Teaching in a smaller town can be a particularly rewarding experience. However, if you grew up in a major city or suburban area, the thought of teaching in a small community may seem intimidating. Undergraduate music education programs often do not have time to prepare students for every teaching situation they may face early in their careers. While basic pedagogy stays the same, the unfamiliar nuances of teaching in a smaller community can be tricky to navigate. Here are some tips to ease the transition.
    In a smaller community, you have the opportunity for amazing support for the program. Almost everyone is related to someone currently attending the school or who works in the school system. In these situations, it is difficult to find someone who has not had a direct experience with the band. Nearly everyone attends at least one football game or enjoys your winter concert as a family tradition. If nothing else, they have heard the band practicing outside during their commute. You may already have an army of helpers and people who will donate either time or money and show up to help the band when needed.
    After accepting the job, identify the key people in your new community. These leaders might include the local convenience store owner, clergy, and the editor of the newspaper. There is frequently one band parent who knows everyone, can help you find these people, and even make introductions and open lines of communication. If you do not have a strong parent organization, ask your principal, another administrator, or a long-time staff member you trust. Anyone with strong local roots can point you in the right direction.
    A great way to boost goodwill between your program and the community early on is to learn the traditions. When I started teaching in Jacksboro, Texas, the high school director and I arrived in the same year. Throughout the first few months, he had some community members mention that the band formerly made a block “T” on the field (for Tigers, the mascot) at the end of the halftime show. We added it in as a special surprise at homecoming, and the response was powerful. Many alumni were touched that we honored the traditions of the band and the community. This simple addition made them feel included and showed that we cared about their experience not only when they were in the band but as alumni.
    You may be the only band director or even the only arts teacher in a smaller town, and it can feel lonely. You can, however, find a local support system. At the next district or region meeting, try to meet directors who teach nearby. These people will be a great resource. You will go to them to borrow a piece missing from your library, find an obscure percussion instrument, or answer questions about local contests and events.
    When I taught in another rural area in north Texas, I found a great community of directors. I had a limited music library, but one of the nearby counties had an extensive one. It was close enough to drive there to borrow music and get advice during my planning period. In my first year at that same school, another local director noticed that I failed to register my band for our region marching contest and reached out to me so I could fix the problem in time. Since then, I have not missed a deadline and am eternally grateful for the community of directors who helped me.
    Your area music store offers a wealth of knowledge. Get to know your road representative. They always know what is going on and can help you if you get into a bind. They will often assist with transporting equipment between schools if you need to borrow a tuba from the next town over, and it is on their route. As long as you are respectful and give them business aside from running errands, they will be a great help.
    Find the closest college or university with a music program and get in touch with the coordinator of music education or individual instrument teachers and ask them to visit your school to work with students. If they are too busy, ask them to recommend students who can help. These students will likely become area directors in just a few years.
    As we are learning this year with COVID-19, technology can be useful in the band room and that does not have to stop when we return to in-person teaching. If a university is too far for a professor to come visit, ask them if they would be willing to Skype or Zoom with your students. This can be a great way to expand the horizons of young musicians beyond what can be physically brought to them.
    Many universities will livestream their concerts on Facebook or another platform. Even if your school is too far to take a field trip, you could organize a concert watching party in the band room one evening. This is a great opportunity to bring new experiences to students for no cost.
    In any school, but certainly one in a smaller town, it is important to align the goals of the program with the goals of the community, especially with marching band. Goals can be changed over time, but the shift should take place slowly and strategically. You can still maintain high standards while working within community expectations. Some districts want bands who regularly compete at high levels at Bands of America or Texas UIL competitions. Others simply want an entertaining halftime show and for the band to play well in the stands. It will be easier to build support if your goals match those of the community.
    When I was a solo band director teaching 5-12 band in a 2A school, I felt most frustrated when my goals differed from those of the students, district, and community. Some of this stemmed from a lack of communication, but it more often came from a lack of understanding. When the community members said they wanted a successful band, that meant large numbers and a band that played a lot at the football games. I envisioned a more holistic view of the program. At the time, I thought we were in agreement, but I now realize that we often misunderstood each other.
    At a small school, students often participate in multiple activities. It is less likely that you will have students for whom band is their only extracurricular activity. Students will be involved in sports, cheer, theater, choir, FFA, 4H, and religious groups.  
    Communication and collaboration are key to make sure your schedule allows students to participate in all of their activities. Share important dates with parents and students, ideally, 6-8 months ahead of time. Continue communicating upcoming events and deadlines often and in many different ways. Send letters home, verbally remind students, use electronic messaging apps, email parents and students, post on social media, and make phone calls as needed. With just a little bit of extra work on your part, students will be able to participate in many different activities with ease. This will make your program stronger and build more goodwill within the community among all the sponsors of youth organizations.
    Promote the successes of your students and program. Communities love to see their students thrive. Have an updated social media account and send information to the local newspaper. A simple picture of students and a short explanation of the event will increase community pride in your program.
    Celebrate such ensemble successes as a superior or excellent rating at a large group evaluation or a successful weekend at a marching competition. Be sure to include individual successes, sending a list of students who did well in solo and ensemble contests or a picture of students who made district band. If you have students who make All-State, consider writing a short article about them and their accomplishments in and out of the music room.
    Keep up with what is going on in town and in your school district. Subscribe to the local paper, attend school board meetings, and make sure you know about changes in local government, school board, and school policies. Do everything you can to be in the room when decisions are made about the school and school programs. If a new principal is being hired, volunteer for the search committee and help with interviews. It is up to you to support the longevity and success of your program.
    The smaller the town, the more likely that everyone is related somehow. This is neither positive nor negative; it is merely something to remember. Everything that comes out of your mouth or goes into writing concerning the town must be positive. We all have challenging days when something goes awry, a student upsets you, or a parent does something you think is insane. If you have an experience like that and need to talk about it, take it to your partner or someone you trust outside the situation. Do not take it to the teacher’s lounge or lunchroom for discussion. A good rule of thumb is not to say or write anything you would not want shared all over town. If someone is doing something illegal or that may hurt another person, let the right people know. Make sure the information is directed to the proper administrator and cannot be misconstrued as gossip among community members.
    Humility and respect go a long way in building trust and community. There is so much pride in a small town, and if you are an outsider, you must earn trust and respect before making too many changes in a program. As a good rule of thumb, when deciding how to proceed with a change, the more well-liked the previous band director was, the slower you need to implement your approach. Listen to students, parents, and administrators. Trust yourself and ask members of your support systems for help when you need it.  

