Keep it Simple
    This is an extremely important concept in this day of short attention spans. When introducing a concept, find the simplest way to explain it. Better yet, get out an instrument and model it. Students, especially younger children, learn faster through imitation than long physiological descriptions of what they have to do for a certain effect.
    If there is any concept expounded on at greater length than breathing I am not sure what it would be, yet simple is better. A lesson on breathing might go like this: “Pretend you are a vacuum cleaner. Breathing is like suction. Pull the air into your body like a vacuum cleaner sucks in dirt.” Combine this with a breathing exercise, and it is a concise but effective lesson on breathing.
    It is also important to determine what core concepts to teach and emphasize them repeatedly. I frequently tell students that rhythm is number one in sightreading. In other words, when reading new music, I want most of their concentration centered on getting the rhythms correct. When they concentrate mostly on the notes, the music is more likely to bog down. They might play the right notes but if they occur at the wrong time, they become wrong notes. Correct rhythms at least keep the piece moving. After I explain this to them once, I do not tell them over and over again. I just repeat, “Rhythm is number one!”

Do the Unexpected
    One characteristic that many distant memories share is their original unexpectedness. Memories of the daily, mundane things of life fade quickly while unusual events that intrude are more likely to stick. Rehearsals are much the same way.
    The unexpected can often be a matter of letting up when the natural reaction would be to buckle down. Many years ago, Tom Landry, the iconic and stoic former coach of the Dallas Cowboys, felt that his team was in a funk, and he could not really put his finger on what was wrong. He decided to forego practice for the day and just let the team play an informal game of touch football. The change of pace was just what the team needed; that practice has been recounted by several Cowboy players over the years in their own memoirs and is often credited with turning around their season. Something as simple as rearranging the seating for a rehearsal can have a similar rejuvenating effect. At marching band practice, have students march the halftime or contest show by class while the other classes watch and cheer.
    Some of the best opportunities to do this are spontaneous. One year as I conducted a symphonic band rehearsal, a percussionist from the concert band that rehearsed at the same time walked through the rehearsal room, grabbed a mallet from our percussion cabinet and left. A few minutes later he came in to get something else. Annoyed at the interruptions, I sent one of my students over to the concert band room to get something from their percussion section. At some point my assistant director, who was in charge of the concert band, noticed my students coming into his room to retrieve items and put two and two together. So he sent his students back into my room to get more things. Things escalated to the point that one of us ordered several of our larger young men to go get the other director. The other director responded in kind, and we passed each other in the hallway, held aloft by each other’s low brass sections. It was great fun, and his players never interrupted my rehearsal again.
    Unexpected illustrations are typically more memorable. Young students will often plop down in front of a music stand and accept whatever position it is already in without adjustment. Instead of instructing students to put the music stand into a position that promotes the best posture, I announce that I am about to tell them something that will build their self-esteem so much that they will want to run home and tell their parents: “You are smarter than a music stand.” The point is that they should manipulate the environment around them and not vice versa.

Make it Concrete
    Concrete language that uses the senses helps musicians, particularly inexperienced ones, understand new concepts. The article “Teaching with Analogies” by Jesse Krebs (The Instrumentalist, Sept. 2009) has many good examples of this: The clarinet hand position is shaped as if holding a tennis ball, light tonguing is like having one cell of the tongue touch one fiber of the reed, ritards should be played like a ball slowly rolling to a stop, a crescendo should be like a plane taking off, and a decrescendo should fade like a sunset. The playing of low soft tones on the clarinet is like a large, heavy road roller at work, smoothing out freshly poured tar on the road bed. This machine is doing its job powerfully but slowly. The playing of high, loud notes can be compared to a large truck speeding down the highway.
    Several years ago I was frustrated by my low budget and the deteriorating condition of our school-owned instruments. I put a meeting table in the middle of the band room and surrounded it with all the pitiful equipment our program as using. What used to be simply words on a budget request were now vividly on display. I received a better budget the next year.

Make it Credible
    Getting students to listen to what you are teaching can be difficult, particularly if you are new and your ideas contrast strongly with those of the previous director. Three years ago I started a new position after teaching 23 years in another district. My experience and previous success gave me instant credibility with those who hired me, but somehow did not seem to count for much with students and parents who missed the former director. It was a frustrating realization that I would have to build credibility bit by bit. Nothing I said about my past was going to do any good (and would even be counterproductive), so I began to work on the future.
    I found the best way to build credibility was to create successful performing situations. I was in no hurry to throw inexperienced students in over their heads. Some directors rush too quickly into contests and damage their credibility before they really even get started. I did not enter my senior band in a marching or concert contest until my third year at Riverview; I waited until I was confident that they would be successful. In the meantime they played on programs with a local university, under respected clinicians, in mass band events with other schools, and for local elementary schools. With each positive experience, they began to see that the things I asked them to do worked.

Use Emotion
    An emotional connection will help make students care about what they are doing. Have you ever wondered why students cannot remember to play the dynamics? There are several reasons, but the most common may be a lack of understanding and connection with what they are performing. Mining the emotional content of music is the best way to remember dynamics rather than just playing them as a mechanical response to written notation. Directors should select music with enough musical depth to make this possible. A steady musical diet limited to stands tunes for football and basketball games is not going to do the trick. Directors should also conduct with feeling and guide students on their emotional journey through the music. This is crucial for the ultimate musical interaction between conductor, band, and audience.
    A few weeks ago a former friend and drum major I had in high school died in an accident. It amazed me how many of the comments on Facebook were from high school friends she knew from band. At a band practice that week I took a moment to speak about my high school band experiences and encouraged my current students to value the lessons and friendships that they have now because they are truly unlike any they will have in the future.

Tell Stories
    Band directors love to tell stories so it is best not to get carried away with this one. Balance it with the idea of keeping it simple. To illustrate breathing, I tell a story from my childhood: I had many animals when I was growing up including hamsters, gerbils, dogs, pigeons, and fish. This would make extended vacations difficult at times. In 1971 my family spent the summer at Fort Walton Beach while my dad trained at a local Air Force base for his tour in Vietnam. As final preparations were being made for the trip, my dad turned his attention to the transportation of my personal menagerie. He entered my room carrying an old, white bucket and a long, clear tube and told me that we were going to siphon the water out of the aquarium. I asked him if it would hurt the fish, and he assured me that they would know better than to come near the tube. Having said that, he lowered one end of the tube into the water, put the other in his mouth and inhaled very quickly. As the water began its journey through the tube, Charlie, one of my goldfish, decided to take a look at what was going on. He swam toward the tube and before you could say “Go fish!” the tube had sucked out his left eyeball. My body convulsed as the eyeball wound its way through the tube, finally lodging itself halfway down. What was gross enough became grosser as my dad worked the eyeball down the tube until it plopped into the bucket.
    I use this story to illustrate the idea of suction. The students are grossed-out when I tell them to breathe in like they are sucking in an eyeball, but it is definitely memorable which is what I am after. By the way, Charlie lived another year, and other than bumping into the side of the aquarium from time to time, he was okay. Also, my dad learned never to overestimate the intelligence of a goldfish.
    Good teachers do many of these things naturally, but even the best would be more consistent and creative by intentionally using the SUCCESs model: Simple. Unexpected. Con-crete. Credible. Emotion. Stories.

