Cultural Outreach
    Although we have eliminated band competitions I still believe that marching band is a good experience because it is a part of American culture. We continue to march in parades, but only in those that celebrate different cultures. When an adjudication stand is present I always send a note stating that we do not want to be evaluated. Instead, these events are now an opportunity to learn about other cultures.
    For example, in preparation for a local Korean parade students worked in groups of four to research topics on language, food, clothing, and music and created poster boards to share the information. We went to Korean barbecue restaurant for lunch and advanced students learned to play the South Korean National Anthem, while intermediate students lined the band on all sides and carried Korean flags. As the students marched, the crowd sang along with the band.

Kids Helping Kids
    My life changed when I started taking band students to teach music lessons in a homeless shelter in 2005. While it was obviously meaningful to the children at the shelter, I could also see personal and musical growth in my students as they became teachers. The program was highly successful and when we traveled to New York City in 2007 for our third Carnegie Hall concert, six homeless children joined us and performed in the concert. The North Park students not only completely taught the homeless children, but they also raised all of the funds needed for the tour.
    We now have a program in a local children’s hospital in which the students teach recorders to hospital patients who are receiving artificial limbs. We have programs in a homeless shelter and also in a facility for abused children in which the North Park students teach band instruments. The outreach students are frequently included in our parades and concerts.
    Everything in the Kids Helping Kids program is funded by the students, who voluntarily form bake sale teams. In 2011 they raised all the money for a young girl from Haiti, who had lost her left leg in the earthquake, to travel to California and join our band in a parade at Disneyland.

To a Better Society
    Marching band is a part of American culture, and band competitions are here to stay. Band competitions are clearly win-lose activities. A band wins at the expense of another and no matter how well a director may sugar-coat a loss, a win is a win, and a loss is a loss. This is expected in sports activities, but perhaps competitions are not the best purpose of music education, especially when directors become overly concerned with winning. Such directors invariably make performance decisions that they would not otherwise make, and those decisions are often painful to students who do not achieve as highly as others. I have frequently observed directors pulling under-performing kids out of their parade block at the competition line. This practice is humiliating to the student, and disappointing to their family, friends, and the audience, and the memory lasts a lifetime. It places the desire to win above the heart of the student.
    On the other hand a music outreach project is a 100 percent win-win activity. It celebrates the beauty of others while the inner beauty of each student radiates like a beacon of hope. By learning to use their musical talents for the good of others, students become instilled with a sense of purpose and unselfish love. I teach my students every day that we should strive to leave others better off than they were when we first met. Moment by moment, day by day. The trophies of the North Park Middle School Band are the students, their families, and the community.
    I believe that the future of music education in each community will depend not on which awards the program has collected, but on the community’s positive experience with the program. It is the inherent responsibility of every educator in the United States of America, from every discipline, from every subject, and at all levels from elementary to college, to stand up for and to instill the values and integrity that will build a more firm foundation of peace, freedom, and justice in our communities and in our nation.

The post Teaching to a Higher Purpose: Alternatives to Competition appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Pitch
    Perhaps the most obvious application of a keen sense of pitch discrimination is in tuning the timpani. Percussionists need to be able to imagine clearly the pitch they intend to tune the drum to. Before a performance, or between pieces, they generally have time to accomplish this. However, pitch changes in the middle of a piece require highly skilled and efficient ears. Timpani tuning gauges may be helpful for approximating the pitch change, but ultimately the students’ ears must determine accuracy.
    The first step students must master is precise pitch matching through singing. In lessons or sectionals the director should play a note and then have students sing it. Another option is for the director to sing notes for students to match. If students are shy or nervous, I encourage them to hum rather than sing at first, because often they are more comfortable doing that.
    If they are completely off key, it is best to work from where they are. Untrained students sometimes sing in their speaking voice, at the bottom of their range, so I will meet them at the pitch they gave and have them go up, like a siren, until they hit the pitch. If they don’t realize they have hit it at first, you can signal to them when they match the note. In my experience, that gap becomes smaller and smaller as they start out closer and closer to the right pitch. Eventually they get to the point where they can match pitch from the beginning. It isn’t enough to ask an off-pitch student to try again, you have to go to where they are and teach them physically through experience how it sounds to line up with the pitch.
    Repeated practice at an accurately tuned keyboard instrument or with an electronic tuning device is essential. Students can use an electronic tuner to check their singing against the pitch source. No matter how technically proficient a student becomes, the timpani will never be properly tuned if the ear is not trained to hear and match pitches.
    When timpanists are confident in pitch-matching abilities, they can practice interval and context pitch skills, two skills on which timpanists depend. Interval skill requires hearing and singing two or more notes at specified intervals, while context skill requires hearing and singing notes within a given key. For example, interval skill might be singing a perfect fourth below a given pitch, in order to establish that interval across two timpani to play an exercise or repertoire piece. An example of context skill is picking a note out of a chord and using that pitch to tune for a subsequent section of a piece. For example, if the band is playing a C major chord, the timpanist should be able to hear the E in that chord and retune the drums based on that. Ideally, students will learn to use these aspects of pitch skill in tandem, allowing one to reinforce the other.
    Although singing out loud is important for developing pitch discrimination and understanding, it also helps students build internal musical connections, and singing out loud is a great way for teachers to assess students’ inner hearing accuracy. Students who can match pitch easily should move on to silent singing, or producing pitches in the mind without making a sound. This step will strengthen students’ pitch abilities because all aspects are processed internally. In addition, students will need to sing silently when tuning the timpani during rehearsals and performances anyway.
    Silent singing is difficult to assess. This first step does not prove that students are doing it, but it is a good way of reminding them to do it. When students are working on pitch-matching exercises, have them leave some space between hearing the pitch and matching it. Instruct students to hear the pitch internally and then sing what they hear in their heads. Students who can successfully match pitch after waiting are much more likely to be remembering the pitch without singing, and you can assess that by whether they are on pitch when they sing.
    The best long-term process is to at first just plunk a note and have students sing it without thinking too much. When they can sing the correct pitch, introduce them to the idea of matching pitch without making a sound. This is more difficult for students, who usually want to sing the note as soon as they hear it. It is an unusual order in which to learn concepts; going from singing then hearing the note internally to hearing the note internally before singing is counterintuitive. Students need to be able to sing silently, because they cannot just start singing pitches out loud while the band is playing. Convincing them that they will really need this skill to play timpani will encourage them to do it.
    Percussionists can also use singing to develop melodic interpretation skills. On mallet keyboard instruments, students need to decide how to shape musical phrases. If students can sing what they hear in their minds, they can make musical decisions without the complication of instrumental technique. Ultimately, hearing, singing, and instrumental performance become one fluid process, but as students are learning to integrate musicality and technique, they sometimes must isolate each element of this sequence for practice.

Rhythm
    Mallet keyboard players mostly focus on pitches for phrasing, but artistic performance for percussionists also includes rhythmic phrasing. Students must be able to interpret rhythmic phrases in ways that contribute to overall ensemble expression. For example, if a snare drum part has eight eighth notes in a measure, and there are no dynamics or accents marked, chances are that a seasoned player is not going to play all eight notes exactly the same; there are very few instances where someone would do that. This is where inner hearing comes in. Students can figure out the best way to shape or accent those notes.  There is no pitch or melody, but based on what else is going on in the ensemble, students should be able to come up with some way of playing those eight notes musically. Students might decide the volume should rise and fall, or they might decide to add accents. They should not change the rhythm, but even without pitch it is possible to shape notes.
    Singing is a key approach to this. As they listen to the rest of the ensemble, they can silently experiment with ways that a given rhythmic phrase might complement the group effort. Once they have firmly established an aural image, via audible and silent singing, they can transfer that image more easily to playing. As students develop confidence in their singing abilities, they realize that they can manipulate nuance in a given phrase and create fresh interpretations.
    Percussion players must also manage rhythmic coordination of multiple parts. For example, in a drumset or multiple percussion piece, students sometimes play layered subdivisions or polyrhythms in various combinations of hands and feet. Layered subdivisions on a drumset might be the right hand playing eighths on the hi-hat while the bass drum is playing quarters and the snare is on beats two and four. There are multiple subdivisions going on simultaneously. Polyrhythms are similar but not necessarily multiples of each other; it could be five notes against three or a similarly odd ratio.
    This same skill is necessary even in many single percussion parts in large ensembles, where percussionists must coordinate the parts of the others internally while playing. Because percussion assignments in a large ensemble are often one player to a part, each player is responsible for making the section, and the overall ensemble, sound great. Instructors can check how well percussionists are listening to each other and grasping the big picture by having them sing or chant another part while playing their own.
    Just as wind and string players learn to play unmeasured or flexible vibrato, percussionists must be able to play unmeasured rolls to sustain notes. Whether a single-stroke, double, or buzz roll, percussionists must be able to create the sound of sustain without the distraction of precise subdivision in the rolled strokes. For example, a snare drummer may need to play seven, eight, or nine buzz strokes in a half note roll, while keeping track internally of two quarter note beats for duration accuracy. To develop this polyrhythmic ability, students can practice with a metronome providing quarter notes, while they supply varying numbers of buzz strokes within the half note duration. Eventually, they must feel the quarter note pulse internally, fusing the two parts.

