Correct Instrument Set Up
   Start the year by evaluating the size and condition of students’ instruments. Especially in middle school years, rapid growth spurts may make frequent changes necessary. Students will have a difficult time producing a good tone if the instrument is improperly sized or incorrectly set-up. Instruments that are uncomfortable to play may also discourage students from practicing.
   Beginners on violin and viola who play on too large an instrument usually have trouble supporting the instrument’s weight and getting their left hands into the correct playing position. As a rule of thumb, when a student places the instrument on his shoulder, the left hand should be able to curl around the scroll with the fingers reaching over the scroll toward the fingerboard. Having at least five to six inches of space between the elbow and the belly of the instrument means the instrument is the correct size. Measuring sticks are available from string instrument and supply dealers that can help determine the right size instrument for a student.

   For cello players, a teacher should hold the instrument in front of a student (while the student is standing) and adjust the end pin to a length so the scroll is even with the student’s nose. Next have the student sit and place his left hand on the string. If the student can comfortably play a minor third between the first and fourth fingers, and the knees can securely hold the instrument, then it is the correct size.
   Bass students should stand with the endpin set so that the nut of the bass is near the student’s forehead. The first finger should play a major second above the open string and be at eye level with the student. Students should then be able to play a major second between the first and fourth fingers and comfortably support the instrument with the lower part of the  upper bout hitting at or just below the waist. In addition, when the right hand extends down, the knuckles of the hand should be approximately at the bridge of the instrument. The standard high school bass is a ¾ size; most middle school players should use a ¼ or ½ size bass.

Violin and Viola Posture
   Students should have a balanced position when holding their instrument, whether they are standing or seated. Poor posture can cause unnecessary tension in the body and prevent proper motion of both arms and fingers; this affects tone production, intonation, and the comfort of the player. If a violinist is sitting in a slumped position, for example, it is difficult to draw the bow correctly across the strings. Correct position for both hands should be revisited frequently as it is essential for good technique and intonation.
    For violin and viola players who are standing (the preferred position for teaching beginners) the feet should be slightly sep­arated with the left foot in front so that the instrument rests on the shoulder in line with the foot. The player’s head slightly tilts to the left to create a straight line from the nose to the bridge to the scroll over the left foot.

    Not all young players can comfortably hold their chins on a traditional chin rest. Some students may need to move their chins closer to the center or tailpiece of the instrument so they do not have to turn the head too far to the left. Chin rests come in a variety of styles, from a standard type positioned on the left side to a center-anchored chin rest.
    In a seated position, students should sit on the edge of the chair, feet flat on the floor with the left foot forward, knees shoulder width apart, and chairs angled toward the music stand.

In the top photo, the violinist is playing with a slumped position. The scroll is pointed down and her bow arm is drooping. In the bottom photo  the violin is held up, and the player’s arms are in the correct positions.

Cello and Bass Posture
    Cellists should sit comfortably at the edge of the chair with their feet flat on the floor and knees parallel to the floor. Finding a chair of the correct height is important for young players. Chairs should be angled toward the music stand so students don’t have to twist their torso to see the music.
    Bassists us­ing a stool should place their left foot on the rung of the stool so the knee helps to support the instrument. When the bassist stands, his left foot comes forward, with the bout of the bass resting at the waist and the neck resting on the left-hand thumb. Whether the player stands or sits, students should hold the bass at an angle from the center of the body rather than in front of the body as with a cello.

Violin and Viola Bow Hand
    By the third year of lessons, students should play comfortably, with good hand formation. The right hand should be relaxed and not squeeze the bow.

    For the violin and viola students, the pointer finger curves gently around the stick of the bow between first and second knuckles with the knuckles angled slightly toward the tip of the bow. The index finger should not hook around the stick. Ask students to wiggle their index finger to check whether it is hooking around the bow.
    The middle two fingers hang loosely over the stick a slight space away from the pointer finger, and the pinky stands on top of the stick, relatively close to the two middle fingers (not out on the screw). Check that the pinky finger is never straight or falling over the top of the bow. The fingers should have slight spaces between them, and watch that the hand does not begin to creep up the bow.
    The thumb is placed between the grip and the frog and bends outward. It is usually in line with the second finger but may come between the first and second fingers. Beginners may start by placing the thumb under the bow, but should switch to the regular bow hold as they become comfortable with the instrument.

