece. Minutes 20 to 25: Something you enjoy. A piece you already know well, or something you found that you want to learn. This is your reward for the work before it."

For audition-specific preparation, give a complete timeline

"Students auditioning for the Honors Wind Ensemble in September: Audition date is September 18. Required materials: three major scales (concert pitch, written pitch varies by instrument) at quarter-note equals 120 minimum, one etude from the attached list, and a prepared piece of your choice. Suggested timeline: June: Learn the scales and begin the etude. July: Refine the etude and begin the prepared piece. August: Record a test take and identify what needs work. First week of September: Two final clean takes. Submit the best one by September 14. I am available by email all summer for questions and can listen to a recording if you send one."

Address instrument storage and care over the summer

"If your student is taking a school instrument home for the summer: keep it in its case when not in use, store it away from direct sunlight and heat, and do not store it in a car or garage where temperatures fluctuate. For brass players, clean the instrument before storing it for any period longer than two weeks. String players should loosen the bow after each practice session. If the instrument needs a repair, contact me before the end of the school year so it can go to the repair shop and return before September."

Suggest summer listening alongside the practice

"One of the best things you can do for your musicianship over the summer is listen to great players in your section. Trumpet players: listen to Miles Davis Kind of Blue and Clifford Brown with Max Roach. Clarinet: listen to Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall. Violin: listen to Hilary Hahn's Bach partitas. Just listen while you are in the car, doing dishes, or going to sleep. Students who have a wide listening diet develop taste and expressive vocabulary that pure technical practice does not build." Listening recommendations cost families nothing and produce students who arrive in September with a richer musical understanding.

Send the newsletter two weeks before school ends and include your email for summer questions. Students and families who know they can reach you in July tend to stay more engaged in the practice than those who feel disconnected from the program until September.