Timbre
    Although rhythmic training is important for successful performance, overemphasis on rhythm can draw attention away from the quality of sound percussionists are producing. Instrumental teachers should experiment with percussion timbre possibilities, then coach their students through the techniques necessary to produce those sounds, and, most importantly, teach their students to discern, explore, and create percussive timbres themselves through their aural training.
    A single suspended cymbal, for example, holds vast potential for timbre variations, depending on, for example, stick or mallet choice, striking area on the cymbal, and type of stroke. Consider a metal triangle beater versus a snare drum stick versus a heavily wrapped yarn mallet. They are all going to make different sounds even if all other variables are the same. The size and material of the mallet make a big difference, so the triangle beater will be different in every way from the yarn mallet. There is a different attack, focal point of the sound, and decay, as well as an entirely different spectrum of overtones. Striking area differences can be on the bell versus on the rest of the cymbal, but there is also a big difference between close to the bell and out near the edge. It is also possible to play sideways on the cymbal, hitting only the narrow edge, which produces a different sound as well. Type of stroke refers to the force of the stroke, stick height, velocity, single, double, or buzz stroke. Even if type of beater and striking area remain the same, the type of stroke will also create marked differences in timbre.
    Percussionists need time and opportunities to explore how each of their instruments can be played to specific musical effect. Wise instructors would seek ways to make these opportunities available to percussionists while rehearsing other sections of the ensemble. As percussionists begin to discover and invent more ways of approaching their instruments, they build a wider timbre vocabulary in the inner ear, improving their interpretive decisions overall.

    Successful performance depends not only on technical prowess, but also on the quality of the musical ideas projected through that technique. Instructors should help percussion students develop aural skills for musical performance and then encourage them to sing to develop internal aural images of percussive sound. Coaching percussion students to develop accurate aural perception, clear aural imagery, and creative approaches to interpretation will benefit the entire ensemble.  

The post Ear Training for Percussionists appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Embouchure
    The oboe embouchure is slightly unnatural. The lips are fully curved over the teeth while forming a puckered cushion around the reed. It is typically described as a whistle or kiss in reverse. Pass out straws to each student and use them to practice embouchure formation. Have students place the tip of the straw on the lower-most part of the bottom lip, and roll it over the lips while inhaling. (The photo shows where beginners should place the straw or reed to practice embouchure formation.)

Breathing
    Breathing on the oboe is also quite unnatural. When playing other wind instruments, it is typically only necessary to inhale to begin a note. Because oboe players use high speed air through an extremely small aperture there is a great deal of back pressure, and the air still in the lungs will go stale before too long. Thus oboists must usually exhale before inhaling new fresh air. It is important for all students to mark on their music when they will exhale and inhale, only inhale, or only exhale. Sometimes it may be best for oboists to take less than a full breath.
    Hand out drinking straws for these exercises. Ask students to exhale all of the air they think they have in their lungs. Then have them blow through the straw with any remaining air left in the lungs. This will demonstrate to your students that if they have several measures with occasional rests, they can exhale their stale air and play a measure or two more with the remaining air left in their lungs before fully exhaling and inhaling.
    Have students inhale, blow air through the straw, exhale, and blow air through the straw. Students should reset their embouchure after each inhalation and each exhalation. This will assist students in understanding and practicing how they will have to breathe playing the oboe.

Reeds
    Beginners often have very weak mouth muscles, so lighter reeds are best for beginners and, as students progress, reeds with more resistance can be used for improved tone and increased muscle strength. Reeds are between 71-73mm depending on the shape and, regardless of their strength, should crow well.
    Crowing the reed shows whether it is vibrating properly. To crow a reed, put it in the mouth all the way up to the thread. There is no need to curve the lips over the teeth or make a cushioned embouchure. Have students blow a steady stream of air, and if the reed is properly vibrating, there should be three Cs. The highest C can be somewhat soft in volume. The second C is lower in pitch and has more depth, and the third C is lowest in pitch and often sounds like a multiphonic. Some soft and medium-soft store-bought reeds lack a low crow. If this is the case, the back of the reed should be thinned slightly.
    Peeping is making sound on the reed alone while forming the correct embouchure. Students should do this to develop muscle strength and flexibility. When peeping a reed it is best to play on the tip as much as possible to simulate the ideal embouchure while playing the oboe. Once a good embouchure is formed, have students raise and lower the pitch by slightly opening and closing the jaw. For students who struggle with the concept of moving the jaw, I ask them to think of the space between their teeth. Have students tongue lightly and randomly to experience the freedom of relaxed tonguing while maintaining correct support and embouchure formation. Some oboists call this exercise Morse Code. I use a mirror to show the students what their embouchure looks like. This puckered O is the ideal, mature embouchure although muscles take time to learn this position and it must be considered an ongoing goal.
    To have the higher notes speak one typically must put a good deal of reed in the mouth. Unisons can be extremely loud and forceful in the lower range, but in the upper range, the tone is far thinner than the flute. Playing with good pitch, especially in the extreme upper range, is difficult for beginners and intermediate students. Because the oboe has a conical bore, the lower notes are typically loud and unfocused, and the high notes are thin and weak. One of my teachers, Allan Vogel, assigned the following two exercises to aid in focusing tone and evening out the range.
    The first exercise will focus on the mid-low range. Have your student play Bb4 and maintain the long tone with a puckered, focused embouchure. When satisfied with the tone of that note, slur down to A4, and maintain that note until it is as focused as Bb4. Return to Bb4 long tone and then slur downward to Ab4, again maintaining the Ab until the tone is as focused as the previous notes. Continue this exercise down to Eb4 or lower for advanced students.
    This second exercise begins on C6. Slowly slur down chromatically to A5 (C-B-Bb-A) while maintaining a steady forte dynamic. Return to C6 and then play the same passage with a decrescendo. Repeat this pattern beginning on B5 (B-Bb-A-Ab) with the maintained forte level and then with a decrescendo. Continue this exercise down to F5 (F-E-Eb-D). This exercise will assist students in balancing out their range as they will begin each pattern on the highest and loudest note.

General Practice
I encourage all of my students to practice silently without the reed in addition to their actual practice on the instrument. This can include just saying the names of the notes while fingering them in correct rhythm and also just fingering their parts to aid in learning them without compounding the process with reeds and breathing. Specifically, I have my beginning and intermediate students follow four steps when receiving new music:
1. Say the rhythm of the music.
2. Say the notes in rhythm.
3. Say and finger the notes in rhythm.
4. Play the music on the instrument.

Specific Strategies
    Students should practice slowly and work toward being able to play passages five consecutive times correctly. If a student makes a mistake and does not reach the five consecutive correct times, he starts the count over again for five more correct times. Some teachers use pennies or bingo chips to help students keep track of how many times they have played the passage correctly. Gradually increase the tempo only when there are no mistakes at the current tempo.
    Use different rhythmic patterns. When a student struggles moving between two notes, I recommend practicing the problem notes in triplet patterns rather than in eighth note patterns. This way, the two notes will alternate being on the downbeat of the triplet and thus alternating the emphasis between the two.

    The strong fingers tend to be the pointer and middle fingers whereas the ring and pinky fingers are typically the weaker fingers. This strength discrepancy may cause problems. Sometimes a strong finger moves too quickly or a weak finger moves too slowly. Assist students in analyzing what may be causing the problem or lack of clarity – a strong finger moving too fast, a weak finger moving too slowly, or a combination of the two, as shown in this example, which requires moving many fingers simultaneously.

