Repertoire
    Although the list is not extensive, there are quite a few pieces for flute and tuba, piccolo and tuba, flute and euphonium, flute, tuba and piano and even flute, tuba and marimba. A few years ago Erik made a list from the Tuba Source Book of all the flute and tuba pieces that existed. Here is a list from our collection that we have enjoyed:

Three Miniatures for Two Extremes by Josef Alexander (GunMar Music).
Duet for Flute and Tuba by Walter Hartley (Tenuto Publications).
Six Preludes by Harry Hewitt (TUBA Press).
The Boa-Constrictor and the Bobolink by Quinto Maganini (Edition Musicus).
Duet by Ed Pearsall (Tuba-Euphonium Press).
Singletree Suite I & II for Flute, Tuba, and Marimba by Gary Schocker (Falls House Press).
Forowen, Forowen 2, and Forowen 3 by Glenn Smith (Seesaw Music).
Three Dances in A Minor by Georg Philip Telemann, arranged by Walter Hartley (Ensemble Publications, Inc.).
The Giraffe and the Bear: A Concert Duo for Flute and Tuba by David Uber (Medici Music Press).

    There are other compositions available. Searching through the Flute World Catalog and the Tuba Source Book is a good starting point.
    If for some reason the repertoire of original music for flute and tuba is not enough or is uninteresting, there are other options. Erik and I love to play piano pieces; either original piano pieces or piano reductions will do. We used piano music quite a bit when we first started playing together in college. One of our favorite types of piano music to play is ragtime. For use during the holiday season we transcribed Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. The parts for this piece were highly demanding but extremely rewarding. One of our latest additions to our piano reductions is a collection of Strauss Jr. waltzes. These are so much fun because the music just circles around and around. Often we find enticing music in stacks of old music at antique shops. Another option for repertoire is found in the abundant wealth of Baroque music. The tuba can easily play the basso continuo part to many of the standard flute sonatas: Telemann, Handel, C.P.E. Bach. In college we were featured on the symphonic band concert performing two movements from Robert King’s French Suite for Trumpet and Euphonium that Erik had transcribed. Now we have a stack of original music and other music that pleases us, and even ideas for our own compositions.

Snakes and Birds
    Quinto Maganini’s The Boa-Constrictor and the Bobolink (Humorous Sketch) is an amusing character piece scored for piccolo and tuba. We found it useful to write out the parts as a score. Because the piece is so playful, there is a lot of give and take. Being able to see the other part helped time handing off the line. The piece is essentially a conversation between the piccolo and tuba, albeit a conversation that represents a predator and its prey. The piece is highly characteristic of program music by painting a picture of the bird and snake and their struggle.
    The two parts alternate solo phrases until measure 27, when the parts merge. It is important for the piccolo player to portray the chirping and bird song with the written grace notes while not playing choppy or too crisp on the following quarter note.
    The tuba part should be as slithery as possible. The chromatic triplets should emulate a sly predator sneaking up on its prey unknowing that the prey already sees him coming. It may help for the tuba player to employ an almost blues style to achieve the sneaky, slithery character.
    This piece is fun to practice and perform, and the audience loved it when we used it on a recital. For the players it is useful and entertaining to create a story of what is happening. At times the tuba part has the original material presented in the piccolo part, and at other times the piccolo imitates the tuba. The end represents a struggle about which Erik and I cannot agree on the outcome: Does the bobolink get eaten or does he escape?

Simply a Duet
    Duet for Flute and Tuba by Walter S. Hartley is a wonderful piece consisting of three short movements. The score notes that the composition was written on August 4, 1962. We enjoy this piece for the challenges presented and also because it maintains melodic structure between the two parts. The tuba is used as a partner in the duet, not solely as accompaniment.
    The first movement, Allegretto, is lively and rhythmic with intervallic jumps exceeding an octave for both instruments. It is important for both players to match articulation styles.

Another helpful note is to mark where the beginning comes back at measure 35, because it can sometimes be crashed into rather than carefully placed.
    The second movement, Andante, is intriguing. Although it is only eleven measures long, it achieves a great deal, contrapuntally speaking. The two-bar theme is repeated five times, but each time a detail is changed in both parts, either by shifting the accompaniment rhythm to a different beat or by changing registers in the melody where the first statement did not. It is so interesting to dive in and bring out these changes. At first glance this movement looks simple, but not after a little bit of music theory comes into play.

    The third movement, Vivace, is in 6/8 and feels like a jig. It reminds me of the third dance of Telemann’s Three Dances that Hartley arranged. This movement has consistent motion and the parts alternate bits of the melody at times. Experimenting on how to execute the staccato markings and slurs is a smart idea. Discussing how each articulation is performed on flute versus tuba will bring an understanding to the music, and allow the players to match more easily than two people just playing how they perceive the markings.

Instrument Tendencies
    There are many things to consider when combining two instruments from the opposite ends of the spectrum. The tendencies of both instruments and musicians play a big role in determining the success of the ensemble. Everything about this combo is a wonderful challenge that keeps talented musicians on their toes: intonation, articulation, vibrato, and blend. It is important to discuss the music as well as the concerns of each player, as they will likely be quite different.
    At the top of my list of concerns would be projection. The flute sound may carry over a piano or strings, but can get swallowed up in the swirling, full sound of the tuba. Individual practice while wearing earplugs can help a flutist learn to project. I like to practice facing a window so that I can pretend I am playing to a neighbor across the street.
    Next on my list is matching the tuba timbre and vibrato. Brass players rarely use vibrato, when they do, it is somewhat sparingly but tastefully applied. Flutists tend to use vibrato all the time with varied speeds and amplitudes. I find that less vibrato is better when I am playing with the tuba. It allows the tone quality and timbre of the instruments to meet and blend. I do catch Erik using vibrato on longer notes, especially if the note would benefit from some extra sparkle. Frequently he will try to match my vibrato. It is important for both players to establish a beautiful, clear ensemble sound before experimenting with vibrato or coloring.
    Erik frequently asks if he is playing too loudly. His biggest concern is supporting the flute line and not overpowering it. Even when his part has the melody, he is careful to project the melody without drowning out the flute. Playing scales together at mezzo forte can aid in learning this balance. The goal is to blend. Record the piece before the performance or have someone listen to evaluate the blend.
    Along with the idea of blend is the concern of matching dynamics. Both instruments have limits. On long tones and rhythmic patterns, you might experiment to see how loudly the flute can play without cracking and how soft the tuba can play without sacrificing tone on long tones and rhythmic patterns. Practicing dynamics on a rhythmic pattern is helpful, and the next step can be matching articulations on that pattern. The sound decay of the flute and tuba are different, so the attack should reflect this.
    For both instrumentalists, it may sometimes be difficult to hear the tessitura of the other instrument, and this can cause intonation struggles between the instruments. Playing some warmups together will help the inner ear make that adjustment. Occasionally for this purpose, I will take out Bartok’s Mikrokosmos. The exercises in book one are basic and allow each player to concentrate on the other’s tone, intonation, and timbre in different registers.
    It is important that the flutist stands to the right of the tuba player. For the tuba player the line of sight will be more direct to the music this way and the bell will not interfere with eye contact between the players. This placement also assists in the flute sound going out to the audience rather than behind the tuba player.
    As with any ensemble playing, the give and take of the line is important. In general, whoever has the line first should then be imitated. However, there may be times when the player who gets the line second has a better interpretation of the line. When I find that I like Erik’s way of playing a particular passage, I ask him to play it for me, and then I repeat it back to him until I can imitate his way. This creates a cohesive transfer of the material from part to part. Whatever works best for the piece is what should be the deciding factor.
    For the tuba player: discretion can be used on which instrument to play. Sometimes a CC or BBb instrument is ideal, other times a bass tuba, euphonium, or tenor tuba might be a better choice. Consider the range of the piece, the performance setting, and the flutist’s opinion and tendencies. However if a piece is scored for a specific instrument, abide by the composers decisions.

