Throughout the years, students across Kentucky have been fortunate enough to have experienced that motto and the fierce and fabulous voice behind it. Linda Pulley leads young people down a pathway that inspires them to achieve musical excellence. Pulley’s successes in the band room have resulted in being a recipient of the 2011 Grammy Signature School Enterprise Award with the Iroquois High School Band, 2024 KMEA Conference performance with the Noe Middle School Jazz Band, and having the Noe Middle School Symphonic Band and Jazz Band be selected to perform at the 2025 MBDNA National Concert and Jazz Band Invitational. Linda Pulley is currently serving her 19th year as a band director in Jefferson County Public Schools (Iroquois High School, 2005-2020 and Noe Middle School, 2020 – present) both in Louisville, Kentucky. – Heather Dipasquale

How did you get started in music?
I joined the band in 6th grade in a small town called Morganfield, Kentucky. There were fewer than 4,000 people in my childhood hometown with maybe four stoplights. I already had a musical influence in my home, with my dad singing and playing piano and guitar, and my siblings being involved in the arts. My sister Tamara was in the band, Angela was in the choir, and my brother Alton in visual art. We always appreciated the arts and sports in our home. I played in band and also earned two state runner-up titles with my high school track team. I was known for throwing shot put and discus, and my discus record at the high school has stood since 1999. However, I knew that joining the band was a safe place for me, an opportunity to try something new.

In the spring of 1992, the middle and high school band directors in our town visited Morganfield Elementary to recruit for the 6th-grade band. I was so happy to learn about the band and join something that my friends were not doing. I wanted to do something different without distractions or judgment.

In the fall of 1992, I went to my first band meeting, excited to pick an instrument. However, I was told that I couldn’t join band because the school wanted me to have an additional academic recovery class to replace my elective. I was devastated and let my parents know that day what happened. My mother and father went to the school and had that arrangement changed. I appreciate that my parents were advocates for me so that I could join the band.

After playing for one year, I had the opportunity to perform with the more advanced 8th-grade band, and this changed my life. My middle school band director asked me to play with the 8th-grade band for a performance. Since I was a 7th grader, I was the last chair sitting by the bass clarinet player.

The bass clarinet player told me about how I could become a band director or a musician and go to college. I didn’t know a lot about college and directing bands, but I really loved music and was excited about the idea of pursuing it as a career. She told me that I needed to make all-district band, all-state band, have amazing grades and behavior, and practice the clarinet a lot. In the 7th grade, I decided I was going to be a band director after that conversation. I followed all those directions and made All-District Band, All-State Band, participated in honor bands, summer music camps, practiced clarinet extensively to prepare for my college auditions, and maintained excellent grades and behavior. This path led me to a music scholarship at the University of Louisville School of Music.

Moving to Louisville, Kentucky in the summer of 1999 was definitely different for me coming from a small town. I had to learn to make friends in a different environment. My academic studies at UofL were amazing, and the professors were excellent. However, the most challenging part was some students implying that I didn’t belong there because I didn’t have the same musical background as they did. I refused to let that discourage me from learning, forming great friendships, and pursuing my dream of becoming a band director.

How did those experiences shape your approach to teaching? Did it spur your passion and strength when you first started teaching?
I would say both. I let my students know I’m different, and you know what, I can’t control my skin color, but I can tell you about my experiences as a musician and the joy I have teaching and playing music. If you focus on problems you cannot control, you will not get where you need to go. I figure out how to reach people who want to listen, and that is what I have done.

How did your teaching career begin?
Three days before I finished my master’s degree, I was supposed to start an extended substitute position for Noe Middle School, where I student-taught with Beth Lyles. She was having a baby, and the program needed a band director. I really wanted to do the job, but I decided to take an interview for a high school position in the district because it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.
They ended up hiring me for the high school job and said I would start at the end of January. I had no experience as a high school teacher and felt nervous about taking the position. In addition, I was the third director these students had in just a few months. College did not prepare me for this, and I needed to have a strong start in the job.

On my first day, the outgoing high school director introduced me to the students, and I heard them play for the first time. I was shocked because they didn’t play at a high school level. You don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings, but I had to figure out how to get these students to a higher level of playing. They were signed up for the KMEA assessments, and I knew what selections we would have to rehearse. They weren’t ready to perform, so I went back to the method book and worked on fundamental skills: counting, reading, and breathing.

When I took them to the assessment, I was nervous. Although I had played in top ensembles in school, this time I would have to take the criticism for our performance, not the students. As expected, the judges described everything that was wrong. After it happened, I immediately started working on making them better each year.