The post Learning to Thrive In a Small Town appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

A Balancing Act

    “[The quartet is] challenging enough to keep us all on our toes but not so challenging that we feel in over our heads.” – Eli

    Our ensemble works within its members’ current skill levels and acknowledges the limited practice time available. Within these bounds, it provides enough challenge to maintain interest and produce a sense of well-earned accomplishment, while also keeping things simple enough to maintain a sense of fun. This balance influences the music we play and how rehearsals are run.

Repertoire

    “The music we make as a group feeds my heart, while the music I made as a student fed my brain.” – Emily

    “The repertoire we play is more for the fun and joy of the music, rather than to play the most difficult pieces we could try to master.” – Kristina

    Choosing appropriate music is essential. We play intermediate level pieces that have a powerful effect: music that is more than the sum of its parts. It might be deeply moving (the Scottish lament, Adieu Dundee), rousing (Matt Teehan’s Polka), or simply a lot of fun (Up on the Housetop in 4-part pizzicato). Melody is essential.
    Our repertoire is for three or four voices. Even the simplest round played by four cellos can be movingly beautiful (Hava Nashira [aka Let Us Sing Together]). Our favorite source of three- and four-part harmony is the Sacred Harp repertoire, easily transposed to bass voices (Africa, Idumea, New Britain [Amazing Grace]). Some are rousing, others hauntingly beautiful; all lend themselves to creative arrangements.
    We play music in which the challenge lies less in learning parts than in putting the parts together. This reduces individual practice time required. For example, in pieces from Praetorius’s Terpsichore, individual parts are straightforward and relatively easy to learn. Fitting the parts together, combining four different rhythmic patterns into a unified whole, requires group focus and proves enormously satisfying. Madrigals provide a similar challenge, often with dotted rhythms playing off each other.
    I look beyond the usual cello repertoire for sources: early music, Irish and Scottish traditional tunes, English country dance tunes, Sacred Harp, madrigals, and other choral music. If the original version is in an awkward key or octave, I make it friendlier for cello by transposing.
    I introduce new pieces at a slow rate, balancing the interest and challenge of the new with the comfort and minimal time demands of the old. We give an annual winter holiday concert that ensures a large body of familiar traditional pieces, but we also learn at least a couple of new pieces for the program each year.
    We play pieces in which the four parts are equally interesting and challenging. Four equal parts provide that sense of physical support that is one of the best aspects of playing in an ensemble. We are here for one another, bolstering each other’s voices. If there is a slightly trickier part that no one else wants, I will take it on, but my part should not be so different that it makes me a soloist. Our music needs to affirm everything that is possible at the intermediate level, not a reminder of what is not.  We divide up parts as soon as possible, rather than having everyone first learn them all. Parts are assigned according to player preferences and strengths.