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   I believe that the single most important factor in choosing a music school is the relationship between the student and private teacher. Though seemingly obvious to most music graduates, the significance of this alliance is often lost on high school students who are dreaming of football games, well-attended performances, or the chance to study with the dynamic conductor they met through various honors ensembles during their high school careers.
   Although those things are important, they pale in comparison to the magnitude of the influence that studio teachers hold over their students. Not only do these teachers shepherd students through the complex musical landscape, but they are often counselors and confidants as well. Private teachers have the ability to make or break a student’s day, week, or semester and generally remain influential throughout a student’s adult and professional life. Although I don’t often see my percussion teacher any more, I still remember with vivid clarity all he taught me about percussion, music, and life – 17 years after our final lesson. With this in mind I have several recommendations for high school students looking for a music school.
   Make sure you have at least one lesson with a studio teacher before you make your final decision. Use this time to get a clear indication of their teaching methods, expectations, and whether your personalities will mesh. A teacher with high expectations who has the ability to explain and demonstrate the concepts being taught is ideal.
   Ask whether you will actually be studying with the professor once you arrive on campus. Students who attend large universities are sometimes surprised to learn that they will be studying with graduate students for a year or two before the opportunity arrives to be a regular member of the professor’s studio.
   Ask about the professor’s professional obligations and travel responsibilities. Some private teachers with busy performance schedules are away from campus as often as they are present. This is not necessarily negative – studying with high-profile musicians has its privileges – but this is information that the student should know before making a final decision.
   Finally, I recommend contacting a current student of the professor’s to get a first-person perspective on what it is like to be a member of the studio.
   Another factor that I believe receives insufficient consideration from potential music students is whether they actually like music enough to make it the all-consuming focus of their lives. I am often surprised to see how many students embark on a music major with a narrow view of what music education is and without much interest in expanding that horizon. Many students arrive on campus with a great love of playing their instrument but appear to be completely uninterested in theory, history, aural skills, and keyboard skills – subjects that they will be required to study.
   This is understandable – not everybody needs to be able to analyze Bach partitas or sightread Schubert lieder when they begin their studies. However, it is critically important that students be curious and willing to expand beyond their primary instrument and to explore aspects of music beyond their comfort zones. Such comments as “I don’t need to know how to play the piano in order to be a band director,” “When am I ever going to need to resolve a German VI chord,” or “I don’t need to learn to write drill in order to teach middle school” all miss the point.
   While colleges are, by necessity, training students for specific skills, the more important mission is to develop students as total musicians. Certainly keyboarding class may be difficult if you’ve never had piano lessons, and analyzing Renaissance motets may not become a part of your daily life, but becoming a well-rounded musician will make you a much better teacher, performer, theorist, historian, or composer, and that is, and should remain, the ultimate goal of a college education.
Matthew McCutchen
University of South Florida

   Before choosing a college, students should consider carefully why they want to major in music. Students may confuse liking their music teacher with having a fun career; what looks like fun is also hard work. Many students enter college as music majors thinking their experience will be similar to their high school days – making music with their best friends under the leadership of someone they have admired for years, with occasional music-related travel.
   Such students often begin in the fall without a clear understanding of the rigors involved in their specific major or career, and many of these students leave after one or two semesters. They might also be taken aback because they were always the top player in their high school, and have to put in a lot more work now.
   A factor that might receive inadequate consideration when selecting a school is the local music culture. It is worth investigating whether a college will actually be able to offer a student lots of playing time in various ensembles and styles. Schools advertise opportunities, but not necessarily how competitive the groups are.
   Inquire whether there are area performance opportunities for music majors. A freshman woodwind quintet (or soloist) that has a standing monthly gig at a local church or other establishment is learning valuable lessons beyond the classroom. Similarly, community orchestras and bands can give young conductors and composers excellent opportunities.
   Whether a student can actually afford to attend a particular school is important; it doesn’t always work itself out. Students who are constantly stressed about money cannot flower in college the way they should. Choose the less expensive option, especially for a bachelor’s degree, with an eye on competing for top graduate assistantships for the next diploma.
F. David Romines
Marywood University

 If I had to name just one overlooked factor, it would be the quality of the performance opportunities at the intended school. A great large group, with full and balanced part distribution and great literature, is of primary significance. High school students are rarely prepared for the rigors of music study, and even further removed from the quality of the chamber or ensemble experiences that await. All schools will play good literature, but there is a significant disparity between the quality of one versus another. While listening to recordings or performance examples has benefits, nothing will parallel the performance of a work.
Douglas Overmier
Northwest Missouri State University

   When choosing a college, sometimes students forget to think about which school fits their strengths, weaknesses, and personality the best. It can be easy for students to let someone else make the decision about where they will attend college. Parents may want their children to stay nearby. Peers may encourage their friends to attend the same college. A general desire for prestige may drive a student to apply only to the most selective colleges.
   One of the most important considerations when determining which school fits best is the applied teacher or private teacher on the major instrument. When possible, prospective students should try to secure at least a mini-lesson and meeting with the teacher at each school at which they intend to apply. A student should consider whether he enjoys the teacher’s style of teaching and whether he believes he could learn a lot from the teacher.
   Students should find out what the performance opportunities are to make sure the school will be appropriately challenging. Students should aim to enter a school where they will be challenged by musicians in their section who are better than they are, but where they will still have ample opportunities to perform. Students can learn so much from peers who excel.
   The geographic location of the school is also important in determining where a student will fit best. Students should consider whether an urban, suburban, small city, or rural atmosphere is best for them. A student who fears being in the city may miss out on opportunities to learn if he attends a school in the heart of a city, but that same student may  thrive as a leader in a different atmosphere. Students should also consider how far from home they are willing to be for college.
   The school that is the most ideal fit for one person may be a poor fit for someone else, even someone else who plays the same instrument and went to the same high school. When students attend the school at which they fit best, they will have a better chance to excel with the right teacher, the right challenges, and the right atmosphere for learning.
Kathy Melago
Slippery Rock University

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Getting Started
    Initial exercises should teach students to identify the correct pitch and understand which way to adjust the string. Often students can hear that the tones do not match but be unsure whether the string is sharp or flat. At first students should hold the instrument in playing position while the teacher bows on the A string and adjusts the fine tuners (or pegs if necessary). This can be started at the earliest lessons so students become accustomed to listening to the string being tuned. Then students can play the open A, while the teacher tunes. Later ask students to play the A and D strings together while the teacher tunes. Although they will not begin self-tuning using the open fifths, this helps them hear the correct interval.
    Always encourage the students to produce their best possible sound when tuning because a poor tone distorts the pitch of the note. Strings should always be bowed because the natural resonance helps students hear the correct pitch. Pizzicato tuning should be reserved for the advanced student as a means of checking strings or for the director who may have to do a quick job of tuning.
    In private lessons or small group classes first make sure that the instrument is in tune. Then choose one string – generally the A works best – and move it out of tune with the fine tuner. At first the difference should be significant so it is easier for the student to hear. The teacher then plays an in-tune A on the same type of instrument, and the student adjusts the fine tuner until the pitches match. It requires a great deal of coordination to hold the instrument and adjust the tuners. One solution is to pair young students with buddies so that one plays the note while the other adjusts the tuners.
    The next step could be to have the student listen to the sound of the A and D strings together. The teacher moves the fine tuner out of tune and asks the student to adjust until it sounds correct again. Some students will be able to tune easier with a single pitch, while others can hear the open fifth (or fourth on the bass) and will have more success tuning by the interval.
    In a group class the students can work in pairs with one moving the fine tuner and providing the reference pitch while the other puts the instrument back in tune. This gives each student practice hearing the correct pitch and making the adjustments. Students who have difficulty hearing the reference pitch may not be ready to tune on their own.
    In an ensemble the lower strings should set the reference pitch for the upper strings. Tune one bass, or cello if you do not have a bass player, and that player is the tuning rock. The rest of the bass section tunes each of their strings – one at a time – against the reference pitch. The cellos, violas and violins can assist by giving thumbs up or down to help each bassist tune. Once the basses are in tune, the procedure moves through the ensemble by instrument. This sharpens both listening and tuning skills of each of the students. Once a number of the students in each section are proficient tuners, they can be the tuning rocks for the students around them, and the process moves faster.

Tuning Note
    Because young students often have trouble hearing the reference pitch, the source of the tuning note is important. Most beginning students can best hear a pitch match from an acoustic tone in the same octave followed by a mechanical pitch in that octave. Later they can hear an acoustic pitch in a different octave and last a mechanically-produced pitch in a different octave. Using a like instrument – violins for violins – is also easier for the young player. As students become more proficient at tuning, introduce different octaves, mechanically produced sounds, and tuning to other instruments to sharpen both their tuning and intonation skills.