Cello and Bass Bow Hand
    Cello and bass students should place the thumb under the stick between the frog and the grip and arched so that the hand forms a backwards letter C. Check frequently whether the thumb is bent properly as it is hard to see as the student plays. The four fingers contact the bow stick perpendicular to it. The middle finger should be opposite the thumb. The first finger then rests on the stick next to the second finger and contacts the wood between the first and second joints. The third finger covers the mother-of-pearl or dot. The third finger contacts closer to the second knuckle, and unlike the violin, the pinky hangs over the stick at the top knuckle. Teachers should be ready to modify these finger positions, depending on the size and strength of each student’s hand.

Violin and Viola Left Hand
    Without a good left-hand position, facility on the instrument, shifting and vibrato as well as intonation will be severely hampered. Violinists and violists support their instrument between the jaw and the shoulder. A shoulder rest or soft sponge (either flat or shaped) is often more comfortable and helps support the instrument. Students should be able to hold the instrument up without the support of the left hand.
    If the chin rest causes discomfort, place a cloth or a cloth with a small bit of padding over the chin rest. Chin rest covers and a variety of shoulder rests are available commercially.
    The elbow should fall naturally under the belly of the instrument with the wrist straight and in line with the elbow and upper arm. Watch that the arm doesn’t move out to the left as it makes it difficult to use the fingers properly, especially the fourth finger. Beginning students should rest the base knuckle of the first finger on the neck of the instrument opposite the thumb.

   
   While the thumb should be relaxed as it holds the neck, some students point the thumb directly up while others are more comfortable leaning it slightly toward the scroll.
   Fingers should angle back slightly toward the scroll, and when playing the finger tips should strike the strings while the knuckles stay curved. The fingers should remain over the strings in a rounded position, never straight or collapsed, when not in use. Watch for third and especially fourth fingers that curl back toward the hand when they are not on the string. Ask students to play a slow scale or exercise (pick one that uses the fourth finger) while keeping the fingers hovering over the string to correct it. Fingers that collapse or pull away are no longer flexible and can’t move quickly to the next note or to correct intonation.

Fingers should hover over the strings when not in use; they should not pull back or fly-away as in the picture above.

Cello and Bass Left Hand
    With cello and string bass players a major problem is too much pressure on the left-hand thumb. The thumb should be behind the neck directly in line and parallel to the second finger. When shifting to different positions, the thumb remains with the second finger and acts as an anchor. Fingers strike the fingerboard a bit more on the fleshy part of the finger than the violin, but they should still remain curved at the knuckles and never flat or collapsed.

Fingers should be curved, not flat as shown here. The fingers not in use should be curved over the string.

    Elbows should be in line with the straight wrists. The height of the elbow depends on its position relative to the fingerboard. As cellists move to higher positions (closer to the bridge) they raise their elbows higher. The elbow should also raise as they move to lower strings. Many young students tend to play with their left elbow down by their side. Slow scales are a good way to teach students to adjust the level of both arms as they switch between strings. 

If the cellist plays with the elbow dropped to his side, he cannot position the fingers correctly or move easily to different strings and positions.

The wrist should be straight and in line with the elbow. The thumb moves with the hand when shifting. The elbow rises as the cellists moves to a higher position or lower string.

Finger Tapes
    Taping the fingerboard to help beginning players with intonation is a highly debated topic. Finger tapes are supposed to help students learn what the notes sound like to develop listening and intonation skills because many young players do not have the trained ears to recognize when they are playing out of tune.
    Teachers usually place tapes on the instruments of first-year students in a diatonic scale pattern for the first four notes for violins and violas (re-mi-fa-sol or 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers), the first three notes for cellos (re-mi-fa or 1st, 3rd, and 4th fingers), and the first four notes for basses (re-mi-fa-sol or 1st and 4th fingers in first position and 1st and 4th fingers in 3rd position). As students learn to recognize correct pitch, teachers should remove the tapes one at a time. Then as students learn the relationships of whole and half steps (far and close fingers on the violin and viola) and their respective finger patterns, the tapes become less necessary.
    On string instruments, notes are closer together in higher positions (closer towards the bridge). Scales are a good way for students to hear the distance between half steps and how to position their fingers as they begin to play in higher positions.

