Adversity
    Sometimes I wonder if I am simply rationalizing when I try to convince myself that adversity is actually a good thing. When I ponder whether I could become just as good an individual without adversity, the answer is probably not, but when I ponder whether I need a teacher as stern as adversity, the answer is probably so. Regardless of what one believes, adversity is going to happen, and your attitude toward it will determine whether you use the experience or it uses you.
    For band directors, facing adversity has an added dimension: students are watching our every move. We can teach our most enduring lessons during the most difficult times in how we react to such circumstances. Do we play the victim, blame others, act resigned to our fate without putting up a fight, or do they see us react with a mental toughness that acknowledges the difficulty of a situation, yet face it with determination, resourcefulness, and creativity?
    Much of the adversity we face in the form of unexpected problems with personnel gives other band students the opportunity to step up. To recognize and promote this, I have a small inner tube decorated to look like a life raft that I present as The Lifesaver Award to a student who has made a special effort to help the band overcome an unexpected difficulty.

Attitude
    G.K. Chesterton refers to a bad attitude as a bad smell in the mind. I’ve certainly had students during my career that have had stinky minds. The most frustrating aspect of students with bad attitudes is that I’ve always thought my good attitude would rub off more on others, but sometimes it just doesn’t seem to transfer at all. However, I have found that with time and consistency, many attitudes can be changed and hearts won over.
    The greatest obstacles to maintaining a good attitude, whether it is on the part of directors or students, are dealing with incompetence, adjusting to change, and selfishness. It is difficult to maintain a good attitude when dealing with a new associate who appears to be incompetent. I say “appears to be incompetent” because in new situations we are often biased and blinded by resistance to change. In these situations, it is best to have the humility and open-mindedness to accept the possibility that maybe someone new does know what he is doing and is simply taking a different approach. Those who have been a leader during any time of transition know that there are many who wrongly accuse them of incompetence. Even if there are legitimate concerns during a major change, at some point there has to be a good measure of acceptance so that progress can be made.
    As for students inherited when taking over a new program, great patience must be shown on the director’s part.  If there are no attitude problems with new students, consider yourself lucky; it is normal for there to be some attitude problems. You may just have to wait until the bad apples quit or graduate. There will be a temptation to be quick on the trigger and kick problem students out of a program right off the bat. However, I believe in erring on the side of patience. Students who are adapting to a new director need more leeway than a student you have had since day one. I have had students in transition situations that took me a year or two to win over, but once they bought in, they were some of the best students I had.
    Many bad attitudes and their unpleasant consequences are a direct result of selfishness – wanting one’s way above all others. It is helpful to directly address this problem introspectively when faced with a new situation. It is also important to address selfishness directly with a group that is not buying in and is pulled apart because of conflicting agendas.

Breathing and Blowing
Not remembering to breathe is like constantly forgetting to put gas in the car. Try blowing into an instrument using only the air that resides in your lungs. It is difficult even for a professional, but that is what many young players try to do.
One of the best things about performing group breathing exercises is the focus and calming effect it can have on the band before a rehearsal begins. Also, to promote relaxation in playing, think of the air as originating at the lips.

Consistency
    The director who believes that consistent behavior leads to consistent performance attempts to avoid making distinctions between one event and another. Directors know there are differences, but the idea is to keep it out of students’ minds. Ideally, everyone should be able to prepare and focus the same way no matter what the event, not just try harder on the day of a performance.
    Students should not be forced to take a ride on an emotional rollercoaster; their mental routine should be the same. Directors should not project their anxieties onto their students. When a musician senses tension in the director, it becomes more difficult to focus on the task at hand; muscles tighten and performances deteriorate.

Character
    I have heard it said that character is how you act when no one is watching and no one would ever find out. Character can also be defined as the relationship between what a person does and what he doesn’t do and the reason behind those choices.
    Some say that sports does not develop character, it only reveals it – or the lack thereof. The same can be said of band. If band reveals a lack of character, then it also opens the possibility for analysis and improvement. Fortunately, character can be taught, and directors should make a conscious effort to model it and teach it. It is through this effort that team chemistry is developed. Good team chemistry is where the collective character of the group is to sacrifice the needs of the individual for the whole. Good team chemistry can develop with a core of good members with great character who the others are willing to follow.

Concentration
    One of the best qualities we can impart to students is the ability to concentrate. These days, this is more difficult than ever. Studies show that excessive television watching on the part of young children is consistently increasing the cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder we see in schools and bands. Although band may not be a cure for this, it can certainly help develop the discipline and focus it takes to see a task to completion. Also, directors can communicate with parents about a band member’s attention problems and work with them and other professionals to resolve or mitigate the problem.
    How do you get children to focus when the rest of their life is so crazy? Sometimes I feel conflicted when I keep pushing and pushing, all the while knowing that many students have much bigger concerns than band. However, what students need is something constant that they can count on – something that will help them develop the ability to soldier on no matter what the circumstance.

Courage
    Courage is a loosely applied term these days. Some writers in the sport’s world called Tiger Woods’s victory in the 2008 U.S. Open courageous because he played with a bad knee. Gritty, yes. Courageous, no. I think that almost anyone would limp through several rounds of golf for the prize money that was at stake. Now if he had limped several rounds on the Serengeti while being stalked by lions, tigers, cheetahs, and Phil Mickelson with a hunting rifle, that would be courageous.
    However, I admit that courage can be relative, particularly for students. Children are a study in contrasts. They will do some of the most outrageously silly and stupid things, but try to get them to do something beyond their comfort zone, and it can be like pulling teeth. Several years ago I had an inexperienced group of marchers that I wanted to dance with various gyrations during one jam-like section of our show where we were standing still; you would have thought I was asking them to run around naked while playing “The Streak.” What they needed was a bigger dose of courage and less self-consciousness.
    For many students, just stepping onto a field for a halftime performance, auditioning for an honor band, or playing a solo take a strong measure of courage and risk. Risk of embarrassment and failure are enough to stifle any child’s initiative, but risk-takers are the best learners, and directors should provide an environment where risk-taking is encouraged and even demanded. This is particularly important in jazz bands where the study of improvisation is essential.

Criticism
    Some of the most miserable people I know have thin skin. Most of the successful people I know have a thick skin, and that quality is certainly essential for continued success at anything. Handling criticism isn’t a matter of just ignoring it. Self-confidence will allow you to evaluate it and use it or dismiss it based on its merits. As much as people might hate to admit it, criticism can be justified and warranted if we are willing to be open-minded. In fact, the most important kind of criticism is self-criticism. This should not be confused with self-flagellation and constant second-guessing, but a willingness to acknowledge shortcomings and implement plans to improve them. After all, we probably dole out more criticism than any of our students, so we should be willing to accept it as well.

Author Note: The idea for this article came from the book Coaching the Mental Game (Taylor Trade Publishing) by baseball coach and sports psychologist H.A. Dorfman.

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    Sometimes a simple idea can be the most powerful. Music teachers everywhere complain that students do not practice as much as they should. With over-programmed schedules and electronic distractions, many kids do not take much time to work on their music alone. The problem is often worse in the summer.
    About two years ago we included a small practice idea in our children’s magazine, Piano Explorer, called the 100 Day Practice Challenge. For students who practiced for 100 days straight, we would print their names in the magazine. The response was unexpectedly overwhelming. Practice sheets from around the world continue to pour in with over 1,100 names published so far. Students as young as 5 and as old as 81 have participated, and even some teachers were inspired to try it as well. Seeing the names in the magazine encourages more students to participate. One of the most exciting parts of the project has been the reports from teachers about the benefits they have seen. Here is a sampling of the enthusiastic mail.