Tuning Games
    In-and-Out helps in the early stages of teaching tuning as it develops the students’ ability to physically turn the fine tuners and match the pitch using their own voices as a reference. Start with all instruments in tune. On a signal from the teacher, all students except the bass players turn their A fine tuners a little to the right and then a little to the left. Students stop playing, the basses give an A, and then all students sing the A in a comfortable register. On a signal from the teacher, they all try to tune their A string with the sung A and the A from the bass players. Check each section, and ask the students whether everyone has returned to the correct pitch.
    Lost in Space is a more challenging version of the previous game. Once the students are all in tune choose one person from each section (or a few members of a large group lesson) to be the space station or anchor. On a signal from the teacher everyone except the space stations becomes lost in space and moves the fine tuner (or the bass tuning peg) out of tune moving sharp when the teacher’s hand moves up and flat when the teacher’s hand moves down.
    Space stations then play the correct pitch, students sing the pitch, and on a signal from the teacher, adjust their tuners to the correct pitch. If a large room is available, the stations can remain in fixed positions, while those who are lost move away from and back to the space stations as they adjust their pitches out of tune and back in tune.
    Beats-r-Us is a game that works best in an ensemble situation with lower strings available as the beat makers because beats are easier to hear on larger instruments. Start with two bass players that are in tune. One then moves the A peg either lower or higher causing beats to be heard between the pitches – a minor second works well. The student then moves the peg back in tune making them stop. Once students can hear beats on a large instrument, move to cellos, violas, and violins.
    When students become adept at adjusting individual strings and matching them to a reference pitch, they should practice tuning the strings by listening to the fifth interval. This is done by first tuning the A sting to the reference pitch. Then play the A and D together. Adjust the D string tuner until the fifth sounds correct. Move through the different pairs of strings tuning each one. Many of the games and techniques used for tuning individual strings can be adapted to tuning in fifths. For example one student could adjust his D string while others in the section raise their hands when it sounds in tune. Students should practice producing an even tone while playing two strings before trying to tune. They should play with even bow weight on both strings to produce a clear tone. The tendency is to press more heavily on one string.
    Learning to tune is an exciting time for students, but it is a process that will take many weeks or even months. Spend just a little time at each rehearsal and keep it fun. Take small steps so students do not become frustrated. The initial focus should be on hearing the difference between a note that is in tune and a note that is not in tune. Without this, tuning is an impossible task. Tuning practice will also improve students’ listening skills and their intonation on all notes will likely improve. Once a few students can tune themselves, they can help others, and you will save valuable rehearsal time for playing.

Tips for Directors
Fine Tuners
   At the beginning of the year (and periodically after that) check that the instrument is set up correctly. All student violins, violas and cellos should have working fine tuners. (These are the small metal tuners on the tailpiece.)
   At first students should use only the these fine tuners and not the tuning pegs. Pegs are extremely difficult for young students to use and lead not only to frustration but also to broken strings.
   The fine tuners should be loosened so they have plenty of turns available for tightening. Strings slip flat, so students will primarily be tightening them. Over time students will tighten them as far as they will go. When this happens, the teacher should loosen them  again and then retune the strings with the pegs. Fix sticky fine tuners with a silicon lubricant so they are easily turned.

Tuning Pegs
   Especially in the winter, tuning pegs can slip – sometimes several times in a rehearsal. Lava soap is an inexpensive remedy. Cut off a piece about the width of your index finger from the bar. Unwind the string, pull the peg completely out of the peg box, and rub the soap on the end. Without the string attached, work the peg into the hole in the peg box. Add a little more soap, rewind the string, and tune it up. The gritty part of the soap keeps the peg from slipping, while the soapy part helps it turn. Do this to instruments that stay at school over the summer, and they will be much easier to tune in the fall.

Bridge Collapse
   Sometimes all of the strings loosen and the bridge falls over. On string instruments the bridge and the soundpost, the small piece of wood inside the instrument between the front and back, are held in place by the tension of the strings. If the strings are released, both can fall over. (You will hear a rattling inside the instrument if the soundpost falls down.) Immediately lay the instrument down on its back to prevent this. (If the soundpost falls over, unless you have the patience of Job and the dexterity to match, you will need to take the instrument in to have the post reset. If the soundpost is not positioned in the right spot, the sound of the instrument is affected.)
   It is much easier to reset the bridge. (Often there are marks on the instrument from the bridge that will help you find the correct position.) Stand the bridge up, making sure the straight side is closer to the tailpiece. Center the bridge evenly from left to right. Then tighter the inner two strings enough to hold the bridge in place. Check to make sure the bridge is lined up with the fingerboard before tightening the outside two strings. Then tune up the inside strings. As you tighten the strings make sure the bridge stays straight and does not start to tip. The base should stay flat against the instrument.
   Impress upon students that when they tune with the pegs, they should always do one string at a time. If all the strings are loose, put some tension on the inside strings first before attempting to tune the outside strings to equalize the pressure on the bridge and sound post.
   When all the strings go out of tune at once, you may need to do a close-enough tuning and then go back and retune each string. Adjusting the tension on the two outside strings especially will often change the pitch of the two inner strings. This is more common in the cello and bass where the tension is so great on the strings. Always tune slowly as you add tension with the pegs. Tightening too quickly may cause the string to snap. This is especially likely when the strings are old or frayed.

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A Love of Music
   Once in college, many students find they were passionate about their high school music program, but are not passionate about the study of music. They enjoyed band camp, masterclasses, marching practices, competitions and concerts, but when actually enrolled in music school, they find they do not like practicing several hours each day, drilling music theory aural skills or completing the reading assignments for a music history class. After a semester of this challenging curriculum, many opt to change to another field.
   If you can help a student discover whether it is a music program or the subject of music that he most enjoys before he applies to college, you have served him well. After several years of observation, most directors already know whether a student thoroughly enjoys all aspects of music study or only the social aspects of the program. The goal, however, is to help the student discover the answer for himself. Look online with him at freshman music major curriculums for several schools and ask whether these courses look interesting. Encourage students to take a private lesson with a university’s applied music professor and discuss the four-year curriculum (etudes, solos, concerti) and graduation requirements. Usually as students delve into the college curriculum and requirements, it clarifies whether this is the right path.  

Skills and Talent
   Over the years many high school band directors have said they are sending me the most talented student they have ever taught. When the student arrives, I find he can play the right notes at the right time and in tune. This is not enough. Talented, well-prepared students should have an overall intellectual musical plan. This includes a good sense of sound color with  changes on various notes to enhance expressiveness, a natural command for the technical aspects of the instrument, and a highly developed sense of pitch. Instinctively a good student is in command when he performs.
   At this point a student who wants to major in music should have a broad repertoire of etudes, solos and concerti. He likely reads about music and mostly listens to classical music. Helping a student discover where his level of performance is in relation to other freshmen music majors can influence the decision about whether to major in music.

Other Options
   If it turns out that the student is unsuited for a major in music, there are usually many other opportunities to participate in college ensembles as an amateur and to continue to take private lessons. Community bands and orchestras are another good choice. Encourage all students to continue to enjoy and participate in music no matter what career path they choose.

Education vs. Performance
   Once the decision is made, the next choice is what type of music major: education or performance. Which degree the student chooses to pursue will determine whether a conservatory, school of music, department of music or a community college is the best option. For many years, the thinking was: if you can’t play, then teach. Of course there are thousands of teachers who can and do play, but have chosen to change students’ lives through music education. So ask your student  how he wants to earn a living. Breaking into the classical performance venue requires talent, perseverance and luck. However, getting a job in the shrinking educational market presents its challenges too. Many students pursue a double degree in music education and performance to ensure a more secure future. I encourage double degree majors to continue their study by taking a master’s degree in performance and a DMA in performance with a minor in either music theory or music history.
   The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is the accrediting agency for music schools. Founded in 1923, it has accredited 630 institutions in the United States to ensure a uniform method of granting music credits and developing and maintaining a basic standard for music degrees.
 
Standardized Tests
   When students take the ACT and SAT examinations, they should take extra care when filling out the supplementary materials accompanying the test, especially the section concerning extra-curricular activities. Many financial aid advisors award extra money based on this section. When my students are in the eighth grade, I encourage them to create a file on their computer listing everything they participate in as it occurs, both musical and other activities. When this question appears on a test or on college applications, they have accurate and complete information available. 