A Sequential Curriculum
    Many students begin their study of string instruments with the Suzuki method, a rote curriculum that uses simple folk songs as the basis for learning and developing the ears. It has been successfully adapted by teachers for use in public schools. Listening to recordings of professional string players also develops the ears and helps students’ intonation and phrasing skills to improve while developing a sense of the actual sound of the instrument.
    Performing duets, trios, and quartets  ­ teaches students to become independent players in an ensemble. Chamber music also develops intonation and listening skills as well as phrasing, articulation, and dynamics.

Selecting Music
    Students should play good-quality literature that is within the scope of their technical abilities. Pieces in keys with one or two sharps are the easiest for young players. Many beginning orchestra pieces include notes requiring altered fingerings that need to be taught: low second fingers and high third fingers for violins and violas and extensions for the cellos and basses.
    Most level-one and level-two pieces for beginning through third-year players include a treble clef viola part so that violinists can help the viola section if the group is not well balanced. There are also many ensemble pieces that include parts for beginning violin, viola, and cello/bass that give young players the experience of participating in a more advanced group.

Play, Play, Play
    Most important, keep your students playing. After all, that is why they came to you for lessons or signed up for string orchestra. Offer compli­ments when each and every student does well or masters new skills; and when an area of playing needs help, focus on one item at a time and work through each adjustment.
    Per­haps have a bow-hold month or a left-hand-open cave month. Con­tinue to monitor each student’s posture as well as his left-hand and right-hand positions, even through high school. Do whatever it takes to keep students playing as you help make them to be better musicians. String specialists in your area are a valuable resource. Contact them for questions, suggestions, and maybe even a private lesson or two. Teaching strings can be a rewarding experience, even for general music instructors who are accustomed to singing with students and band directors who are more familiar with woodwind and brass instruments.    

Maintenance
Periodic Maintenance
   For good tone production, the instrument has to be correctly set up. Bridges should be the correct height, pegs seated securely so they adjust easily and stay in pitch, and sound posts in the correct location. A reliable string repair person can make sure each instrument is properly adjusted and check for cracks or loose seams. Rental instruments should be adjusted by the rental company. Do not be afraid to insist on well-adjusted instruments.
   All beginning and intermediate violin, viola, and cello students should have fine tuners on their instruments, which makes tuning a lot of instruments easier for teachers in addition to encouraging students to learn how to tune the instrument themselves.
   Check for strings that are frayed and beginning to unravel and replace them at once. In general you should replace strings every year so they will have a full, resonant sound. If an excess of rosin builds up on the strings, you can clean them with an alcohol wipe. Just be sure the alcohol doesn’t get on the body of the instrument because it will damage the wood.
   String bows will need new hair periodically. Check to see whether the hair no longer holds the rosin or has become thin and does not cover the full width of the ferrule. Student bows should be rehaired each year by a string repairman; the cost is generally about $25.
   Teachers should also watch out for cello and bass end pins. Although they get dull, depending on use, and can be sharpened with a metal file, it is best to have a string repairman show you how to do this. The instruments that do not have rubber stoppers should be kept sharp so they can be anchored securely when students play them.

Student Instrument Care
   Teach students to handle their instruments with care. Violins and violas should never be left on chairs, the floor or hanging from music stands. Every student should keep rosin and a clean, soft cloth in their cases. Rosin before playing, and wipe excess rosin off the strings and wood after playing. Students should also loosen the bow hair before putting the instrument away. This keeps the stick from warping and helps prevent the hair from stretching. When this is not done, bows need rehairing more frequently. Encourage students to wash their hands before playing as dirt and oil will damage strings and bow hair.

