Michael J. Pagliaro

A question for Michael

Why do my students need a Companion Book?

For six decades, I have been teaching the technology and science of acoustic

orchestral instruments to music teachers, technicians, supervisors, and

professionals in the field of music. Also, I was a military bandmaster, church choir

director, founder of two musical instrument companies still in operation, inventor,

patent holder of four music-related products sold worldwide, and have written

nineteen books and seventeen articles on musical instruments and music in general.

Throughout these years, I learned that instrumental music study primarily

focuses on learning to read music and applying that information to playing

techniques. The Suzuki method reverses that format, with the student ultimately

accomplishing that same end. What is sorely lacking to produce a well-rounded

musician as opposed to a person who only plays an instrument is all of the other

information that surrounds the existence of that instrument, these being the parts of

the subject instrument, how it works, how it is made, its history, the different kinds

of a particular instrument, the accessories available for the instrument, learning to

plan a practice session that will fit the student’s individual needs, and finally a

glossary of related terms.

Another valuable use for these Companion Books is as part of a general music

curriculum. What better way to introduce musical instruments to students who

have not yet begun to study an instrument. Adding this subject to a general music

curriculum would be innovative and certainly introduce a subject that is little

known by the general public. A collaborated effort between the general music and

instrumental music teachers, augmenting the study by adding demonstrations of the

subject instrument as the general music teacher covers the topic in the Companion

Book, would make the subject even more special.

So Mike, what makes you qualified to write these Companion Books?

I am certified by the New York State Department of Education as a Teacher of

Music (grades K-12), Supervisor of Secondary Education, Secondary School

Principal, and the New York City Board of Education as Teacher of Orchestral

Music. I earned a B.S. in Music, M.A. in Music Education, M.S in School

Supervision and Administration, and Sc.D. in Musical Instrument Technology.

My most recent books are The Musical Instrument Desk Reference (Scarecrow

Press, 2012); The Instrumental Music Director’s Guide to Comprehensive

Program Development (Rowman and Littlefield, 2014); The String Instrument

Owner’s Handbook (Rowman and Littlefield 2015); Basic Elements of Music

(Rowman and Littlefield, 2016); The Brass Instrument Owner’s Handbook

(Rowman and Littlefield, 2016); The Woodwind Instrument Owner’s Handbook

(Ardsley Scholastic Press, 2017); and The Percussion Instrument Owner’s

Handbook, (Ardsley Scholastic Press, 2018); The Companion Book for the Violin,

(Ardsley Scholastic Press, 2018); The Companion Book for The Flute, (Ardsley

Scholastic Press, 2018); The Companion Book for the Clarinet, (Ardsley

Scholastic Press, 2019), The Companion Book for the Drums, (Ardsley Scholastic

Press, 2019), The Companion Book for the Viola, (Ardsley Scholastic Press,

2020), The Companion Book for the Guitar, (Ardsley Scholastic Press, 2021). And

more to come!

The price for these companion books is $12,95 for each instrument.

You can order them at:

www.amazon.com

Search Pagliaro The Companion Book for the (name the subject instrument).

Or

Ask for them at your local music store.

Teachers! If you want to check out a Companion Book, you can

have a FREE REVIEW COPY by requesting one by email at

ardsleypress@gmail.com.

Note: Free review copies will only be sent to certified music teachers

at the school where they are actively teaching.

To see all of my books on Amazon, search Michael J. Pagliaro books.Dr. Michael J. Pagliaro

Educator, Writer, Conductor, Entrepreneur, Inventor

Biography