Rehearsals

    “It’s a great social gathering as well [as musical]” – Eli

    “I love making music together, the community, and all the laughter….It is a joyful experience.” – Emily

    Music aside, the key to our success is that we allow time to enjoy each other’s company. I watch the clock, but there is always time for conversation and laughter. There’s no meter ticking and, aside from rehearsals prior to our annual concert, no deadlines looming.
    I am as much participant as director. The four of us discuss tempos, dynamics, and arrangements. We try things out and decide together when something works, when to keep working on a piece, and when to stop. Sometimes I suggest and demonstrate fingerings and bowings, but I keep such advice to a minimum.
    That said, it can be hard to turn off the inner teacher’s voice, to let go of expectations that would be appropriate in group lessons. I remind myself the group does not need to play a piece because it would be good for them. There are excellent reasons people arrive tired or have left half their music at home or keep misreading their parts. Understanding on everyone’s part is essential. We forgive each other’s lapses, laugh at our mistakes, and acknowledge that rehearsals will vary in quality, depending on what’s going on in people’s lives. The commitment to the quartet is strong, but it is within the context of busy lives.
    This is not to say that we do not maintain high standards. One benefit of giving an annual concert is that it sets our standards at performance level. Picking the right music enables us to attain that level. If, given our time and energy limitations, we cannot rise to a piece’s challenge, we remove it from the program. The ensemble should provide fuel, not consume it.

Lasting Benefits

    “What I’ve learned by playing with the quartet is how to play music with others. I’m learning a great deal about listening, not just to myself, but to what the other parts are doing and how the harmonies work. I’ve gained a tremendous amount.” – Eli

    “While I wish I could say I play masterfully and could whip off a Bach Cello Suite or two….I have found the joy and sense of accomplishment of making music together with others more important, more fulfilling, and a more sustainable endeavor.” – Kristina

    I may no longer teach formally during our sessions, but the players continue to learn an enormous amount. Their musicianship, which can become secondary to skill-building in lessons – has increased dramatically. So often, when the teacher takes a back seat and students are engaged in an enjoyable collaboration, magic happens.     

The post Strength in Numbers, A Creative Way to Motivate Adult Players appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

photo by Kirby Fong

What to Avoid
    Some bad reed habits are easier to discern than others, but they all inhibit the ability to produce a good sound. One of the more obvious issues is carelessness when handling reeds, leading to cracking and chipping. Another is eating or drinking anything but water during or immediately prior to playing, which can keep reeds from vibrating properly, and affect the instrument. Less visible problems include keeping a reed on the mouthpiece when not playing, using only one reed for too long, soaking a reed too much, and using the wrong kind of reed. By adhering to the following guidelines, you can help extend the life of your students’ reeds and improve their quality of sound.