Research Schools
   Encourage students to research a variety of institutions. There are a multitude of sources available today, starting with the school’s catalog. As students narrow the field of schools, they should make a list of school choices and include a safety school or two.
Students who are happy with their college selection are usually those who visit the campus during high school. If possible schedule the visit when one of the university’s large ensembles is presenting a concert or the applied music professor is performing. If the student does not like what he hears, then he should remove the school from his list.
   Another option is to stay in the dorm for a night with a friend who currently attends the school. Often schools have programs in which a prospective student can shadow a music student for a day. If possible, sit in on a music theory class, music history class and a large ensemble rehearsal. The best schools require students to regularly study chamber music, so inquire about the chamber music program.
   During a four-year bachelor’s degree program, the applied teacher is the primary mentor for the student, so students should schedule a lesson with this professor. When scheduling a lesson, ask if there is a charge to prevent any awkwardness at the time of the lesson. Teachers often offer these lessons free of charge as a recruiting tool, while others charge their regular rate.
   Many professors consider this lesson to be a pre-audition hearing, so students should prepare carefully. I send my students with a repertoire list to give to the professor at the beginning of the lesson. The page includes the student’s name, address, phone number and email address followed by his repertoire. Repertoire is separated by categories. Headings might include:  Etudes, Unaccompanied Solos, Solos with Piano, Concerti, and Chamber Works. An asterisk is placed after compositions to indicate a public performance. Many professors have commented that this was extremely helpful because they could see what a student has accomplished and what should be done in the future. After the lesson, students should send a written (not emailed) thank you note. If there is not a good match with the teacher, it is better to find out before applying to the school.

Application
   Encourage students to complete the application materials as soon as possible. Several top conservatories require pre-audition CDs or DVDs. If students pass the first round, they are invited to an audition at a later time. During the junior year, plan CD pre-audition programs as well as audition programs. Many schools have specific requirements. Follow them to the letter. Take care in making the CD or DVD. If playing with piano, be sure the piano is in tune, and there is no ambient noise in the background. Hire the best accompanist and dress appropriately. The CD/DVD label should include the student’s name, address, phone number and email address plus the recorded repertoire including movement titles.

The Audition
   Directors and private teachers should help students prepare for the audition well in advance. The audition is similar to a job interview and non-musical aspects play an important role. Students should plan to arrive at the school the day before the audition, so they are well rested and not rushing to arrive on time. Find the audition site early so there is time for a proper warm-up. This does not mean playing straight through the audition pieces, but playing through the basic fundamentals. Tell students that when they walk into the audition, they should feel warmed up and comfortable playing – the point where everything feels easy to play. Several months ahead of the audition, students should work out a warm-up routine with their private teachers. If they practice with it regularly in advance, it will help them relax and comfortably prepare on the day of the audition.
   Audition days are busy for professors. Usually there is one audition scheduled after another at 20 to 30 minute intervals. Arrive at the studio ahead of schedule so the professor will not have to wait. Students should enter the room ready to go with the instrument unpacked and music at hand. Always remind students to perform from original copies. I know several professors who will not listen to an audition or a lesson if the student appears with copies. Students should look professional and dress up. It may be advisable to give students some specific advice on appropriate dress.
   If the student has not previously met with the professor, this is the time to present a repertoire list. This will break the ice and offer a topic for conversation. Remind students that the audition is not just about their playing abilities, but also whether the professor thinks they have the personality traits to succeed in a teaching or performing career. Students should practice their interview skills with their director, private teacher, and family. Remind them to speak clearly in full sentences. Another good option is to video tape several interviews.
   Students should listen carefully to what the professor asks for in the audition. Many times a professor will say, “play the A major scale followed by the relative melodic minor scale, slurred.” The student begins to play before he has thought about what he is doing and has to stop and begin again. It is far better to think for a moment and then play. Scales are not just about the notes. Teachers listen for tone, intonation, evenness of timbre and whether the scales have phrases and sound like music. Students who phrase are accepted into programs. The professor is also looking at a student’s set-up. Fixing basic problems is a time-consuming process, and many busy professors opt not to accept these students.
   If playing without an accompanist, most professors do not care if students play at A=440, A=441 etc. However, what they are listening for is if the audition begins at A=441, then it should finish at A=441. When students play with an accompanist, they should tune carefully with the piano. If the university provides an accompanist be prompt for any rehearsals and polite.
   Students will likely not play the entire audition repertoire. Usually the professor will tell them to stop and jump to another place in the music. In the months before the audition, students should practice starting with each of the compositions, so there are no surprises if they play the works in a different order. 
   For excerpts students should research the composer, the composition, style period and any important information about the piece. Besides practicing the excerpt, they should learn the entire first part and practice playing the complete piece with recordings. Many a student has left a poor impression on a professor in an audition because he did not know the entire composition or who the composer was.
   After the audition students should thank the professor for his time. Good manners go a long way in the music business. A student may choose a different school, but the music profession is a small network of individuals, and you never know whom you may meet again at a later date.
   Most professors are busy people. Besides teaching, they are busy with their performing careers. When listening to prospective students, most look for students they think they can help obtain a goal. One well-known professor told me she did not always take the best players. When I heard her studio perform, I knew what she was looking for – students who could listen carefully and create musical phrases. She knew she could teach them technique and repertoire.
   Professors also want students who do not have significant problem areas to fix. If a student consistently has trouble with the beginnings of notes throughout the audition, this signals to the professor that his listening skills are not very acute, or he would have fixed the attacks. Professors are also looking for students who can shape phrases and have a sense of line. They look at whether students know what to do with the non-harmonic tones, especially the appoggiatura (strong/weak) and have a sense of what playing their instrument is about. Professors also seek students who have intellectual curiosity because just playing the notes is not enough.
   As students plan for an audition day, they should carefully prepare every detail. Make the decision to accept easy for a professor.

Tips for High School Students from a Music Major

    Take responsibility for yourself. If you are not taking private lessons, now is the time to start. Follow the teacher’s advice. If you do not have a professional-level instrument, begin saving for one. If you are purchasing one, collect as much advice as you can and play the instrument  before making your final selection. 
   In your junior year begin to plan for the college selection process. On a calendar, mark the dates for application and essay deadlines, campus visits, private lessons, and audition days. Develop a regular practice schedule so you will always be at your best. Plan your days so you get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and eat a balanced diet.
   Organize practice sessions so you arrive on audition day with everything prepared at performance level. Attend a summer music festival for enrichment. To help with performing nerves, present several practice recitals for family and friends to rehearse performing in front of an audience.
   Take piano lessons as every music school has a piano proficiency exam to pass. The sooner you pass the proficiency exam, the more time you have for other projects. Good piano skills help you complete your music theory homework faster and aid in analysis projects.
   If possible sign into an AP theory course in your junior or senior year of high school. If one is not available, check out theory texts from the public library and practice the exercises. Become a whiz at the fundamentals of music theory. Be prepared to spell and play all major, melodic minor, chromatic, and whole tone scales; triads and seventh chords. Be able to play these basic fundamentals with a variety of rhythms, articulations and dynamics.
   Make up any deficits in your etude, solo, or concerto repertoire. Listen to a variety of artists on your instrument to aid in your musical development. Research every composition you play to learn more about the composer, the style period, the genre of the composition and any special historical implications the piece may contain. Listen to all the Beethoven Symphonies with a full score. This may be some of the best music ever written. 
   Read a music appreciation textbook to get an overview of music history. Observe how events in music history relate to specific times in American and World History.
   Take an anatomy course so you will understand how the body is put together so you can practice injury free. Study a foreign language (Ital-ian, French, or Ger-man). Learn to write. Keep up your grades. Keep reminding yourself that everything you do now is helping make you a better musician.

The post When a Student Asks appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

1.  March – Morris Dance (“Glorishears” and “Blue-eyed Stranger”), “Swansea Town,” and “Claudy Banks”
2.  Song without words “I’ll love my Love”
3.  “Song of the Blacksmith”
4.  Fantasia on the “Dargason” (Country Dance) introducing “Greensleeves”

   The folk dances in the Suite were collected by Cecil Sharp; four of the five folk songs in the work were collected by George B. Gardiner. Directors should study what has been written about the folk music and listen to available recordings. Additional clues to interpretation may also be gleaned from the poetic texts of the folk songs.¹
   The folk tunes in the Second Suite in F are predominantly in song or strophic form. In strophic form a folk song is repeated with each stanza of text. Holst was not only a master at combining diverse folk songs and dances in one movement, but he was also highly skilled in varying the rhythms, harmony, dynamics, orchestration, texture, and style elements when a folk tune was repeated.