Performance Settings
    Recitals are the most obvious use for a flute/tuba ensemble. We performed at each other’s senior recitals during college and my graduate recital, on which we performed a C.P.E. Bach Sonate, a Telemann Sonata and James Scott’s Kansas City Rag.
    I perform at church most weekends. When the organist discovered that my husband played tuba, he was excited about using us during holiday Masses. We have played at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve. We selected an appropriate piece, usually from the Baroque era, as a selection for communion, and we also accompanied the hymns. Erik brings out the bass part of the choir on tuba and I add to the melody and soprano or alto voice on flute. The flute and tuba complement the chord changes and motion in the organ beautifully. The choir especially loves having the low part brought out by the tuba. The congregation is always very appreciative.
    We have even been hired for weddings. The first was while we were stationed in Quantico, Virginia. I received a call about a wedding from a groom who was open to suggestions. I mentioned that my husband was a tuba player with the Quantico Marine Corps Band and that we play together as a duo all the time. He was excited about the idea, although he had never heard of the combination before. Everyone at the wedding absolutely loved the music. We chose a lot of Baroque music for before and after the ceremony, and used the usual wedding music for the procession and recession.
    Last November, some musician friends of ours asked if we would provide music for a birthday luncheon. We chose a handful of German polkas, the Hartley Duet for Flute and Tuba, a handful of James Scott Rags, a bunch a Italian folk songs, and I performed the famous (and much loved by the birthday boy) Intermezzo from Cavelleria Rusticana by Mascagni. The variety was wonderful and appealing to this group because there were many musicians at the gathering.
    Although the combination of flute and tuba is uncommon, we hope more flutists and tuba players will get together to make music. There is definitely enough repertoire out there, and that, coupled with transcribed piano music and doubling a cello part as a tuba part, provides a wide array of possibilities for programming. As people start to hear the combination, they will be even more open to the idea and start seeking that duo for gigs. The challenges involved in this duo are reason enough to try it. The rehearsal will always be interesting and stimulating for finely tuned musicians, and the performance will be even more rewarding.   

The post Flute and Tuba, A Look at a Fascinating Duo appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Vocalizations
    The traditional role of the band instrumentals began to change dramatically when players were asked to use their voices in works like Husa’s Apotheosis of This Earth (1971), Schwantner’s ...and the mountains rising nowhere (1977), and Warren Benson’s Solitary Dancer (1970). Since these early works were premiered, the list of band works incorporating singing, speaking, chanting, and an endless variety of vocalizations has expanded tremendously.
    Although the human voice might be mankind’s oldest mode of musical expression, some band directors seem to consider singing something they cannot or will not do. Some reluctance is understandable, as directors may feel singing in rehearsal wastes time, they lack the confidence in their own ability to sing, and they fear that students will respond negatively to singing. Although students (especially older ones) may initially appear unwilling to vocalize, this behavior may stem more from shyness or peer pressure than any real dislike for the activity itself. Although one might consider vocal sounds to have no business in a wind band, the added sonic timbre, when carefully woven into the wind texture, can provide a wonderful expressive quality.
    Vocal parts that are to be performed by band instrumentalists appear in great variety, from simple humming to singing in multi-part vocal harmony. One common approach to this scoring is to have players sing a unison pitch, which is notated in concert pitch to be sung in any octave. A good example of this is in Andrew Boysen’s I Am, where the phrase “I am” is to be sung by all wind players.
A more complex vocalization example can be found in and the mountains rising nowhere where Joseph Schwan-tner creates a sixteen-voice “celestial choir” comprised of woodwind and brass players. These players begin by singing n on a unison B, and as the music progresses, each singer is eventually given complete rhythmic independence, resulting in a tone cluster on the notes B, C#, D, E, F#, G, and A. Conductor guidelines are provided and include an indication that when creating the sound of a distant ethereal choir there should be no vibrato.
    A common technique used by composers is to begin with unison singing and expand to multi-part vocal harmony. In the example below, “All the Pretty Little Horses” from Three Folk Song Settings for Band by Andrew Boysen, the vocalization begins in unison in measure 49, and in measure 51, the parts divide into three-part harmony. In this example, each vocal part is assigned by instrument part, transposed in the key of the instrument. This scoring allows for instrumentalist to play along with the vocal part, which can be helpful when first learning the vocal pitches.
    Of Sailors and Whales by Francis McBeth is a similar example, but in this case, the vocal parts are divided by women’s and men’s parts, not by instrument. The melody is first sung in unison octaves and is followed by a brief three and four part harmony section.

Introducing Band Members to Singing
   If band members are not in the habit of singing in band, then the approach to vocalization should occur in a positive and unthreatening atmosphere. If the director demonstrates appropriate vocal modeling with comfort and security, students will, given time, follow the teacher’s lead and respond in kind. Ideally, players should start singing as part of their beginning band classes. Perhaps the easiest approach with beginning band students is to simply have them sing the exercises out of their band book before they play them. Advanced players should be able to sing scales, chords, and chorales, as well as their part within a musical composition. Generally, if singing is a regular part of rehearsal, band members will consider singing as normal as playing scales.
    Directors who incorporate singing in rehearsals find that it is not a timewaster; it can improve the overall musicianship of the band members. Numerous studies have shown that singing can have a significant effect on instrumental performance and instruction with instrumentalists at various age levels. Students exposed to singing as a regular component of their instructional program tend to score higher on measures of music achievement, attitude, and developmental music aptitude.  Structured singing furthers the development of a consistent sense of tonality and will result in better intonation at both the individual and the ensemble level. Many directors use singing exercises in daily warmups and rehearsals as a tool to improve tone production and intonation. Many of these educators tend to go by the philosophy that if you can sing it, you can play it. Suggestions from directors include having everyone sing together, incorporate solfège, sing familiar songs, and avoid pressuring anyone to sing alone.

Preparing Vocal Parts
     When working with a band composition that includes singing, first examine the vocal writing to see if the parts are scored in concert pitch or transposed and placed in the instrumental parts. If the parts are assigned by male and female, determine if they are to be sung in unison or can be sung in octaves or in the range of the singer. In the case of multi-part vocalizations that are scored in the instrumental parts, determine if the parts are distributed to the appropriate voices. For example, if the tuba part is scored for lower vocal part and the player is a soprano, perhaps a reassignment of the part might be appropriate for that singer.
    When initially learning the music, it is a good idea to play through the work a few times before learning the vocal parts. Play a recorded example of the piece so students can hear the context of the vocal parts. At this point, the director can introduce the vocal melody (if there is one) and have all the band members sing it as a rote song. To learn the specific vocal pitches, have an instrument play along with the vocal part while the band members first hum or sing on a neutral vowel. Non-transposing instruments, such as a flute or oboe for the upper vocal pitches and trombone for the lower pitches, work well for this activity. Having like vocal parts sit or stand together can also help at this stage. Once the vocal parts are learned, a refinement of the vocal elements may be necessary. There are a number of ways to do this:

• Create a brief vocal warm-up, perhaps on the same pitches being used in the piece.
• Remind band members to sing with proper breath and posture. Producing a hissing sound can be helpful in focusing the airstream.
• Practice matching the male and female voices while singing in unison.
• Unify vowel production. This can be introduced by starting with an mm sound and opening to an oo sound).
• Decide whether to use vibrato (no vibrato will produce a sound that is more pure and clear).
• Determine if men need to use falsetto. This is sometimes necessary for unison singing.
• Encourage each singer to blend his or her sound into the sound of the group.
• Balance vocalists with the instruments if playing. The singers may have to be urged to sing out, especially in the lower voices.
• Consider whether changing the seating arrangement can help with balance and getting the best sound out of the vocalists.