    In a difficult passage, students should find the last easy note, play the passage up to that point, and then stop and think about analyze what the problem is or may be. Weak and strong fingers, a half hole, the wrong octave key, lack of proper support, or any sort of tension can all be possible culprits.

Vibrato
    For vibrato, practice abdomen pulsations in eighths, triplets, and then sixteenth notes on one note. Students should raise the pitch with each pulse; lowering it on vibrato will give students a flat, saggy sound. I recommend avoiding vibrato with younger students until they have a strong and consistent knowledge of the fundamentals.   

Pitch Problems
    Pitch discrepancies often develop from an almost endless cycle of fatigue and tightness. When a student is tired, the embouchure may tighten. When playing with a tight embouchure, students will tire more frequently. If a student is playing sharp, check for too much reed in the mouth, a smile-like embouchure, or tightened shoulders and neck. Such students should take frequent breaks and make sure they play on a rotation of multiple reeds. If a student is playing flat, check for a cracked reed, a loose, poorly formed embouchure, minimal breath support, or also a leaky instrument.

Hand Position
    The oboe has awkward stretches between the middle and ring fingers on both hands. Nevertheless, effort and practice should be diligently maintained so that poor habits are not established. Some people play with straight ring fingers, but it is best for the fingers to be gently curved, close to the keys, and without tension. Wrists should be gently curved outward to avoid stiffness and tension. Both hands support the instrument, not just the right thumb. If students begin to develop hand or arm pain, they should use a neck strap.

Half Holes and Octave Keys
    The half-hole notes on the oboe are C#5, D5, and D#/Eb5. The back octave key is used after the half-hole notes up through and including Ab5; after that, the side octave key is used. Use the half hole key or the octave key, but not both at the same time. Although one will cancel the other out, this is poor technique. Also, the left thumb should remain either on the instrument or on the back octave key. Students should avoid holding the left thumb in the air.

The post Exercises for Oboists appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Shaking
    Students quickly understand the feel of a loose and easy vibrato when they work on a shaking motion without the violin. Create a shaker that has a similar width as the violin fingerboard. Economical shakers can be made out of baggies filled with paper clips or rice. Practice shaking the baggie while holding it in a violin-playing position. Practice shaking with different rhythms and patterns. Students should shake the baggie in the syllables and accents of their names or other fun phrases. Shake slowly to work on fluidity and flexibility and then shake quickly to isolate the impulse that initiates an exciting vibrato.

Polishing
    Give each student a tissue or a paper towel and have them polish the fingerboard with it while in playing position. Practice polishing with different fingers and combinations of fingers. Save the fourth finger for later stages of vibrato development.
    Practice fast glissandi up and down the fingerboard. By watching students play a glissando, you can identify the natural way their hands and arms move. Some students gravitate toward a hand (sometimes called a wrist) vibrato, while others demonstrate a natural arm vibrato. If the hand initiates the vibrato motion, it is a hand vibrato. If the left arm starts the motion, it is an arm vibrato. Many professional violinists use a vibrato that involves the hand and arm simultaneously. Encourage students to embrace and refine their natural motion to avoid tension and frustration.
    The polishing motion may cause  violin instability. Make sure students have shoulder rests or pads that allow them to hold the violin securely. Hold the scroll for students who struggle to stabilize the violin. Another option is to place a towel against the wall and have a student lean the scroll against it. While working on the polishing motion, make sure the left shoulder is relaxed and low. The left thumb should be loose and mobile.

Finger joint exercises

    Have students rest the left hand on a table, with the palm down and the fingertips touching the surface. Practice bending the fingertip joint in and out. The finger joint should not be forced, nor should the joint lock. Work on the fingertip joint flexibility with different speeds and rhythms. Make sure that the fingertip joint is able to move without the entire hand traveling with it. This is an exercise that students can practice just about anywhere and greatly affects how quickly and well they learn vibrato. The best vibratos come from those who have the most flexibility in the fingertip joint.

Knocking and tapping
    While holding the instrument in playing position, practice the up and down motions of vibrato without using the bow. Have students knock on the E-string peg with the index finger. Then have them tap the A string with the third finger, in third position or above. Start with four knocks followed by four taps. Gradually work toward one knock followed by one tap. At a fast pace, this should look quite a bit like a real violin vibrato.

Rocking
    When students are ready to try vibrato on the violin, start in third position where the left arm is not fully extended. Have them experiment with rocking a finger back and forth. Remind students about fingertip flexibility and move the hand for them until they get a feel for the back and forth motion.
    Start with the second and third fingers, which are usually the easiest to vibrate. Save the fourth finger for last. Place the metronome at q = 60 and try to complete one vibrato oscillation per click. Recent vibrato studies indicate that most professional violinists vibrate below and above the pitch. The goal is to reach the center of the pitch right on the beat. Increase oscillation speeds with the metronome, practicing two, three, and four oscillations per second. Five oscillations per second are considered ideal, although professional vibratos have been measured between four and seven oscillations per second.

Incorporating the New Motion
    After a vibrato motion has been created, experiment with it. Start by adding vibrato into pieces that students already know. Have them vibrate only the third fingers. Then vibrate only the second and third fingers. Isolating and separating the fingers in this way teaches awareness of when they are vibrating and when they are not. It will also teach students to control their vibrato. Work on vibrating on all of the down bows or all of the up bows. Since vibrato is easiest to initiate when playing big, accented bows, allow students to use a separate bow on every note. Add accents as needed. Record students playing an easy piece without vibrato and then with vibrato so they can hear the difference in their sound and expression.

Vibrato Problems
    Although some students will be able to vibrate easily after only a few months of shaking and polishing, others will feel tense or stuck. Playing with vibrato requires more finger weight than playing without, so students often slam down fingers or press too hard. Practice vibrating on natural harmonics or with a finger that hovers just above the string to get a feel for how lightly the left hand can play.
    For students who struggle to vibrate while holding the violin in playing position, work on the motion while holding the violin like a guitar. While they are vibrating guitar-style, gently hold their violin and move it around. See if they can continue the motion while the violin is moved from side to side or up and down. Gradually move the violin back into a traditional playing position.
    Students may become tired while working on vibrato. Practice playing one phrase with vibrato followed by one phrase without. Move their hands for them occasionally to encourage effortlessness. Have students release their hands from the fingerboard and practice waving to someone sitting behind them while they are holding the violin.

Fourth Finger
    The fourth finger is the most difficult to vibrate. Students may need to rebalance their hand or incorporate more arm motion into the vibrato. Some players find it helpful to place the third finger right next to the pinky to offer extra support. Encourage experimentation but make sure that the hand retains an organized playing position.

Speed and Continuity
    Vibrato speed can be developed by working on vibrato bursts. While holding a whole note, initiate an energetic vibrato on beats one and three. Let the vibrato release on beats two and four. To work on continuity, practice tapping the fingerboard while vibrating. Begin by holding a long vibrated note with the first finger. As the vibrato motion spins, try to tap another string with the second finger while maintaining the primary vibrato motion. Practice with every finger combination. This exercise will also help students who are struggling to vibrate on a double stop. When playing a double stop or chord, focus on the finger that has the strongest vibrato. Let the other fingers ride along with the more powerful finger.
    Encourage your students to use vibrato as much as possible but make sure that their playing position is healthy and that the left hand is relaxed. Save time every day to work on fingertip flexibility exercises. Have students watch videos of professional violinists and singers and air vibrato along with the professionals. Identify the different types of vibrato that professional musicians use: hand, arm, fast, slow, wide, or narrow. Although vibrato takes time to learn, and each violinist’s motion is slightly different, students will love the way they sound when they develop a natural easy motion.           

The post Developing Violin Vibrato appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Piccolo Players
I promise to play in tune on all of my high notes.

Flutists
I will use the tuning rod for more than poking my neighbor; I will actually use it to check the headjoint to make sure it is properly adjusted.

Double Reed Players
I will never blame the reed for anything.

Clarinetists
I will make sure that I rotate four reeds at all times and immediately replace any reeds that are worn, chipped, lost, or have been chewed up by my pet hamster.

