Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Today’s Teaching Strategy: We Go 2-gether!
(Instrument Play with Soloist(s) and Choice)
Upper Elementary (3-5)
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about playing classroom percussion instruments in 2 parts while giving soloists the necessary structure they need to support them AND free choice. It goes with “Exit Through the Kitchen Door” by The Temporal Orchestra (2025) because this music cooks with a walking bass line, driving percussion, and a playful melody.
Pedagogical Foundations
Music making is kinda like:
Ballroom Dancing
A Game of Checkers or
Riding a Sea-saw.
What???
Some things naturally go together—and really happen better with others (lol). Sure, we can certainly mark dance steps to practice a tango or foxtrot by ourself, for example, but it’s not the same as dancing with a partner. With a partner our movements are either in sync with another person or we’re literally getting our toes stepped on (lol). With practice we learn to move and flow together—as one unit. How cool is that?
In games like checkers or chess we can individually plan strategies and moves, practicing in our mind, or writing out plans, but things definitely change when we are sitting across the table from another person! Here, we need to observe what move our partner makes and respond. We add something new, counter, and play it out to the end. Sound like anything else you know (lol)?
And, since the weather is warmer and we’re all getting outside… I encourage you to go the park and explore a sea-saw by yourself… No really. You can sit on it and I suppose “walk the plank” (lol) but in my view that sea-saw isn’t much of a ride when alone. On the flip side, when my friend is riding with me and we work together to lift the thing, and rock back and forth—maybe even rhythmically—it’s thrilling!
When I reflect on dancing with a partner, playing a board game, or riding a ride in the park I think of my contributions, AND…
The addition of AND brings another person to the table and makes me up my game. I seem to try harder, more than I do when I’m marking dance steps or practicing alone in my room. So today I’m leading us to think about the AND of music making. Alone we practice our instruments and singing to hone skills and technique, gain stamina, and develop artistic nuance—but the real magic happens when we make music with other people, right?
Further, when I think of music making with others I think of music made in every type of ensemble imaginable—of all sizes and combinations (defined in all the ways). But I’m also realizing that sometimes one musician is featured and everyone else in the group needs to play a supportive role.
And Solos
Features (or solos) are essential elements within a musical performance for both the musicians and audiences. When a musician is featured they are in the spotlight to individually showcase their talent, hard work/practice/preparation, and artistic expression. They grow and develop as musicians in many ways due to this type of performance. Confidence is gained. Self-pride and a sense of accomplishment show up. And artists gain individual performance experience.
When audiences hear featured artists they have an opportunity to get to know ensemble performers as individuals. They can match a particular sound and style—a sort of musical fingerprint—to a person. Further, audiences can develop a different type of connection to the performers and the performance because of featured artists. They can cheer on individuals, select favorites, and (hopefully) become inspired to return to future shows to hear them again!
In a world filled with competition, social pressure, instant media broadcasts, and influence, it’s SO critical to structure opportunities for musicians to show-what-they-know and do with a healthy attitude—and no ego. Featured performers can elevate the music making for everyone. We need to remember that a solo is not more important than the accompaniment. Okay, I’ll stop this before I jump on a large soap box (lol). But:
Final Thoughts
As music teachers we have the opportunity to impart the significance of shared music making to students. We get to paint music making in our classroom as something special, and distinctive that may only happen the same way once—in real time. We get to tell students that school music making is about collaboration and togetherness.
I see it captured as these 3 ideas:
MUSIC MAKING IS about
“Dancing together” as artists to fill a room with sounds that complement each other (and not step on “musical toes” so to speak);
MUSIC MAKING IS about
Applying what we know and can do and responding in the moment to the sounds other musicians create; and
MUSIC MAKING IS absolutely about
Lifting each other up artistically by holding our own and with creativity, joy, and support (like on that sea-saw).
Call to Action
Take a moment to directly remind students how significant—and special—it is to make music in your classroom!
Today’s teaching strategy includes the opportunity for students to play a solo part over an accompaniment with a focus on musical interplay. It’s also about student exploration, decision making, and choice of instrument(s) to use as a soloist! I hope you give it a try with your students. But first, let me remind you who I am:
Hi! I’m Darla, an experienced PK-12 music educator, college professor, and former Berklee College of Music Dean looking to connect with teachers, parents/caregivers, and others seeking to advance creative music making for today’s students—and their teachers. In Darla Hanley’s Music Room you will find teaching strategies, advice and teaching tips, playlists, and more.
Today we are going to make music in 2 parts! When it’s your turn, you will be the soloist and play a triangle—performing the rhythmic patterns in part 1. When you are not the soloist you will play to create the accompaniment performing the rhythmic patterns in part 2 using wood blocks with mallets.
ProTIP: Part 2 can be played on any unpitched classroom percussion instrument. Wood blocks were chosen here to have a clean “clicking” accompaniment and provide students with the opportunity to play an instrument with 2 pieces (i.e., block and mallet).
Lead students to clap the “It’s An Accompanied Solo!” rhythmic patterns (parts 1 and 2).
ProTIP: Note there are 2 solo parts and 2 accompaniment parts in the score. Scaffold the learning in a way that best suits your students. Maybe initially repeat the first set, on another day teach the second set, and lead up to playing the 2 sets in sequence!
Distribute wood blocks to all students and invite them to play part 2 with the recording of “Exit Through the Kitchen Door” by The Temporal Orchestra.
Now it’s time to add a soloist! Select one student soloist to play part 1 using a triangle. Play the recording and direct students to play in 2 parts.
ProTIP: Starting with one assigned instrument (in this case, a triangle) allows the student soloist to focus on the rhythmic pattern before adding the distraction of choosing from the collection (lol).
Repeat with new soloists as time permits.
Now you may continue to play the triangle OR change instruments during the rests. You have plenty of time… but be ready to play when your part 1 solo rhythms occur!
ProTIP: Invite the soloist to move to a prepared “instrument station” area of the room where a variety of unpitched percussion instruments are available. Remove wooden instruments from the options to result in a more pronounced distinction between instrument timbres for parts 1 and 2.
It’s An Accompanied Solo!
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
Materials/Set Up
Wood Blocks with Mallet (1 Set Per Student)
Triangle with Striker
Variety of Unpitched Classroom Percussion Instruments
🎵 The Temporal Orchestra "Exit Through the Kitchen Door” (2025) Link to Track on Spotify
EXTEND the Learning:
Divide students into 2 groups:
Group 1 plays the accompaniment part.
Group 2 plays the solo part (either on instruments you select, instruments they choose—free choice from the collection—or from small sets of the same instruments provided to all students).
Divide the students into 3 groups:
Groups 1 and 2 as listed above
Group 3 improvises rhythmic patterns exploring/creating original rhythmic patterns—all at the same time.
After repeating this several times, have students in Group 3 stand in a circle or line and select individual improvisers to “take a solo” adding an original part down the line, in turn, (each playing for 8 beats) until all have played.
Learning Targets
Play, Improvise*
Learning Outcomes
Respond with instruments in 2-parts
Create personal interpretations via instrument choice
Perform rhythmic patterns in 2-parts
Assessment
Formal Observation/Summative Assessment
*This learning target is only addressed in the EXTEND the Learning section of this teaching strategy.
Thanks for checking this out. If you use this teaching strategy, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it resonates with your students!
The pedagogy is as layered as the music! Brava