By 2010, I felt good about our progress as we prepared for assessment. My father passed away just before the assessment, and I wondered how to get through it. However, my students were so passionate. They ran rehearsals when I left for a week right before my father passed, and after I came back, we went to the assessment, where they earned straight distinguished ratings for the first time. I thought to myself, “Oh my goodness, these kids can really do it.” I saw the progress and knew they were buying into our work together.

In the community where I taught, I had to work especially hard when I first started. It can be difficult for people to trust you when you say that the students will end up sounding great. The breakthrough at assessment was the next level. A year later, we won a Grammy, an accomplishment for the entire music department. It built confidence that we were doing something right and that success would continue over the years.

Over time, there were challenges in the building and community. After 14 years at the school, it felt like it was time for me to go. When COVID struck, I decided to stay and help the program through the crisis. Then, my phone rang. Beth Lyles called to say she was retiring after 33 years at Noe Middle School, where I student-taught all those years ago. I thought she was joking. Five minutes later, I received a call for an interview. I interviewed and was hired in the middle of the pandemic.

My first group rehearsal took place online. We had band once a week for an hour with the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, and I helped students play well and stay accountable until we returned to the building, which happened a year later in March 2021. It took all of my communication skills to work with parents and students, to get information out efficiently about picking instruments, and to try to keep the band as normal as possible.

Under the circumstances, they played phenomenally. Students who were in my first 6th grade group are now sophomores in the Youth Performing Arts School. Their parents trust me after our experience with COVID. It took time to build relationships once we were all in the building again. At first, I didn’t change too much in the band room or the format of the program. We focused on playing with a great sound that first year and added more elements to the program in the second year. In my teaching, there is a beginning, a lot of middle, and a bright light that is not the end but shows us where we can go farther. That has always been my approach.

You frequently say that “when you carry an instrument, it will carry you.” What inspired that?
This statement is part inspiration and part matter of fact. I tell students that if your parents buy an instrument, you’d better bring it to class. My parents worked really hard for my brother, my sisters and me to participate in activities, and I tried to respect them by making sure I was practicing. I expect the same from my students.

The biggest part of this statement stems back to my time in middle school band when I was inspired by the 8th grade bass clarinet player. Building on her encouragement, I found every way I could to keep playing my instrument. Band was the bright light throughout my childhood. It was something I did well, and I knew that I could contribute to an ensemble. That conversation with another clarinet player lit a fire in me. I carried my instrument every day to school, and even now I bring it. Music has taken me many places I never could have imagined. I have been to Europe going on nine times with students, giving me and them the chance to give concerts and see the world differently.

What mentors were particularly important to your musical journey?
Many people have helped, including some who were not even band directors. There were teachers at Iroquois High School who knew my passion for music, and they were my entourage. They supported the program and always had my back.

Beth Lyles, who I student-taught with, told me to stick with the method book all the time. I did, and it has made a big difference. Dr. Frederick Speck and Dr. Amy Acklin believed in me and told me that you can push these kids farther than they realize. Jerry Tolson, who recently retired from the University of Louisville, and John R. Jones, Jr., who held faculty appointments as professor of tuba and euphonium at Ball State University and the University of Louisville, have encouraged me to keep going and always believed in me.

Dallas Tidwell, my clarinet professor at the University of Louisville was always patient and kind to me. He knew that I wanted to be a band director, but he reminded me that you are always a musician first and to teach your students through your instrument.

Dr. Kevin Callihan, who teaches at the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, has helped me think outside the box and encouraged me to apply for conferences and other opportunities I might not have considered. Lois Wiggins was the first Black woman that I saw who was a teacher. She was not my teacher, but it was eye-opening to see somebody who looked like me doing what I wanted to do. I knew I needed to watch her.

What has been your most memorable moment at Noe Middle School?
For our first concert in 2021, we wore masks and only a small number of people could attend. Because of that limitation, I decided to record the concert. The students just wanted to show their friends that they could play and didn’t care about wearing a mask through the concert. These students went through so much in that year and earned my respect by putting on a full concert with a jazz band, 6th-grade band, advanced band, and a routine by the dance department that we accompanied. They shared their love for music and showed that life kept going even during a pandemic. That’s dedication.

How do you structure rehearsals to accomplish your big goals for students?
Organization is the most important thing. Whether teaching high school or middle school, I always have a plan for what’s going to happen in rehearsal. With increasing experience, you learn to identify exactly what parts of each piece need work. You can’t plan in the middle of rehearsal and expect success. At the beginning of my career, I worried so much about discipline that I couldn’t focus on music. I discovered that having a written plan for rehearsals actually led to fewer discipline issues in class. You will spend more time making music and can decide where you want the program to go.