Instrumentation
   Holst was clearly thinking of a British military band when he initially composed the Second Suite in 1911, and also when he revised the work eleven years later in preparation for its spectacular first performance by the Royal Military School of Music Band at Royal Albert Hall, London, June 30, 1922. Changes in military band instrumentation from 1911 to 1922 basically involved replacing B-flat baritone horn with B-flat tenor saxophone and adding parts for horns 3 and 4. Note, however, that in neither version of the work did Holst use the following instruments: trumpets; alto, bass, or contrabass clarinet; soprano, baritone, or bass saxophone; contrabassoon or string bass. Parts for most of these instruments are included in the 1948 Boosey & Hawkes edition of the work and in Colin Matthews’s 1984 revised and edited version. Colin Matthews’s edition is preferred for performance today as the instrumentation is clearly explained in the introduction to the score – directors can perform the work with the original small band instrumentation or with full band instrumentation.
   In both the published and autograph scores of the Second Suite in F, Flute & Piccolo are listed as one part. It would appear that except for a few passages marked flute or piccolo, the piccolo doubles the flute an octave higher throughout. That dubious situation should be resolved by the conductor. Edit the Flute & Piccolo part carefully and transfer your marks to the score and parts.
    Note that the Solo & 1st Clarinet part in Matthews’s edition is the same as Holst’s autograph score. That is, except for the first 17 measures of movement two, the part does not divide. In the autograph score Holst wrote “Melody for oboe or clar” at the beginning of movement two at the top of the page as if an afterthought. If the solo clarinet part is rewritten for oboe (recommended), then the notes in original oboe part (first 12 measures plus three beats) must be rescored for Solo B-flat Clarinet because most of the oboe notes are not covered elsewhere.
    Although Holst only wrote parts for 1st and 2nd B-flat Cornet in the autograph score, the 1st B-flat Cornet part divides in the following passages: Mvt II – last two measures; Mvt III – letter C to the end of the movement; and Mvt IV – measure 201 to the end. As a result, at least two players should cover the part with a minimum of three players in the section. Check every part before rehearsals begin to uncover other discrepancies.
    Note that only cornets, not trumpets, are called for in the autograph score and in Matthews’s revised edition. If the preferred cornet sound is not available, then distribute the parts among your trumpet players and ask them to try to darken their sounds by using a deeper cupped mouthpiece, a larger bored trumpet (if available), and playing slightly into the music stand.
    Holst originally scored the Second Suite for two horns in keeping with the English military band instrumentation of 1911. When he revised the score in 1922 he added horns 3 and 4. Most of the time throughout the first three movements of the revised score, Holst doubled the 1st and 2nd horn parts with 3rd and 4th horns. In the last movement of the autograph score, however, Holst wrote separate parts for horns 3 and 4 at the bottom of the page to reinforce the second appearance of “Greensleeves” (climax phrase) beginning one measure after letter G. This reinforcement is good if the work is played by a large band, but not absolutely necessary if performed by a small band with one player per part and no ad lib instruments.
    Holst’s 1922 revised version of the Suite is a masterpiece of economy and lucidity with regard to orchestration. Although I prefer to perform the work with the original instrumentation (minimal of doubling of parts, around 24 players), I can recommend medium, large, and even extra large wind band performances as long as the instrument parts are balanced and the ad lib parts are judiciously edited. This is particularly important with regard to bass and sub-bass single and double reed instruments.

Notes for Each Movement
    I. March – The first movement is in ternary form – ABA. Although three folk tunes are ingeniously employed in this movement, the music is nonetheless a straightforward march, so the rhythm, spirit, and style of the march should be maintained, whether in simple or compound time. Sing the folk song “Claudy Banks” (letter H) to determine a tempo that will work for the entire movement.
    After a short, two-measure introduction in which a melodic fragment of the first tune is stated in the low brass and answered antiphonally by the upper woodwinds, Holst introduces “Morris Dance.” This is a combination of two handkerchief dances – “Glorishears” and “Blue-eyed Stranger.”
    The “Glorishears” dance tune is 16 measures long – eight measures of brass followed by eight measures tutti. An eight-measure bridge for woodwinds, horns, and triangle (the second half of “Blue-Eyed Stranger”) links a verbatim restatement of “Glorishears” beginning at letter C. Following the restatement, a four-measure transition leads to the next tune which begins at letter E. “Swansea Town” is 32 measures long and includes a 16-measure statement by the euphonium with low brass accompaniment followed by a 16-measure restatement by the full band, beginning at letter G.
    At letter H, after a one-measure introduction (with meter and key change), the third folk tune, “Claudy Banks,” is introduced. This melody, which is 24 measures long (three groups of eight), is also stated twice, first by single reeds and later, at letter J, by full ensemble. The da capo repetition of section A – “Morris Dance” and “Swansea Town” – rounds out the movement. Notice the unusual, yet stunning, modulation over the bar line at letter H from the key of F major to B-flat minor (section B – “Claudy Banks”). Normally the middle section or trio of a march modulates to the major subdominant key. Compare the chord relationship in movement two to the previous key scheme. In movement two the tonic chord is D Dorian minor and the subdominant chord B-flat major – the opposite of the key scheme of the March.
    When performing the first movement of the Second Suite, be sure to bring out the descending line in the low reeds and brass in measures 16 and 40 (“Morris Dance”). Holst beautifully captures the sound, spirit, and style of Morris dancing in the scoring of “Glorishears” and “Blue-eyed Stranger” (starting at letter A). The sounds of the pipe and tabor (favored instruments traditionally used to accompanying Morris dancers) are emulated through the use of snare drum and high woodwinds, especially flute and piccolo. The triangle in “Blue-eyed Stranger” (letter B) brilliantly replicates the sound of jingles typically strapped around the legs of Morris men. At measure 42, the transition from “Morris Dance” to “Swansea Town,” let the cymbals ring (laisser vibrer) and decay naturally to blend with the upper woodwinds.
    Notice in the first statement of “Swansea Town” (letter E) the singular use of tenuto marks over the three half notes in measures 65-66. Holst apparently wants expressive emphasis on these notes, possibly to reflect the text of the first verse of the folk song which reads at this point: “you, fine girl.” Curiously, Holst does not mark these notes tenuto when the folk song is restated. The four-measure snare drum roll marked crescendo (77 to 81) should be gradual and smooth, and should lead to a climax in measure 81 (not 79); the snare drum roll peaks two measures after the band climaxes. As indicated previously, let the cymbals and bass drum half notes (82-86) vibrate and decay naturally. The percussion accompaniment to “Swansea Town” is a bit of tone painting that reflects the third verse of the chantey and tells of a violent storm rising at sea that tosses an old ship about and tears the rigging. The snare drum, bass drum, and cymbals depict wind, waves, thunder, and lightning. In his choral folksong settings of “Swansea Town” Holst created very different tone painting effects with the third verse of this sea song through the use of rising and falling chromatic lines in octaves, crescendos and decrescendos, and tempo piu mosso that all depict stormy ocean waves.²

    II. Song Without Words “I’ll Love My Love” – Holst originally scored this very expressive music for 20 instruments: flute, oboe, E-flat clarinet, 3 B-flat clarinets, alto and tenor saxophone, 2 bassoons, 3 B-flat cornets (the 1st part divides at the end), 2 horns, 3 trombones, euphonium, and tuba. When played as originally scored with one player per part (recommended), this is sublime chamber wind music. Whether performed with solo instruments or, as customary, with multiple doublings, the music is profoundly beautiful and moving.
    Expressive dynamic nuances and tempo rubato may be freely applied to this romantically conceived ballad. In the choral folksong arrangements of “I love my love” Holst employed expressive markings that do not appear in the band score including affettuoso, con passione, and sotto voce. This is understandable given that he arranged six verses of the folk song for voices, whereas in the band score he states the folk song twice (the solo part in both statements is marked con espress.). It is useful to keep the stylistic markings of the choral arrangements in mind when conducting this movement.
    The overall form is fairly simple. After a short, two-measure introduction establishing the F Dorian mode, Holst introduces a “Song Without Words ‘I’ll love my love.’” This 16-measure folk song is restated with a rolling eighth-note accompaniment beginning at letter A. The movement ends with a three-measure coda, an extension of the flowing eighth-note accompaniment.
    With a few simple major and minor triads, Holst composed a beautiful harmonic setting for this lovely folk song. The bright sounding B-flat major chord (subdominant) corresponds with the word “sweetly” in the folk song; this is tone painting at its best. Other places to notice are the very expressive use of an appoggiatura in measure 11-12 (with the poignant words “thus replied she”) and the wonderful modal cadence at the end. Play the accompaniment at the keyboard while you sing the words to this heartrending folk song to gain a fuller appreciation of the music.