Additional Resources
Strategies for Teaching Strings, Donald Hamann and Robert Gil­les­pie, (Ox­ford University Press); How Muscles Learn – Teaching the Violin with the Body in Mind, Susan Kempter (Alfred); Teaching from the Balance Point, Edward Kreitman (Western Springs School of Ta­lent Education); The Teaching of Action in String Playing, second edition, Paul Rolland, (Am­erican String Teachers Associa­tion); Nurtured by Love, Shinichi Suzuki (Summy-Birchard); Playing the String Game, Phyllis Young (Shar Music); Es­sential Elements 2000, Michael Allen, Robert Gil­les­pie, and Pamela Tellejohn-Hayes (Hal Leonard); String Explorer, Andrew Dabczynski, Richard Meyer, and Bob Phillips (Al­fred); Strictly Strings, Jacquelyn Dillon, James Kjelland, and John O’Reilly (Alfred); All for Strings, Robert S. Frost and Gerald E. An­derson (Kjos). Many other publications are available through the American String Teacher Associ-ation and the Music Educators Nat­ional Conference.

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Stopping By For A Visit
Chuck Groeling: What strikes me as remaining the same over 50 years is that something is special about the students at Niles West High School that I have not seen anywhere else. The students are  personable and intelligent, and they are also curious and friendly. Both 50 years ago and now they seem genuinely interested in what they are doing, yet I cannot explain why this is so. It has always been this way. They also seem to be more of a community than a collection of individuals.
    I am also impressed to find the same unwavering support for music by the school district and  administration. While so many districts are cutting budgets, Niles has developed a fine arts facility that is better than most schools have. There are rooms for small groups, computer instruction, and practice rooms. I found studios for teaching lessons, classroom space, and a black-box theater, which is in vogue now. The large auditorium was there in my time.
The school has an entirely new choral facility, but when I taught there the chorus and orchestra shared a room. The faculty office space is similar, but the music storage and band library are greatly improved. I can see that the school spent considerable money for a steel structure to support the weight of the music collection.

Band Enrollment
   When Niles West became independent in 1961, the music department was up and running with 100 students because the program had previously combined players from Niles West and Niles East, another high school in the district, for several years. Besides a marching band of about 80 students, there was a training band of 40 students, an orchestra of 50 players, and four choral groups varying in size from 30-70 singers.
When school started in ’61 we had the Fearless 48 – the marching band – who were also the concert band players, a training band of 15 students, an intermediate-level band of about 60 players, and the freshman band was about 40 students. Within four years we had over 200 students in the band program plus additional players in orchestra and four or five choral classes. By 1964 the program was in good shape, numerically.

Bill Koch: The music department today is similar to the department of Chuck’s era with 170 students in three concert bands and a beginning band; however, the number of students in beginning band has fallen off over the years. The beginning band program was solid for many years because its enrollment included students in the English language learners program for those who spoke English as a second language. Ten or more students would join beginning band every year, and many of them would continue in the concert program. They learned the language of music and at the same time heard other teachers speaking English.
    In recent years only about five of these students joined the concert band program as contrasted to about 10% of the entire band program coming from this program in the early 1990s.

The Long and Short of Rehearsals
CG: In the 1960s and 70s one of the challenges to the band program was the class schedule, which operated on a seven-period day with lunch periods divided into two half periods. If students had five majors, they couldn’t take band, so the only way I could include them was during the last half of their lunch hour. For a long time I had some students in band for 15-20 minutes, but they stayed with the program. Later the school went to a nine-period day and eventually a modular schedule, which gave students more options.
    Rehearsals were from 60 to 90 minutes long, depending on the season. I had a flexible schedule with six 15-minute modules, and I could combine three or four of them in anyway I wanted. By tapping lunch hours, I could have at least 60 minutes every day with the students; we put the concert and intermediate bands together for marching season and then split them apart after marching ended. This made a big difference.

BK: Niles West had the mod schedule until six years ago, and it was perfect with 55- and 40-minute periods. Most of the top band had classes with labs that met for about 55 minutes. Classes that did not have a lab were 40 minutes, so the younger bands had 40-minute rehearsals. It was perfect, and the best system.
    Six years ago the district changed to a new schedule of 42-minute periods, which is difficult for our most advanced band because it’s hard to accomplish a lot in 42 minutes. It takes three minutes to get the instruments out and another three to put them away, leaving 36 minutes to rehearse. However, we figured out a way to schedule the top band and orchestra at different times so I don’t lose any winds and percussion to the orchestra rehearsals.
    The string program at Niles West is almost as strong as the band program with close to 130 strings in three orchestras. The band provides winds for the top orchestras. Continuing the tradition that Chuck established, I always allow winds and percussion to attend orchestra rehearsals.