Our planning for the program happens months ahead of time. By December each year, our May and summer and fall activities have been planned. By August, we know what is planned for January-March. Even though you don’t know who will be in your ensemble, that thinking and planning is essential. Students learn the rules and expectations for our program. We practice at home and rehearse at school. Once students learn this, they understand what needs to happen.

What advice do you have for teachers just starting out or partway through their careers and still improving?
For those just beginning, find a mentor, even if it isn’t a music teacher. Balancing teaching and life is difficult. In the beginning, you work extra hard because you want to do well, leaving little time for life outside school. Weekly meetings with a mentor provide a chance to discuss your feelings, address discipline problems, and figure out how to take the program to the next level. Sitting down for coffee or dinner can lead to great progress.

Once you have some experience, find a colleague who inspires you and lights a fire in you to do more. That could be improving your teaching, picking exciting literature, or earning an advanced degree. I want to be around someone who makes me want to do more, and that is what I have done.
Do you have any unusual or favorite teaching techniques for middle school?

Justin Dickson (director at Carroll Magnet Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina) has all these methods online for learning to read music. It covers nearly everything he does with his program. At one point, he added this starting warm-up for 6th graders, which included something called Beast Mode Challenge. Young students know that if they can play this challenge, they can do anything in music. It helps students develop skill and confidence in moving the air, working on the embouchure, and sitting up straight. It also helps them to play without fear in front of their friends.

I always try to give students confidence by asking them to play something they can do well. I will call out “Who wants to play this exercise for us?” It just takes one brave kid, and then everyone follows along and feels it is safe to try. Students in my class learn that if someone laughs at you because you messed up, that is their problem.

What techniques help you to be efficient and productive when students aren’t around?
When you have planning time, you want to relax, but that doesn’t happen at my school. From the moment you walk into the building to the moment you leave, you work. The hours after jazz band, usually from 5 to 7 pm two nights a week, are my quiet time. No one is in the building. I can make copies, email parents, and plan for the week. We have a weekly email to all parents and students to make sure they know what is going on. I also work on our band website, Google Classroom, and Infinite Campus. Those hours when the traffic is too bad to drive home, make a big difference and get me ready for the next day.

How do you stay fresh and energized in your teaching?
I remember hearing Alfred Watkins say that if you hear somebody talk about burnout, don’t be in the vicinity of that because you are going to start talking about that. We will all have some time when we are exhausted. I realized that we all have to take a break because a negative outlook can really change your view.

A while back, I decided I was spending too many hours at school and checking emails too frequently during the day. I set a daily cut-off time for sending emails and do not look at it on the weekends. As a director, you want to keep going and finding new things for your students. However, taking time to rest is what is best for you, your students, and their families. If you are not rested, you are not going to be fierce and fabulous.

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Today, free notation programs have fueled a dramatic increase in the number of students engaging in composition and arranging, but many of the charts they produce show a lack of familiarity with basic concepts of notation and scoring. As a veteran arranger and teacher of arranging and orchestration, I offer these tips to help guide students who show interest in writing for band.

1. In eighth-note-oriented music, show downbeats, especially beat three.

Student arrangers are often unfamiliar with standard notation practices and write rhythms in ways that are technically correct but potentially confusing to performers. To avoid confusion, always maintain a visual subdivision of each measure into two equal halves.

In general, the beaming of eighth notes should reflect the time signature. When used, beams should cross whole beats, not half beats. I also avoid beaming three eighth notes together in common time, as they are sometimes confused with eighth-note triplets.

2. Always use as few accidentals as possible.

When writing passages including chromatic motives, measures can quickly become cluttered with excessive accidentals. The readability of the parts can be improved by using sharps for ascending chromatic passages and flats when descending. When entering non-diatonic pitches into a notation program using a MIDI device, the software’s defaults sometimes result in a poor accidental choice. It is important to proofread melodic lines and enharmonically flip the accidentals to follow the sharps-ascending/flats-descending rule. Notice that doing the opposite requires twice as many accidentals.

Similarly, the readability of non-diatonic passages can be improved by presenting them in a diatonic context. In the example below, the first measure’s mixture of accidentals seems random and will be difficult to read. The second measure’s consistent use of flats clearly presents the motive as the first five notes of the Bb Phygian mode and will be much easier to read correctly on the first pass.

3. Use the overtone series as a blueprint for chord voicing.

The overtone series is also known as the chord of nature. It is naturally resonant, and good results follow when your scoring copies the intervallic relationships you find there. Consider the overtones sounding above a Bb fundamental (up through the 8th partial).

Notice first that the lowest pitches are widely spaced. My general practice when scoring in the low register is to keep a minimum distance of a 5th above the bass note. Student arrangers frequently default to root position triads, but close stacked thirds in the low register will sound muddy. Inverting the upper voices creates space and sounds more resonant.