    Both appoggiaturas in this movement (measures 13-14 and 29-30) should be played as illustrated below; approach each appoggiatura in crescendo giving added expressive intensity and weight to the first note of the 9-8 suspension and reduced intensity to the resolution note.

    The ending of movement two (last seven measures) can be treacherous and should be approached with care. As you move (ad lib.) toward the fermata in measure 32, gradually soften and slow down the ascending melodic line. After holding the fermata momentarily, gently and smoothly release the hold with no caesura. The conductor’s release (give beat three again) should be the preparation for the players to continue. The anacrusis eighth notes played by solo cornet following the fermata should not be hurried and stretch these notes ever so slightly. To avoid an abrupt ending to this movement, the final chord should be held slightly longer than written. Although the addition of a poco fermata at the end is an arbitrary decision, I agree with Frederick Fennell who says that without the fermata “the conclusion comes too suddenly, too abruptly—especially when the trombones [and cornets] withdraw before the basses have secured their not-so-easy low F.”³

    III. Song of the Blacksmith – After a six-measure introduction, actually a two-bar harmonic accompaniment phrase (mixed meters 4/4 and 3/4) played three times, the composer introduces “Song of the Blacksmith.” This energetic folk song is eight measures long and has a ternary subform.

    Holst twice restates and varies the tune, first at letter B and second at letter C. To conclude the movement he adds a two-measure extension at the end of the third statement. This coda utilizes a varied rhythmic fragment from the introduction. The internal form of the movement may be diagrammed as shown here.

    The two-measure chord progression heard at the outset of this movement is harmonically interesting and structurally important.

    Harmonically, the progression centers on the G minor chord in which all seven occurrences of the chord include the minor 7th tone. Contrasting open-fifth sonorities (C-G and A-E) are used intermittently in this important two-measure progression. The neutral, quasi-jazz sounding Gm7 chord is the ideal sonority for capturing the ringing sound of the blacksmith’s hammer and anvil when played by the brass and percussion. Note in the previous example that the intervals of the outer voices mirror each other. Structurally, the chord progression is used as an introduction and as an accompaniment throughout the movement. The interesting aspect of its use as an accompaniment is that it fits well with the “Blacksmith” tune, no matter which key or tonal center the folk song appears. Holst uses the two-bar chord progression to accompany the first and second statements of the “Blacksmith” tune. However, he alters the first chord of the progression (F major replaces Gm7) when used with the third statement climax phrase.

    This brief but important substitution enhances the brilliance of the climax statement, thus revealing the creative genius of a master composer.
    Holst employs several other noteworthy harmonic devices in this movement, including:
    1. Drone fifths: The use of consonant open fifths to accompany the middle sections of the tune provides needed contrast and resonance.

    2. Dissonant pedal point: Beginning at 19, Holst employs a dissonant pedal tone C in conjunction with Gm7 chords to enhance the crescendo leading to the climax statement.

    3. Picardy third: The cadence chord progression of this movement is unusual in that the sub-dominant chord is Gm7 and the tonic chord is D major. The appearance of F# in the final chord not only sounds like a Picardy third, it is a Picardy third (recall that the tonal center of the “Blacksmith” tune is, for the most part, D minor).

    When the repeated two-bar phrase introduced at the beginning of movement three is used in conjunction with the lively folk song (for example, at letter C), the overall musical effect is rhythmically complex. Noteworthy in this movement are the canonic entrances of the middle section of the second statement of the “Blacksmith” tune (19-20). This rhythmic (and melodic) canon helps to increase the tension leading to the climax statement of the folk song.
    The tempo marking Moderato e Maestoso, while allowing for some degree of flexibility, does not mean fast or rushed. Remember that the anvil player has to perform some tricky rhythms. To determine a comfortable tempo, sing the melody with the words, beginning at measure six, and write the metronome marking in the score.

Song of the Blacksmith

The words to "Song of the Blacksmith" provide clues to the interpretation of the music:

For the blacksmith courted me, nine months and better,
And first he won my heart, till he wrote to me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand, for he strikes so mighty and clever,
He makes the sparks to fly all round his middle.

    The tempo, once established, should remain steady to the end, except for the lead-in measure before the climax statement of the “Blacksmith” tune which begins at letter C. Here the syncopated pick-up notes should be broadened out and played in crescendo.

    Holst captures the sound of the blacksmith’s hammer and anvil by using ringing staccato chords (introduction, accompaniment, and coda) played by brass and percussion instruments. In the choral versions of “The Song of the Blacksmith,” Holst applies a bit of onomatopoeia to his resonant Gm7 chords:

Movement III, Introduction

Movement III, Coda

    Practice conducting these places while speaking the word sounds in rhythm.⁴ Conduct the first example with a vigorous staccato-marcato or gesture of syncopation beat style. Use a neutral preparatory gesture (beat four) to begin the movement, then immediately switch to a syncopation gesture on beat one of the first measure. A neutral preparatory beat should help prevent the natural tendency of players to enter prematurely. In measure 5 begin to indicate a two-measure diminuendo in your conducting, then immediately prepare the melody players for their strong entrance on beat three in measure 6.
    The last two measures of this movement are rhythmically treacherous and should be approached with great care. It may be helpful to use a melded or neutral gesture on the quarter rests to counteract the natural tendency to play on these beats. The brilliant D major chord at the end of the movement is scored in favor of the F# (Picardy third). Intonation may suffer here if the second trombone does not play the F# in a raised third position (the normal position for this note). Firmly hold the final fermata chord for at least three beats, then give a convincing staccato-marcato cutoff with both hands.
    There are two passages in this movement that seem to dictate a smoother, more legato beat style – the drone accompaniments in measures 11-12 and 28-29, and the tenuto quarter notes in measures 16 and 18 (brass players tend to play these notes too short).
    The sound and timbre of the anvil are extremely important in this music. If a real anvil is not available, search for a suitable substitute. Try using a ball peen hammer and a steel plate or large iron pipe to capture the sound of the anvil. For many years, I used a heavy steel plate that once supported a railroad track. It had legs (ribs) that resonated when placed on a percussion trap table.
    Holst simply wrote cymbal in the score without clarifying whether the instrument was crash cymbals (cym a2) or suspended cymbal. Look at the cymbal parts, and clarify in the score which instrument is to be used and when. For example a suspended cymbal played with snare drum sticks is appropriate in measures 21-23 of movement three. This marking was used with great effect by Gordon Jacob in his orchestral arrangement of the Second Suite in F (titled A Hampshire Suite, Boosey & Hawkes, 1945).