“I can verify that my student…practiced 100 days. For seven of those days her parents took her on a trip to Paris. I suggested that on each day she was without a piano, she compose a piece. And she did! She came home with compositions, one of which we plan to submit to Piano Explorer.”

“Here is my second group of students. One has completed a second 100 days of practice. She wasn’t a very interested or good student until this challenge. 200 days has made a difference.”

“Several of my students have practiced 200 days and will hopefully comlete another challenge. The challenge has been the greatest motivator to practice in my entire teaching career of over 40 years.”

    We continue to marvel at the strength of this small (and not original) idea. A good idea does not need to be complicated.
    I have spent part of my summer learning to keep things simple by working on a children’s book. After spending most of my working days on articles for adults, I had never attempted to write for very young children. Then I met a particularly engaging young boy who takes regular field trips with his pre-school class. Every couple of days, he marches off to school with a blue backpack filled with supplies. He returns home with entertaining stories about the places he and his backpack have gone. I decided to transform his trips into an elaborate and fantastic adventure.
    I quickly discovered the difficulty of my task. I was attempting to create a story that would engage children to read on their own without straining the patience of the adults required to read it (with any luck, nightly). I was reminded of the adage that grade 1 music can be the hardest to write.
    I ended up breaking all the rules that I thought applied to this type of writing. I went longer than expected, topping out at 2,500 words. I resisted the urge to cut out every fancy word in the story. I decided that a four-year-old need not understand the word “astonishment” to feel it at the end of a good story.
    I enlisted my talented niece, Beth Callis, to draw original artwork for the story. I would send early chapters to her and received back charming, inventive drawings to look at via text. All of a sudden the project became a collaboration and no longer belonged just to me. We grew just a bit closer by putting a new artistic creation into the world.
    My self-published book went to press at about the same time as this issue of The Instrumentalist. I don’t think it will become the next Harry Potter, but I learned how to keep things simple and say what I really mean. It was an invaluable way to spend my summer. Good luck in the new school year!

The post Gift to Be Simple appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    I would caution conductors to remember that these tempo markings of familiar pieces should serve only as a reference point to unfamiliar music, and should be used only as a starting point to interpreting the music. Toscanini simplistically recognized that there are three different stages of tempo: the first is the tempo felt upon first reading the music; the second is the tempo used at rehearsals; and the third tempo is established at the public performance.
    Significantly, conductors should realize that tempo provides only the musical frame of a composition. For music to have verisimilitude it cannot be bound to metronomic rigidity. The noted flute virtuoso William Kincaid gave the following sage advice about use of the metronome:

“Playing metronomically correct with scrupulous observance of dynamics is something that too often passes for artistry, but because of its mechanical and honest nature it can amount to no more than a student sort of playing. Music demands an impressionable, plastic sense in regard to rhythm, rather than a correct, static concept. Play with the melodic line, making delicate gradations and fluctuations in tone and rhythm, yet only within the fundamental pulse.
“Do all phrasing, all nuances and liberties within the measure so that the unit of rhythm, the frame, is not disturbed. The discipline of the measure remains intact while the freedom is taken within this discipline of rhythm. In this respect, use the metronome as a discipline, but play against it. Playing with the metronome is a mere mathematical calculation. Ride the rhythm, don’t let it ride you.”

    Conductors should recognize the essential distinction between tempo and rhythm. Tempo, as the constant pulse, establishes the musical frame and must not be distorted. Rhythm might be defined as one way of seeking the expressive quality in music within that musical frame. Music is a living entity and as such it should never become entirely mechanistic. Rhythm brings music to life. Rhythm is a subtle fluctuation, a feeling of departure and arrival between the musical line and the basic tempo. The composition may have the right tempo, according to the metronome, yet the rhythm may still be off because of incorrect accents and stress patterns.
    An explanation given by Toscanini speaks to the importance of maintaining freedom in the music while maintaining a tempo. In a conversation with Samuel Antek, Toscanini explained that it was expressiveness within the tempo that gave the music life.

“Toscanini held up his hand and in the palm he traced a diagram to illustrate what he had been talking about. He drew a vertical line. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is the tempo,’ and then across weaving in and out sinously he traced a wavy line, like a snake wrapped around a stick. ‘That,’ he said, ‘is the way the tempo must change – weaving in and out, but always close and always returning, never like this,’ he said, drawing a line away from the original line, at a tangent. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘in music, just to have the correct tempo without all that goes with it means nothing.’”

    Therefore, even with careful attention, tempo remains a fluctuating element. Bernstein once suggested that “perhaps a musician’s individual metabolic rate has something to do with it, since metabolism would control his rate of breathing, his pulse and therefore his sense of timing.”
    Elizabeth Green similarly observed, “the human being feels most at home with his natural tempo, the tempo of his heartbeat.” Therefore, the conductor should be wary of natural tendencies that may influence the tempo and should carefully select the tempo demanded by the music.
    Sometimes, however, the performers are not able to achieve the proper tempo. This often happens with young musicians, and for them the following advice from composer-conductor Vaclav Nelhybel is helpful:

“Choose the tempo in which the players are able to execute all the notes with all expression markings; if the chosen tempo is either slower or faster than indicated in the score, compensate with dynamics by over-emphasizing all expressive markings in fast movements, and deemphasizing slightly in slow movements. Whatever the situation, a logical relation between tempo and dynamics must be maintained. Without it, a convincing performance cannot be achieved.”

    I believe strongly that singing is a very helpful and expressive way to determine the proper tempo. When sung, the melody usually will connect to the tempo that reveals the emotional expressivity in the music. Instead of the ensemble performing a series of individual notes, singing gives flow, shape, and expressive nuance to the musical phrase. But most of all, singing brings about inner learning that opens the door to a musical interpretation.
    Many famous musicians have taken the same view and have offered their ideas on establishing tempo through singing. Beethoven once said: “Good singing was my guide. I strove to write as flowingly as possible.”
    Herman Scherchen, conductor: “Of all the human means of musical expression, singing is the most loving or vital. Singing comes from within ourselves. The conductor’s conception of a work should be a perfect inward singing.”
    Weingartner: “No slow tempo should be so slow that the melody of the piece is not yet recognizable, and so fast that the melody is no longer manageable.”
    Toscanini: “There is no music without singing. Cantare Sempre.”
    In conclusion, while it is true that a metronome indication may supply an accurate clue to tempo, one must remember that it is intended only as a guide, not as a command to maintain metronomic rigidity. In the hands of a skilled conductor, a musical performance will give the illusion of perfectly timed beats without any sacrificing of the freedom of the music.
    Eric Bloom has pointed out the two requisite skills for superior interpretation: “The idea of true tempo covers the technical qualification to be a conductor; the idea of the melody covers the ideal aspects of the art.” It is the conductor’s job to meld these two elements, tempo and melody, to create a convincing interpretation.

The post On Tempo appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    Creating the event schedule is one of a band director’s most important tasks. Granted, it is not difficult just to generate and distribute a list of performances, but to develop a schedule that avoids conflicts with other important events in the school and community can be a big challenge. It is worth the effort.
    Over the years I have heard colleagues who have children in area bands voice complaints when band events conflict with other activities. Nobody is happy when the high school band has a marching competition on the same day as the big college game, or when the middle school band has its spring trip scheduled for the same weekend as the annual dance recital, or when the band’s winter concert is scheduled on the same night as the local Christmas Parade. Likewise, no parents want their children to have to choose between sports and band in high school. Conflicts are sometimes unavoidable, but with a careful strategy by the band director, many problems can be eliminated. An effort to reduce these conflicts usually will result in greater student participation and more community support for the program.