Second, notice that the chord spelled by the overtone series contains four roots and two fifths, but a single third and seventh. Scoring a triad or seventh chord for the full band requires extensive doubling, but in like proportion to the overtone series, with the third and seventh doubled sparingly (or not at all).

Bb major triad scored for full band (concert pitch)

4. Score instruments in practical/comfortable ranges.

Notation programs will highlight notes that are out of bounds, but their defaults typically encompass the full possible range of each instrument. Nearly all instruments experience compromised tone quality, difficulty of dynamic control, or challenging intonation at the extremes of their ranges, and these problems are magnified with student or amateur ensembles. With my arranging students, I advise keeping all instruments within narrower practical ranges, keeping in mind that the ranges diminish further for young ensembles.

It is important to emphasize that these are written ranges, not sounding, and it is advisable to work with the notation program in its transposed view. Many students create scoring that appears (to them) workable in concert pitch, only to flip to transposed view at the end of the project and discover that many pitches are outside an instrument’s written practical range.

Practical wind ranges (written pitch)

5. Score the melody prominently.

When I critique concert bands, I frequently comment that the melody is covered by the accompanying voices. Often, this is the result of poor balancing by the ensemble, but in some cases, a glance at the score reveals that the accompanying voices are too loudly or thickly orchestrated. This is sometimes a problem in music composed for young band, where tutti writing predominates in an effort to maximize student engagement. When writing tutti passages, it usually won’t work to write the melody in a single instrumental voice (with the possible exception of the trumpets). However, a thinly scored melody becomes possible if the accompanying voices are also reduced.

Though young writers typically default to writing the melody in the soprano voice, timbrel variety can be achieved through scoring melodic material in the alto, tenor, or bass voices. When doing so, the writer must be careful not to mask the melody. Either the accompaniment must be in a different range from the melody, or the melody must be scored in a unique timbre that will not blend with a harmonic accompaniment in the same range.

While much of the success of an arrangement or composition depends upon other concepts such as formal structure, key selection, timbrel/textural decisions, idiomatic use of instruments, etc., adherence to these five tips can help to ensure that even basic arrangements by fledgling arrangers will “work” right out of the box.

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If you are an undergraduate preparing to enter the workforce, teaching at a small or rural school should not scare you. There are plenty of other things that should – the housing market, the fact that polar bears are running out of ice, or the reality that you cannot be late to an 8 am class ever again.

Every undergrad or student-teacher I meet expresses concern about teaching in a small/rural setting, where teaching across multiple buildings or content areas happens frequently. The only exceptions are students who grew up in a small program with the same director for instrumental and vocal music, or one director for their entire 5-12 program. The general format of universities focuses on hyper-detailed specialization (rightly so, for the most part), but does little to make students feel adequately prepared to navigate such a vast professional assignment. So, if you land a job responsible for a comprehensive beginning-through-high school program, here are some tips to help you survive and find early success.

1. Create a Plan
Every new teacher should create an entry plan for their district. This shows your administration that you have a clear understanding of what needs to be done, how you are going to do it, and why. A careful plan also helps your bosses understand how to support you through the transition. The entry plan will help keep you organized and on task in a time that can feel highly stressful and chaotic. Creating a plan also can set you apart from other candidates during the later stages of the interview process.

Your entry plan should include the district’s mission statement and a list of action goals and priorities, which are tethered to the mission statement in some way. It can help to list important contacts for the program and schedule time to meet in person. Include a proposed schedule of events as this will prove useful in setting priorities and set a time frame for your action calls. For example, the schedule could include a “Meet the Director” event with students and parent as well as tentative concert dates and program samples. Providing a copy for your administration and board allows everyone to be on the same page from the beginning.

2. Find the Path
Every district has unique traditions and expectations. Discovering what these are and executing at a high level is the fastest way to build credibility and stability for your program. Many new directors ignore the path, and blast their own road by coming into a program and turning it upside down. Even with the best intentions, this can alienate students and supporters who no longer feel seen and heard in their own group.

3. Plan to be Creative
Administrators may only understand your schedule in a general sense. If you teach instrumental lessons with students pulled from their general classrooms, you may have to develop and maintain complex schedules. You may need to create schedules, curriculums, and procedures from the ground up. Embrace the opportunity to create. This may feel overwhelming, and it absolutely is, but you can enlist help from an experienced mentor, department chair, or local director.

