Page 14 - Info Magazine nr 15 JANUARY 2021

An Interview with a Class Band Teacher!

Teacher's name: Agnes Maria Myrbakk
Name Country: Norway
Name city: Porsgrunn
Name School: Vestsiden skole

Why are you a Yamaha class band teacher?

Because I love band, ad getting to teach band in school is really fun. Yamaha ClassBand gives
me the support and inspiration I need.

How old are the students you work with in your Yamaha class band?

They are 5th grade, so 10-11 years old.

How is your Yamaha class band classified in the school?

We use music lessons for ClassBand, so in 5th grade, what they learn is to play a wind instru-
ment.

How is your class structured?

We have one 1,5 hour lesson every week. They can bring home their instrumens between clas-
ses, which have been really helpful during home school due to corona.

What method do you use and how do you apply it?

I use Essential elements mixed with games and activities. My lessons is a mixture of playing,
discussing, playing games and learning about music.

What additional material do you use?

I use the norwegian book “Spill” which is a beginners book for winds and I use “Blåståget”, a
book from Sweeden with good songs for playing together.

What is your goal for the students participating in the Yamaha class band?

To have a good experience with instruments and music. I believe that they learn much more
about music through playing rather than having normal music lessons.

What do you think is the added value of a Yamaha class band?

Learning to work together! And also some disipline and learning in new ways. They are used to
read from a book and answer questions, so learning in a different way is great for them.