    IV. Fantasia on the ‘Dargason’ –  The internal structure of this movement does not follow established conventions of form and design; Holst’s title fantasia indicates “a free flight of fancy.” There are 25 complete statements of the eight-measure “Dargason” tune. The rhythms and pitches basically remain the same throughout (although there are octave transpositions); however, the orchestration, dynamics, articulations, and harmonic accompaniments vary greatly. The last 11 measures of the movement (26th statement) is a coda in which the composer employs rhythmically transformed fragments of “Dargason” played antiphonally by solo tuba and piccolo.
    First at letter C (8th statement) and again at letter G (19th statement), Holst introduces “Greensleeves” in brilliant counterpoint to Dargason. In both passages, “Greensleeves” begins two measures after “Dargason” commences (the first note of “Greensleeves” is an elongated anacrusis); this produces overlapping phrases. Both appearances of “Greensleeves” with “Dargason” may be diagrammed as follows:

    Both times that “Greensleeves” appears in the fourth movement, the music modulates to Dm, and within each of these sections there is a brief submodulation to F. The chords used to harmonize the first appearance of “Greensleeves” are Dm, Gm, F, and C7. These chords are slightly altered when “Greensleeves” reappears at letter G. Compare the harmonic accompaniment of C-D to that of letter G-H in the score. In both sections, a deceptive cadence (C7 to Dm) is used to transition into “Greensleeves.”
    Note in the first and each succeeding statement of the eight measure “Dargason” melody that there is a staccato articulation over the last eighth note in first, third, fifth, and seventh measures, and over the first eighth note in the sixth measure. Fennell suggests that the players be instructed to whistle the “Dargason” tune to hear the light character of the melody. Read Colin Matthews’s introductory score notes with regard to the tenor saxophone doubling of the alto saxophone solo at the beginning of movement four. I omit the tenor saxophone doubling if the piece is performed by a small wind band with a skilled alto saxophone player.
    The crescendo beginning at 25 and continuing to 40 should read cresc. poco a poco and should lead to letter B, the first fully orchestrated statement of “Dargason.” The “Greensleeves” melody at letter C should be played mp and cantabile as marked (this tune is in contrast to “Dargason”). The ensemble problem here is that, when played cantabile, “Greensleeves” has a tendency to drag or get behind due to the hemiola construction of the rhythms and meters – 6/8 combined with 3/4. To avoid this potential problem instruct those who play “Greensleeves” to be sure that they play on the ictus of the conductor’s downbeat, and conduct one beat to the bar in these passages.
    To enhance the subito contrast of dynamics at letter F, add a crescendo in the preceding bar, then immediately reduce the number of players to one per part at letter F and continue one player per part for eight measures. To bring out the ascending chromatic bass line, encourage the performers to play these lines in crescendo. (In the Finale of St. Paul’s Suite Holst added pesante to this ascending bass line). Consider the 24 measures from letters F to G as an orchestrated crescendo that leads to the peak climax phrase beginning at letter G. Beginning at letter H, all solo lines should stand out slightly against the background of the accompaniments; dynamics may have to be adjusted to achieve correct balances. The same may be said about the antiphonal interplay of solo tuba (marked pp and staccato) and solo piccolo (marked ppp and legato) in the last 11 measures of the movement. Tone quality must not suffer for the sake of dynamics.
    The final resounding F major chord, should surprise the audience, and should not be too short. To stress the importance of this sonority, rehearse with a fermata; repeat and gradually shorten the duration until it is the correct length, in tune, and resonant.
    In performing this movement, the marking Allegro Moderato allows for some flexibility in choosing a tempo. A good tempo may be gleaned from the melody “Greensleeves,” conducted moderato, one beat per bar. Moderato is an important modifier judging from the following interpretive remarks attributed to Imogen and Gustav Holst by biographer Michael Short:

    The Finale [of St. Paul’s Suite for String Orchestra] is a transcription of the fourth movement of the Suite No. 2 for military band, with the insertion of five further variations, and the combination of ‘Greensleeves’ and the ‘Dargason’ has the same exhilarating effect as in the wind band version; school performances sometimes being enlivened by the pupils singing the traditional words of ‘Greensleeves,’ with tambourines brought in at the climax and ‘Ha!’ shouted loudly on the last chord. The use of words meant that the movement could not be performed at too fast a tempo, and Imogen Holst considered that the correct speed is the one which is most suitable for dancing. Holst himself liked the two heavy accents of the 6/8 bars to continue against the 3/4 on the appearance of ‘Greensleeves’, to emphasize the rhythmic contrast between the two tunes (‘Kinsey and the LSO second violins once gave it to me in grand style,’ he recalled, ‘The effect was intoxicating’).⁵

   There are important clues to interpretation in this quotation, not the least of which is Holst’s liking of the “intoxicating” hemiola accent effect of 2 against 3 when "Greensleeves" is combined with "Dargason." Short’s comment⁶ about “school performances sometimes being enlivened by the pupils singing” is a wonderful idea and highly recommended for band concerts. Some modification and adaption may have to be made to the verses to make them fit the melody in the band score. The singers, whether they are members of the band or from a choir, should have a voice range of just over an octave – from d above middle c to top line f in the treble staff. That fits the general range of sopranos and tenors (an octave lower). The shouting of “Ha!” and the addition of more tambourines on the climax chord will surely produce an exhilarating and resonant finale to a wonderful composition that remains a masterwork of the band repertoire.

Errata
The errata below pertain to Colin Matthews’s revised edition, which is based on the autograph score (Boosey & Hawkes, 1984). Only errata deemed important for performance are listed.
Overall:
• Instrumentation – In the instrumentation on the first page of the score mark the following instruments ad lib or optional: B-flat Bass Clarinet, E-flat Baritone Sax., and B-flat Bass Sax. as these instruments were added to accommodate performances by modern bands.
• E-flat Clarinet – The part for this instrument (not the score) reads “E-flat clarinets”; this should be singular as the part doesn’t divide.
• Solo & 1st B-flat Clarinet – In the score there is one music staff in mvts. 1, 3, and 4 (the part is the same); however, mvt. 2 has two staffs – one for Solo B-flat Clarinet and one for 1st B-flat clarinet (the part divides). To make matters more confusing, separate parts are printed for Solo Clarinet and 1st Clarinet, with E-flat Clarinet cued notes printed right on top of the solo line in the Solo Clarinet part (first 14 measures of movement 2). Examine all printed parts to the Second Suite for discrepancies and mark the score appropriately.
Movement I:
• Measure 12 – Flute and Piccolo (score only): the half note should be C (2nd line above the staff), not D.
• Measure 46 – Euphonium (score only): mark solo at the beginning of the folk tune.
• There are several articulation inconsistencies in the “Claudy Banks” folk song (parts only) beginning at letter H; make corrections to the parts following the articulations given in the score.
Movement II: None
Movement III:
• Measure 6 – Horns 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 (parts only): add slur over the notes on beat 3.
• Measure 12 – Horns 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 (score only): change last note in the measure to written D (one step below printed E).
• Measures 14 – Solo & 1st Bb Cornet (score and part): mark solo over the pick up notes to the folk tune which begins on beat three of this measure. NB: There are several articulation discrepancies in the Cornet solo passage (measures 15-18) in both the score and part; use the Horn line from the score (measures 7-10) as a guide to correcting the faulty articulations of the Cornet solo.
• Measure 28 – Basses (part only): 4/4 time signature missing.
Movement IV:
• Measure 31 – Clarinet 2, 3 (score only): add slur over first two notes in the measure.
• Measure 208 – Cornets 1 and 2 (score only): write “senza sordino” in the score (parts are correct).

Endnotes:
¹ Folk Songs & Dances in the Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst (Whirlwind Music Publications, 2011). Volume 3 of the Anthology Series: Folk Songs & Dances in Wind Band Classics edited by Robert J. Garofalo.
² Six Choral Folk Songs, Op. 36b. Arranged for Mixed Voices by G. T. Holst. Includes: “Swansea Town,” “I love my love,” and “The Song of the Blacksmith” (J. Curwen & Sons Ltd., 1917). Arranged for Male Voices by G. T. Holst. Includes: “Swansea Town,” “I love my love,” and “The Song of the Blacksmith” (J. Curwen & Sons Ltd., 1925).
³ "Basic Band Repertory" (The Instrumentalist, 1980), p. 42.
⁴ Adapted from Lead & Inspire: A Guide to Expressive Conducting by Robert Garofalo and Frank Battisti (Whirlwind Music Publications, 2005), p. 115.
⁵ Michael Short, Gustav Holst: The Man and his Music (Oxford Univ. Press, 1990), p. 106.
⁶ Michael Short commented to me in an email (4.8.11) that: “It was Imogen Holst who told me about the St Paul’s Suite being performed with singing and tambourines, etc. It seems that there was also dancing as she always said that the last movement should not be played too fast – the correct tempo was the one most suitable for dancing. I doubt whether this went on in any other British school – it was just Holst’s way of involving as many girls as possible in the performances.” Incidentally, Imogen Holst recorded the “Finale” of St Paul’s Suite with this tempo: 6/8 time, dotted quarter = 132 and 3/4 time, dotted half = 66.