    It is a good idea to solicit the help of a choral director or vocal teacher, especially if the vocal parts contain text. Many choral pedagogical references are available, a number of which are specifically written for band directors.
 
Vocal Sounds
    The variety of non-singing vocalizations that appear in the contemporary wind band repertoire is extensive. These include imitating train sounds, mimicking jungle and animal sounds, shouting, chanting, speaking, screaming, and whispering and mumbling.
    An early work that asked band members to vocalize was Husa’s Apotheosis of This Earth. In the third movement of the original version, Husa calls for rhythmic speech on the words “this beautiful earth.” The words are placed on non-pitched sextuplets with staggered entrances by the voices, interspersed throughout the movement. The first entrance for voices is in measure twelve with the upper woodwinds, saxophones, and several percussionists reciting one of the words. Due to this novel orchestration, and the hesitation by band members to vocalize, Husa later edited the vocal parts to be separate.
    David Holsinger’s In the Spring at the Time When Kings Go Off to War is an example of a unique vocalization scored for female voices to sing wa repeatedly over a tone cluster of indiscriminate pitches and speeds. This electronic wa-wa effect begins in measure 10 and is to be sung as loudly as possible before fading to pianississimo. In this work, male and female voices have diverse assignments, including shouting and chanting.
    It is often the case that wind composers will score several different kinds of effects in the same work. The example below, Many Paths by Ralph Hultgren, has the clarinets chant, sing, and clap in a three-measure span.

Sonic Effects and Techniques
    Some of the most unique, non-vocal and non-playing sounds are scored for the wind band at all levels of the wind repertoire. Common techniques include blowing air through instrument, clapping, tapping on the stand, whistling, key clicks, flutter tongue, using mouthpieces only. Additional unique sounds that composers have notated for bands include playing the highest note possible (or a unique variation: “shrieking the highest note possible” by placing the teeth on the reed), blowing across a straight mute like an open bottle, playing tuned crystal water glasses, using flashlights, crinkling plastic or paper, and making sound with feet.

Aleatoric Techniques
    Aleatoric music, in which elements of the composition, including dynamics, rhythm, pitch, and form, are determined by chance, has two main distinctions: aleatoric composition and indeterminate notation. In an aleatoric, chance, or pre-compositional music, the score is prepared in the traditional manner, but the process that the composer took to reach that point involves some element of chance. Chance compositions were widely explored by John Cage during the second half of the 20th century, and his experiments with the aleatoric processes and audience-determined sound production in the early 1950s were seen as an important milestone in the rejection of modernist unity and compositional control. Chance techniques may include the tossing of coins or dice, or by randomly arranging mathematical, textual, or sonic materials. Indeterminate notation, is where the composer establishes a means to allow each performance of a particular piece to be unique through some type of controlled improvisation. Although aleatoric notation can differ for each composition, commonalities do exist. Numerous examples of both distinctions can be found in all grades of the wind repertoire, allowing band students at any level to experiment with this musical technique.
    One of the most used forms of notation is boxed or bracketed. In an improvisation box, certain musical elements are outlined in visual notation; these are improvised by the performer. There are a number of common examples of indeterminate notation. In H. Owen Reed’s For the Unfortunate, boxed notation comprises much of the composition.

Notated Pitches and Rhythm
    In the example below, The Glass Prison by Noah D. Taylor, specific pitches and rhythms are notated, but the performers play each box at a tempo of their own choice, repeating the phrase ad lib. Composers often use this term to indicate a somewhat non-measured improvisational section – either a controlled improvisation or spontaneously random.

    In Old Churches, Michael Colgrass notates a rhythmical value, leaving the performer to determine the pitches.

He also indicates pitches while permitting the rhythm pattern to be at the performer’s discretion.

    Other compositions may indicate specific pitches that can be played in any order with any rhythm, or they might use x-shaped notes to give pitch direction but not the exact pitch. Sometimes a starting pitch is indicated, followed by an ad lib section.

    Additional notation markings used include accelerando (repeat beginning note)

and ritardando (repeat beginning note).

    Some aleatoric sections are unmetered. In such cases, the events are typically guided the seconds timing markings as indicated on the score. The marking AFAP indicatess that the notes are to be played as fast as possible.

Introducing Aleatoric Music
    There can be reluctance on the part of conductors and players to try out avant-garde compositions that ask band members to produce non-traditional sounds. New works that look and sound different than the standard wind band repertoire can be difficult to rehearse, perform, and present in a public performance. This hesitancy was noted when the first performance of Karel Husa’s Apotheosis of This Earth was postponed, one reason being the hesitancy of the players toward Husa’s use of spoken words and syllables.
    One good resource to use when introducing aleatoric music is Sydney Hodkinson’s A Contemporary Primer for Band. It offers a series of preliminary exercises and short musical pieces that musicians to traditional, graphic, and aleatoric notation devices. Hodkinson’s sonic concept of time = space challenges musicians to navigate a new system of music notation in organized randomness. The pieces are scored using notated elements that permit chance performance determined by the performers. Later exercises studies allow for individual compositions in this style created by performers.

Graphic Notation
    According to a study by Lewis (2010) all examples of graphic notation can fit into four broad categories: adaptations of traditional notation, grid notation, pictographic notation, and abstract notation. More loosely defined, graphic notation is the use of symbols and visual images that designate how the music is to be performed. Although this could include any notated music, graphic notation in wind band music refers to alterations of typical notation, and pictorial notations that would not be considered traditional notations.
    Examples of graphic notation can be found as early as the fifteenth century in the works of Baude Cordier (1380-1440). His chansons Belle, Bonne, Sagein (below) and Tout par compas suy composes were defined as augenmusik (eye music), a technique that was later adapted in 1972 by George Crumb in Makrokosmos, and more recently in 1993 by Daniel Bukvich’s Hymn of St. Francis.

    Although some contemporary composers continue to incorporate graphic notation, its use is both more rare and conservative than during its peak in the 1960s. Graphic notated scores pose a significant challenge to the performer, who must learn to decipher the composer’s intentions (which may or may not be easily understood) and attempt to play the music accurately. Band pieces may use a hybrid of traditional notation, pictographic notation, and abstract graphic notation. In Daniel Bukvich’s Symphony #1 the majority of the work is traditionally notated, with added aleatoric elements and vocalizations, all leading to the final movement, “Fire-Storm,” the score and parts for which feature, in part, a drawing of a burning city.

Introducing Graphic Notation
    An excellent way to engage band members with graphic notation is to have players create group or individual graphic compositions. In Hodkinson’s A Contemporary Primer for Band, a compositional template is provided as a framework for composition. Michael Congrass, through his writings, workshops, and online references provides resources for band directors for creating a musical soundscape. Once basic parameters are established (the music moves from left to right, high sounds would be placed towards the top, and low sounds towards the bottom) band members create and perform their compositions. Creating graphic compositions is an excellent way for band musicians to be engaged in graphic notation and can motivate them to overcome any reluctance to explore this technique.

Closing Comments
    New works that stretch the boundaries for the roles of musicians continue to be added to the wind repertoire. Although some of these techniques can be daunting to directors, detailed performance notes often appear in the score, and there are various teaching guides, articles, and texts that can assist wind conductors in the study of these new works. Exploring new kinds of music is an exciting opportunity for band musicians to experiment with an art form where there are no right and wrong answers.  

The post Extended Techniques for Band appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Editor’s note: The following link is to a YouTube playlist that includes the musicians and tunes mentioned in this article:

    A fine saxophone section is a hallmark of any successful big band, and the key to the success of any saxophone section is the lead alto. The lead alto player is what gives the saxophone section its distinctive sound. Here are some concepts that have helped me greatly as a lead alto player and methods I use with my students.

