The Wizard of Oz for Recorder: Recorder Book

Pure joy of recognition and accomplishment. These melodies carry the warmth and wonder of a film beloved across generations. Playing them feels like stepping into something magical and real at the same time, not like drilling through a workbook.

Beginning recorder students who are ready for their first real melodies. This book serves students ages 7 and up who have just learned basic fingerings and are eager to play recognizable music rather than isolated practice notes.

• Establish consistent breath support before tackling longer phrases like the arc in 'Over the Rainbow.' Short breaths between natural musical phrases will feel more natural than forcing a single breath through the entire melody.
• Work through the beginner's guide before diving into the melodies themselves. Ten minutes spent learning proper hand position and fingering patterns upfront prevents frustration and reinforces correct technique from the start.
• Mark fingering combinations that feel awkward in pencil and slow them down to half tempo until they become automatic. The transitions between notes in 'If I Only Had a Brain' reward this kind of targeted practice.
• Sing each melody first without the recorder, focusing on phrasing and expression. This trains the ear to recognize the tune and helps students understand where to breathe and shape the musical line.

Program one or two selections as part of a holiday concert featuring beginner instrumentalists, or use them as performance opportunities during winter assemblies when the Wizard of Oz is fresh in young listeners' minds. Beginners gain real concert experience playing music their families and friends actually know.

• Reading notes in the treble clef with larger print notation
• Connecting fingering patterns to written music
• Sustaining steady air pressure across entire phrases
• Understanding basic tempo and breath placement
• Articulation and tonguing within a melodic context