ABSTRACT
Teaching rhythm to beginning instrumentalists is challenging, because to do it properly one must teach more than just the theory behind notation. Physical movement as a means to internalize rhythm was passionately advocated by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze. Science backs up Dalcroze’s connection between rhythm and movement. A full-blown eurhythmics program is impractical for band and orchestra classes. Rhythmic movement exercises are not the same as conducting. The goal is not to articulate every pulse in an organized manner, but instead to experience the continuous flow of musical time. Oversized flashcards are ideal for presenting rhythm words to a large class. Rhythm reading often breaks down because of a limited vocabulary of words. Theoretical understanding of rhythm is important, but its primary role is not to facilitate reading. Instead, rhythm theory is important for analyzing rhythmic structure and decoding unfamiliar or complex patterns.