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How do you hold students accountable for performing at an advanced level?
    Our school district is crazy about testing, and students deal with the pressures of this quite well. All testing with the top group is done through a commercially available computer program. With this program students learn notes and rhythms much faster than before, and we can move on to the more important elements during rehearsals. Students are tested in one way or another throughout the year, but the first formal round begins in December. The test is on the music that will be on the February concert program, as is the second round of tests in of January. There are also tests in March and mid-April on the material for the April and May concerts.
    Students who attain a score of 85% on the first try earn an A. Everyone else has to repeat the test; if they pass the grade will be a B. Every repeat test lowers the grade one notch. They keep at it until they pass. I have no idea whether other directors use tests this way, and this was not my original idea. I got the idea of do-overs from my father.
    For many years he tested by listening to tape recordings students prepared and submitted together with a copy of the music. As he listened to each tape, he father circled the measure whenever he heard a mistake, whether it was a wrong note, rhythm, or dynamic. This took a tremendous amount of time, but it did establish when each student made mistakes, often without realizing it. With a computer program the testing takes much less of the director’s time, but the concept is the same. Students know right away when they make a mistake on a note or rhythm. One negative is that they get no feedback on dynamics and other elements of a good performance. Overall, I attribute a great deal of our success to frequent testing and holding students accountable for making progress throughout the year.

Because so much of the work in music occurs when students practice on their own, how much time do you spend teaching them how to practice?
    At the beginning of the year and several times later on, I devote most of a rehearsal to explaining how students should practice at home. I may ask a student to come up and play a difficult passage for the class, after which the other students critique what they heard and offer suggestions on how to improve it. It is easier for students analyze someone else’s problems because then they merely listen and aren’t distracted by their own mistakes and problems.
   Unless I teach students how to practice in class, I have found that most will run through the music several times without stopping, even after making a mistake. What they should do is stop to analyze the source of the mistake, then work through the passage very slowly and correct it. Only when they can play it perfectly several times should they begin to pick up the tempo. Once they have the notes right, the most common mistakes are in the rhythms and intonation.
    As an example, with the Tchaikovsky excerpts with the marching band this year, there are many bunches of 16th notes that seem to have no pattern at all. The details I explain include how to tongue and train the fingers to be rhythmic. In sectionals we will break down a sixteen bar run of 16th notes into the phrases within the sixteen bars. I want to teach students to internalize the phrasing and set them up for what they should practice at home.
    Early in the year we also focus on playing with a good sound and intonation by using simple chorales. Later in the year we will to devote more attention to playing in the proper style and phrasings. At this point I will often play a recording by an advanced band to instill in students the sound we want to achieve. Recordings are a big part of the process.

How do you plan the rehearsal time to prepare for a concert?
    We are fortunate to have a class schedule that places the top two bands consecutively in the middle of the day. This means that students rehearse one period and have lunch in the other while the other band eats and then plays. This makes a switch from one band to the other very easy, and students may move both up and down during the year. This keeps students on their toes, and it is possible to have combined marching rehearsals early in the year. Another benefit is that those students who play sports (about 60% of the band does) have no afterschool conflict with band. I take considerable pride in the fact that so many band students go out for at least one sport because it adds a breadth of experience from different activities into the rehearsal room.
    We spend a great deal of rehearsal time on fundamentals and warm-ups. Early in band camp we spend an entire rehearsal playing fundamentals and on the basics of marching. This begins with extensive breathing exercises. Students put a hand in front of the mouth and inhale for eight counts and blow out over four. A variant of this to inhale for eight counts and blow out over eight counts. From there we moved on to four counts in and out, then twos, then ones. Students get dizzy after all this so we rest a bit. Through this process they  certainly learn what it means to move a lot of air.
    Next we apply the concept of moving air to a series of four notes up the scale. After a few weeks of this I will shift the focus to playing with good tone and intonation over an increasingly wide range of notes. The concept of moving lots of air is a natural lead-in to working on intonation and good tone. We start out with a note in the middle of the range and pop up to a higher note, focusing on tone and intonation. From there the brass move into a series of lip slur exercises.
    In some warm-ups the brass play lip-slurs while the woodwinds play chromatic runs at the same tempo. The result is that the woodwinds work on playing alternative fingerings rhythmically while the brass build flexible chops. We may move into pure intonation work by matching the tones of others. I may have students hold one note until it is in tune, then go on to the next note. This is a slow process early in the season, but it pays dividends later.

How have you approached learning the marching show this fall?
    We introduce students to the music in several June rehearsals and asked that they be able to play it by the first August rehearsal. Theoretically we should not have to spend much time learning notes and rhythms and can go right into the nuances and the drill.
    Another band had these Tchaikovsky excerpts arranged, so we bought the rights to reuse this arrangement for a lot less than the first school paid. We will also play the beginning of the pizzicato movement as a percussion feature. I have a talented front percussion line this year, and about ten of them will play some really serious 16th note passages.
    I really like this arrangement, and students find it is fun to play. I believe that Hersey High School is a bit unusual in that the marching band introduces students to great music. With younger bands most schools lean more toward educational music, but I feel that we should take every opportunity to expose even the younger players to fine music. It drives me crazy to see schools that waste all the time they spend on marching band on crummy music.
    Too many directors look past the classics, but I believe the reason this music has lasted so long is that it is truly great. For me there is nothing cooler than watching students who have never heard classical music before decide that they like it. I know this will happen with the Tchaikovsky show this year. After all, isn’t this our job?

How much do you include sightreading in rehearsals?
    The top concert band will sightread 15-20 pieces of music a year, but the jazz band reads 30-40 charts a year and performs 10-15 of them. Those players in the jazz band have fewer problems with rhythms, syncopation, and subdivision in concert band music after learning these in jazz.
    About 75% of the way to a concert, I will focus intently on playing right notes, rhythms, and style. At this stage we start working in sectionals and testing students with computer programs to elevate their playing to the next level. We will work on rhythms they can’t get right on their own and strive for a consistent ground, especially in the extreme ranges. Students respond well to the pressure because they do not want to embarrass themselves in front of their peers.
    I try to keep the December holiday concert fun and the music easy after the tough and laborious marching season. As the same time we prepare this holiday concert, I will choose music for the February concert, which will be significantly harder. We also showcase the chamber ensembles as every player in the top band plays in a small ensemble at the holiday concert along with many students in the second ensemble. By the end of February we work on the toughest music of the year in preparation for the our application to Superstate, which is a wonderful opportunity for students to play on the same stage as some of the greatest bands in Illinois. The audition tape is due at the end of February. Starting in the middle of April we begin working on the spring concert, which is much lighter and highlights seniors who have made it to the all-state band.

How has being a parent of student musicians changed your approach over the years?
    My views on teaching music have evolved because of my experiences as a dad and watching my children progress through lessons. My daughter has had a progression of different piano teachers. One spent a crazy amount of time on a single piece when my daughter was seven or eight. She felt so discouraged that she wanted to quit piano and move away.
    When we switched teachers, she ended up with a teacher who didn’t spend much time polishing the music. As a result my daughter had a poor experience and never reached a higher level of performance on any piece. The instructor was always rushing on to the next piece. The third private teacher takes a middle ground on perfecting the music. Close to a performance the focus is on making the music sound as good as possible, but otherwise she will play through a wide range of music.
    I really believe there is a proper balance between the two extremes and try to employ a similar philosophy with my ensembles. With our lighter concerts during the year, we read through much more literature. My bands will read a ton of music at the beginning and end of the year, but during the middle of the year we work hard to reach the next level of performance.
    I am always amazed at how quickly we move through literature for the end of the year concert, after having worked on harder music earlier in the year. That last concert comes together very quickly and sounds almost as good as those we spent so much time on earlier in the year. Having learned the process of problem-solving, students become better players. Near the end of the year when we throw all kind of music at students, they apply everything that they have learned. Overall, I hope the process stretches them to learn how to tackle a difficult problem and allow them to play some great music.                

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