Bass Clarinetists
I will learn to play above the break.

Saxophonists
I pledge to play at a dynamic level that allows the flutes and clarinets to be heard.

Trumpet Players
I pledge not to make fun of clarinet players.
I will not spend all of my practice time trying to hit high notes.

Hornists
I will use the correct hand position at all times.
On all sustained notes I will ask myself if I am on the correct harmonic instead of holding the wrong note for eight counts.
I will learn how to tie my valve strings.

Trombonists
May lightning strike me dead if I use my slide as a weapon.
I will learn how to play legato.

Euphonium Players
I will not complain about having boring parts.
I will buy an Arban book to keep myself busy.
If I am a trumpet switch, I will learn to play bass clef.

Tuba Players
I will check my slides every day to make sure they move and will grease them if they need it.
I will not set my instrument down on the bell.

Sousaphone Players
I will make sure my bell is facing the correct direction.

Percussionists
I will begin practicing something other than drumset.
When I do practice drumset, I will learn at least six other beats than the one I currently play.
I will learn to tune the timpani.
I will put the covers back on the timpani whenever I am done, every time.
I will not be intimidated by keyboard percussion.

Guitar Players
I will learn how to read music and throw away those nasty tabs.

Principals
I will not interrupt any band rehearsals with assemblies.

For All Band Members
I will sell $100 worth of items in every fundraiser.
I will practice my scales.
I will give all band correspondence to my parents.
I will be on time.
I will number the measures on all of my music without being asked.
I will laugh heartily at all of the band director’s jokes with no trace of insincerity.

    Upon reflection, I guess it would be fair to have at least one resolution for directors.

Band Directors
I solemnly swear to enjoy band as everyone else fulfills their resolutions.

The post New Year’s Resolutions For Others appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    In discussing the state of jazz in the 21st Century, I have often referred to that famous line from Charles Dickens’ classic A Tale of Two Cities “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….” The rest of the quote is ironically applicable to this article as well, but let’s just focus on the opening 12 words.

The Best of Times
    There has never been a more glorious time in history as far as access to information. One needs only go to YouTube online and search for any type of music and any artist living or dead, and there they are. The student of jazz today can watch Clifford Brown performing Oh Lady Be Good from the Soupy Sales TV Show of the 1950s (Soupy’s On), or John Coltrane playing Impressions on Ralph Gleason’s Jazz Casual. The Coltrane video is crystal clear. You can see the fingerings Trane used, the piano voicings of McCoy Tyner, sticking technique from Elvin Jones, and a masterful solo by Reggie Workman.
    Then you can jump to the present and find out about the latest-and-greatest of the new generation (I recommend Marshall Gilkes with the WDR Big Band playing his composition Downtime. Which begs the question, Why aren’t there more groups like the WDR in the U.S.?). We, the denizens of the internet age, have no excuse for being uninformed or uninspired. There is no reason why all students of jazz should not be as well-versed in the language as the most knowledge-drenched scholar in the hippest halls of ivy. What a grand time to be alive!
    I believe that it is also the best of times due to the ever-expanding scope and high quality of jazz pedagogy. Virtually every program of higher learning now has at least some component of jazz in its curriculum. Many institutions are now made up of some of the most talented and successful practitioners of this music on the planet. The result is that there are more well-taught and super-talented young jazz musicians in the world today than in any other era, including all the years that jazz was the popular music of the land.
    There is still another reason for cheering for the marvelous time in which we live. Recording technology along with notation software has become both affordable and easy to use. Anyone can now make a professional-level recording in the garage, basement, man-cave, or shed of choice.
    All of the above makes for a glorious gumbo of fertile activity for jazz, the likes of which has never been seen before. So what’s the problem?

The Worst of Times
    The music industry itself is in a stupor as it tries to figure out just how to deliver a product and actually make money. The same technology that makes all of this great music one mouse click away also keeps the industry from raking in the profits of the past. Forget about sending any of that money down the chain to the artists themselves.
    There is a poignant meme on Facebook that makes the following frightening point: today’s consumer is more than happy to pay $5.00 for a large cup of coffee, but will not spend $.99 on a piece of music if you bring them kicking and screaming to iTunes and click the mouse for them. Consumers are so conditioned to getting music free of charge, be it a club owner taking advantage of a student jazz group or the average consumer on the internet listening to a live stream, that they simply won’t buy digital. This bodes ill for any type of hard copy such as the CD (and alas, vinyl is not really making the comeback we all hoped for).
    Record labels are calling it quits left and right. The majors have no clue what to do, and the independents are going into digital lockdown and accepting no new artists. Gone are the days when labels would fund projects, and the era is fast drawing to a close when arts organizations support individuals. The music business is quickly becoming an artificial self-creating entity where vote-in television shows replace individual taste while masses of uneducated consumers with incredibly short attention spans await the next market-approved artist. At the very low end of this schematic, in the land of a-fraction-of-a-fraction, art exists. Sidelined by the entire industry and defunded, jazz has become the quark of the great tree of commerce that is the ever-changing music industry.
    In writing this, I am tempted to lose all hope for our music’s future. I have concluded however, I have concluded that there is not only hope, but a wonderful opportunity to turn all of this around and to spread the joy of art to one and all. The key is passionate jazz advocacy.

Jazz Advocacy
    After almost every single concert by the One O’Clock Lab Band, I am approached by someone who says: “Wow! I really loved the show. I have never heard jazz before and had no idea that I even liked jazz. I am now such a huge fan.” What does this mean? I believe that there is a large portion of our society that is starving for great art and does not even know it. As cool as modern technology is, there is simply no substitute for live music. When people hear a well-prepared, high-level concert where the audience is respected and involved, they are blown away. Isn’t that how we all started? For me, it was seeing the jazz band from the University of Southern Mississippi directed by Raoul Jerome live for the first time. It was like a lightning bolt went right through me. It wasn’t just jazz; I felt it the first time I heard Edgar Winter live, the first time I heard a symphony orchestra live, and the first time I heard a professional concert band live. In today’s television and smartphone, tablet, laptop, large-screen HD environment, the consumer only gets one flavor. Garbage in, garbage out. How can we blame people for not wanting our music? They have never heard it.
    The first step is to get the music to the people where they live. Live performance is best, but the next best place is the aforementioned YouTube itself. A great example of just how powerful this venue can be is via my pal Bret Primack, the Jazz Video Guy. Bret’s YouTube advocacy is state of the art. Take a minute to search for Jazz Video Guy. His videos are powerful. You are now equipped with hours of jazz advocacy video for your classes, lunch hour in your band room, pre-show milling-about time. There are so many places where footage such as Bret’s will make a difference. It only takes one time to light the fire for someone who may go on to become a voice in our art. We, as educators, can make that happen. Film your best concerts; but make sure your guest artist will agree to take part. Stream it live on the internet as well. The key to all of this is making sure that your audio feed is good. Using modern technology, that is easily doable.
    Also, if you haven’t already joined, become a member of JEN (The Jazz Education Network). This fast-growing group of like-minded heroes represents the best thinkers and doers in the jazz world today. It always helps to surround yourself with positive people who are all making a difference.
    You can also finance your own smartphone app. With the One O’Clock app, I use the online template provided by . You can charge for the app, or make it a free download (as we do). As of this writing, we have over 6,000 users who have downloaded this wonderful portal featuring our music, videos, photos, and calendar.
    It’s this kind of advocacy that will reach the new market for jazz: online, on their smartphones, and live at their schools. It is simply a matter of doing what we all do best: making great music, and then
taking it one step further. The old mechanisms for communication are gone; it only gets done if we do it. In this regard, I subscribe to the great modern philosopher Yoda who says: “Do or do not. There is no try.” So, get out there and do it.
    If you are worried about all these great young artists that we are turning out who don’t fit the contemporary mold of being employable (i.e. “There are no gigs out there.”), I suggest that you read a copy of David Liebman’s treatise Jazz Education in The Century of Change: Beyond the Music. This wonderful piece is right up there with Daniel Pink’s work on the Conceptual Age and should be required reading for everyone who wants to make a difference. I have made both examples available on the One O’Clock website at . Click on the Instrumentalist icon.