What the Reeds Need
    Reeds should not dry out completely. They are an organic substance, which means the cane can absorb and expel moisture. To prevent a reed from drying out, it is necessary to use the proper container. There are several options for containers, but it must keep the humidity constant and keep the reeds flat as they rest after playing. If not kept flat while drying, the reed will warp, meaning the tip of the reed will develop waves that lead to difficulty when playing and poor sound quality. Examples of good containers include any multi-reed cases that fully enclose the reeds. There are good options on the market from a number of companies.
    Even with good reed habits, the process of wetting and drying a reed can warp the underside. It is essential that reeds seal perfectly with the table of the mouthpiece. Test the seal by taking the neck of a saxophone or barrel of a clarinet with the mouthpiece, ligature, and reed attached, placing the open hole flat on the palm of the hand, and then sucking the air out of the neck or barrel through the mouthpiece while keeping your hand in place making it airtight. If the reed pops, then the seal is good. If no pop occurs, then the reed may need to be adjusted.
    The seal can sometimes be fixed by flattening or polishing the bottom of the reed. This can be done by placing a plain piece of white copy paper on a flat surface like a smooth-flat desktop, whiteboard, or piece of glass and then repeatedly rubbing the underside of the reed going longways with the grain pattern. Also, there are school-friendly reed tools on the market that can help with the adjustment of reeds.
    Students should make a habit of using a mouthpiece cover (sometimes called a mouthpiece cap) whenever they have their instrument out and put together but are not playing. Mouthpiece covers help prevent a number of reed problems, particularly chipping. When not playing in a rehearsal, chips are much more common, and the proper mouthpiece cover can protect the reed. It can also help prevent warping by creating somewhat of a seal to the mouthpiece and keeping the moisture from the reed inside. This is especially helpful for students who are not playing for a long period of time or are doubling on instruments.
    On the other side of keeping the reed from completely drying out, it is possible to waterlog a reed.This typically happens from soaking a reed for too long. There are several ways to properly soak a reed. The simplest and most convenient is to have students place reeds in their mouth for 20-30 seconds. If students do not wish to do this, they can soak the reed in a small film canister or old medicine bottle filled with fresh water for 20-30 seconds, emptying the water after each use. A final method would be to fill the small canister with non-flavored Listerine, which has no sugar or dye, to kill any lingering germs. Students should wet the entire bottom of the reed as well as the top where the bark of the cane is absent.
    Rotation is one of the best ways to extend the useful life of reeds. Students should have at least four reeds that they have played on and know will work on standby for use. They then should switch them out occasionally to prevent overuse. Ideally, reeds should be switched out from one playing session to the next.
    Good oral hygiene can be one of the best ways to improve reed quality. Players should avoid eating or drinking beverages with sugar 30 minutes before rehearsal as the reed’s cane will be broken down by those substances and reduce sound quality. Students should periodically clean their reeds using either original Listerine for about a minute or hydrogen peroxide for up to two minutes, followed by rinsing them in water. These methods prevent mold and bacteria from building up.

The Death of a Reed
    When used properly, reeds can last for several weeks, but they do eventually require replacement. Several clues reveal when a reed has should be discarded. Often, a worn-out reed will cause a student’s sound to become thin and bright, which leads to playing louder than usual. One player with a bad reed can upset the balance and blend in an entire saxophone section. A tired reed may also produce more squeaks and fluctuations in pitch. Occasionally, reeds will not work one day but sound fine after a day of rest. Students should cautioned not to prematurely dispose of reeds. Instead, they should pay attention to their condition.
 
Reed Selection
    There are many different strengths and cut styles of reeds. Strength affects the resistance felt when playing a reed, while the cut style will primarily change the timbre. Students and teachers should know that the optimal classical and jazz tones have similarity in their evenness and intonation but will differ in timbre. For example, using a jazz cut style as opposed to the traditional cut style will help make an appropriate sound in a jazz band.
    While jazz cut reeds may provide a quicker response, they may be too bright for a concert band setting. Similarly, a reed that is too soft may seem easy to play for a student, but it will not last as long, and the student may end up playing too loudly and have more intonation issues. A reed that is too hard will make sound production difficult and cause response issues. Typically, a student who has been playing for a few years should use a medium strength reed (3 or 3.5), while someone who is just starting should play a 2.5.
    Commercial reed production has improved dramatically over the past two decades. Play test every reed, but remember that there are a few visual indicators of a good reed. Look for consistency and evenness in the appearance of the reed. Observe the stock (bark) and heel (end) of the reed. If it is thicker or thinner than the average reed, this will affect the sound and playability. Also, look for similar thickness in the rails of the reed – the left and right sides as it is held with the playing tip upwards.
    Some players prefer to use synthetic reeds over traditional cane reeds. There are several tradeoffs with that option. Synthetic reeds are much more durable and will last considerably longer than cane reeds, but they are more expensive and can have a different sound quality. In high school or middle school it may be appropriate to use a synthetic reed in outdoor performance locations (such as in a marching band) where reeds are more likely to be damaged. Synthetic reeds and cane reeds do not feel the same to the player, and therefore switching between the two can cause setbacks if the player is not aware of optimal practices with both types of reeds.