Sound
    The first thing that any young saxophonist must work on is getting a beautiful and characteristic lead alto sound. Such a sound is effervescent – bright and glowing with a warm depth and fullness.

Sound Concept
    There are three essentials to a great lead alto sound. The first is focused listening. To achieve a great lead alto sound, a student must first have a great tonal concept, which will only come from listening to as many of the great lead alto saxophonists as they can. Some of my favorites are Johnny Hodges of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Marshal Royal of the Count Basie Orchestra, Jerry Dodgion/Jerome Richardson of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Dick Oatts of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Brad Leali of the Harry Connick, Jr. Orchestra. Each lead alto player gives the saxophone section a specific musical personality that correlates with the style of the band; the student should listen for the stylistic character of every lead alto saxophonist and how they differ, then ponder what about each saxophonist’s playing makes them a great lead alto saxophonist. Part of playing a historical composition is understanding and playing in the style of the original band’s lead alto player.

Luck be a Lady (Count Basie Orchestra)
    In this example of the Basie band with Frank Sinatra, Marshal Royal immediately establishes the singing sound and vibrato for which he and the Count Basie saxophone section are known. He plays the opening phrases to complement Sinatra’s vocal style and the result is a beautiful duet. Throughout this example, with his expressive clarity, Marshal leads the saxophone section to a swinging and vocal interpretation of this tune.

Cottontail (Duke Ellington and His Orchestra)
    The Ellington saxophone sound established by Johnny Hodges has a faster vibrato than the Basie saxophone section. In addition, the tone color is a little bit warmer and more orchestral. During the famous saxophone soli about two minutes in, Hodges’s warm but cutting sound is clear. He articulates the short notes and is supported by the warmth of the Ellington saxophone section. The eighth notes in the Ellington style are bouncier and on top of the beat in this example.

Mean What You Say (Vanguard Jazz Orchestra)
    In this modern example, Dick Oatts effectively balances the unisons with the soli sections of this beautiful composition by Thad Jones. The band comes in after the initial piano solo at about 2:15, and at 2:38, you will hear Dick Oatts pop out of the unison texture for a brief and exclamatory saxophone response to the melodic statement. At 2:50, Oatts seamlessly takes over for the saxophone soli section and leads the brief melodic section with his powerful sound and singing phrasing.

Sound Production
    Another aspect of obtaining a great lead alto sound is the physical production of the sound. Students rarely realize how the specific fundamentals to getting a great lead alto sound and may differ from getting a great classical saxophone sound. Here are some fundamental exercises that will get students sounding great.
    The first fundamental area is air support. In general, jazz saxophone playing takes a fast, warm, direct airstream. When playing lead alto, I think of projecting and focusing my airstream to a small point across the room. I often have the students play a comfortable long note (usually C5 or D5) and practice playing with this kind of air. The student should take in a full breath and feel the engagement of the abdominal muscles throughout the exhalation and resulting pitch.
    The second subject to address is outer embouchure. When teaching high school students, the best approach is to start with a good classical embouchure in which the chin is flat and the corners are brought in diagonally. There can be a wide degree of variation from this; Charlie Parker’s embouchure is vastly different from those of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Although there is no one jazz embouchure style that works for every musician, the embouchure muscles should always be relaxed with no excess vertical pressure. This will allow the reed to vibrate and produce the necessary edge in the jazz sound.
    One of the more important aspects of the jazz embouchure is the relaxation of the lower lip. A great way to check this and simultaneously provide an excellent lesson in air support is to have the student play without using the top lip. This can be done one of two ways. First, you can simply retract the top lip over the top teeth. If this is difficult, the student can play notes that only require one hand, using the right hand to hold the upper lip away from the mouthpiece. The goal of this exercise is to make the sound as close to the sound when using the top lip as possible. Students will notice that producing the same sound takes much more air, which must be focused into the mouthpiece. They will also find that the pitches will not speak unless the lower lip is relaxed. If I notice that my air support, projection, or fullness of sound is lacking, this is one of my go-to exercises to get it back; five to ten minutes of this at the beginning of my practice session is all it takes. One caution is that because this will require more air than students may be used to, lightheadedness may occur. Student should sit down and take a break if necessary.
    The third area to address is the inner embouchure. This is referred to as voicing – the control of the tongue and the throat muscles to shape the sound. I often explain voicing to students as the way to help the musculature of the body respond to what the ears hear. Voicing improves tone quality, intonation, projection, and control. Once a firm sound concept has been established in a student’s mind, voicing is the enabler that helps the student to control the airstream and produce the tonal concept.
    One of my favorite voicing warmups is the first thing I do every day when I practice. I play on the mouthpiece alone and bend the pitch with the throat and back of the tongue. The pitch to start on for alto saxophonists is a concert A5. I have found that many students playing the mouthpiece overshoot and get a C6, so the first project is to lower the C (usually produced by excessive vertical pressure in the embouchure, too little air support, a tongue position that is too high, or a combination of the above) to an A. Once the A is obtained, the student should bend the A down in intervals increasing by a half step (as a Remington exercise), returning to the A each time. I like to have my metronome at 60 beats per minute and use long note values to bend the pitch, holding the destination pitch for four beats.
    The sound on the mouthpiece should be full and focused, just as one would expect it to be when the entire saxophone is assembled. Frequently a lack of air support and too much pressure in the embouchure will lead to squeaking or an airy sound on the mouthpiece. My rule of thumb is that if one can hear air instead of tone, the solution is to use more air and move it faster. Once a student is able to do this, the sound will expand when the mouthpiece is placed back on the instrument. For classical saxophone, I like to set the inner embouchure so that the mouthpiece would sound around an A5, but for jazz I find that my voicing is around the F or an E below that. Everyone is different, so this may not be your result, but it should be in this area. As always, a discerning ear should be your guide.

Equipment
    Another helpful component in getting a great sound is the right equipment. The mouthpiece, reed, and ligature must all work together in harmony, although the same setup may not work for everyone. For lead alto, it is important to obtain a high-quality setup that allows the player to project with ease and balances the tonal brightness that is required with enough depth and richness that the sound does not become shrill. For me, this means a medium-open to open mouthpiece and a medium to medium-soft reed. My best suggestion would be to try as many different combinations of reeds and mouthpieces as possible and find something that works for you.

Leading the Section
Sightreading
    The lead alto saxophonist should be a strong sightreader, meaning that he should be able to establish a musical presence while sightreading. Reading the correct notes is just the beginning. The lead alto saxophonist sets the phrasing and must be able to make snap judgements on how to play a phrase. From the first time a passage is read, the lead alto player must set up the vibe of the tune that is being played and immediately establish a way to phrase the musical line.
    The best way to improve reading is to practice it every day. It is ideal to practice reading as slowly as it takes to play the music perfectly and with great stylistic command of the melodic line. The student should look ahead in the passage and anticipate musical decisions that must be made before they actually arrive. Some materials that I enjoy using are Lennie Niehaus’s Jazz Conception for Saxophone series as well as Greg Fishman’s series of Jazz Saxophone Etudes and his Jazz Phrasing for Saxophone series. These books have helped my students to become better readers and are great examples of jazz lines that students will see in their big band music.