4. Finding First Friends
Most teachers know the importance of connecting with administrators, guidance counselors, mentors, colleagues, and their local music community. However, it is amazing how many teachers fail to build a rapport with the most important people in their professional lives, the support staff. Get to know the office secretary and the custodian who cleans your room. Talk to the resource officer about last night’s Steelers game and bring the cafeteria staff coffee once in a while. These people will save your day more than once. Show them the kindness and respect that they deserve from the onset.

5. Aim Low, Teach High
Use easier band music when beginning the journey with your ensembles. This approach helps you learn about students as people and musicians and also serves as a catalyst for setting expectations. If you are not sure of the appropriate grade level for your new group, have several reading sessions with a variety of literature. Use these sessions to develop a long-term folder for the season.

6. Set Standards, Expectations, and Boundaries
There are few times in your career where you will have a clean slate with the ability to create a culture and environment of your choice. This is the best time to set standards and expectations that will guide students moving forward. Boundaries are essential for a comprehensive program. You will work with students and their families from fifth grade through graduation and will spend time in and out of school with them. Be cautious about using inside jokes or nicknames that can confuse and blur professional boundaries. It is your job to protect them and yourself.

7. Write Things Down
The pace of the year never really allows time to catch up. Writing things down can help you process everything in the moment and give you data to reflect on and use in the future. This could take the form of detailed journal entries or notes on your calendar as the year progresses. Those notes will improve your preparation the following year.

8. Safety First
This is not your college ensemble. You have students who are hungry, angry, and facing challenges in their lives. Your students work jobs to support their families and help raise their siblings. They cope with turbulent home lives and sometimes cannot devote the time and energy to music that you expect. Your ensemble provides an essential place of safety and stability. You offer opportunities for family, ownership, and expression. Music is a vehicle for so many wonderful connections in our lives, but it always begins with safety.

9. Just Keep Swimming
It is important to have a concept of how you want your comprehensive program to run, and that you actively work towards this vision. Remember, creativity takes planning. There will be wins, losses, and changes to your vision throughout the year. No matter what happens, you need to know what you are working towards. Teachers focused solely on survival never escape the downward, negative spiral. If you don’t have a colleague in your district to share wins and losses with, I urge you to reach out to one in a neighboring district, organize a video call with a friend from grad school, or email me. I’ll be your colleague!

10. You Care the Most
You will have bad days, rehearsals that go poorly, ideas that fail, and work that never ends. No one cares about the success of the program, the education of the students, and the integrity of the music like you do. Your care and concern for the program is more than enough. Do your best, go home, let go, and try again tomorrow.

Some of the ideas in this article may speak to you more than others. Feel free to mold and adapt the concepts to fit your specific situation. After all, your small school is its own silo, with a distinct culture and dynamic. Do not be afraid to ask for help or advice. It is evidence of maturity and prioritizing the needs of the students above all else. Believe in yourself. You will find a community of colleagues in your corner, cheering for you.

The post Comfortably Comprehensive appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

When I retired from public school teaching 51/2 years ago, I had two quilts made of my old band shirts. The long-term plan was to have these quilted memories wrapped around me someday in my nursing home wheelchair as I listen to old band recordings. Each shirt holds a memory or two within its fibers, but two stand out, mainly because of the controversies they created.

If you have taught long enough, you know that controversies can come out of nowhere. Of course, halftime and contest show controversies are nothing new to band directors, but it’s still somewhat surprising when a director unwittingly picks a show that ignites the negative passions of a particular segment within the district population. (Sometimes, one person can stir the pot.) I suspect this problem has been minimized with the advent of shows that no one understands except the show designer, an AP student in the flute section, and possibly the band director, but I digress.

My halftime and contest show controversies centered on band T-shirts. In Arkansas, it is common for many bands to get a custom designed T-shirt that matches the theme of their halftime/competition show. In 2007, my band show featured the music of the rock group, Queen. Keep in mind that the hits we were playing (including Bohemian Rhapsody) had been popular since the 1970s. In fact, I had played their iconic hits Another One Bites the Dust and We Are the Champions many times when my high school won a state football championship in 1978.

So when I was called into the principal’s office the week of our first game, I was surprised that concerned citizens had complained about the Queen show we were going to be performing. One couple got the ball rolling by telling their church in Missouri (not in our state or school district) about our show. The church members then started calling me and our principal with their objections. Apparently, the church had a recent guest speaker who proclaimed that Queen’s music contained satanic messages that became apparent when their songs were played backward. The principal seemed reassured when I told him that backmasking was a controversial and dated topic from the 1970s. I emphasized that we would not play any of our show music backward.

Nonetheless, he had a problem with our band T-shirts because they promoted Queen. I told him that we were not promoting the group, it was just a shirt with the names of the group and songs that had been popular for decades. I also said that not only would it be a waste of money not to wear them, we would have to go in full uniform when the August temperatures and humidity are so hot you could fry an egg on a snare drum.

