October 2018 Archives - The Instrumentalist

2018 Directory of Music Schools

theinstrumenta — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 18:34:15 +0000

Home page photo courtesy of Indiana Wesleyan University, photo above courtesy of Limestone College

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The Cubs Way

theinstrumenta — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:56:46 +0000

I rarely watch baseball, which is really kind of sad. I just can’t pay attention that long. I am not sure why; maybe it’s an infection caught from millennials whose attention spans are allegedly shorter than that of a goldfish, or maybe it is a deep-seated resentment that my professional baseball career was cut short when I was placed on waivers by my fourth-grade baseball team. However, there are years when a team will catch my fancy as the World Series nears, and I watch a few games. Such was the case with the Chicago Cubs during the 2016 season. How could I not? They had not won a World Series in 108 years – that is longer than some of the English teachers at my school have been teaching.
To celebrate their World Series triumph, I ordered a Cubs championship t-shirt. I am not claiming to be a genuine fan; it just seemed like the appropriate thing to do for such a long-awaited event, kind of like the end of the last ice age. Plus, it might help me win a quiz show someday if I am wearing it when the question is asked. My Cubs fever lingered for just a few months, but was revived a few weeks ago when I read the book The Cubs Way: The Zen of Building the Best Team in Baseball. Ironically, it took me longer to read the book than I actually spent watching the Cubs during the World Series.
I read the book because I was curious how general manager and phenom Theo Epstein could turn around a hapless franchise with such a long history of frustration. I found out that one key to success, along with many other smart personnel moves, was Epstein’s hiring of an unconventional manager, Joe Maddon. The Cubs Way includes a list of Maddon’s 13 core principles of managing but I will only mention five of them, with some brief takeaways.

Make a personal connection.
Maddon says that a manager’s first inclination is to impart information, but he resists that, making his first priority getting to know players through informal conversations, asking questions about their interests and personal lives. This lays the groundwork for everything else that he does because it builds trust, a trust based on the belief that the players are more than just a cog in the wheel. If the conversations get more difficult over time concerning playing time and such, he is brutally honest when he needs to be. If he tells them the truth, they may be upset with him for a week or two, but if he lies, they will hate him forever.
Takeaway: Take your mind off the work at hand at least once a day and ask a student a question about his life that requires more than a “fine” or a nod of the head for an answer.

There is only one team rule.
“Respect 90” is the message Maddon painted on the grass of practice fields in his first spring training with the Cubs. The 90 refers to the number of feet between the bases. He believes that if a player respects those feet enough to run hard all of the time, good things flow from such an attitude. It’s an emphasis on doing all of the seemingly small things right, like pitchers working on fielding bunts and backing up bases.
Takeaway: Do not let fundamentals slide, whether working with the whole group or with individuals. Insist that players practice fundamentals – playing or marching – at the start of each practice session.

Freedom is empowering.
“Respect 90” is the only rule Maddon has. He believes rules inhibit people from reaching their potential and restrict creativity. When you attempt to create a contrived version of somebody before permitting that person to show you who they are, you preemptively set restrictions and lose out on a tremendous opportunity to find out how good someone actually is. Maddon works hard to understand why a player is doing what he’s doing and doesn’t believe his way of doing things is the only correct one.
Takeaway: Although band, and particularly marching band, requires a strong degree of conforming, there is plenty of room for students to be themselves. Directors tend to want to create bands in their image, and this will happen to a certain extent without even trying, but it is important to ensure that students know that their opinions matter and are welcomed.

Do not have a fine system.
Surprisingly, Maddon has no formal fine system for violating principles of the game he thinks are important, like hustling or not missing signs. His bench coach will sometimes fine a player, but often money does not change hands. The culture is such that the players admit when they mess up and take responsibility for correcting it.
Takeaway: Your program may require quite a few rules to begin with, but work toward having fewer rules and a culture where expectations are high and accepted by everyone involved. Strong student leaders can take much of the load off of you in this regard.

Never hold a team meeting in your home clubhouse.
Maddon believes that almost all team meetings are unnecessary. They are often a reaction to such negative events as poor play or too many losses, and that negativity lingers too long when a team is constantly meeting about problems. He believes that the more he talks, the more the players tune him out and are less likely to take him seriously. The Cubs only had three team meetings and won the World Series. There is a lesson in there somewhere for many school principals.
He prefers the interactions and meetings to be between the players themselves. As for his interaction, he prefers to praise publicly and criticize privately.
Takeaway: Spend most of your rehearsal time playing, not talking. Address problems individually or in small groups as much as possible. Do not preach to the choir.

The last few years have been good for hapless sports franchises. I have shirts from the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016) and Houston Astros (2017) now. However, although I am a backslidden Dallas Cowboys fan, so buying a Philadelphia Eagles jersey (2018 Super Bowl) is not a step I am yet willing to take. On the other hand, I would read a book about the Eagles if it looked like it would help me build a better band.

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Fall Follies

theinstrumenta — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:51:52 +0000

Contributing editor Brian Anderson has collected funny, infuriating, and touching stories from colleagues for this new bimonthly column, which debuted in our June online issue and appeared in our pages for the first time in August.