What to Remember
    If players in middle and high school develop good reed habits and maintenance, they will have better sound quality and save money. They should know the condition of their reeds and rotate between four of them to help elongate their life. Reeds that cause problems, such as a thin and bright sound, should be discarded and replaced. A proper container will prevent reeds from drying out completely and keep the reeds flat. Mouthpiece covers (caps) are ideal for long stretches in rehearsals when students are not playing. Reeds should be periodically cleaned using original Listerine or hydrogen peroxide to prevent mold and bacterial growth, which not only keeps reeds in better shape, but causes them to last longer.  

The post Single Reed Maintenance appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Our Vision
    In late May the executive board of the Kansas Bandmasters Association decided, like so many others, to convert this year’s summer convention into a virtual event. We wanted to provide students with an opportunity to challenge their musical and technical ability by submitting an audio-only recording of one piece selected by the summer convention’s guest conductor/clinician. All recordings were then compiled and synced into a video for performance. For the final aspect of this project, we hired a professional audio and video technician to sync files together.
    Premiering the final product involved streaming and posting online and we did not feel comfortable showing students’ faces and opted to partner with Ion Concert Media to create a film that accompanied the recorded project. Scott Winters, President and CEO of the company, created the artwork that accompanied the recording. We also obtained copyright permissions from Excelcia Music Publishing to electronically distribute music, have students record individual parts, and to post the performance online.
    The premiere of the performance  took place during the lunch hour of our virtual summer convention in July.

Student Materials
    For this event, directors from across the state nominate students for selection into the Middle Level Honor Band. Students are chosen based on these nominations, desired instrumentation, and the needs of the ensemble programming. After KBA switched to a virtual convention, I made the decision to transition to a virtual ensemble and include all nominated students. Our team decided that students would need the following resources to succeed:
    •    An electronic copy of their part
    •    An instrument specific instructional video
    •    A video from our guest director introducing herself and explaining parts of the selected work
    •    A video from our guest director conducting to a click track recording for students to listen to and watch while producing their audio recordings
    •    A video on how to set up their recording session

Virtual Instruction
    Our team created the click track recording of Mission Control by Tyler Arcari using Cubase Elements. First, we imported a professional recording of the work into the software and added a metronome click track underneath. To facilitate an accurate lead-in for the students, we also added sixteen preparatory beats.
    We selected volunteer directors to create the instrument-specific instructional videos. These directors were considered highly accomplished on their primary instrument and known to be enthusiastic about teaching developing musicians. Teachers created their instructional videos by using the click track recording and an instructional outline.

Guest Conductor Darcy Vogt Williams’s Conducting Video

Guidelines included:
    •    Instruction should be personal, thoughtful, and engaging.
    •    Videos should last 20-30 minutes.
    •    Record your video in landscape orientation.
    •    Include a simple warm-up reflective of elements found in the music.
    •    Prepare your instruction to allow for students to pause and practice small chunks of your tutorial.
    •    At the conclusion of the video please model what their recording session should look like.

Basson Instructional Video

Percussion Considerations
    Before percussion assignments were set, percussion students and their directors were asked to fill out a form inventorying the students’ specific abilities and comfort levels with various areas of percussion performance. Additionally, we asked students about what equipment they could access.

For Students
    •    What instruments do you feel the most comfortable performing on?
    •    From the list below, what instruments would you have access to practice for the next four weeks?
    •    Do you have access to a drum set?
    •    Do you own a pair of yarn mallets?

For Directors
    •    Do you have building access for the next four weeks?
    •    Are you willing to allow students to take home a percussion instrument?

    For any bass drum, cymbal, and tom-tom parts, students with access to a drum set were considered. After collecting this information assignments were completed, and resources were distributed.

Recording Session Resources
    Our guest conductor, Darcy Vogt Williams, created two videos for this project. The first video was an introduction of herself and the work, Mission Control, and the second was a recording of her conducting to the click track. As the project coordinator, I created a tutorial video about setting up a recording session.

Syncing Student Recordings

Example of Student Setup

Students were instructed to:
    •    Submit an audio-only recording.
    •    Use a computer with a microphone, mobile device, or digital recorder. Files should be saved as in mp3 or WAV format.
    •    Record in a quiet environment and eliminate extra noise. Consider turning off HVAC systems, ceiling fans, and avoiding areas where small children or pets are present.
    •    Set up a recording device at least six feet away from you and do not play directly at it.
    •    Place your recording device on a towel or piece of foam to eliminate feedback or sound distortion.
    •    Use the Williams conducting video while recording and use headphones while performing.
    •    Record your entire performance in one take.
    •    Record as many times as necessary.