After a heated discussion, I said, “If you receive any complaints about the shirts after Friday night, we can talk about this again. However, I can assure you there will be no complaints. All of our kids and parents love the shirt except for that one family. If that family’s kids want to wear a plain black shirt, that’s fine.” As I suspected, there were no complaints, and the matter did not come up again.

The next year, I changed jobs but used the same T-shirt company. Our halftime show was titled Guitar Hero. I described the basic design to my company contact who forwarded the shirt concept to his artist; I just wanted the title of the songs we were performing plus a guitarist jamming away on an electric guitar. This seemed like a safe course in shirt design. (I briefly considered having just a black shirt with the words BAND SHIRT on it but thought that might be an overreaction.)

A week after the new shirts arrived, my new principal came by my band office to see me. He asked me who the guitarist was on the T-shirt. Puzzled, I said that I had no idea and that as far as I knew, he was from the design artist’s imagination. He then explained that he had a parent complain to him that the guitarist on the shirt was Brian May of Queen! As Yogi Berra would say, “It’s deja vu all over again.” I checked with the company artist, and it was indeed Brian May. What were the odds? Out of all the guitarists in the world – Jose Feliciano, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, my aunt Agnes, and hundreds more – he chose Brian May of Queen. I reported this to the principal who was unconcerned by that point, and the complaint from the parent fell out of his Top 40.

Fortunately, job-related headaches like this one often morph into amusing stories as the years pass. With that being said, if you have a problem with Queen or Brian May, don’t visit me in the nursing home when the time comes because they’ll be right there with me until “another one bites the dust.”

The post The Great American T-Shirt Battles of 2007 and 2008 appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Long-time Instrumentalist New Music Reviewer and Contributing Editor John Thomson has passed away. His words graced our pages frequently over the past four decades as a Contributing Editor and New Music Reviewer. He sometimes reminded us with pride that his work for The Instrumentalist actually began in the 1970s as a contributor to Accent, our publication for students.

His long teaching career included distinguished tenures at East Allegheny High School near Pittsburgh from 1967-1981 and New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois from 1982-2007. His groups at both schools earned countless prestigious invitations to perform including two appearances at the Midwest Clinic.

Thomson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in trombone performance and music education at Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied with Richard Strange. While completing course work toward a PhD at Northwestern, he worked as a teaching assistant for two years and learned from John Paynter. After retiring from New Trier, he served as an adjunct professor in music education at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He was an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association and served as that organization’s Goldman Memorial Citation Committee Chair. He also served on the National Band Association’s Revelli Composition Award Committee. He conducted bands at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for 23 summers.

John approached the work of his life with a commitment to excellence that never wavered. Whether leading a dress rehearsal or conducting an interview, he was always striving for the highest standards. We are grateful for his countless contributions to our pages and for his friendship over more than four decades.

In the November 1998 issue of The Instrumentalist, John shared his approach to selecting repertoire in an article called, The Repertoire Is The Curriculum.

I believe it is important to return to certain pieces periodically because a director knows more about how to conduct and interpret a work each time he returns to it. Every time I conduct Lincolnshire Posy, it is like visiting an old friend. I never come back to it without feeling that I have discovered something new and I have more to offer students. Some directors are critical of repeating pieces, but the educational benefits make it justifiable. Professional orchestras repeat masterworks and so should teachers provided that they do not teach the same music to the same students.

If music is repeated on a strict four-year cycle, though, a director will become bored to tears over a 30-year career. I have developed a mix-and-match rotation that is divided according to types of pieces. For example, I use the a four-year rotation of folk song suites with one of my ensembles. The rotation includes the First Suite in Eb by Gustav Holst, Second Suite in F by Holst, English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Lincolnshire Posy by Percy Grainger.

* * *

Not every piece has to be studied intensely, but all should stand up to the tests of having significant form, an important historical perspective, and a fresh approach in some way. Although such criteria make it a difficult task to find a mix of good repertoire, directors should remember that the compositions selected will constitute the curriculum for students, the music from which they will develop technique and learn about musical elements.

Some directors develop a set of concepts and select music that fits these concepts, but this is the opposite of what I do. My approach is to find an exciting piece of music and then determine which concepts to teach. This philosophical point of view reflects my belief that bands, orchestras, and jazz ensembles should be performance groups first although some educators would have us believe otherwise. Students walk in the rehearsal room door to play music, not to hear a lecture on music history or theory. Although students learn musical concepts and develop an historical perspective in the process of rehearsing pieces, the focus of my classes is performance, and I will not apologize for that.