The Right Priorities
    I have known directors who created their band schedules with almost no regard to potential conflicts with school or community activities. These directors simply distributed the schedule to their band members and told them that if there is a conflict, the students and their parents should remember that a major part of the band grade is based on attendance. Students with two commitments scheduled for the same day then would either have to choose band or receive a lower grade. In my observation, band programs that are run in this manner usually have one thing in common: high dropout rates. When students and parents are repeatedly put in a position that forces them to choose between band and other activities that they value, they ultimately will make a choice – and it will not always be for band.
    When I was a first-year high school band director, I inherited a band of approximately 50 members at a rural high school of 450 students. The band program had been run in a way that required students to be all-in for band or they were out of the program. At first this approach was appealing to me. I was committed to an ideal of building a band program filled with students who had the same passion for music that I had, students who would put band first above everything else, much like I had done during my high school years.
    As I worked with the band it quickly became evident that there was indeed a core group of students who had the qualities I wanted in my ideal band members. These students were excellent musicians whose only activity beyond academics was band. I also discovered a critical problem with this group – it only numbered about a dozen students. I soon realized that my expectations were off the mark. When I was trying to find only those students who would be completely committed to band, I was willing to exclude those who were not. After making a quick adjustment to my expectations, I realized that to build a good program, I needed to make an effort to recruit and retain students who had interests beyond band. The strategies I developed then helped me to expand the high school band from 50 to nearly 150 members. One of the most important of these strategies was to schedule our rehearsals and performances in a way that would avoid conflicts with other school activities.

Community Events 
    Early in my career I also learned how important it is to consider community events when creating the band’s calendar. One year our band received an invitation to attend a prestigious marching competition in a neighboring state over three hours away. We had performed well in local competitions the previous year but had never performed at an out-of-state contest. I thought this would be an exciting opportunity for the students to travel and compete with bands we had never seen before.
    The competition happened to fall on a Saturday during a four-day annual festival held in our county. This festival hosted small parades each evening and culminated in a large Saturday night parade of bands featuring all of the county bands as well as bands from neighboring communities. This Saturday parade always drew the biggest crowd, including a large number of students from each high school. Because our band had never missed the Saturday parade, I thought that it would not be a problem if we skipped it just once to attend the marching competition. When I distributed the band schedule at the beginning of the school year, a few students approached me to ask if the date of the contest was correct. They noticed the conflict immediately, even though the Saturday night parade was still over two months away. 
    As the weeks went by, more and more students as well as parents asked if the band was really going to attend the contest rather than perform at the parade. I repeatedly explained to everyone that attending the competition would be an enjoyable experience, and more importantly, it would benefit the reputation of our band program. My views on the matter did not change until a couple weeks before the festival when the district superintendent visited the band room one day after school. It was not unusual for him to stop by, since the district office was adjacent to the high school and he was a great supporter of the band, but I sensed that something in particular was on his mind. After we had our usual conversation about how the band students were doing, he told me that he and the high school principal had received several phone calls about my plan for the band to attend the competition rather than appear in the Saturday night parade at the festival. He assured me that he had responded to every inquiry by stating that he trusted my decision and that he believed I had the best interests of the band program in mind. But he also said that he had one question for me about my claim that the competition would benefit the band’s reputation: “In whose estimation will the band’s reputation increase – members of our community, or the organizers and community hosting the contest?” It was at that moment that I realized that my thinking about the matter had been misguided. The reputation of the band program within our community should be the top priority. I had lost sight of that.
    The next day at rehearsal I informed the band that we would not attend the competition and would instead perform in the parade. I expected to see a room full of disappointed faces, as our students had always been excited about attending competitions. To my surprise, however, the announcement was met with smiles. The reason for these smiles was obvious. Our community’s traditions and the opportunity to perform in front of their family and friends were far more important to students than the prospect of performing at a contest in another state.
    From that point on I approached the task of creating the band’s performance schedule from a different perspective. I had never really considered what was going on in the community, nor had I ever looked at the schedule from a parent’s perspective. Once I began to view the band’s calendar as part of the community’s calendar, student conflicts decreased, and band member retention and audience attendance at our events increased. Best of all, people began to see the band as a key part of community life, and they started supporting band activities much in the same way they had traditionally supported school sports teams.

Techniques for Avoiding Conflicts 
A conflict-free band schedule is a difficult goal to reach, but there are several planning techniques that can help minimize conflicts. First, begin building the event calendar early. It is usually possible to begin creating the following year’s performance schedule in late January, starting with school-related dates that are usually not subject to change. These fixed dates include the beginning and end of the school year, teacher work days, holidays, school exam schedules, state-mandated testing dates, and graduation. Usually the principal, a guidance counselor, or an employee at the district office can provide this information. For many years my source for these dates was a secretary in the district office who was also a band parent.  I think there were some years when I knew the upcoming school-year calendar before anyone else at my high school, even the principal.
    Next I would consider state music education events such as regional and state marching and concert competitions, solo and ensemble competitions, and conferences. In most states the scheduling of these events from year to year is fairly predictable. Although the official dates may not be published until summer, usually there is a draft of the next year’s calendar in the works. I found that it helps to make a phone call to someone who serves on a state committee. Not only does this provide advance knowledge of these dates, but there is also sometimes the opportunity to offer input on date selection.
    Another key calendar consideration is to note the dates of all football games, including playoffs, as well as the team schedules of any sports that your band members play. Also, if the band has students who participate in choir or orchestra, as is often the case, those dates should be considered as well. Because I usually had several students who were in the ensembles of my choir and orchestra colleagues, I found that it helped for all of us to build our schedules together by sharing the same master calendar at an early stage. It is also helpful to communicate with the middle school ensemble directors about scheduling; consider adding their performance dates to your calendar, especially if you happen to share the same performance venue.
    The next consideration in building the calendar is community activities. Adjusting your calendar around these activities can be difficult, especially in a large community, because it often seems that there is something going on every day. A good starting point is to visit websites or to make phone calls to event organizers to confirm important dates. Also, if there is a college or university nearby, it is probably a good idea to consider key events scheduled at that school, such as football rivalry games, graduation, and concerts. 
    Once all of these activities are on the calendar, it is possible to begin setting dates for the key band events of the year, such as school concerts, marching competitions, spring band trips, and fundraising events. Whenever possible, try to be consistent in choosing dates from year to year. For fundraising activities, encourage the principal to add these dates to the school master calendar in order to avoid any conflicts with another group’s fund-raising event.
    Over the years I found that it also helps to gather information about the other activities that fill up the schedules of my students. At least once a year, usually in December, I asked band members to complete an activities profile, listing any activity that they participated in during the previous year, as well as future activities. These profiles included activities such as jobs, school and recreational sports teams, dance lessons, church youth groups, summer camps, and membership in school and community clubs and organizations. Although time-consuming to review, these profiles allowed me to anticipate where conflicts might arise. With this information in hand, conflicts with events such as dance recitals and church mission trips soon became non-existent.
    Toward the end of the school year, it should be possible to put together a near-complete schedule. By that time it will be easy to identify the dates of any rehearsals or performances that may conflict with other activities. Then you can make the decision to change the schedule or to leave the conflict in place, with good knowledge of how many students may be affected by the conflict. Once the calendar is finalized, do your best to share it with the band and your community. Publish it on the band’s website, and distribute it to students and parents in both hard copy and electronic formats. If there is a local newspaper, consider writing an official press release that announces the schedule, identifies performances of special interest, and directs readers to the band’s website for the full schedule. It is also a good idea to distribute the schedule to school administrators, coaches, guidance counselors, transportation supervisors, bus drivers, and custodians. I also recommend distributing the schedule to the middle school ensemble directors, as well as to all middle school band members and their parents. Often middle school parents would tell me how helpful it was to receive the high school band calendar before their children started high school, so that they could begin adjusting family vacation dates to avoid conflicts with band events.