Lead Alto Rules of Thumb
    One of the most important aspects of playing lead alto is confidence; the student must be confident and assertive with his performance of every line. This confidence often leads to clarity and is one of the things that helps the time lock in with the rest of the section and the rhythm section.
    The lead alto should play melodic and soli passages with the singing quality of a soloist. The lead line should sparkle with emotion and a solid time feel. By this I mean that the phrasing of the line must be projected such that it is clear to the baritone saxophonist and lead tenor, who are the voices farthest from the lead alto player. When I play lead alto, I always try to play the dynamics, articulations, and phrasing more clearly than I think I need to. This will sound exaggerated if I am playing on my own, but with the section, this is necessary. Learning what it really means to project their sound and phrasing is one of the biggest struggles that my students have with playing lead alto.
    For solid time, the lead alto saxophonist should always be listening to and locking in with the bass player’s quarter notes. While it is important to lock into the drummer’s ride cymbal, it is more important to lock into the bass player’s time. A great analogy is that the big band is a bus; the drummer is the driver, but the bass player is the engine.
    A rehearsal technique that is particularly helpful for saxophone solis is having just two voices (the lead alto player and another voice) play at a time. Doing this makes it easier for students to hear if they are matching the lead alto player. Although breaking it down this way can be time-consuming, it is always time well spent and leads to a more unified section sound and interpretation.
    In a concerted tutti section, where the full band is playing the same rhythm in harmony, the lead alto player should listen to and match the phrasing of the lead trumpet. The lead alto player need not play too loudly in these situations and should not try to overplay the lead trumpet player. Rather, the lead alto player should blend into the voicing of the band and support the lead trumpet player with clear and decisive articulation.
    Whenever the saxophones are in unison, the lead alto player should play softer and blend into the sound of the tenor and baritone saxophones. The lead alto player should still be heard, but the dominating sound should be the tenor and baritone voices with the alto saxophones being only a tone color in this situation. A great example of this is the Count Basie Orchestra playing Sammy Nestico’s Wind Machine. In the unison saxophone melody that follows the piano solo, the altos blend into the sound of the tenor saxophones and the resulting sound is strong and cohesive. If the altos do not do this, they can cause intonation problems, and the section will not blend well.
    As part of their listening studies, students should find recordings of great lead alto players playing their music. If the student is playing Frank Foster’s Shiny Stockings, then he should get the recording of the Count Basie Orchestra playing the tune and listen intently, marking Marshal Royal’s articulations and inflections in the part. The student should play along with the recording to learn the phrasing and interpretation of famous lead alto players. I have included a list of famous big bands and their lead alto saxophonists below. Chip Stephens, one of my professors at the University of Illinois, always tells us that “what’s on that page isn’t jazz.” By marking the part and playing with the recording, the student will learn all of the expressive and interpretive elements that make the music leap off the page – the things that make the music jazz.

    The lead alto player is only one person in the band, but a great lead player can make the difference between a band that swings and a band in which the saxophone section sounds confused and directionless. The lead alto saxophonist gives the saxophone section a sparkling personality, and with the right guidance, an effective student can elevate the level of the saxophone section and the band. Students should listen intently and apply what they learn to confidently lead the saxophone section. Other students will respond to this kind of confidence and play more confidently themselves.   

Suggested Listening
Marshall Royal, Count Basie Orchestra
Johnny Hodges and Otto Hardwick, Duke Ellington Orchestra
Jerry Dodgion and Jerome Richardson, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra
Dick Oatts, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Steve Wilson, Maria Schneider Orchestra
Brad Leali, Harry Connick, Jr. Orchestra
Lennie Niehaus, Art Pepper, and Charlie Mariano, Stan Kenton Orchestra
Gary Foster and Toshiko Akiyoshi, Lew Tabackin Jazz Orchestra
Benny Carter, Fletcher Henderson Orchestra
Sharel Cassity and Jon Irabagon, Fat Cat Big Band

The post Playing Lead Alto appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    Over the years, I have tried many approaches to recruiting beginners into my band program at the three schools where I have worked. I had good success, and all of my band programs grew in size. However, the pressure of high-stakes testing and more rigorous curricula meant that instructional time was held more and more sacred. Interruptions were not only frowned upon, but in some cases, they just were not allowed anymore. Ironically, it was not until my school district ended demonstration concerts, classroom visits, and other recruiting activities during the school day, that I really started to organize my process. I improved at recruiting out of necessity. My contact with prospective students was minimal, so I had to make every interaction count while maximizing the impact of the message and persuading families to spend their own time learning about the music program. Since that day eight years ago when I was told that I could no longer recruit, the number of students enrolled in band, orchestra and choir at my school has grown by over 300 students.
    An organized recruiting process benefits students and director in many ways. It sets the stage for a successful program by making a great first impression on prospective families. When families see the care you show for their children before they enter your program, they begin to imagine how wonderful things will be once they join your ensemble. Another benefit is that it makes your job as director much easier. It may be more work on the front end, but ultimately, you will save time during this time-consuming, yet essential task.
    Probably the biggest benefit, however, is that you will ensure the continued success of your ensemble. Any good director knows that great beginner groups are at the heart of any successful music program. Before you can have a great beginning band, you first must get kids in the door.
    When recruiting, particularly if you are in a new position or are significantly changing your approach, allow about four months to plan, prepare, and carry out the process. During this time you will build a timeline of events, determine your audience, develop your message and materials, plan how to communicate, and organize it all.

Building Your Timeline
    When creating your timeline, start with the deadline for students to select courses and develop everything backward from this date. All schools are different in this regard, and if you have a pull-out program, your timeline might look quite different than one where band and orchestra are regularly scheduled classes. In my district, students begin instrumental music in the sixth grade at the middle school. They sign up for classes in the spring of fifth grade year while they are still attending elementary school. For this type of situation, a sample timeline, worked backward, might look like this:

April 1: Students select courses for the following year.
March 21-25: Instrument fittings take place.
March 7: Demo concert and classroom visits.
March 1-14: Sign-up for fitting appointments.
March 1: Send introductory letter.
March: Secure helpers and volunteers.
January-February: Preparation of materials.

    In addition to the dates above, you might also hold parent meetings or instrument rental nights around the time the students have completed course requests, or shortly after.

Determining Your Audience and Message
    Prospective students and their parents are the biggest audience for recruiting, but there may be other individuals who need to be educated about your program. These might include district and building level administrators, guidance counselors, and classroom teachers, who all can influence students as they choose whether to join the instrumental music program.
    At this time, you will also want to develop and refine the image of the program presented to the public. Your message should include specifics about your program, important dates and events, details about the enrollment process, benefits to joining, advocacy materials, and any other important information that you want to share. How you deliver your message will depend on your audience. You will connect with students differently than you will with their parents or school faculty.

Hooking Students
    Students today have a wide range of choices in activities. Your message needs to be engaging to attract them to your program. If you can present a demonstration concert to your prospective students, make sure that you choose tunes that are fun, familiar, and no more than a few minutes long. A demonstration concert is also an opportunity to perform short, engaging excerpts on each of the instruments. In addition to the concert, classroom visits and videos can also be effective. You also will want to plan time for your prospective students to get hands-on with the instruments.

Engaging Parents
    Parents are often overwhelmed with all they have to do. It is easy for information to slip through the cracks, so communicate more than once, in multiple formats, with the parents of potential students. Any message must be brief, but clear, while making sure to be powerful enough that it will cut through the noise. Some ideas for parent communication include email, snail mail, websites, social media, advocacy materials (flyers, pamphlets, electronic), meetings, and telephone calls. It is important to use a variety of methods for communication as you will not reach all parents in the same way.

Educating the School
    Never stop educating your administration, counselors, and classroom teachers about the value of your program. This is especially important because they may be in a position to encourage or discourage participation. In the case of administration and counselors, they can determine if the schedule makes it easy or difficult for students to participate. Keep these important people informed of the good that is happening in your instrumental music program and the benefits of joining.
    Administrators live in a world of data-driven decisions, so take advantage of that and provide hard numbers when speaking to them. Face-to-face meetings and invitations to your concerts and events are a must. Remember that educating your administration is a year-round job. Do not be afraid to think outside of the box and use any opportunity to give your administrators a front row view of the great aspects of your program. In my district, the high school principal has accompanied the band on trips to the Macy’s Parade and the Rose Bowl Parade in recent years, as well as traveling to Europe with the orchestra. You can bet that he is an avid supporter of those programs, having seen first hand some life-changing benefits for students.