The Future
    In the final analysis, I believe society is ripe for a new renaissance. What was old will be new, and those who were lost will be found. It is up to all of us in the jazz community to get the word out about this most creative and vital of art forms. Bring the music to where the young people live and light the fire. It is not enough to gripe about it or grumble, “things aren’t like they used to be”. Of course they aren’t. As long as we change along with the wave that is sweeping the world while keeping our message pure, everyone will benefit. As Dexter Gordon always said, “keep swingin’.”  

The post Jazz Advocacy in the 21st Century, Spreading the Good Word to a New Audience appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Consider the Tempo
    Regardless of the march, there are several factors to consider in the selection and performance of a march. First and foremost, consider the tempo. The tempo relates to the style of march. A slow funeral march (below q = 88) will be played differently from a military march on the quick step (q = 120), or a circus march (q = 144). The ability of the ensemble may also affect what tempo can be played successfully given the available rehearsal time.
    The acoustics of the performance venue also play a role in determining tempo. Outdoor acoustics tend to wash out faster technical passages from the upper woodwinds and can lack clarity, while dryer indoor venues make it harder to hear each other, potentially causing issues with time. Therefore, test the tempo you choose, and do not be afraid to add or subtract from the tempo based on these factors. Traditionally, military marches do not change tempo, and while performance practice might indicate otherwise, there are few marches that historically stray far from the tempo indicated throughout the performance. However, a slight variance of tempo might add interest and spark to a march’s appeal.

The Importance of Pulse
    When playing a march, the performers should take responsibility for maintaining pulse. Too often conductors enforce steady time from the podium, but in a march the conductor should merely monitor the situation without getting in the way. Students often believe that the percussion section controls the tempo; in fact, each player must acknowledge this responsibility and listen closely. Bass lines with the bass drum and horns with the snare drum create an important foundation that should line up rhythmically. Throughout rehearsal, let these parts listen to each other and work together without the melody. Try sizzling sections of the march, by lightly hissing air through the tongue and teeth, especially rhythmic passages in the introduction or first strain. Conductors can easily speak over the group without shouting, they can monitor and comment on dynamics and articulations, and the clarity of the rhythms is quite distinct with this technique. Musicians will develop a firm rhythmic foundation that gives the responsibility to the players, not the conductor.

Percussion
    The percussion section should provide an unwavering, steady pulse. The stick used on the snare drum should produce a clean, crisp sound. The quality of the head and the bead on the stick will affect the sound. A deeper field snare can work nicely, but should be tuned quite a bit lower than when on the marching band field. Make the snare player aware of his role in the march. At times, the snare is a part of the horns and tubas following the pulse in after-beats or downbeats. Within the same march, the snare might also have melody with the flutes, oboes, clarinets, or cornets. This awareness by the percussion section will give the player information to make good decisions about balance when the environment changes such as from a concert hall to the festival stage. Encourage players to keep most of their rolls closed during the march, except on the final strain. Sometimes opening the stroke up when the band reaches the climax of the march drives provides more drive than a closed stroke roll.
    Carefully choose the bass drum beater and the method used to dampen the head. Too much dampening or striking too close to the edge, will produce a dead sound that does not support the bass line. Too little dampening leads to a ringing that washes over the fundamental sound of the bass line and affects the clarity of the parts. Again, be certain the player understands the role of the bass drum in the march sound. Many marches include emphasis on a special chord or moment, and the bass drum highlights this with a larger, bigger sound on one beat or note.
    The choice of cymbal and the manner in which it is played are both essential. A smaller and thicker plate will eliminate extra ringing that covers the clarity of rhythm. The player should remove the marching band pads and grasp the cymbal straps rather than lace the hands through the straps. In addition, marches rarely require a hi-hat effect in which the cymbals close rhythmically on the pulse, but instead requires a more difficult technique of bringing the cymbals against the body to dampen the sound. A special highlight or chord might require extra emphasis or even, as Frederick Fennell frequently suggested, another player on a larger pair of cymbals.

Melodic and Harmonic Direction
    There are many ways to add interest to the performance beginning with the introduction. Most introductions include two to three different types of articulations. Identify the differences in the beginning, middle, and end of notes required for marcato, staccato, and accented notes in the march style. Consider the use of chanting the sound of the articulation to reinforce the style required using jazz sounds such as dah, dit or daht. Ask the players not to allow the notes to touch each other. This includes the bass drum, timpani, cymbals, bells, chimes, and any other percussion instruments that must be aggressively dampened on the tutti release of sound. Listen to the difference players can make when focusing on the distinctive articulations of staccato, accent, or marcato. The percussion section can provide important clues for wind instrument articulations. Use the variety of sounds from the section as a model for the other players, especially the light sound of the triangle or tambourine.
    Always play three or more notes of the same pitch with the same rhythm with a small crescendo toward the longer note. Start the first note softer than the printed dynamic and lean into the repeating notes. This will help the players clarify the rhythm of the faster notes and add shape to the musical line. If the rhythm repeats, such as four sixteenths and quarter two or more times, crescendo each one and make the second crescendo bigger than the first.
    Further, consider the harmonic direction established by the composer in the introduction. A quick harmonic analysis of the score will identify the color chords found in the march, and the harmonic direction of the introduction and other strains which, in turn, will reveal the goal of each musical phrase. In rehearsals Harry Begian used to take an entire march at an extremely slow tempo, as slow as a Bach chorale, to show how the melody and harmonic foundation work together. Just a few minutes spent slowing things down will illustrate how the introduction prepares the first strain. Pay particular attention to the last note of the introduction; it may serve as the end of the introduction or as a pick-up to the next strain.
    It has been said that if a performer plays what is on the page, it will be wrong, and marches are no exception. During the first strain, provide the tension and release that the melody implies through crescendo and decrescendo. Pay particular attention to the articulation marks provided, especially with new editions. The length of note that makes staccato different from marcato or an accent should be clearly defined. First strains in marches by Karl King and Henry Fillmore (along with his various pseudonyms) often contain an interesting counter-line in the low brass. Remove the counter-line on the first time through or back the players down dynamically, bring that voice to the fore the second time, and create a more dramatic contrast between the repeats of the first strain.

Enhance the Dynamics
    Instead of just playing the dynamics printed in these first strains, which typically do not change between repeated sections, seek any excuse to play softer by emphasizing the dynamic changes by one level. Consider identifying shades of piano, mezzo forte, and forte that give room to shape the phrase to musically enhance the natural rise and fall of the melody. Set up the next strain or what follows the current repeated section by playing the strain softer than printed. If the present first strain is followed by a softer second strain, play the first one a shade stronger to emphasize the contrast with the upcoming section.

Identify Shape and the Character of the Strain
    The second strain typically provides melodic contrast to the first, yet it is often played with the same dynamics and character as the first. Again in this strain, identifying the shape to the melodic line is important, as well as the character of the ideas. Often, two musical characters are at work in contrast between the first four measures (antecedent) and the second four measures (consequent). Have students select adjectives that describe the nature of these two smaller phrases such as sassy, with a swing, bold, or timid.
    Emphasize the dynamics and pull out the shape of the line to give the two characters contrast and provide more interest. It is a subtle distinction between these smaller parts of the larger strain, but the character contrast adds musical variety and spice to the second strain. Again, instead of just playing printed dynamics, enhance the dynamics, look for any excuse to play softer by emphasizing the dynamic change one level, and consider making any crescendos bigger the second time by starting it softer than the printed dynamic. Louis Armstrong reportedly said that one should never play anything the same way twice, and marches are no exception.

The Lyric Trio
    The trio of the march frequently needs the most attention, as the melody of this section is often the most lyric. In addition, by this time in most marches, the full band has needlessly played almost every measure. This is a perfect opportunity to change up the tutti sound of the ensemble by varying the orchestration. The melody might have a better flow in the chalumeau register of the clarinets, and dropping these parts down an octave often emphasizes the lyric quality of the line. Sometimes, it might be appropriate to take the percussion section out completely, remove sections of the brass, or limit the number of players to create a chamber music effect to the ensemble. Phrase shape is crucial here, and slowing down the trio in rehearsal will help the players identify their roles. Pay close attention to the horn parts, especially in older editions, as often the third and fourth parts may be the only ones to have certain chord members, and their absence will change the harmonic intentions of the composer. Rewrite any missing parts to be certain that all notes of the chord are present. Always search for more reasons to play softer, especially if the melody is repeated by playing the first phrase soft and the repeat even softer. Emphasize the end of the trio taking the sound back to nothing and cushioning the final note of the cadence. Rehearse this section and these notes as if they are to be the final notes of the entire piece. This cushion sets up the next strain, often the break-up strain that starts at forte, by juxtaposing the softest section of the march with one of the louder sections.

