Music educators are required not only to master the body of knowledge representing the music curriculum, but to manage instruction so that they may convey this knowledge effectively and efficiently to their students. In order to promote good instruction, teachers find that a systematic behavioral management plan is required. Unfortunately, many approaches to behavioral management ignore the importance of the curriculum and the behavior of the teacher in mediating student behavior in the classroom. The purpose of this paper is to describe ways in which classroom management, instruction, and teacher behavior interact to promote a productive and positive learning environment and to suggest management techniques supported by educational research which may be of value to beginning as well as more experienced teachers. Based on a review of the literature, it is argued that an effective classroom management plan must first examine the curriculum and the behavior of the teacher who provides the instruction according to a set of consistent principles identified across a large number of schools and educators. Only after these details are attended to are the more specific interventions provided likely to be effective. (Contains 26 references.) (Author/LL)