Organizing It All
    There are a number of tools that can help you keep organized throughout your recruitment process. My three favorites are Google Forms and Sheets, Sign-Up Genius, and Mail Merge.

Google Forms
    All you need is a free Gmail account to begin using Google Forms and Sheets. These tools are accessed through Google Drive and are free and easy to use. I create an online form for prospective families to complete. This form, which includes check boxes for students to pick instruments they want to try, allows me to collect contact information and learn about students’ interests. Families will also schedule instrument fitting appointments through the online form. The form pulls all data collected into an easy-to-use spreadsheet.

Sign-Up Genius
    Sign-Up Genius () is another free tool that I have found incredibly useful. I use Sign-Up Genius to organize the parent and student volunteers for our instrument fitting appointments. Parents and current students can be great advocates for the program, and it is wonderful to have them assisting with non-musical tasks.

Mail Merge
    Mail Merge is a feature of Microsoft Office and allows the user to create form letters, form emails, labels, and other personalized documents using data stored in a spreadsheet or Excel document. I use mail merge to develop personalized materials for each prospective student. If you are not familiar with this feature, there are resources online to help you learn how to mail merge including Help topics and YouTube videos. Mail merge is quick, easy to use, and invaluable for my organization process.

The Instrument Fitting
    We have all worked with students who have struggled to make even the most basic sounds on their instrument. Often this is not their fault, but simply the result of an incorrect placement. Success on an instrument can be influenced by many factors including musical aptitude, shape and size of lips, formation of the jaw, and size of body, arms, hands, and fingers. Therefore, the instrument fitting is one of the most important components to your recruiting process.
    I do not recommend allowing students simply to choose what to play. Instead, I give them an opportunity to explore instruments that interest them with guidance from a knowledgeable professional. Getting students on the right instrument jump starts their learning and puts them on a path to success. As a director, it is my responsibility to place each of my students on an instrument that gives them a strong chance of achieving their musical goals.
    Some directors conduct instrument fittings during the school day, and that can be an effective way to connect with all interested students. However, this is not always an option. I have learned to use evening instrument sessions as a way to involve more helpers and spend more time with each prospective student while getting their parents to participate at the same time.
    We arrange each of our instrument fittings into three one-hour time blocks and have families sign up for one of the blocks. Prospective students will sign in with a parent volunteer and we use our students as guides. Each student receives a pre-printed packet of forms based on the instruments they have selected to try. I use green for wind instruments, purple for percussion, and pink for strings. The color coding helps the directors keep forms organized much more easily and also helps our guides easily see which stations they need to take students to visit.
    Have enough testers and allow enough time that you can spend at least 5-10 minutes per instrument with each child. Pay other directors to help if you need to, or offer to trade time. Retired directors are great for this and often enjoy coming back for a few evenings. You can also check with your local music store and see if they can help.
    Stations are arranged throughout the band room using long folding tables. A set of instruments is available at each table. Mouthpieces, reeds, and sterilizing solution, along with paper towels and plenty of pencils are also on hand. Chairs are set up for both the tester and student, with additional chairs about 5 feet behind the student for their parents. This allows parents to observe the process without having them so close that they get in the way. Our goal is to make each child feel comfortable and successful, while at the same time allowing them to explore a variety of instruments to find at least one good fit.

Taking a Closer Look at the Forms
    Data collected from the online form through Google is mail merged into my document and results in a personalized sheet for each student. In a matter of minutes, I can pull in the student’s name, contact information, appointment time, and instrument selections, so this information is readily available on the form.
    The remainder of the form is designed for the tester to take notes about each of the instruments that the prospective student has tried, as well as general information that may be helpful as decisions are made about instrument placement. This includes a rating of each student’s focus and attention and rating of how students did on the instruments they tried. I have testers rate students on the following four-point scale developed by Chip DeStefano:

4. Able to get a good sound right away. Instrument seems to be a natural fit.
3. Required additional coaching, but was able to produce a good sound after time.
2. Unable to get a characteristic sound. Instrument seems to be a poor fit.
1. Could not get a sound on instrument, even after substantial coaching.

 
Percussion Try-Ons
    My first step is to educate students about what being a percussionist means in my classroom. There are more misconceptions about percussion than any other instrument, and we have an obligation to educate families about what being a percussionist entails. For example, percussionists in my band need to know that they will be spending a great deal of time learning mallet percussion instruments, timpani, and auxiliary percussion in addition to snare drum. Drumset is not part of my first-year curriculum, and that is also important for students and parents to know. I also notify families up front that percussion enrollment is capped and that only a small percentage of students who try percussion are selected.
    In addition to the one-on-one testing, I employ a rhythmic aptitude test as an additional data point. I have used the Intermediate Measures of Music Audition (IMMA) rhythm test available from GIA Publications for this purpose. It does not require any music reading knowledge, so it works well for this purpose. While I never use the results of this test alone, it does help to confirm the results I see during my testing.
    My percussion testing is broken into three components: coordination, rhythmic echoing, and melodic echoing. For each exercise, I demonstrate first and have the students mimic me. Notation is written for my purposes on the fitting form, but I do not ask students to read or understand this notation.
    In the coordination section, I assess the student’s ability to keep a steady beat with the right foot while tapping quarter and eighth notes with the hands. I also teach the paradiddle (RLRR LRLL) to see if the student can memorize and perform a simple pattern. Students’ performance is rated good, okay, weak, or not at all.
    In the rhythmic discrimination section, I use a practice pad and drumsticks (one for the student and one for myself). To prepare the student for this part of the assessment, I first show them how to correctly hold the drumstick, making sure that they are holding the stick between the thumb and the first finger. The remaining three fingers are wrapped loosely around the stick for control. I then ask what would happen if I dropped a rubber ball on the floor. Most students respond immediately that the ball will bounce, and this opens the door to talk about how drumsticks also bounce off the drum head. I show the student what this looks like and then allow them to practice on the practice pad until they are getting a good rebound. I will then perform the first rhythm on the form and ask the student to echo it back to me. I tell the student that if they don’t get the rhythm the first time, it is fine because I will play it up to three times for them if necessary. I then circle the correct descriptor in the rubric. I added a nearly correct category several years ago to distinguish between the students that almost get the rhythm correct and those who are not close at all.

    The mallet test is similar, except I use a bell kit and mallets. I perform a simple melody and ask the student to echo it. To help the student, I will also point out my starting note for each melody. As with rhyth-mic discrimination section, the third example is more difficult to identify students who may be especially well suited for percussion.

    I complete a summary at the end of the percussion testing and have found that successful percussion students are characterized by an excellent sense of rhythm, excellent coordination, good organizational skills, the ability to stay focused amid distractions, and a willingness to learn and play all percussion instruments. In addition, a piano background is helpful.   

Materials discussed in this article can be downloaded from Higdon’s website:

Part two of this article will include recruiting tips for the other instrument families.