The Break-up Strain and Final Strain
    The rhythmic precision of the break-up strain is particularly important, as players tend to rush ahead as they play louder during this section. Again, seek contrast by enhancing the dynamics; take the softer sections back a notch, making the louder music seem louder and the softer section seem softer. Try to start crescendos softer than printed to allow more room to grow louder and emphasize the space between the notes, especially half and whole notes. Watch for that one special chord often marked with a szforzando and accidentals that seems to set up the final measures. Pull this chord out and slowly play the surrounding notes so that players can identify the harmonic direction of these sounds. Allow the percussion a sforzando accent on this chord with the cymbals ringing freely and the bass drum playing a bigger note. Save the strongest dynamics for the last time through the final strain. Follow through any accented notes with a full sound, letting the note ring for its full value.

The Stinger
    Finally, do not forget the stinger or the final note. Historically, it is a heel click at the end of a long march. Some delay the note while others play it right in time; regardless, its finality depends on playing it to full value, bloating the note, in tune, and balanced from the bottom up. Sometimes the marcato marking might imply to shorten up its value, but it must be played adequately to end the march decisively.

Sousa Marches
    Sousa’s name makes an impression on our audiences. Students and audiences learn that the Sousa band was the iPod of the turn of the 20th century, playing Wagner, Verdi, and even ragtime before most orchestras, and brought this music to people who had no other chance to hear classical music other than performed by the band. Audiences know the Sousa name but may not realize that the most traveled musicians anywhere in the world were members of the Sousa band, logging over a million miles long before cars, buses, or airplanes.
    Consider which edition will be used. Often, the Church Publications represent the march in its entirety as intended for outdoor moving performances. Tutti playing across the band, few rests for the players, and constant battery percussion were requirements of music on the move, so these additions are most often used only for today’s marching bands. Typically, this type of edition is not clear regarding cymbal and bass drum parts, and the conductor needs to make sure that the performers realize both parts frequently share the same part and often-identical notes and rhythm.
    Frederick Fennell provided his own editions to many marches, sometimes including his edits for articulation and including his thoughts about doubling the snare drum with a field drum, using double pairs of cymbals, and a new and fabricated timpani part. The additional field drum tends to add substance to the percussion parts and strengthen the rhythmic elements of the march. Fennell often states that he has changed very little of the march but has simply clarified some discrepancies and provided a full-sized set of parts and score rather than the smaller size edition from Church. Other editions, such as the recent contributions by Loras Schissel, attempt to reconstruct and maintain an historical accuracy by including lengthy essays on the context and performance practices of Sousa. Of course, there are also other editions that modify marches for younger bands. The ultimate decision relies on the conductor, and, regardless of the selection, many of the same comments can be used here to make the Sousa march sparkle.

Circus Marches
    The style of the circus or screamer march can be summarized in one word: tempo. Consider the acoustics of the performance space and how this will affect clarity of the rapidly moving parts. Circus marches can be a wonderful way to feature the woodwinds, low brass, or the trumpets. A faster tempo makes wind players work harder and often forces the articulation. Encourage players to think one dynamic level softer than printed, lighten the articulation, and stay on top of the pulse. Ask the players to think in groups of notes, harmonic groups, or phrase groups. When the after-beat or down-beat players dig in and focus too hard on the pulse, this tends to drag the tempo. As the conductor, emphasize the big pulse and avoid micromanaging the band. Instead, allow your conducting to float above the pulse, stay light, and encourage the players to do the same.
    Unlike the Sousa marches, do not double the snare. instead, ask the performer to crush all the rolls with an accent on the after beat rather than open stroke. The entire percussion section should maintain the same light sound as required by the wind players to keep the tempo moving. This style of march frequently gives the percussion section a chance for new effects such as wood blocks, slap sticks, police whistles, and sirens. Finding an authentic sound is worth the expense.

Processional Marches
    Processional style marches often come from British composers. While tempo might be the primary consideration for the circus march, the holding back of all forces and keeping all of the parts from pushing ahead on the tempo is crucial to this type of march. Phrasing is especially important because the slow tempo now exposes the melody for the listener. Again, enhance the dynamics by identifying the biggest moment of the march and contrast it with the softest section. Find reasons to play softer and show players how you will treat the dynamics of each phrase. Take care in the trio to identify the counter line and give it as much attention as the melody. Encourage the students to imagine the British or a blushing bride ­­- dignified, proper, not in any hurry, and wanting to take all day to reach the end of the aisle.

Marches in 6/8
    Marches in 6/8 have a unique style and include such classics such as Sousa’s Liberty Bell, King Cotton, and El Capitain or Them Basses by Getty Huffine. When working on the style of the rhythm to these marches, focus first on the eighth notes that follow quarters. Make the eighth note a part of the next note, not a connection to the previous; it should feel like a pick-up note. Frequently, students tend to compress the rhythm, in particular the two sixteenth notes preceding an eighth note, and players turn this into a duple feeling. Six-eight time has a particular swing to it, producing a dancing quality based on forward motion. Lean or progress one note to the next note when playing consecutive eighth notes. Have students chant this together with a natural growth to the sound of the voice, and create a natural tumble or natural forward motion to the eighths. Again, sizzling is quite beneficial, not only because the conductor can instruct while the players are actually performing the rhythm, but also the players can hear if the notes are moving together. Two other common errors in this type of march include the dotted eighth leaning toward duple and not having a solid feel of three, and the snare drum performing rolls in duple and not in three.
    While not all marches follow a classic formula, many of these ideas can be applied to almost any march to create intrigue and enjoyment for players and audiences alike. Seek out marches from other countries or infrequently performed American marches to add spice to your program. Use them as openers, encores, or features to maintain the flow of a concert. These ideas are simply a beginning to the endless opportunities that marches can provide for a more musical performance.   

References
The Music of Henry Fillmore and Will Huff by Paul E. Bierly (Integrity Press).
The Works of John Philip Sousa by Paul E. Bierly (Integrity Press).
Teaching Music through Performing Marches by Carl Chevallard, edited by Richard Miles (GIA Publications).
“Authentic Rehearsal Techniques” from Sounds of John Philip Sousa by Frank Simon (American School Band Directors Association).
March Music Notes by Norman E. Smith (Program Notes Press).

The post Making the Most of Marches appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Westlake High School
Studio Jazz Ensemble I
Westlake Village, California
Brian Peter

    When deciding to apply for this year’s Midwest Clinic, Brian Peter remembered the inspiration from past conventions. “I have attended since 2003 and it has been a major influence on my teaching. I get back home with two weeks left of vacation and am chomping at the bit to get back into class to try out new ideas. This is the third time I have applied with the jazz band. Just  rehearsing and recording the group for the Midwest application is an important educational tool. It forces students listen to themselves and be critical of themselves.”
    The program at Westlake High School has three big bands and a jazz combo program. Because of the school’s location in Southern California, Peter has had an easier time than many at recruiting outstanding guest artists and composers for the Midwest. He even counts noted jazz composer and bandleader Gordon Goodwin as one of his band parents. “His wife is our booster president. We asked him to write a piece specifically for well-known flutist Jim Walker, who teaches at USC and has played on just about every movie soundtrack you can imagine.” Walker will perform with the group in Chicago.
    He is also excited about a piece composed for the band by New York composer Mike Kamus. “He has been writing great grade 3 music; we just love his stuff. I told him that more people need to know about his music, and he wrote us a great swing tune. For all the commissions I asked for grade 3 music. I didn’t want grade 5 and 6. I really wanted these great composers to write for advanced middle school and for average high school groups. Composers like Gordon Goodwin do not write for grade 3 very often, but when they do, it is phenomenal. I have always loved hearing great music at every level at Midwest, and I wanted to continue that tradition.”
    Peter says that he and his students spend considerable time talking about how to tell a story through improvisation. “Listen to some of the old Miles Davis tracks. The melodies are so simple but are still studied today. If you looked at the solo on a piece of paper it would not look difficult at first glance. Sometimes students will play a solo and the rest of the band will react. We talk about what they did to get that response and how to recreate that emotion in the future.”
    Peter notes that one challenge this fall has been making sure student interest in the music does not flag. “Normally, we read about 150 tunes a year, and will perform 50 or more tunes a year. We constantly work on new music. Because we are spending more time than usual on 10 tunes, I have to make sure students don’t get bored. We read so much because that is the real world. We do that in the concert groups and with the young bands. I want to teach students to have a good idea how to play a piece before they even play a note. We throw as much as we can out there. At some point soon, I am going to take a couple of days and put our Midwest music aside to sightread 15-20 tunes.”