Scheduling and Community Support
    Distribution of the band performance schedule can also be valuable in generating greater community support for the band program. I routinely hand-delivered schedules to community event organizers, local music dealers, dance studios, recreation departments, churches, and any other people who might schedule events that could potentially conflict with band activities. This personal interaction was a great way to build rapport with important members of the community, and it helped to cultivate a sense of cooperation and respect for each other’s endeavors. This interaction also gave me an opportunity to explain why some band events had to be held on certain days. I also asked students to personally distribute the band schedule to their coaches and employers, with dates highlighted for events that they hoped these people would attend.
    A further scheduling point to consider with regard to building community support is the number of performances given in the community. For many band programs the event calendar is filled up solely by marching and concert competitions, sometimes to the point that the band rarely performs for the community other than at football games. To these groups I would strongly recommend seeking out additional opportunities for the marching band to perform locally. Consider participating in events such as Christmas parades, Independence Day parades, and Memorial Day services. It may also be a good idea for the jazz ensemble or other small groups to perform at civic organization meetings, church events, or store openings. 
    Local concert band performances should also be scheduled so that community members can easily attend. In some years I elected to schedule additional concerts in the community, instead of participating in concert competitions. Performing additional concerts in the community allowed me to introduce students to a wider repertoire, and it also provided additional opportunities for members of the community to hear the band. In these years we would still program and perform contest music, but we also played a variety of music designed to appeal to the general public, including patriotic selections and novelty numbers, as well as arrangements of popular music, show tunes, and movie themes. In addition, we would often hold special community appreciation concerts following fundraising events. For these concerts the students would post flyers across town announcing the concert, the music selections, and the names of any special guest conductors. At these special concerts local politicians, the school superintendent, and even the high school football coach all made their conducting debuts.
    In the printed programs for these concerts, I would be sure to include a special appreciation page listing any event organizers or business owners who I felt had supported our program, not just financially, but also with regard to scheduling. I always mailed out a program to everyone who was listed, and soon I began to see many of these individuals attending our band events. Not surprisingly, none of our students who worked with these individuals ever had conflicts on the evenings of those concerts.
    As educators it is our obligation to provide an environment in which as many students as possible will have the opportunity to experience the joy of music. Additional efforts made in creating the band schedule, developing a personal touch in distributing the schedule, and finding creative ways to connect with the community may not eliminate every conflict. A conflict-free schedule is nearly impossible. But based on my experiences, the right practices will tend to make conflicts become fewer and fewer over time. There will not be as many students who are forced to choose between band and something else, and parent and community support for the band program will also increase. Ultimately the band should be viewed as an important thread in the fabric of the community. That is a reputation of which the director and the band can truly be proud.

The post Crafting a Better Band Schedule appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    Show planning, recruiting, band camp scheduling, parent meetings, and everything that goes along with all of these events require meticulous organization on the part of band directors. In planning, there is a critical process that sometimes eludes even the most well organized directors, but it should not be missed. That process is to create a step-by-step schedule of the performance day for the band members. More often than not, directors just assume that their band members will know what to expect when the day of performance arrives. In reality, they rarely do.
    After conducting a meticulously run band camp, directors have a tendency to go into automatic-pilot mode. School begins, and we find ourselves racing from in-service days to the start of classes directly into after-school rehearsals. Before we know it, the first football game is here, and the only information we have given to students is the time at which they need to be in the band room dressed in their uniforms ready to go. Although the general time-frame and schedule are very important for students and parents to know, there is so much more that can be done in the planning process to ensure a smooth day for both the band and you.
    The first football game can be an overwhelming event for new students. They are experiencing everything for the first time, and some of them might not even know how to put on their uniforms properly. Upperclassmen will be more accustomed to the typical game day routine. Knowing this, directors sometimes make the mistake of relying on their upperclassmen to help the freshmen on game day, based on the assumption that the freshmen will simply follow the upperclassmen. The problem with this approach is that it is based on a faulty second assumption: we assume that the upperclassmen know what they are talking about. More often than not, they do not, and they make the same mistakes as the freshmen.
    There are several methods that can be used to help the band do more than just survive the first football game and competition. Performances, football games, competitions, parades, and pep rallies are all different kinds of events, and they should be treated as such.  Each scenario deserves its own approach and planning. Over the years I have devised some helpful ways to help the band plan and prepare for football games.

Game Day Planning Sheets
    At the University of Delaware we distribute to all of the members of the Fightin’ Blue Hen Marching Band a set of sheets that I call Game Day Clue Sheets. There are two types of these sheets – the Game Day Timeline and the Game Day Structure – which have two different purposes.

The Game Day Timeline
    The Game Day Timeline is an hourly breakdown of the day from start to finish. This sheet is designed to be short and concise so that Drum Majors and Student Staff (and even professional staff) can print it out on an index card and keep it in their pockets for easy reference. The information on this timeline will change from game to game depending on what time the football game begins.
    The first step in creating a timeline sheet is to think through the details of your event. Sometimes it helps to think backward, working from the start of the game back to the start of the day. The following questions should be considered in this part of the planning process:

• What time does the game begin?
• Does the band perform a pregame show? If so, how soon before kickoff?
• How long does it take to get to the stadium from the band room?
• How long does it take to get the band out of the band room and into parade formation?
• Do you need to make time to feed the band prior to leaving the band room?
• Is there a rehearsal before the game? If so, what is that timeline?
• What time does the band need to arrive at school?

During this planning process, remember to buffer your times by adding 10-15 minutes, so that there is allowance for unanticipated delays. After this is done, you can continue by focusing on a further set of questions for the latter half of the day:
• How long does a typical game last?
• Is there a postgame performance by the band? If so, how long does that last?
• How long does it take to march the band from the stadium back to the school?
• Will there be a meeting upon returning to the band room or will there be an immediate dismissal?

There may be other factors to consider. Once these questions are resolved and planning is completed, the timeline should be translated into a specific hour-by-hour schedule. Here is an example of a typical Game Day Timeline for the UDMB:

UDMB Football Game Day
Timeline – 7:05 PM Kickoff
2:00 PM – Rehearsal on Football Practice Fields
4:00 PM – Dress for Game Day events
4:20 PM – Depart for Team Parade staging area
4:30 PM – Team Parade around Athletic Complex
4:45 PM – Dinner/Re-Dress
5:25 PM – Depart for Presidential Tailgate
5:40 PM – Concert at Presidential Tailgate
6:00 PM – Arrive at Townsend Hall/Begin Parking Lot Parade
6:15 PM – Concert in Gold Lot on far side closest to SW corner of stadium
6:25 PM – Stadium Parade through Concourse
6:35 PM – In Pre-game entrance positions in north endzone corners
6:51 PM – Pre-Game Show
6:59 PM – In Entrance Tunnel for Football Team
7:05 PM – Game

Events Prior to Halftime
Start of second quarter – Percussion departs stands
8 minutes left in second quarter – brass/ww depart stands
Small brass group remains to cover game, departs at 1 minute
4 minutes left in second quarter – band enters stadium, stages on sideline.
10:30 PM – Approximate end of game / Post Game Performance
11:00 PM – Dismissal to buses

The timelines for away games will need be slightly different, of course, to account for departure, travel, and arrival times.