The post Recruiting That Works appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    Handsome, humble trumpet player, 21, looking for nice, confident woman who will worship the ground I walk on and constantly remind me of my many fine attributes.
    Gravitationally-challenged tuba player, 34, looking for woman who likes to cook. Ideal woman must have a truck or car with trunk big enough to carry a sousaphone during marching season (I march in a university band) and concert tuba in the spring (I play in a community band). I live with my mother, but am quite independent.
    Oboe player, 32, looking to share life with someone who loves to spend quiet nights at home rocking on the front porch, chatting about Vivaldi concerti and carving that perfect reed. Double reed players preferred, but single reed players will be considered.
    I am a flute player, 19, sweet with lots of personality looking for someone who loves to talk about band, and when he’s not talking about band, he’s talking about band some more. Also, must be a good listener. Some say I am chatty, but I don’t think so. I always have something to say, but it’s always interesting. Am very willing to let others talk if they want to.
    Cool guitar player, 27, seeking woman willing to support me as I work on my solo career. Willingness to sing back-up a plus, but not required. Why not take a chance on me? We could become another John and Yoko.
    Euphonium player, 22, seeks woman who enjoys talking all things mouthpieces. My mother says I am cute, and I am much smarter than you would think from looking at me.
    Drummer, 19, seeking woman who can read music and help me learn marching snare parts. Must love to hear me rap and tap on all flat surfaces within my reach. I am the best looking dude in my section. Must love to be on the move. I want to travel the United States every year and watch every DCI competition I can.
    Woman seeking marriage or someone to play trombone in a brass quintet.
    Slightly bowed but huggable bass drummer, 38, looking to date former majorettes who would not have had anything to do with me in college. Sometimes things change. I am definitely worth a second look.
    If you are looking for a talented clarinet player, I am the one. I am seeking man of equal talent who earned at least 20 solo and ensemble medals during high school on grade three and above literature. Brass players preferred. (However, I am willing to negotiate.)
    Saxophone player, 23, available. (But probably not for long!). Seeks stable relationship. No cheaters or liars please. No trombone players either. (I’ve had no luck with those.)
    Smart, opinionated horn player, 42, seeks mate who loves debate and can pose an intellectual challenge. Must be able to accept defeat humbly when appropriate. Must be able to perform second horn parts in duets on dates. I hate Sousa marches, jazz, and Kenny G.
    Mature, female harpist, 92, tired of playing at weddings of other couples. Ready to retire and settle down for the long haul with just the right man. If you are between the ages of 26 and 96 you may be the one for me.
    Single, three-year university section leader, 20, seeks player of any instrument who is dependable and has a strong work ethic. I would love walks on the beach as long as you can stay in step with me.
    Jazz saxophonist, 27, seeks adventurous saxophonist willing to spend life performing all of the Jamey Aebersold instructional methods together. Understanding all chord changes a must. Must like John Coltrane. I am very good at adjusting reeds – you will never have to do that again.
    Confidently nerdy trombone and sackbut player, 39, seeking fun-loving, yet forgiving woman of legal age with good sense of humor. I am sensitive (I cry at Star Wars premieres). I am not skinny, but a tightly-wound individualist who marches to the beat of his own drummer even during parades. Some people say I look like a young Henry Fillmore. I always work hard at something if it is something I like.
    Rebel female third clarinet player, 18, who is tired of being kicked around. This is my last chance at love. (Seriously! I’ve said it before, but I mean it this time.) No bad boys please.
    Cute, loyal piccolo player seeks someone who loves listening to Stars and Stripes Forever by candlelight.
    Normal male band director, 34, seeks woman who will laugh at jokes no matter how corny they are, travel the country with 120 kids who belong to other parents, enjoy many Friday nights watching high school football or working in a concession stand, listen to critiques of movie music right after the show, and won’t mind leftover fundraising items in her Christmas stocking. If you have children, particularly ones who play horn or tuba, that is a plus.

The post My Funny Valentine appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    A band director since 1986, Austin, Texas native David Dunham has taught in the Frisco Independent School District since 2000, starting the band program at newly open Clark Middle School. In 2007 half the students at Clark were split off into another new school, Fowler Middle School, and Dunham opened the program there as well. Now in his ninth year at Fowler, he and assistant directors Jenny Denis, Jonathan Adamo, and Rob Parks teach 350 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade band students. The Folwer Percussion Ensemble was the only middle schoool group to perform at PASIC in 2015, and the Fowler Jazz Band was selected as the first winner of the Mark of Excellence National Jazz Honors in 2010. In addition, 493 students in nine years have placed in the All-Region Band. Says Dunham, “One of the keys to success is that we play as much as possible. Students love to play songs. Some nights I have had to run students out of the band hall. They stay late playing Christmas carols in December, or I teach the band a duet and they pair up and just keep going. Students play all the time.”

What are the keys to a great first week of beginning band?
    Students start in sixth grade and for the first year are mostly separated by instrument. We have fun and are extremely active. The first day of school covers rules and regulations, but on the second day of school I teach every beginning class. I teach beginners exactly how I want them to sit and breathe, and the foot tap. The second day’s homework is that they are required to go home and listen to music and tap their foot to it. I give students paper because the parents never believe it.
    The next day we talk about breathing and a natural face, and their assignment is to watch television for 30 minutes, and during commercials think about what your face is doing and whether there is tension. I give them paper for that to convince their parents, too. By this time, band is the coolest subject because where else in middle school is the homework listening to music and watching television?
    All middle school band students are required to fill out practice cards, and this starts for sixth graders on the second week of school. Beginner practice cards start week to week, then every two weeks, and in spring they advance to a card that covers the whole semester. The first week’s practice card includes breathing exercises, saying the first seven letters of the alphabet forward and backward, and teaching parents how to sit properly.

How do you build a strong musical foundation in students’ first year?
    The more we learn in beginning band, the easier seventh and eighth grade band will be. Scales are a huge part of our program. I believe that everything my students accomplish is forged in beginning band, and the scales help the program immensely. We require that they learn Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, F, C, G, and D major and a chromatic, but about 65-70% of sixth graders know all twelve major scales by memory with an arpeggio by the end of their sixth grade year.
    As an incentive, many teachers put a chart on the wall and add stickers by a students’ names when they pass something, but we take it one step further. We do have a chart with all the scales and the chromatic, but we give each student a leather strap and award students a bead every time they pass one of the scales. Brass players tie the leather to their instruments, and woodwind players often put in on their case. It is amazing how hard students will work for a bead.
    We are strict on passing off scales. To pass a scale, it must be played from memory in half notes and quarter notes at 80 beats per minute, tongued going up and slurred going down. They also have to play an arpeggieo (1-3-5-8-5-3-1). If it is perfect to the metronome, with no hesitation or cracks, they get a bead. It takes some students two weeks to pass their first scale. The first time the option to pass a scale is available, usually in December, I might only have one student who attempts it, but then once someone passes, the others become motivated to practice. There have been tears when a student comes very close to passing but doesn’t quite make it, but they learn the standard and expectations.
    This system has many benefits. It is a great chance to hear students one on one, because sometimes we teach to the group and students do not get as much exposure playing by themselves as I would like. It also helps students learn to feel a pulse. I have had students struggle with pulse, but when they put time into practicing the scales, it comes to them.
    To those who learn all twelve major scales and arpeggios by memory we give out a gold medal and a chocolate bar. In addition, everyone who does this gets to come to a scale party and has an asterisk next to their name in the spring concert program.

What are other secrets to teaching beginners?
    We develop a culture here. There are better teachers and pedagogues, but I aim to inspire. Someone once told me I could motivate a rock to move. At the beginning, we are relentless about how they sit, how they breathe, and how they hold the instrument. We smile and have a good time, but we are relentless, and we teach like we have a concert the next day, even with beginners.
    I tell students that it takes a lot of multitasking to do what we do. We’re asking you to sit a certain way, to hold the instrument a certain way, to breathe a certain way, to blow a certain way, to tongue, to finger, to tap your foot, to read the note and know its name, to know what button it is, and the duration. Then we add dynamics, articulations, and slurs. I take a bunch of pencils and hold each one up as I list it, and then I try to juggle them all and they immediately fall on the floor. If you always sit correctly or always tap your foot, then we can move on. Otherwise, there is too much for you to juggle.
    Beginning brass players especially want so much to make a sound that they take shortcuts, and we have to tell them not to be satisfied with just making a sound. I can get almost anyone to make a sound on an instrument, but that doesn’t make them a musician. The battle is in getting students to understand that it takes time to sound good; there is no instant gratification in music. You have to focus on the shape of the face, the embouchure, the air. I put a skull and crossbones on the board in my classrooms every year and I call it the three kisses of death for brass players. They are teeth too close, smiling, and poochy lips that stick out. I point up to the board when I need to and the skull and crossbones is a constant reminder for the first six weeks or so.