Editing Production
    Recordings were emailed to our team. Our audio and video technician pulled the 105 audio submissions from the online storage space and plugged them into the Cubase software. From there, our team listened and refined the recording by using a time-stamped score to create the desired balance and blend of the ensemble. This process took about a week to complete. The technician then synced the Mission Control film provided by Ion Concert Media with the balanced ensemble using Adobe Premier.

Conclusion
    The final performance was streamed during the convention through one of our GoToWebinar sessions and was well received by the Kansas Band-
master Association membership, students, and families. Subsequent viewings were streamed on the KBA Facebook and Instagram pages. We attribute most of our success to the organization of the process and to establishing expectations of the virtual ensemble prior to distributing music and resources. With the event behind us, we hope that our experience can become a template for others if they choose to pursue a virtual ensemble performance.

Things to consider when repeating this process
    •    Send the same conducting video resource that students would receive to the teachers creating tutorial videos, not just the click track recording.
    •    Adjust the tempos more appropriately for the majority of the ensemble (i.e. an overall slower tempo in the faster sections).

Software and platforms used in this process
    •    Adobe Premier: Putting together final video with sound
    •    Dropbox: Storing audio, music, and video files
    •    Facebook: Streaming performance
    •    GoToWebinar: Streaming performance
    •    Steinberg Cubase Elements 10.5: Creating click track and mixing of individual recordings
    •    iMovie: Editing tutorial videos
    •    Instagram: Streaming performance
    •    YouTube: Storing video accessible to students

    For additional information about this process, contact our organization at mlband@kansasbandmasters.com. To learn more about our audio and video technician visit Thomas Hays’s website at . To learn more about Ion Concert Media visit their website at .    

    Send comments, questions, and letters to editor@theinstrumentalist.com

The post A Virtual Band Becomes Reality appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Foster the Family
    I strive to make band an environment where students can create beauty, develop life-long friends, challenge and support each other, and have a bright spot in their day. If I am resolving a problem or we are between pieces, I will ask students to share a bit of information with their neighbors: favorite colors, places they want to visit, vacations, desserts, and music. You can also have them move around the room if you don’t think that will lead to chaos. These small moments have contributed to great success in building relationships, a big reason students stick with any ensemble.

Food
    One day I asked my students to close their eyes and picture a big plate of their favorite food sitting in front of them. I encouraged them to observe the textures and smells. The results were amazing with smiles across the whole room and some satisfied noises. This also activated their salivary glands, and the band played incredibly well after this. Beyond the physical effects, it created a calm and happy moment. Students are busy and stressed. They are inundated with information from teachers, technology, and the world around them. This was a moment of bliss and calm, and it focused them immediately.

A Healthy Mind and Body= A Healthy Musician and Student
    I am a strong proponent of a healthy mindset. Students race around all day, and sometimes just need to pause. I use rehearsal time for meditation, stretching, Pilates, and yoga. I am not professionally trained in any of those areas but have participated in enough videos and classes to know what feels good for a musician. I encourage all teachers to investigate videos on YouTube or meditation apps.
    I rely on intuition and empathy to judge when players need a break. Often I plan these out ahead of time, but if I sense the group is down or stressed out, I spend 5-10 minutes on meditation and stretching. A shorter, more focused rehearsal is far more productive than a full-length, inattentive class. I was encouraged to continue these sessions a few years ago when a student told me after rehearsal, “That was the best I have ever played.” She had needed the time to rest her mind and refocus herself.

Dalcroze and Breathing Gym
    There are many great Dalcroze activities that train band students to embody beat, subdivision, and meter. I have found great success using Dalcroze with my marching band, concert bands, and conducting classes. Any kind of musical activity is worth the time, and students enjoy playing these games.

Band Bonding
    I try to schedule several social activities for my band students every year. Attendance is optional, but game show nights, bowling, and picnics are generally successful. I find that when students socialize more, they support each other more and play better as a unit.

