Teaching Philosophy
Rachelle Jenkins
My philosophy in teaching is that the ultimate goal is to cultivate within each student, regardless of major, the tools and creative skills necessary to become healthy, thoughtful, and creative artists who are their own lifelong teachers.
By working to establish and develop efficient foundations of technique through process-focused discovery, students learn the universal elements of technique and develop the problem-solving skills necessary to address the technical challenges that may arise later in their careers. Similarly, a great deal of emphasis is placed upon goal-setting and the development of organizational skills as they relate to practice, performance, academics, and other areas of life. Through a foundational belief that we play how we are, students are encouraged to explore and develop their own personal physical, mental, and emotional wellness and to prioritize balance in their lives. Lastly, I focus heavily on the development of artistry and creativity as it relates both to playing the horn and to forging creative and diverse careers in music.
Together, these four foundational areas of development promote self-reliance, teach problem-solving skills, and encourage students to become balanced, prepared, and creative performers, teachers, and human beings.
Foundations of efficient technique through process-based discovery
The mechanics of “correct” horn technique are often widely debated. However, I believe there are certain universal fundamentals that must be taught and individually adjusted as needed. My focus, while not “one-size-fits-all,” is heavily air-based — encouraging students to breathe and blow freely, through a well-formed embouchure structure, with minimal tension throughout the body.
Most importantly, the focus is always placed on the process of learning a technique rather than the result. This approach helps students fully understand what they are putting into the horn, without letting ego, fear, or judgment control the outcome. Students are given a general “checklist” of efficient elements of technique which they will gradually customize. (A sample checklist is on Page 4). In practice, the student routinely checks in with each item on their list, in order, simply observing what is happening with each individual element. Utilizing similar concepts to those based in mindfulness meditation, the goal is to monitor one’s playing with a detached “curious awareness.”
For example, while playing through a passage, the student might observe the process of articulation, asking, “Is my tongue always hitting the same spot?” Before monitoring their articulation, they will have already observed earlier checklist items related to breathing and blowing, ensuring that they are never “putting the cart before the horse” and are instead creating the strongest foundation upon which to build the rest of their technique. While monitoring each element, they are only to observe — without grasping for “right notes,” trying to fix anything in the moment, or worrying about how they sound. While initially counterintuitive to the student, by letting go and simply observing, problems gradually begin to sort themselves out. As a result, they develop a more efficient and sustainable technique and understand why that technique is efficient. This special skill of mindful awareness helps prevent the ego from interfering with development, builds confidence, and develops individual problem-solving skills.
Goal-setting and organizational skills development
Students begin each semester with a goal-setting exercise, putting to paper all of their goals for the semester, the year, and beyond, while also reevaluating previous semesters’ goals. The purpose is not to hold a measuring stick to their dreams but instead to provide an adjustable framework around which they learn to structure their daily lives with purpose. I encourage students to be as organized and goal-oriented as possible, in all areas, whether their long-term aspirations are in music or not. Students are required to keep weekly practice logs, performance reflections, and lesson notes. The purpose of the practice logs is to encourage students to set performance goals appropriate for their current levels — such as a jury, recital, or audition — and make efficient plans toward achieving those goals. Similarly, lesson notes are checked for comprehension and effort, rather than style or length.
Many of the worksheets and exercises published in my book Audition Playbook are utilized in lessons to further develop preparation and organizational skills. Students learn the elements of focused and deliberate practice and how to create their own personalized plans. These skills are invaluable as they can be applied to students’ studies outside of music and other areas of their lives.
Wellness; we play how we are
We play how we are. No matter how many hours we practice, if we are an internal mess — anxious, overworked, or sleep-deprived, for instance — it will show in our playing, one way or another. Too often, music students neglect their health and wellbeing in order to practice longer, work harder, and focus more on the music — all habits that they will carry into their professional careers with greater consequences. I encourage students instead to value and cultivate wellness from the very beginning. By introducing them to resources and tools aimed at promoting physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, they learn to prevent and recognize the signs of injuries, burnout, anxiety, and other problems, and engage in a healthy practice of self-care.
Artistry and creativity
In many horn studios, there is an overwhelmingly disproportionate emphasis placed upon learning technique and the rapid implementation of new skills, causing the cultivation of basic artistry and musicianship to be heavily neglected. While the development of proper technique is crucial, many performers enter graduate school or even the professional world lacking a major component of musical performance — the ability to perform musically.
While there is of course an emphasis on efficient technique in my studio, musicality and artistry are always at the forefront. I encourage each student to approach the horn as a singing, vocal instrument and to actively search for their own “voice.” In addition to the standard weekly lesson playing assignments, students are assigned listening projects to construct their own palette of nuance, color, phrasing, articulation, etc.
Whether majoring or minoring in music education or performance, creativity and artistry are of the utmost importance. Creativity itself is explored through a variety of exercises in weekly lessons, assignments, and masterclasses, and students are encouraged to design and participate in unique performance projects on-campus, off-campus, within their communities, and in non-traditional environments.
By encouraging each student, regardless of major, to expand upon and explore their own creativity and interests, they will be more inclined to forge their own career paths upon graduation and choose work that is most meaningful to them and their communities.
Becoming one’s own teacher
A studio teacher is only around for a few years during a student’s initial development but as musicians we will face a lifetime of challenges related to our technique and repertoire. As both performers and educators, we must learn to become our own teachers to find new and creative ways to further development, fix problems as they arise or return, learn new repertoire, and take our playing to new levels. In developing these skills early on, the student will become self-reliant and possess the ability to problem-solve throughout their career — whether they become performers, teachers, doctors, or anything else.
SAMPLE CHECKLIST
Efficient Elements of Technique
1. Am I thinking about PROCESS or RESULT?
2. Am I breathing freely, low, and around?
3. Am I blowing focused and free?
a. is there any tension in my chest?
b. is there any tension in my throat?
4. Is the air flowing consistently and driving forward?
5. Are the corners stable and lips cushioned and forward?
6. Are the lips inside the mouthpiece relaxed?
7. Is the tongue returning to the same position?
a. flat and forward
b. relaxed
c. sealing
d. driven by the air