Attend as many reading sessions as you can to get an idea of the literature that's available. The best way to get access to a schedule of the sessions that are applicable to your area are to contact local music stores that carry published music or to join professional organizations such as The Music Educators National Conference , The American Choral Directors Association, or The American Bandmasters Association. These organizations have state affiliates that usually offer conventions, workshops, and other beneficial information. Reading sessions provide you with the opportunity to hear the music first hand without having to make any purchases. Decide beforehand, too, what your upcoming students can handle. Guidelines: the best choices take about two months to prepare fully. Any sooner, and your students will get bored because the selections are too easy. If they take longer, your students (and you!) will get frustrated. However, don't hesitate to start SOME of the music a little earlier. Plan to incorporate some of the concert or musical selections into meeting your objectives. For instance, I'm preparing an Orff arrangement of "Battle Hymn of the Republic." for Veteran's Day. But, this gives me a wonderful opportunity to introduce eighth/sixteenth note patterns and dotted eighth/sixteenth note patterns to my fifth graders. After I finish this introduction, I plan to lay this song to rest for a little bit, then come back to it when the time is closer. This way, your students get a feel for what's coming up, and you can get a feel for what they may or may not be able to handle OR like.
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