The Game Day Structure
    The next step is to create a Game Day Structure for the band members. The Game Day Structure is a detailed breakdown of what happens and when and what the responsibilities are for each of the band members. This sheet is referenced and put into a rehearsal structure during band camp. It is also discussed at the last rehearsal prior to the first football game.
    This outline should include the music and the various ways each piece is performed for each game day scenario (e.g., for touchdowns, field goals, extra points, time outs, between plays, and so on). All of the traditional, expected events that occur during every game should be covered in this outline. The goal with the outline is to eliminate as much guesswork as possible.
    In addition to distributing a copy of the Game Day Structure to each band member, I also use a portion of an evening band camp rehearsal to practice every piece on the list. I talk through the list of pieces with the band, and the band then plays each selection as I call out specific game day situations. In addition, at the end of the last rehearsal before the first game, I schedule a time to review the Game Day Structure again. This is a time when questions can be asked and specific issues can be clarified.
    In creating the Game Day Structure, the following questions should be considered:

• Is there a pregame performance? If so, what is the order in which the music is performed?
• What does the band play when the team enters the field?
• What does the band play when the team scores a touchdown? A field goal? An extra point? A safety?
• What does the band play during time outs? Between quarter breaks? Prior to each kickoff?
• What does the band play at the conclusion of the game?
• Is there anything unique the band does during the course of the game that should also be included?

Here is an example of a typical Game Day Structure for the UDMB. It includes specific configurations of school songs and when each is performed:

UDMB Game Day Structure
Team Parade – Fight Song ABA, Percussion Cadence, Alternate
Presidential Concert – Delaware Forever ABA, Halftime Tune, Fight Song ABA
Concourse Parade – Fight Song AABA
Pregame – “D” Fanfare; Delaware Forever; National Anthem; Fight Song; Alma Mater; First Down
Team Entrance – Fight Song A only
First Down – First Down Cheer
Touchdown – Fight Song, measure 61 – end
Field Goal – Delaware Forever A only
Extra Point – Delaware Forever A only
Safety – Delaware Forever A only
Between plays – stand tunes, percussion beats, alternate
Halftime – game-specific selection
Third Quarter – Stadium Run by brass sections – First Down
Third-Fourth Quarter Break – Hey Baby
End of Game – Delaware Forever A only; Alma Mater w/team
Postgame Show – game-specific selection; In My Life (UDMB Band Song)

The Purposes of Planning
Although the main purpose of these timelines is to provide information to the band members, the process of creating these timelines will help band directors in thinking through each day, which may serve to eliminate surprises. Just as directors sometimes wrongly assume that students will know what to expect, directors also sometimes wrongly assume that they will remember what should happen in every situation. In reality, I have found, this is simply not true.
    I am now entering my twentieth year as director of the University of Delaware Marching Band, and each year I realize how much I am in need of these timelines. Often I find that I need them more than my students do. Being able to refer to these timelines in an instant allows me to provide quick and accurate information to my assistant directors, drum majors, and the band. Without these timelines in hand, there would be a much greater chance of my making the wrong decision and embarrassing the band, the team, the university as a whole, and, of course, myself. The most important point to keep in mind is that the more information you provide to the students, the more likely it is that everyone will have a successful experience.

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    Band directors frequently comment that it is difficult for them to know how to work with their marching percussion sections. Teaching a section without confident understanding can be intimidating. Here are some ideas of what to look for when working with the marching percussion.

Sound Quality
    Sound quality is the basic idea of how the drum should sound. Think of drumming as the art of manipulating the rebound of the stick to do what you want. Whether you are playing legatos, accent tap passages, roll passages, or variations of these, the stick should always be rebounding off of the head. This is accomplished by turning the wrists, letting the stick stay cradled in the hands, and not pinching the fulcrums.
    The ideal sound is bright and open, which is referred to as a long sound. The more relaxed students can play, the longer the sound is going to be. Long sounds make rhythms sound correct. It is impossible to play correct rhythms with a short sound. Short sounds will make rhythms weak and feel inaccurate. Students should always strive to play everything with a long sound by keeping the stick vibrating at all times and letting it rebound naturally off of the drum. This is more difficult to do, but it makes a big difference.

Before Rehearsal
    Be sure that the battery drums are tuned at the start of each rehearsal to get a consistent sound from player to player. If any heads need to be changed, this should be done prior to rehearsal as well. Low-quality heads and poor tuning can adversely affect progress.

Metronome Placement
    The metronome in rehearsal is important for any ensemble or musician. In marching bands it is used to establish one consistent beat for the ensemble. Never put the metronome on the front of the field and force students to listen forward. The tempo should always come from the back of the field to account for time delay as sound travels forward. Ideally, the metronome should be run from behind the marching band, near the center of the field. Some groups have begun to mount a speaker with the metronome on a marching percussion carrier and give it to a staff member who marches behind the drum line in rehearsals so that the tempo stays centered and consistent with them. Try to have the metronome just loud enough for only the drums to hear, so that the rest of the group gets used to listening to the percussion (or other listening center, such as tubas, if appropriate in the drill design).

Warmup Time
    One of my favorite quotes is “If you don’t have time to warm up, you don’t have time to be good.” I would recommend that 20-30 minutes be allotted at the start of a rehearsal for the percussion to have a playing warmup. Most directors probably want at least this much time to warm up the winds anyway. In a perfect world, the percussion will have a separate instructor or a strong section leader who can take charge of working the percussion section through the warmup sequence. If not, a sequence similar to this can also be constructed if reality dictates that the winds and percussion need to stay together for the daily warmup sequence.
    In this case, adapt the following exercises to be a rhythmic foundation for the exercises the winds play. It is important to keep in mind that full-band warmups should be written in a tempo and meter that will give the percussionists a proper warmup. Wind exercises are often at a slower tempo than what is needed to get percussionists’ hands moving at the correct speed. In such cases, alter the base rhythmic structure of the percussion exercises. For example, if eight on a hand seems too slow, use a triplet- or 16th-note-based variation on the exercise.
    In all cases, warmups should begin with stretching. It is important to stretch the muscles and get the blood flowing through the body before starting to play or march. Be sure to stretch the legs, back, arms, wrists, and shoulders.

Movement
    Technique is the foundation of a successful program, and for a marching percussion section technique work should include both hand and foot warmups. I recommend having students mark time as much as possible while playing during warmups. Another option is marching through a basics sequence while playing the exercises. After all, it is marching band. Watch the feet while listening to the line; many errors in playing are actually caused by timing problems in the feet as much as they are in the hands. It is also becoming more common for body movement to be involved in marching shows, and many groups are starting to incorporate movements from the show as a part of their playing warmup as well.
    If the drumline is standing in a warmup arc, it is best to use stands to help prevent back injury. I also have to emphasize having percussionists wear hearing protection while playing. Hearing cannot be fixed, and the amount of time considered safe exposure to marching percussion is mere seconds.

Getting Exercises Started
    For the battery, exercises will typically start with either a count off from a section lead played on the drum or a verbal counter, usually called a dut. Many groups use a combination of the two with the section leader giving the first four beats and then everyone dutting the second four for each exercise. Because there will not be a tap off during the show, the section should work on getting everyone to verbalize a consistent beat. Although they are necessary at times to be sure everyone enters together, duts can distract from the show and should not be audible to those in the stands.
    Usually the front ensemble should use a visual count off, with four counts from the section leader followed by four from the full section. The best motion used to count off is a nearly full stroke that does not strike the bars. This is done because often the members of the front ensemble have to watch each other for timing, with one player specifically designated to listen for the timing from front to back. This can prevent too many interpretations of the beat from the front ensemble.

Flow
    There are many ways to interpret the concept of flow, most of which are correct. The aim is to create a sense of phrasing and minimize mental and physical fatigue. Students should strive toward a balance between the stress of concentration and playing and keeping the muscles and mindset relaxed. This can be achieved by using a comfortable technique and by consciously breathing more while playing. Flow is an integral factor for any percussionist who can make it look easy.