New Trier High School
Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Winnetka, Illinois
Matthew Temple

    Although groups from New Trier have made many trips to the Midwest in the past, director Matthew Temple is thrilled to take a group to the clinic for the first time. He is particularly looking forward to showcasing some up-and-coming talent in the music world. “At Midwest you can take one of two approaches: you either go with old standbys that everyone knows or you can introduce something new and fresh. That is the direction we went.”
    One highlight will be a performance by the Chicago-based Axiom Brass quintet. Temple describes the group as “part of the new, hip generation that un-derstands the importance of tecnology in promoting their music. They have produced incredible results in competitions.”
   Temple is also excited to play a commission by Michael Markowski called Dreamland. Temple marvels that Markowski is only in his mid-20s but has a fresh, original voice. “He originally went to college as a film studies major and then when he graduated he was successful with some side composition projects. It became his true calling.”
    As with all Midwest performers, this advanced high school wind ensemble will also perform some easier works. In selecting easier works, Temple told students to imagine they were back in fifth grade with the initial excitement of playing an unfamiliar instrument. “I wanted them to tap those early memories of playing and decide whether the piece would get them excited about playing. We found several easy pieces that younger students would really like that are also good music.”
   One of Temple’s favorite Midwest memories was hearing Francis McBeth on a panel discussion. Temple commented that sometimes famous people can be less impressive in person, but McBeth did not disappoint. “I had played a lot of his music growing up and liked him as a composer. I remember that he was incredibly funny and articulate. He exceeded my expectations as someone who was both a great composer and a great person. He talked about how a lot of the new music sounds the same, and he coined the phrase ‘K-mart Grainger’ to describe these pieces. I wrote about ten or twelve comments that he made that caught me off guard. Because he passed away this year, a number of bands will be playing his music at Midwest in tribute.”
    Asked for his advice for other directors, Temple says, “the one thing I fear about our profession is sterile music where musician play so in tune and so well rhythmically that they are not really making music. At New Trier, one of the most important lessons we teach is that all music is going to, from, or at somewhere. If it is not going somewhere, it is static. In music you are always crescendoing or decrescendoing. Music is growing, moving, and transforming. I learned a great deal from the conducting of Harry Begian because his bands were always so musical. He demanded a lot of respect and attention, but his groups played with great emotion. Mallory Thompson has a similar approach and will say, ‘make interesting note shapes.’ In other words if you have a whole note, you don’t just play mezzo forte from beginning to end. You listen to the rest of the band and figure how to support what is going on. That is the whole point of making music.”

Edmond North H.S. Symphony
Edmond, Oklahoma
Peter Markes

    Peter Markes will bring more than 90 musicians to the Midwest, even though the accepted ensemble only has about 30 members. Markes felt the invitation was important enough for his entire program to share the accomplishment, even younger students who will not perform.
    Markes has emphasized that the group has a duty to represent both the composers performed on the concert and the entire state of Oklahoma. “Most of the audience will hear these pieces for the first time at the Midwest. I want them to love the music and go buy it in the exhibitor hall because of how we performed it. We also want to put Oklahoma on the map as a strong place for orchestra.”
    Also traveling to perform with the group is Kyle Dillingham, who has been called Oklahoma’s musical ambassador. He is in his mid-30s and is a phenomenal improv violinist of all styles. He embraces Irish fiddle, gypsy, and even Middle Eastern and North African music. He is playing an arrangement of the famous Dark Eyes melody. The arrangement is just the students following a chord chart and changing rhythms, very much like the gypsy culture. The music is not written down; they play the chart and listen.”
    In preparing for the convention, Markes has heard cautionary tales from mentors about selecting and preparing the easier works with great care. “All fall, I used those pieces as warmup in every rehearsal. Our grade 1 piece is a beautiful fantasy on “Ode to Joy” called Beethoven Lullaby by Brian Balmages. It is just gorgeous. We use that instead of tone and bow control exercises out of a method book. The students have rehearsed the piece without a conductor and will perform it that way at Midwest. It really forces them to communicate with each other, which can be hard to do when you have so much brain power devoted to getting the notes right.”
    The group has had some interesting experiments with orchestra seating this fall. Markes seats the first violins in their traditional spot and the second violins opposite them so they are both on the outside. “At first the result was abysmal. They players couldn’t communicate at all. I put the second violins back in the traditional spot just for a month, just to make everyone more comfortable, and then I pulled them back over to the new spot. Over time, this approach to seating has worked out well.”
    Now in his 11th year at Edmond North High School, he says that the most important lesson he has learned is: Be organized and be patient. The former begets the latter. Once I became a better manager, I had the patience to become a better leader. This was not just getting organized with my desk and my computer, but organized with my goals for the future.”

Sampling the Clinics

    One of the highlights of the Midwest Clinic each year is the wide variety of clinics to attend. Enjoy these sneak preview tips from just a few of the many clinicians.

Teaching Jazz in Elementary Schools
Diane Ellis
Wednesday, 10:30
    Set the tone for the elementary jazz band rehearsal. Have your rhythm section students start a one-chord rhythmic groove or a blues for the students to play or freelance on until everyone is in place for rehearsal. When your rhythm section lays down a groove as students prepare for the rehearsal, this gives students a chance to practice improvisational skills with themselves or with their classmates before rehearsal begins. This also helps shy or inhibited players who can learn by engaging with their fellow students while lots of other sounds are going on. Having time to improvise before rehearsal gets students in a good frame of mind and loosens them up if they had a difficult day in school. When they come in the band room it is their musical moment to enjoy until rehearsal starts.

Building a Better Percussionist
Rob Sanderl
Wednesday, 10:30
    When teaching young percussionists we often get bogged down in notation, trying to explain a wildly foreign language to a ten- or eleven-year-old.  Instead, focus on teaching fundamental techniques and movements that are critical to success on the instrument. Start by teaching students a variety of movement patterns on the bell set. For example, play a full measure of eighth notes on each note of the C scale. Then play the C scale with only 4 eighth notes per scale degree, and then 2, and then 1. We are moving from vertical to more lateral motions, thus making the pattern more challenging each time. At no point have I mentioned notation, this is all by rote, so students can focus on movement and technique as well as ear training. Once everyone feels comfortable with these ideas then I will tell them, “This is what we call a C major scale, and it looks like this.” Now that the students can successfully play the scale using these movements and variations, it gives the notation (visual representation of the scale) context.

Audio for Music Educators
Steve Treager
Wednesday, 11:50
    As an audio professional and educator, I am often asked how to record, edit, mix, or set up and run sound reinforcement for ensembles. Because most music educators have an inadequate budget and limited audio experience, my answer usually includes a single principle: Simple is probably best. When recording, one of three stereo miking techniques usually produces an accurate representation of the event, while for editing, I recommend one of the free computer-based audio editors. For the live mix, two primary suggestions seem to help the most. First, use as few microphones as possible because more mics add to the possibility of problems, and second, employ proper microphone technique; this prevents some of those problems. In this presentation, I will discuss my philosophy of recording, editing, mixing, and stereo miking techniques, as well as offer concepts and approaches when simple is inadequate.

What I Wish I’d Known
Jager Loyde
Wednesday, 1:10
   An aspect of teaching that we seem to take for granted but is vital to a successful music program is our knowledge and understanding of our students. The students of today are not the students of our past. Prospective directors should research beyond the school’s mission statement and past reputation to determine if they are a proper fit for that school community. Directors must understand community dynamics, the intended direction or vision of the school district, and the value of the arts in the community. Without a point of departure, it will be difficult for directors to create a realistic goal for their program. It can be very frustrating for young directors especially when their musical ambitions for their program are not realized immediately. There is a process required to reach our goals and it begins with our students. Students must understand the goal to be reached and their point of departure to gain perspective. We have the opportunity to reach our desired goals if we know and understand our students and their immediate community.