Band Yoga
    I was working on a piece where the melody changed to different instruments every four measures and had a thick texture behind it. I prepared my score and dreaded the tedious rehearsals that would be required to explain who had the melody at each place in the music. I threw my hands up and decided to make my students figure it out. If directors always tell students who has the melody, they will never learn to listen actively. Before you do this, make sure that every student knows what the melody is. You can input it into a notation software and display it on a screen for everyone to play.
    There are great opportunities for musicianship training here, too. Once everyone is back on their own parts, ask them to listen for that melody and identify it while playing. Ask them to analyze how they can enhance the melody. This takes some training but produces considerable long-term benefits.
    I call this band yoga because it is similar to how yoga encourages complete body awareness. For example, as you do a yoga pose, a good instructor will ask you to feel each fingertip or toe pushing into the earth. Band Yoga encourages students to practice being aware of the entire ensemble, not just themselves.

Fun group social activities like bowling build a sense of ensemble that translates into better performance.

    The ideas on the following page are some of the more tried and true techniques found in books, but I have suceeded with all of them.

Sit Wherever You Want
    Ask students to take their music and instruments and sit somewhere else. You could also instruct them to do so as they enter the room to skip a step. I ask that they try not to sit next to anyone else in their section. I encourage the percussion to move, too, though the students playing the larger instruments usually stay where they are. You can often see students’ personalities and the instrument stereotypes many resemble with this exercise. I usually get at least one trumpet, trombone, and tuba in the front row. I use this technique only after students have a good grasp on notes, rhythms, and musicianship in a piece. It works particularly well for faster or technique-heavy music.
    This technique creates improved awareness of themselves and each other. They are forced to be independent because they cannot rely on hearing others in their section. My favorite part is that they inevitably hear near new things, as do I. Changing the set-up makes everything fresh and exciting. My students love sitting somewhere new. Sometimes, I plan for this and sometimes I do it in the moment. If we are struggling with keeping time or energy this is a great exercise. I find they play with more energy, like when we sightread, and their focus is much improved.

Sit in a Circle
    The design of the rehearsal room may prevent trying this, but it can be done on risers with a large enough room. This also requires time and muscle as the percussion will preferably go in the middle of the circle, and chairs and stands should be arranged before the students enter. You also could recruit students to do the moving as they enter the room. Having the percussionists in the middle helps them feel how essential they are. If they understand better how they fit in with the winds, this awareness may continue after returning to a normal set up. As far as the seating goes, you could seat by sections or mix them up.
    Much like the first set-up, everyone (especially percussionists) will gain a fresh perspective. I like to do this with a percussion-heavy piece or music where the percussion really drive the energy. They are in the middle of it all, and both groups can feed off each other.

Flip the Band
    Have the front rows flip their chairs around and face the back. As with the circle set-up, built-in risers may be an issue, but I have made this work by curving the front one or two rows out in a bow so there is a gap between the two groups. This works particularly well with jazz band. The sax section will turn around, and I have found the brass really benefit from hearing the saxes better. I love doing this when I have a great sax player or section, as the brass players will feed off their style.

No Conductor
    This forces everyone to listen, including you. I often do this with one of the unusual rehearsal set-ups. I count students off and let them go. I stand or walk around so I can really listen to what is happening instead of just hearing what I expect when I look at a score. Students often gravitate to their leaders so this becomes a great exercise in non-verbal communication, and that pushes them to listen beyond themselves. Directors often encourage students to subdivide without explaining what that means. Letting them play on their own is a natural way to encourage those thoughts.

Stand and Play
    This is a great solution when a group struggles to feel a steady beat. I often have students mark time so they embody the beat. Not everyone will mark time correctly, but with more training and practice, this could be a great exercise for students.

Musical Techniques
    An important responsibility is to teach students how to practice. I encourage one or two elements at a time, such as rhythm. Mnemonics are wonderful for any age: my students from years ago still remember a funny-looking rhythm in cut time as: “I do like my blueberry, blueberry pie!” Together, we identify the peaks of phrases. Perhaps the brass players have some large leaps so we might play the notes as a chorale to get comfortable with each note. This also helps me identify wrong notes. Frequently, a third trumpet player will be on the wrong shelf, and this slow and steady approach helps me identify errors buried in a full band
texture.

    By changing the normal routine, directors can tailor rehearsals to students’ needs. In addition, these memorable techniques and their excellent, sometimes surprising outcomes, help keep students interested in playing.

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