Battery Exercises
Legatos
    Often legato work will be some form of an eight-on-a-hand exercise. Look for a continuous motion of the sticks, which should be moving straight up and down in an even, consistent motion. Check the grip and be sure that the hand position is even and consistent between the hands. Experiment with different dynamic levels to work on making sure the stroke is consistent at multiple dynamic levels. Listen for a consistent sound from all players. Alternate having individuals and the full line play so that you can hear the sound being produced by each player; this is worth doing with all of the exercises. Maintain even spacing between all notes in the sequence. Look for the stick continuing in an up and down motion and not stopping over the drum other than after the last stroke on each hand. Watch the hand that is not playing to be sure it stays low and over the head.

Accent/Tap Exercise
    This exercise can take the form of single-hand eighth-note accent and tap (non accent) patterns or can also be a grid pattern, which is taking any sort of rhythmic base and moving the accents from subdivision to subdivision. For example, a triplet grid would accent the down beat for each beat in a measure. The second measure would be an accent on la and the third measure an accent on li. The key is that there must be two different stick heights present in the approach to the drum. The accented note should not be played with any more force than the tap; the difference is the starting height of the stick. Make sure there is a clear visual distinction between the accented and non-accented note.
    Students should strive for evenness of sound between the hands, even with notes at different stick heights. Beware of a tighter or more forced stroke on the accented note; this will distort both the sound of the drum and the rhythm. Also watch for added tension in the hands on the accents. Students may have difficulty keeping the feet on the beat; the tendency is to want to adjust to fit with the accent patterns.

Double/Triple Beat Exercise
    This exercise is used to start developing the open, or double-stroke, roll technique. The goal is to work toward getting both notes of a double stroke to have an identical stick height and sound. Often there is a noticeable decrescendo from the first note to the second, but both notes should be the same volume. This takes adequate stick velocity to create the rebound. One way to demonstrate this is to have students press towards the head with the hand gripping the stick while the other hand pulls the stick back. When they release the second hand the stick should move with enough speed to create two notes from the stroke. Listen for evenness of sound between the first and second notes. Also be sure that the spacing between the notes is rhythmically even; the second note should not come too close to the first. Check students’ fingers; if they relax the grip too much, they can lose control over the stick.

Stick Control Exercise
    This is typically a 16th-note based exercise taken from the first few exercises in George Lawrence Stone’s book Stick Control. This exercise is designed to start developing evenness of stroke and sound while playing different sticking combinations. The goal is for every note to create the same sound from the drum. Listen for even-sounding 16th notes (no agogic accents) all the way through the exercise. Also be sure that the tempo stays consistent as students switch from one sticking pattern to the next. Look for a constant flow of the sticks and even heights for every note.

Paradiddles
    This exercise again will involve two stick heights with accents and taps. The goal here is to develop the coordination necessary to play these different sticking patterns, which are some of the most common in contemporary marching music. Most exercises will be some form of combination of paradiddles (rlrr, lrll) and paradiddlediddles (rlrrll, lrllrr), which are the two most commonly used patterns, although double paradiddles (rlrlrr, lrlrll) can also be used in the exercise.
    Listen for evenness of sound between the hands and the notes at the different stick heights. Make sure that the accented note is not played with a tighter or more forced stroke, because that will distort both the sound of the drum and the rhythm. Look for added tension in the hands on the accents. Make sure there is a clear visual distinction between accented and unaccented notes. Watch to be sure that the feet are staying on the beat and not trying to adjust to fit with the accent patterns.

Rolls
    Rolls in marching percussion are most commonly open (double strokes), although there are many instances where an orchestral (buzz) roll will be used as well. Both should be practiced in the roll warmup sequence. Listen for clearly articulated double strokes. These should sound most commonly like 16ths, 32nds, or sextuplets. A good roll will sound akin to a clearly articulated double-tonguing passage in the brass. Watch for decreased stick heights as the rolls get faster. Slightly more arm will often come into the stroke as the roll speed increases, but do not let students build tension in their hands.
    Orchestral buzz rolls can also be substituted for open rolls. Students should work on getting a full and even sound along with a consistent rhythmic base to the roll. When playing the show music the rhythmic base of a buzz must be defined for all players to ensure uniformity of timing. This base is necessary so students will attack and release the buzz at the same time.

Flams
    In the immortal words of Dennis Delucia, “Keep your grace notes down!” As with accents and taps, flams must have two different stick heights to be played correctly. Most students err by lifting the grace note while also lifting the main note. Keep the grace note much lower to the head for accurate spacing. The most common patterns used in marching percussion will be flam accents (rlr lrl with a flam on each first note) and flam taps (rr ll with a flam on each first note). Listen for the grace note being slightly before and much softer than the accented note. Be sure that the grace note does not come too early rhythmically, creating a dotted rhythm sound. In marching percussion the grace note is often played much closer to the main note than in concert percussion. Also be sure that both notes do not hit at the same time. Look for two different heights from the sticks. Watch to be sure that the grace note does not lift to a height too close to the main note.

Technical Aspects to Check
Snares
    Students should play in the center of the head. If the music designates a passage to be played at the edge or over the guts, be sure all players hit the same position for the most consistent sound possible.

Tenors
    Minimize arm motion as much as possible. Do not play in the center of the heads; the ideal striking area is closer to the edges nearest the performer. The basic motion from left to right on the drums should be fairly close to a straight line. Make sure that accents and taps are clearly delineated and not just a product of the changing pitches of the drums.

Basses
    Be sure everyone has a good sense of where the center of the head is. The mallets should be at roughly a 45-degree angle from the instructor’s viewpoint, with the head of the mallet in the center of the head. This will mean that the hands are closer to the bottom portion of the drum. Get a good rotation out away from the drum to produce a full sound. If playing halfway or at the edge for musical reasons, be sure all students know exactly where to strike.

The Front Ensemble
    If staff or a strong section leader is available, the front ensemble can either warm up by itself or as a full ensemble with the battery. In many cases the basic front ensemble exercises can be adapted to fit with the battery exercises. One advantage to having the front warm up with the battery is that it can be used to consistently work on listening back to the battery for timing. In very few instances should the front be watching and playing with the drum majors’ hands, so every opportunity to get them used to listening to the battery can be beneficial. I highly recommend the book Up Front by Jim Ancona and Jim Casella (Tapspace) for anyone whose band uses a front ensemble. This book contains a myriad of exercises, technical breakdowns, writing examples, and even care and maintenance tips for the front ensemble.

Front Ensemble Warmups
    The front will need a warmup sequence that gets the hands moving while also covering common keyboard patterns seen in the show music. You also want the front to work on playing in multiple key signatures. Front ensembles that use timpani should include a timpani part for all exercises. Good timpani exercises cover tuning (playing root notes and scalar patterns) and working to produce a good tone from the drums. Make sure that for both keyboards and timpani the stroke starts and stops from the same height, which is called a piston stroke. This is something to watch for on all exercises. Mallet players should avoid playing on the nodal points of the bars.

Octaves
    Most fronts will start with some form of exercise that works on moving up and down the keyboard in octaves using double stops. Often these are just basic scale patterns and can fit nicely over the first couple of warmups in the battery sequence. Listen for note accuracy, and make sure that the sound of each hand occurs at the same time and does not become a flam sound.

Green Scales
    These are patterns taken from George Hamilton Green’s Instruction Course for Xylophone and are very similar to the Kraus scales used by many other instruments. With these patterns students will work on moving up and down the keyboard in alternating hand scale patterns. Listen for note accuracy and make sure that the sound of each hand is even and balanced without accents as students move up and down the keyboard.