I believe that all concepts should relate back to the ear and to performing. The ultimate goal is to go beyond just teaching the notes and to help players understand how their part fits within the full ensemble. In the end, musicians play better when they understand more about the music they rehearse and perform. The knowledge students gain from each new piece will inevitably carry over to the next piece they study. Common strands of knowledge are present and in each fine composition, and it is the process of introducing students to these wonderful complexities that makes teaching so exciting. (November 1998)

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Fritz Stansell, Founder of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan passed away in December. The son of a professional musician and educator, Stansell enrolled at Michigan State University where he met Leonard Falcone and James Niblock, two important mentors. In his early career, his parents and mentors encouraged Stansell to create a West Michigan destination for young musicians to learn and grow as musicians. Together with his wife of 71 years, Gretchen, Stansell took early steps to build Blue Lake in 1963.

Fritz and Gretchen Stansell

One goal of the camp was to serve students from diverse backgrounds and underserved communities. As one of the first organizations in Michigan with a non-profit status, Blue Lake has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships. The camp was awarded the Michigan Governor’s Arts Award in 1992. He was named Michiganian of the Year by the Detroit News in 1995 and received the American Bandmasters Association Goldman Memorial Citation.

In a March 2012 Instrumentalist interview conducted by John Thomson, Fritz Stansell discussed the early days at Blue Lake and the factors that have contributed to its success.

The First Summer in 1966
We massively underestimated the start-up cost of getting the facility back in order, and made every possible mistake in starting a business. When we turned on the water system in the spring, it leaked everywhere because the camp had been abandoned without properly draining the water. All of the buildings had to be painted and repaired.

First jazz band at Blue Lake in 1966

We rounded up every volunteer we could find, including students from the Muskegon band and orchestra. The camp finally opened on July 5th, and 56 students showed up for the first session. About 40 were in the choir and 15 in a jazz band. Overall, there were 255 students at the two sessions of concert band, ballet, art, jazz, and choir. After the regular season ended, several marching bands came in, which added a bit of revenue. We ended the first season with a $20,000 deficit and no idea how to pay the bills.

Keys to Success
One of the main reasons for success was an open admission policy. Many summer camps and university programs were very selective, and some insisted that students prepare tapes of a performance. This discouraged many young musicians from wanting to apply for fear of rejection. Our policy made it easier for parents. On occasion there is a waiting list, but parents know that if they apply early next year, they are first on the list. It has been our policy from the beginning that first come is first served.

As a music teacher I thought the key was having outstanding conductors because the bulk of our students were in large ensembles. We quickly learned that with riots in Detroit and the counterculture on college campuses, what parents wanted most was a secure, safe environment for their children. As a result we emphasized a really good counseling program. My daughter, Heidi, directs the camp now and has devoted her life to this side of the program, so that we have a secure environment for students.
We try to remember that we are a summer camp, not a music conservatory or fine arts institute. The performance level is not the most important thing, motivation is. That is our philosophy: a secure environment that is fun for everybody, and first come first served. Of course, outstanding faculty is just as important.

We have an incredible number of people who work so hard to make things succeed, and sometimes my mouth just drops open when I hear the level of some of our performing groups. I think back to those opening few years; the first five years were so touch-and-go. In fact there was one point when Gretchen and I were both ready to do something else.

I’m pleased that so many parents have the confidence in us to send their children, and that students come back in large numbers. They have a good time and make enormous progress. We hear from band and orchestra teachers about how students who attend Blue Lake come back highly motivated and become leaders in their school groups. That makes me really proud.

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Challenging Fingerings
The most common fingering mistake is leaving the left index finger down for the D and Eb in the first and second octaves. This makes the tone airy and unfocused. Renaming the left index finger as an octave key helps flutists remember to lift the finger when ascending to the second octave.

D and Eb in the 1st and 2nd octaves

Students often omit placing the right-hand pinkie on for the E in octaves one and two. Adding the pinkie, focuses the sound and makes it clearer.

E in 1st and 2nd octaves with RH pinkie on

Fingering charts list three fingerings for Bb in the first two octaves. Which one a student learns first varies from one book to the next. I prefer teaching the long Bb fingering first, mostly for stability of the instrument, but there are various opinions about this. The question students ask is usually “Which fingering do I use where?” Basically, use the thumb Bb for the flat keys unless there is a Gb. Use the long fingering for sharp keys and the lever for chromatic passages. I encourage flutists to practice passages with each of the three fingerings to see which works best for them.

Three Bb fingerings

When playing the flute, the tone is airy and unfocused with fewer fingers depressed. For example, C# in the staff is quite sharp and somewhat uncontrollable. Notes with more fingers depressed such as E and D are stuffy and darker in timbre. This is an important concept to consider when selecting a sensitive fingering. Remember that sensitive fingerings are not used in technical passages but in lyrical and slower passages.