Levels of Students
CG: When I taught at Niles West, it took about eight years to get the program up to the level I wanted with the top group playing literature at grades four and five. This included Giannini’s Preludium and Allegro, the toughest piece we ever played, with a killer clarinet part. We also performed transcriptions of Debussy’s Fêtes and the fourth movement of the Hindemith Symphony in Bb.
    In fact, we played that work for an MENC National Convention. Among other works performed were the Royce Hall Suite by Healey Willan, arranged by Teague, which is a great piece of music that no one plays today. It is very soloistic and has a lot of intricate choir writing. In addition there was Bainum’s transcription of the Glière’s Symphony #3, which is a little easier than a grade five. We were extremely fortunate to have Glenn Cliffe Bainum conduct our band at the 1967 Midwest Band Clinic as well.

Marching Band
    One thing that is different these days compared to when I taught at Niles West is the school’s attitude about what a marching band should be. In my day the marching band appeared only at home games, Memorial Day parades, and homecoming.

BK: At one time marching band was mandatory, but that is no longer the case because the students did not respond favorably to it. Both Niles West and Niles North adopted an all-volunteer marching band, and as soon as that happened, enrollment increased significantly with at least 30 to 40 students returning to concert band who had dropped out of band when marching was required of everyone.
    I joined the Niles West faculty in 1983, and a year later we marched at Disney World, in part  because one reason I was hired was to do more with the sports band. While most band directors acknowledge that there is little that is musical about sports bands, I’d be without a job if I decided not to field a sports band next year. People can poo-poo marching bands and pep bands, but if you don’t have one, or they are not good, in most school districts you won’t have a job for long.

Traveling Bands
CG: When I was a high school student during World War II, no school group traveled; it just wasn’t done. Following the war, groups began limited excursions, generally by bus. Overnight bus trips were torture. After one of those trips I said I’d never do it again, so I tried to find day-long tours or break the trip at night instead of driving straight through.
    In 1969 our first such venture was a tour to Old Tappen, New Jersey on an exchange program. This was a marvelous experience because our students bonded so easily. We went there for five days. Later, the New Jersey students visited Niles West. In other years we visited Denver, Toronto, Montreal, and the East Coast. We decided to travel every other year, and in 1971 we went to Washington, and in 1973 we went to New Orleans. In later years we traveled by train on the longer trips.

BK: In 1984 the Niles West band and choir went to Orlando, and from 1984 to 1997 we traveled every year. By then the travel had become as important as the music, so I decided to take a trip only every second or third year, which we have done ever since.
    In 2009 a trip came up I couldn’t resist: the inauguration. Heritage Music Festival Company sponsored a competition at George Mason University with some outstanding clinicians – Anthony Maiello, Ken Dye of Notre Dame, Karl Stroman – and the inauguration could be added to the event. The band took the train from Chicago to Washington, D.C., which turned out to be a great way to travel. We were the Grand Champions of the Festival that weekend, and a few days later we went to the inauguration, both memorable experiences.

Private Lessons
CG: In the beginning private instruction at Niles West was a touchy problem because there was no legislation that specifically allowed for this. The new superintendent insisted that we survey 40 high schools in the area to determine how they conducted private lessons on school property. From the responses the school board set the price, and made students obligated to pay for the lessons, even if they missed a session. Because the teachers taught on public property for personal gain, they were required to pay 2% of their fees to the district as rent. The music faculty at school had to endorse each private teacher. Over the years the program has not changed.
    In the 1960s we had 10 private teachers five days a week, and nearly everyone in the top band of 75 students took private lessons. About 75% of the intermediate band took lessons as did 50% of the freshman band. This was a big contributing factor to the strength of the band.

BK: I was thinking about percentages. In my top group 80% of the students usually take private lessons over the course of their high school career, but by the junior and senior year the percentage tapers off. In the most competitive sections – flute, clarinet, trumpet – almost everyone takes lessons, while in the trombone section about one out of five players studies privately.
    In the middle band the percentages go down until students realize that individual lessons are the road to the top group. For some students it’s a shock to pay for lessons, especially if they are accustomed to studying with their director.
    We now have sectional coaches who work with the students on their music, practicing, and how to improve their playing. My students have a six-week lesson plan to learn a piece of music. As they work through the different lesson plans, they know when they come in on Monday, they need to have a certain amount of music learned for each piece we are performing.
    The other thing we’ve done is build an entirely separate percussion studio with all the equipment you would need in a percussion program, and we’ve hired a person to come in and run it. The instructor joins us several days a week to instruct,  rehearse, and give private lessons to the students and maintain the equipment. It is almost like a separate program.