Spatial Exercises
    The aim of these exercises is to work on the hands being able to expand outward in opposite directions on the keyboard. This can be done both diatonically and chromatically. Many great exercises can be found in Gordon Stout’s Ideo-Kinetics Workbook. Listen for note accuracy and an even, balanced sound.

Arpeggios
    Students should work on moving up and down the keyboard in patterns. As with other exercises for mallets, the sound should be unaccented.

Block Chords
    Block chords are the foundation of four-mallet technique. This can be done using actual chord progressions as well as using intervals of fourths and fifths in each hand. As with two-mallet playing, watch to make sure that the students are using a good piston stroke. All four notes should be at the same volume and hit at the same time; there should not be a flam sound. Look for control over the mallets.

Permutations
    Permutations are the various stickings that percussionists use to maneuver around the keyboard with four mallets and are most simply defined as the order of the mallets hitting the bars. The mallets are typically numbered 1-4 from left to right in a player’s hands. Typical permutations are 1-2-3-4, 4-3-2-1, 1-2-4-3, 4-3-1-2. The most common form of exercise for permutations is to alternate eighth notes and sixteenth notes on each pattern. In addition to checking for evenness of all four notes, be sure that students are not compressing the rhythmic spacing between the notes of each hand. Also check for a good rotation of the forearm with each set of strokes.
    Marching percussionists often have an analytical side that drives them to define the things they do; such details are part of the gig. However, students should also avoid becoming constrained by definitions such as stick heights or stick angles. These concepts are merely reference points, and a good percussionist should remain flexible to adapt to the needs of the music and ensemble.

Sample exercises can be found at .

* * *

Stick Heights

    Stick heights will be dictated by musical expressions. Remember that the tension and force should not change with these different heights.

    pp – 1 inch
    p – 3 inches
    mp – 6 inches
    mf – 9 inches
    f – 12 inches
    ff – 15 inches

Common Marching Percussion Terms

Clean: The precise performance of music where all timbre, notes, rhythms, and dynamics are consistent throughout the entire section.
Dirty: A performance in which one or many areas of timbre, notes, rhythms, or dynamics are inconsistently performed by members of a section.
Playing to the Feet: Ensuring that the battery performers’ feet hit precisely in time with the tempo and then using that to establish the beat for the performers’ hands.
Rhythmic Integrity: Keeping the rhythmic performance of music accurate regardless of physical or musical demands.
Dynamic Integrity: Keeping the dynamic performance of music accurate regardless of rhythmic or physical demands.
Quality of Sound: Consistently producing a full and consistent sound from the instrument regardless of musical or physical demands.

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    Accomplished music students are sometimes frustrated in their first attempts to lead an ensemble. The same student who as a performer artistically navigates challenging repertoire may initially conduct in a seemingly illogical and unmusical fashion. These students may have proven the ability to think musically as performers, but a disconnect can arise during their initial conducting episodes as they struggle with movement and gesture. This is a common problem, and unfortunately there is not a fixed set of movements that will provide a solution. On the contrary, I have found that trying to impose identical movements on a group of young conductors may create stiff and inarticulate conducting. The development of effective conducting movement must to a degree be taken up on an individual basis.
    There are ways to help conductors move more effectively and in a manner that is free and natural. While specific suggestions for improving conducting mechanics are provided, the goal is to find natural conducting movements that will offer a way for students to convey the desired musical intent. Additional suggestions are provided to instruct or remind younger conductors of important aspects related to body movement and appearance before an ensemble. Reflection and self-evaluation are important in addressing these recommendations.

Two Ways to Start Improving
    There are two essential ways to start improving conducting mechanics. First, the conductor should endeavor to know the score. Effective conducting is impossible if the conductor does not know the score well enough to form strong musical opinions. If conductors have a clear image of how the music should sound, they will be more confident and as a result, feel freer to move in a manner that is unencumbered by tensions that accompany being unprepared. A full analysis of all aspects of the score will promote creativity and artistic purpose, benefiting the performers and improving the performance.
    Second, beginning conductors should seek out helpful criticism from accomplished conductors, especially those who have previously worked to help others improve. Such guidance is critical. Guidance from respected conductors often helps to identify inadequate gestures, which may feel good to the conductor but actually look awkward to performers or send a message that is contrary to the conductor’s intent. Feedback on the effectiveness of a conductor’s gestures may help to correct these problems and give focus and purpose to conducting practice sessions.

There Is No One Right Way
    Conductors come in many shapes and sizes, and all have unique profiles and gestures (some of which are worth remembering and some of which should just be forgotten). To require all student conductors to look the same while conducting would be difficult (if not impossible) and also very limiting. A single-minded, restrictive approach to conducting might seem to be advocated by some conducting texts, because these texts often contain images depicting how to stand, how to hold the baton, how to move through a pattern, and so forth. These models may give conducting students the wrong impression that there is only one correct way to accomplish a particular task. Similarly, some conducting instructors disregard individualized instruction and focus instead on teaching the same movements for all conductors, and this approach also may create the misconception that there is one correct method in conducting movement.
    A better approach is to focus on the individual and identify the best methods and movements for that person. This is the right approach because everyone is different; human limbs are of different lengths with varying levels of flexibility. Another good reason to find the right individual conducting style relates to kinematic redundancy, which is the concept that people can create the same movements while using a wide variety of different limb and muscle configurations.
    The goal for conducting students as they develop their movements should be to look natural and to reflect an informed interpretation as they conduct. The conducting movements that each student uses may have unique qualities, but it should always project the desired intent of the conductor. This does not mean that basic conducting is free from common components, including some default positions and movements, but even these should vary slightly among individuals.
    There is a common saying that people should “learn the basics like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” This holds true for conducting students. Novice conductors should first address the basics, of course, but it is also critically important that they learn how to move naturally and without too many restrictions. As progress is made, students will develop the ability to move from basic default positions and movements toward more artistic gestures, and students will learn to achieve the right movements and gestures based on the situation presented – including the difficulty of the music and the ability of the ensemble.
    One example of a default position is the basic ictus table, which is the lowest position where the beat falls in a basic pattern. Many conductors tend to keep their beat patterns too high. This tendency limits expressive possibilities because it restricts the range of motion and often brings the hands in conflict with the face. An excellent mime exercise, adapted by Stephen Pratt and Richard Blatti, is to have conducting students imagine they are polishing a table (their ictus table) with furniture polish and a cloth. As the students practice polishing the table, they are told to imagine the height of the table at the most comfortable level. The height that students select as the most comfortable is usually just above the beltline. From this point of reference, balanced beat patterns should be constructed slowly (and this can be practiced in front of a mirror). All changes in direction should be made at an even speed and with small curves made through flexible wrist motion.
    This type of introduction to default conducting heights and beat patterns will help to promote a smooth and relaxed general style. After default positions and movements become established, the student can move on to explore more aggressive styles, but the initial default positions should still continue to be frequently referenced. Promoting the default positions while still allowing for individuality of movement is an approach that can be applied to all aspects of conducting mechanics, starting with the stance and moving through the body.