As a tuba player yourself, what is your approach to starting beginning tuba players?
    Tubas, even at 3⁄4 size, can be unwieldy, and it is difficult to get technique out of beginning tuba players when they are just trying to get enough air moving to support a note for two beats. Also, it can take a long time to get a beginning tuba player down to low Bb. I start tuba players on euphonium, but reading tuba books, until they can get through eighth notes and feel confident. I want to develop tuba players who have a euphonium mentality so they are not afraid of technique.
    We switch over to tubas about two weeks before Thanksgiving. By waiting to move to tubas, students learn on something less unwieldy at first, and they get a few more months to get a little bigger. When students turn in the euphoniums, we spend two days on only the tuba mouthpiece. The third day is a combination of mouthpiece and me holding the tuba so they can make their first sounds on it. On the fourth day, we hold tubas, and after a week they can make a good sound. By the end of the first week, they can go all the way down to Bb and below. We start back at the beginning of the method book and replay everything they learned on euphonium, usually at a pace of two or three pages a day. Starting on tuba books while playing euphonium means they do not have to relearn any fingerings. It goes a lot faster for them.
    When students switch to tubas, I give them clear plastic mouthpieces so I can see their embouchures and make sure they are not collapsing the lips into the cup. When they move enough air consistently, I give them the silver mouthpieces that they were required to buy at the beginning of the year, and which I have been storing. This typically happens around February. As soon as the first student gets his silver mouthpiece, the others start working hard to get theirs, too.

How do you retain students?
    The first time sixth graders get to do anything with the seventh and eighth graders is on a Christmas caroling night in December. Caroling night is chaotic but wonderful. Band parents provide glow sticks, and there are lead vehicles and tailing vehicles designed to keep students safe. One of our band parents is the association president of a nearby neighborhood, and he sends out an email to let people know we are coming.
    We all learn a packet of tunes and then take about 240 students out to play Christmas carols. All of us pick a house and knock on their door. The older students can sightread it. We walk around the neighborhood for an hour, then come back to school to have hot chocolate and cookies. It is community outreach, but the biggest payback is getting all the students to play together. We push the social aspect of band and tell parents of younger students that the older students are who they want their children to be around. We treat band as a safe haven.
    We also have a short beginner concert in February, coincidentally timed to happen just before students pick their class choices for next year. We have students wear their band t-shirt all day, stay after school and rehearse, have pizza, and then play the concert together. At this concert we play a crowd pleaser called Creepy Crawlies and some other fun pieces. At the February concert, the top jazz band plays at the end, and every other year, we have a surprise flash mob of over 200 seventh and eighth graders, who run in from all sides of the gym wearing the same black band t-shirt as the beginners and play the school Fight Song.
    We also get out the step-up horns to show students. The school has a Bach Strad trumpet and some Miraphone tubas, and I let beginners try these. We introduce the bass clarinet then, too. We typically switch some of our better players to bass clarinet and had four of them make the region band this year. We also let the beginner alto saxes play on tenor and baritone saxes. All this gets students even more enthused about band.

How do you introduce students to jazz?
    In January we teach every sixth-grade band member to improvise on the blues scale. I have the Bb blues scale transposed for all instruments posted on my website. We explain how jazz is the first truly American music, then I ask, “Wouldn’t it be great if you could take a math test and be guaranteed an A on it no matter what you did?” That is how improvisation works. It’s only wrong if you make a bad sound or don’t try.
    We learn by call and response and start by only letting students use the first note of the scale. Eventually this expands to the first two notes. Once students seem comfortable, we turn on an Aebersold Bb blues recording and go around the room, with everyone getting two measures. Whatever they play, we are excited about. The aim is to keep it positive and build self-esteem. Students are pleasers. They want to do well.
    There is also a beginning sixth-grade jazz band that starts after spring break and performs on a concert during the first week of May. Last year there were 55 students in it. Beginning jazz only meets for one hour a week, and we play the same two tunes each year: Peter Gunn, because they get to learn triplets, and James Bond, which is an excellent introduction to swing.
    Jazz band rehearsals start with listening. We have music on when students come it. We love to use the Complete Atomic Basie CD and sometimes play Tower of Power, also. In rehearsals we also work on improvisation through call and response, reminding students that the only way to make a mistake is for nothing to come out. Students should be excited about improvisation, not fearful.
    Jazz is a huge part of our program; we have four jazz bands. One of my assistants, Jonathan Adamo, is a former trombone player with the One O’Clock Lab Band at North Texas and also toured for a year with Tommy Dorsey’s band. For the good of the students, I turned over the three older jazz bands to him, but I love it and am happy I still get to do it with the beginners.

What is your approach to warmups?
   I like warmups to be aural. We primarily use a Remington warmup and different permutations of that. We play an F Remington, then a Bb Remington. The next two will be an F Remington that is just a quarter note to work on entrances and an F Remington that is a dotted half note and a quarter rest to work on releases. Doing everything based on the F Remington means that students can memorize it and not really need anything written out.
     Students also need to play songs. They didn’t get into band just to play lip slurs or whole notes. There are reasons for doing such things, but we play a lot of songs, too. I use an occasional sightreading exercise I wrote called Key Fun. I take a song out of the beginning band book, such as This Old Man, and write it in five keys without a break in between. Students are not allowed to write on the music; they have to just read it straight through.

How much sightreading do you do?
     In Texas, they have the UIL competition sightreading written for the state each year so there is no chance that anyone has seen the sightreading music when they go to contests. We have all the old ones.
    We also have a book of rhythms that we read from. With the top band, I will have them read a group of rhythms and play a scale, changing notes each measure. That gets them multitasking. I’ll work it up to moving to the next scale degree on every note.

How do you motivate students to practice?
    On Fridays, I like to pass out new music as a motivator for students to practice over the weekend. I’ll say, “Oh, by the way, here’s this piece called Star Wars. You might have heard of it.”
    Students are required to take instruments home every day. There is some leeway for students who have difficulty transporting instruments on the bus; I let them practice here before or after school rather than take their instrument home during the week, but they still have to find a way to get it home for weekends. An instrument left at school cannot be practiced.
    We tell students they only need to practice on days that end in Y. Students fill out practice cards. With the exception of the first semester of sixth grade band, practice cards are for a semester at a time, and include important band dates on them. Although students are required to show them to the director once a week, a primary point of the practice cards is as a record for students to see.
    I have found that if students are having a good time, feel self-confident, and think they sound good, practicing takes care of itself, but I tell students that I am like Santa Claus and know when they have been practicing. I sometimes ask students, “Is this etude in three sharps getting any easier?” When they say yes, I respond, “No it’s not. It’s the same music it was two weeks ago. You’re just getting better at it.”

What is the most important goal of your teaching career?
    The most important thing to me is that I was a positive influence on their self-confidence and their self-esteem, and gave them a passion for music. I want them to appreciate music, encourage their children to join band, serve on school boards, and be a patron of the arts. I love when a student goes on to be a band director, but a much larger percentage won’t have anything to do with music after middle school. They will not remember much of what you taught, but they remember how you made them feel.  

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One of the most useful items in the band room:
    A bluetooth receiver has proven to be quite helpful. Mine is a little $40 device that plugs into my speakers and lets me control them from my phone. I can play a recording or turn on my metronome app and have it project through the speakers all without leaving the podium. I also can record from my phone and instantly play it back for my students.

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