Supercharge Your Brass Players
Frank Gabriel Campos
Thursday, 9:30
    The most effective exercise to improve overall wind performance that I have encountered is called timed panting. Sitting or standing holding your instrument as if playing, pant through the nose by sniffing rapidly in and out for as long as you can without stopping. Four to six in-and-out sniffs per second is the ideal rate. Many students will not be able to do this for more than five seconds the first time they try it. For the next few weeks, get in at least one session of panting each day, preferably right before playing the instrument. Aim for 30 seconds of nearly continuous panting. When you can do that, go for a minute, then two or even three minutes after many weeks. If you are working with students, let everyone know to stop panting and put the instrument in the lap at the first sign of dizziness, and let the students with asthma or illness sit this out. When we nose pant, the body gradually learns to adopt the best, most efficient posture to breathe. Try playing a big passage with your ensemble, then have them pant for fifteen seconds, then play the passage again and note the difference in sound.

Getting Students on the Right Instruments from the Beginning
Erin Cole
Thursday, 9:30
    There are many factors that go into initial success on an instrument, including facial structure, physical limitations, height, and arm length. After trying a student on different instruments and taking all of those things into consideration, you also want to make sure the instrument selected is one the student is excited about and will want to practice. There is a balance that band directors should take time to find. Be convincing about the instrument that you feel will be best suited for a student. Make sure the students and parents understand why one instrument is the best choice. If you take the time to do this correctly in the beginning there will be fewer problems down the road. When I try students on instruments, I have the parents there for the process to see and hear their child try the different instrument options.

Coaching Your Jazz Band Rhythm Section Is Easier than You Think
Jim Widner
Thursday, 11:10
    Just knowing how to connect the dots with each instrument in the rhythm section can make a world of difference. As a bass player, I first of all like to make sure that I have a connection with the drummer. The key here is to get the drummer’s quarter note pulse on the ride cymbal on the same page as the bass player. The only difference here is that the drummer can augment the rhythm pattern, but with the emphasis still locked in with the quarter note. The guitar player can also cement this feel by comping the quarter note feel. This frees up the piano player to play fills or to comp a different pattern than the guitar player. One of the key ingredients comes back to the quarter note length from the bass player. This can also set the style of how your band will play a swing chart. Other styles will also be covered in this session.

Ali Ryerson’s Jazz Practice Method
Ali Ryerson
Thursday, 3:00
    Here is a great way to learn and practice the diminished scale. Within one octave, a series of minor thirds will produce two conjunct diminished triads, joined at the tritone (a C diminished triad and a Gb diminished triad). If we build the two five-note scales which correspond to these two diminished triads and then join the scales at the tritone, the diminished scale is formed. To start, play the first five notes of a major scale, root to fifth, ascending and descending. Lower the third to form the five-note scale of a minor triad; then lower the fifth to form the five-note scale of a diminished triad. Repeat this three-step process beginning at the tritone. By joining the two diminished groups together, it forms the eight-note whole-step/half-step diminished scale pattern, the scale that corresponds to the diminished chord.

The Joy in a Lifetime of Teaching
John Miller
Thursday, 3:00
Even if you are the only music teacher on the school’s payroll you can put together a staff of experts that can not only help you develop or maintain your programs but will also help to en-sure your longevity in the profession. Delegation, long-term planning and using effective leadership skills can be the difference in the length of your career. Understanding the dynamics of your group, including forming, storming, norming, and performing, can go along way to keep you on the podium until the music fades away.

I Know Sousa, Not Sopranos: A Workshop for Band Directors Teaching Choir
Russell Robinson
Friday, 8:30
    As a trained band director who has been in choral music for more than 30 years, I have a unique perspective on the skills that band directors already have, many that choral directors should have as well, and what is necessary to develop high-quality choirs. Band directors typically have better organizational skills and conducting technique than most choral directors. What they need is knowledge in selecting good repertoire that is appropriate for the ensembles, how to teach correct vowel production, and treatment of text. Text is one of the main reasons I fell in love with choral music. In bands, we must analyze to determine the phrasing, but in choral music the phrasing is explicitly in the text.

Five Amazingly Fast Lessons
to Teach our Musical Systems
Jerry Henry
Friday, 12:45
    I was taught that a quarter note is one beat long, that a half note is two beats, and that an eighth note is half a beat. Not only is the math fuzzy, but it only works in very specific musical circumstances. Instead, teach rhythm relationally. To do this start with a whole note. Whatever speed a whole note is, a half note is twice as fast, or two half notes will equal a whole note. This is math students will understand. Whatever speed a half note is, quarter notes will be twice as fast, or two quarter notes will equal a half note, and this continues down the line. To practice the concept create a pulse but don’t name it. Have students play four notes, one per pulse, then play twice as fast for four pulses. Move back and forth across the pulse playing the pulse, playing twice as fast, or playing notes that are two pulses long. Change the speed of the pulse and do the same drills. When students can do this with ease, you can label the pulse whatever you like and ask students to play the named notes that are twice as fast or twice as long as the pulse. When an ensemble runs into a rhythmic problem use relational values to solve it. If the group is too fast on quarter notes after a run of eighth notes, ask how many eighth notes fit in a quarter note and ask them to keep feeling the eighth note inside the quarters.

Mentoring New Music Teachers
Michael V. Smith
Friday, 2:00
    Mentoring is more than just sharing information. A mentor is “a brain to pick, a shoulder to cry on, and sometimes when necessary, a kick in the pants.” Being a mentor is about reaching into the life and practice of a young colleague, offering to assist that person in the development of a range of professional and, to some extent, personal behaviors. A mentor is willing to commit to the development of a another’s professional practice for the good of that other new teacher, and, more largely, for the betterment and advancement of the profession as a whole.

Make Friends with a Bassoon
Christopher Weait
Friday, 3:30
    The goal of the clinic is to encourage teachers to start young players on the bassoon. The 50-minute clinic will allow 12 teachers (first-come basis, no bassoon experience necessary) to play on provided Fox bassoons and reeds and discover the bassoon is easy to play. Encourage bassoonists by letting them be heard when you perform. The bassoon part in most ensembles is heavily doubled by other instruments, but you could have the doubling instrument be silent during a section of a piece so the bassoons stand out.

Daily Drill: The Magic Pill for
Intonation and Ensemble Skills
Bobbi Mauldin
Friday, 3:30
    By using a series of long tones beginning with a G on the D string, students will begin to understand and hear what being in tune really is. At the same time, students are learning how to control their bow speed in order to maintain a consistent tone quality in every part of the bow. By varying the bow speed, and not the placement of the bow on the strings in relation to the bridge and fingerboard, tone quality can be im-proved and maintained. We also have time to pay more attention to the beginning and end of each note and the energy needed from both hands in order to maintain the pitch and tone quality desired. Once the orchestra can play the G properly in tune on a consistent basis, we add notes descending from the G by half steps. For this warmup to work for an orchestra, the director and students have to be patient and consistent. Daily drill must be done at the beginning of every rehearsal, all year long. By concentrating on the intonation of just a few notes every day, students will learn how good intonation sounds and soon this will translate to everything your orchestra performs.

Music Advocacy: It’s Time
To Toot Our Own Horn
Charlie Menghini
Saturday, 10:00
    The clinic focuses on two basic premises: Music advocacy needs a music advocate, and the music advocate is you. The best music teachers love music and love to share that they love and appreciate music. They model proper musical behavior, they have high musical standards, and their students work hard to produce good musical sounds. These music advocates choose their musical selections carefully and work hard to connect the dots between the music, the intent, and the composer, and then they relate it to the students’ lives. All of this takes place in the classroom.
    Out of the classroom they must be unafraid to let people know what is going on. Many Midwest attendees will receive some financial support from their school districts or booster groups to attend. A smart director will write a thank-you note to all who had a hand in approving and supporting their trip. Along with that will be an overview of the concerts and clinics they attended and what relevance they have. Directors need to let everyone know how this investment is going to benefit the students who are enrolled in their ensembles and classes. 

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