Evaluating Students
CG: The main difference between the music programs of years past and today is the tremendous amount of tracking of students through testing, record keeping, and reporting as students go through these courses. The work of students is endlessly measured. Sometimes it seems more important to measure the product than to give students the knowledge. That is the difference between the 1950s and now. Back then it was how much you accomplished that made the difference.
    Now the credit earned in music has more weight toward each student’s grade point average, his  class standing, and things of that nature. It has required music teachers to become more organized in the assessment of students, their progress, assigning grades, and things like that.

BK: I developed a detailed grading system that includes etudes, solos, theory, and concert performances. Students access theory on-line, such as learning scales, chords, and musical terms, anything that would be useful as a performer. The solo and etude testing is done in school, not on-line, with definite standards and criteria for each grade level.

Attitudes Towards Band Students
CG: The 1960s were the best years. Bands played well, and students in the band were almost an island in their community and not in the mainstream. Many students had to make the hard choice of either having friends outside the music department or just within it. We were almost a separate entity in the school. I found that music theatre helped bridge this gap.

BK: We continue to have stellar students in the music department; they have learned how to be disciplined to keep up with other top-quality students and meet the high standards and expectations from which most other students would wither and drop. There is something that stems from the discipline they gain through the art of music that helps them to become top students and stronger adults. There is a connection between music and becoming doctors and lawyers. It’s just there.
   I’ve had plenty of valedictorians in the band program at Niles West High. Right now the number one student in the school plays tenor saxophone in the band. Does music make students smarter or do smart students just become involved with music? Probably both.

Some Final Thoughts
BK: I still remember the day 28 years ago when Chuck handed me the keys to the band room and said, “Good luck; carry on the torch.” I have to say it is because of the Niles school district that I have been able to continue to improve the band curriculum, changing the types of courses being offered based on a changing population and the trends of the time.
    Music educators teach a core subject in addition to a multitude of social skills that were not expected years ago. Right now there is a home room curriculum, organized by month, of videos to show to students, and these are mandated by the state.
    There are also special programs for students about the problems of name calling and bullying. The social environment is now being brought into schools for teachers to address; this used to be left to the parents. By law, we teach more social responsibility and training, and I have necessarily added this to the curriculum. 
    As a music educator, I want students to play the best music possible and at the highest possible level, but I also want them to learn life skills through the art of performing music to become productive adults and better parents. Students who study the arts have a deeper understanding of how to do that better than those who don’t.
    There is something about the collective act of performing in an ensemble that teaches lifelong lessons in discipline, responsibility, and respect that students absorb from the time they are in 4th grade through to 12th grade. That process gives them a broader understanding of how to be more responsible, and it was just the same for Chuck’s groups in the 1960s.

CG: What made my career at Niles West special was knowing the students could function without adults telling them what to do. This was especially evident on tours. Students ran bus loading, discipline, and concert management, and they were good at it. For me, this was possible at Niles Township because of the type of students we had. Students were encouraged to become self-reliant, dedicated, and capable of taking care of themselves.
    One time the band played at the Mideast In­strumental Conference in Pittsburgh. We left around 3:00 in the afternoon and arrived about 2:00 am the following morning because the school would not let us off early to travel. We admonished everyone to be quiet and ushered students with instruments into the motel in the black of night, only to see a group of adults from another high school band patrolling the halls. They were like the Gestapo! Our students slipped into their rooms without making a sound. This was a high point for me. It had nothing to do with playing, but everything to do with the development of the character of these students.
    Today when an alum contacts me and talks about the memories that stand out in his mind, it becomes clear that he remembers this too. We never emphasized passing tests or winning contests because I don’t think these develop the type of people this country requires.
    From my perspective this country needs people with imagination and skill who can think their way through problems without having someone to show them what to do. We are paying a big price because that has been left out of education for a generation.    

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