Eliminating Tension
    Excessive tension is the greatest enemy of young conductors. To attempt artistic movement while the muscles are tense is difficult, and it is especially problematic because muscle tension leads to a restricted, often angular motion at the expense of expressiveness. Conducting requires the simultaneous use of both analytical and physical elements, and for many people this is inherently difficult and stressful. When this challenge is combined with the pressures of public performance, muscle constriction can easily take hold. Indeed, constriction of the muscles is often one of the first physical indicators of anxiety. An overly tight baton grip and a locked wrist are sure signs of excess tension. Unnecessary tension in the hands can also migrate into the arms and shoulders, which may lead to unbalanced and disjointed beat patterns, as well as uneven speeds between the beats.
    When this sort of tension arrives, it is a good idea to put the baton and music aside and work on ways to achieve more relaxed movements. Tai chi lessons, mime sessions, and Laban movement exercises are all excellent ways to direct attention away from the things that create stiff body movements and to create free pathways toward better visual communication. Once free and relaxed movements, whether intense or moderate, are established, the conductor can move back into conducting exercises and episodes while maintaining appropriate movement styles.

Mirror Practice
    Practice in front of a mirror is a great way to work on combatting tension and developing expressive gestures. Mirrors provide an immediate visual reference, which helps in detecting any signs of tension, awkwardness, or mixed intent. When working in front of a mirror, the goal should be to develop artistic gestures, and any necessary adjustments in conducting style may be quickly evaluated and practiced. Once work in front of the mirror has helped to eliminate stiff gestures, the process of applying basic conducting mechanics to musical episodes can begin.

Conducting Stance
    Photographs in conducting texts may imply there is only one correct way to stand, but this is not true. Conductors should approach the podium in a natural way, not like a baseball player digging in at the batter’s box. The key is to stay comfortable and light on the feet so the body can turn or adjust as needed and react quickly to the music and the requirements of the ensemble.
    Experienced conductors will continually shift their weight (forward, backward, and side-to-side), but they will only do so as needed. Conductors often spin on the balls of their feet. I would not advocate dancing on the podium – although I can think of a few who do (some of whom achieved fame) – but conductors who feel free to react will have a greater positive effect on the ensemble than those who are stiff and awkward.

Effective Motions and Gestures
    A conductor should strive to reflect the music from the soles of the feet to the top of the head. Looking like the music is something that most experienced conductors can do very well. The feet, legs, torso, arms, hands, and head should all work together to help propel the message to the performers. At the same time, it should be noted that looking like and responding to the music should not cause the conductor to move in ways that may distract from the performance. Many conductors are guilty of over-conducting, often out of desperation. Conductors should avoid repetitive and predictable motions as they become meaningless, and these also are the very gestures ensemble members love to mimic after rehearsals.
    One of the weakest conducting gestures is to bend at the waist and lunge toward the ensemble. This gesture is ineffective, and it also looks very bad from the audience’s perspective. To avoid bending at the waist, the conductor should use the knees. Knees should not be locked in position, but rather should be ready to flex as needed. If the conductor wishes to lower the entire torso, perhaps to focus on a particular group in the front rows of the ensemble, the torso should be held up with the knees bending slightly. This will keep the torso open and allow the conductor simply to change the height of the body. Tai chi exercises may be a useful way to develop fluid movement through the legs while keeping good balance and a chest and shoulders that can project with expressiveness.
    Conductors should strive to keep the torso tall and open, because this position provides an effective frame from which the conductor can initiate patterns and cues. When the conductor keeps the torso tall, the ensemble will play with more confidence and their attention will be drawn toward the conductor. Keeping the torso open also models the correct breathing posture and makes it easier for the conductor to lead the ensemble through the breathing cycle. Strong messages can be projected to the ensemble using just the torso. A slight retreat of the upper body implies a degree of vulnerability or delicacy, while pressing the torso forward will send an immediate message of growing intensity.
    Use of the joints while conducting should follow a progression. The tiniest, most delicate gestures begin with the fingers acting alone to move the baton. Then, as the music dictates, the joints are employed in order. The fingers, wrist, elbow, shoulder, and chest are each engaged in sequence. The shoulders and especially the chest should be used for the most dramatic and sweeping motions. The challenge for the conductor is to use these hinges of the body in a manner that does not overuse one joint while ignoring another. Conductors should practice by beginning with small movement exercises that promote flexibility – for example, conducting within the area of a postage stamp – and then students should progress to larger and more dramatic motions. As this is done, the conductor should make an effort to use all of the various joints in a uniform way.

Beating Time and Mirrored Movements
    Beating time is one of the least important responsibilities of a conductor. For advanced conductors, the size, shape, and beats should be in an ongoing state of change based on the demands of the music. In a section where the tempo is reasonably steady, the right hand may only beat strong beats or unison rhythms, while supplying expressive indications similar to what the left hand does. At times the right hand may relinquish the responsibility of beating time altogether, and at these points the conductor gives the performers the responsibility of moving between the beats. If emphasis is placed on developing natural, artistic movements while beating time, and if textbook diagrams of beat patterns are used just as references, then younger conductors may be able to experience artistic breakthroughs earlier than might otherwise happen.
    Young conductors frequently overuse mirrored movements with the left and right hands when they define the beat pattern, and this can be to the detriment of expressive conducting. Experienced conductors often will use both arms together as a way to project expressive intent, or they may use only the left hand to indicate expression in passages where representing the pulse is less important. Having the ability to emphasize either the left or right hand while communicating to the ensemble is a very important skill to develop. With freedom of motion the conductor will be able to stop beating time while simultaneously emphasizing an expressive gesture only to quickly shift and apply a flick with the right hand to provide impetus to a syncopated entrance. To develop this freedom and independence of motion, conductors should practice performing expressive left hand gestures with a metronome while beating time in one or while tapping the beat on the thigh with the baton. This practice will begin the process of developing independence between the hands.

Facial Expressions
    The face is the most expressive area of the body, and good conductors know how to use facial expressions for maximum effect. When humans communicate good news or bad, non-verbal indications from the face (as well as the rest of the body) always precede the words. Because conducting is all about preparation, it is important to study the effect that the face may have on performers.
    Young conductors often have the problem of sending mixed messages to the ensemble when they use facial expressions that are contradictory to the intended aesthetic in the music. Sometimes the default facial expression of a young conductor is one that conveys fear or is similar to a blank stare. A good exercise for working on facial expressions is to label the emotions in the score and then practice making the appropriate facial gestures. Again, this is another situation for which practicing a mime exercise can have a freeing influence on a young conductor. Framing the face with the hands can be effective, and it helps in funneling emotion from the face to the performer.

Final Tips for Good Movements
    There are a few last tips and important points that I would urge young conductors to remember:

•    Avoid temptation to overconduct.
•    Keep the focus toward the baton tip. Flying fingers at the handle of the baton will detract from the focus on the baton tip.
•    Do not wear constrictive clothing while conducting. Avoid any clothing that distracts.
•    Keep the wrist flexible because this will help to keep the focus toward the baton tip.
•    Do not bend at the waist.
•    Eliminate any repetitive or predictable motions.
•    Do not follow the baton with the head. If the baton moves down, keep the head up.
•    Eliminate any extra circular motions within the pattern. They do not contribute and are not as artful as you may think.
•    Never lunge forward with the body and baton.
•    Keeping time while offering little else for the ensemble is not conducting.
•    Employing stiff motions with locked joints is non-musical and sends the wrong message.
•    Displaying contrasting messages to the ensemble – such as a pained expression during a joyous section or a jerky legato pattern – is a common problem and one that must be avoided.

    For many years, music research literature reflected the view that conducting should be taught as an educational science. This approach led to the creation of checklists for conducting skills. It also had the effect of deemphasizing individuality in conducting instruction. As a result, students were often compelled toward conformity in conducting. This non-individualistic, conformist approach caused many of the problems often seen in inexperienced conductors.
    Recently, however, there has been a renewed emphasis on freedom of movement and individuality in conducting. These qualities, if taught along with all of the essential components of good conducting, will help young conductors as they seek to propel their ensembles forward in the best possible way.

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