Adding any or all of the right-hand fingers lowers the pitch and brings the tone into focus. When students ask which fingers they should depress, the answer is found in looking at what note follows the C#. If it is an E, they should add either the F and E fingers or just the E finger. If it is a D, then they can add the E and D fingers. Any right-hand combination will work, but one will feel best to the player.

Regular fingering of C#. Adding any combination for right-hand fingers lowers the pitch.

Top octave E is quite sharp. Removing the right-hand pinkie brings the pitch down nicely.

Top octave E

Top octave F# is problematic in that it is out of tune and cracks easily. Flutes with the new scale (made after the mid-1980s) play better with the right-hand second finger down rather than the third finger. However, in the first two octaves use the right-hand third finger.

Top octave F#

Top octave G# is also an unstable, sharp note especially when playing softly or making a taper. Adding the right-hand second and third fingers brings the pitch down and increases the stability of the note to prevent cracking. This fingering should not be used in fast scale passages.

Top octave G#

Sensitive fingerings should be introduced in the high school years. With a bit of practice, they can be incorporated quickly in students’ playing. The goal is always to have a beautiful tone with excellent intonation.

Examples from by Patricia George and Phyllis Avidan Louke, published by Theodore Presser Co.

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In teaching basic conducting, I would invariably have students who appeared introverted or anxious, and it took some extra effort for them to stand on the podium and lead the class or ensemble through an assigned piece. The following are traits, based on my own experience and observations, that I believe are essential to succeeding as a conductor and will help introverts and those experiencing anxiety or stage fright overcome these feelings.

Performance Skills
All would-be conductors must develop basic performance skills including:
• Command of a major instrument as a soloist and chamber music performer
• The ability to make interpretive decisions resulting in performances that evoke emotional responses in an ensemble and audiences alike
• Perceptive aural skills to deal with intonation, balance, and transposition matters.

In addition, knowledge of musical form is essential not only to develop learning goals, objectives, and strategies, but also to establish a meaningful and artistic interpretation of music to be performed.

Fundamentals
Baton technique should be sufficient to visually maintain tempo and continuity of rhythm, line, and musical detail. Rehearsal technique must include the recognition of many problematic issues to make that time productive. In the end, a conductor’s body language is as important as any of the other skills listed so far. The ability to communicate with students in rehearsal must be educational, helpful, and produce positive results.

Essentials
With these fundamentals and just two more essentials, a less than outgoing person can be an effective conductor. These include passion and self-confidence. The need (not want) to make music, must be a driving force. The personal discovery that making music is what you were meant to do has to be a substantial part of your makeup. The ability to physically display self-confidence and overcome anxiety, even during times when you feel anything but, can be the most effective way to cope. That takes remaining in character, not only to relax yourself, but to display that impression to an ensemble or an audience. Stand tall, be organized, speak clearly, and focus on solutions. Shyness, stage fright, and anxiety can only be detected if exhibited.

The range of leadership styles can differ greatly from autocratic, to business-like, to genial. The most important and fundamental trait is genuine sincerity. Some conductors talk too much, others perhaps not enough or without saying a word. Nonetheless, leadership reveals itself in achieving the best possible musical results one is after. Early on, young conductors mistakenly try to emulate or become someone else such as a former teacher or famous conductor. That never works. I often told my students that it would take at least five years for them to discover their own unique classroom personality and teaching style. Simply be yourself.

Many years ago, Francis McBeth closed a Midwest Clinic session by saying that a conductor must know three things, “Know yourself. Know your stuff. And know who you’re stuffin.” In other words, be prepared by thoroughly knowing yourself, the score and what you want to accomplish, and your group. Anything else will take care of itself. These are wise words, indeed.

A Confession
The subject of being a shy conductor is personal because that also describes me. I am anything but an extrovert, but when it comes to conducting, I become an “extroverted introvert.” Throughout my career, I have always felt nervous or keyed-up before any class, rehearsal, or performance. Over time, I believe that feeling helped make me focused, on my game, and effective. For any musician, the experiences of life, learning about oneself, and growing in confidence, security, and knowledge, all can make the difference in overcoming shyness, anxiety, and stage fright.

Food for Thought
A conductor is often the central character in making music. Music can take performers and listeners into other worlds, magical worlds that offer hope, joy, comfort, and more through a means of expression that goes beyond what words can convey. Knowing this can only confirm that taking the steps to overcome any doubts or fears in assuming the role of conductor will be gratifying for you and those you touch. What remains now is to take a breath, go through with it, and carry on.

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