A $10,000 Fuse
One morning the Activities Director interrupted Mr. Reed’s band class and asked him to step into the hall.
Activities Director: “The color guard was practicing in the gym this morning. Is that correct?”
Mr. Reed: “Yes, why?”
A.D.: “Well, they ruined the brand new $10,000 sound system we put in the gym.”
Mr. Reed: “What do you mean, ruined it?”
A.D.: “They must have turned up the volume too loud and destroyed the system. You’d better hope for your sake that it can be fixed, otherwise that money may be coming out of your pocket.”
Mr. Reed went back in to finish the class period, but it was difficult to concentrate on anything other than this current problem. Immediately after class he walked down to the gym, meeting the Principal along the way.
Mr. Reed: “I am so sorry about the sound system. We didn’t mean to cause any problems.”
Principal: “You didn’t. It blew a fuse.
Mr. Reed: “I was told we ruined a $10,000 sound system.”
Principal: “No, we put in a new fuse. Cost us 99 cents. It works great.”
By this time the two of them were in the gym.
Mr. Reed: “I was told that our Color guard girls had the volume up too loud.”
The Principal then turned the volume so loud they had to cover their ears, then turned it down.
Principal: “Sounds like it works fine to me. It was a blown fuse. Nobody’s fault. The system is fine. Enjoy your day.”
On the way back down to the Bandroom, Mr. Reed met the Activities Director.
A.D.: “I talked to the sound system repair guys, and they said that you ruined it. It isn’t going to cost $10,000 to fix, but we may need to take some money from the band budget to pay for it.”
Mr. Reed: “Like 99 cents?”
A.D.: “What?”
Mr. Reed: “I just talked to the Principal, and he said the only problem was that it blew a fuse. They replaced it and it works fine. Total cost: 99 cents. Would you like to apologize now?”
The Activities Director stormed off and never did apologize to Mr. Reed.

Tam-Tam Time Out
The band would bring a tam-tam down to the gym for basketball games. Whenever one of the home team’s players would hit a three-point shot, a percussionist would hit the tam-tam, which would ring for a long time. It became quite a hit with the crowd, so the band continued the tradition. One game, during the band’s third-quarter refreshment break, the unattended stand for the tam-tam lost its balance. The flat striking surface of the tam-tam landed on the hardwood gym floor creating a deafening sound that stopped every movement in the gym. After the tam-tam was retrieved and play resumed, Mr. Reed was instructed by his administration not to bring the tam-tam to any more games.

You Can’t Measure Complaining
At his first parent-teacher conference as an educator, Mr. Reed was approached by an angry parent. She was upset with her student’s grade in band as it was the only B in an otherwise straight-A report card. She demanded to see the principal and learn from Mr. Reed why her student had not received an A. While bright and talented, the student had been uncooperative in class and was a constant complainer. Mr. Reed had used this poor attitude as the justification for the lowered grade. It was only a few minutes into the conversation with the parent and principal before Mr. Reed realized that using attitude as a portion of the grade was not going to be acceptable. The grade was eventually changed, but the parent never forgave Mr. Reed and allowed her student to quit band at the end of the year. The silver lining from this incident was that Mr. Reed realized his assessment system must be based on measurable educational objectives and used this approach for the remainder of his career.

The Only Option
The Activities Director requested Mr. Reed come to see him.
AD: “I’ve got a problem I want to discuss with you. We have the state football playoffs coming up, and I ordered chartered buses rather than our school buses for the football players.”
Mr. Reed: “Okay, so why do you need me?”
AD: “Well, when the softball team went to state, I sent them in school buses. And, ever since our Title IX lawsuit a few years ago, everything has to be equal. If I send the football players in chartered buses, the softball parents will be mad and we might have problems.”
Mr. Reed, sensing an opportunity: “I see what you mean, and I can help you. I think your only option is to give the chartered buses to the band.”
AD: “But then the football parents will be mad.”
Mr. Reed: “Yes, but do you want to get sued again because things aren’t equal? I think this is your only option. You have to give the chartered buses to the band.”
That is how the marching band traveled to the state football playoff game in chartered buses while the football players rode in school buses. There was some grousing among the football coaches, players, and parents, but no legal action was taken, and the band students had the time of their lives riding in style.

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Finding the Right Guest Conductor

theinstrumenta — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:47:02 +0000

Some of your most advanced students are selected to participate in an honor band or orchestra festival. You teach them the music, take them to the festival, observe the guest conductor, and participate in the day’s events as your students work diligently. At the conclusion of the concert, you ask your students, “So, what did you think?” And the response is either, “Uh, it was okay” or worse: “I didn’t like the conductor.”

How Does This Happen?
Long before the first downbeat, honor festival host teachers must identify a guest conductor who can best serve the needs of the student musicians. Here are some items to consider as you evaluate potential guest conductors.

Rule of Three
This is an effective mantra for identifying a suitable guest conductor, who should fall into at least one of these two categories, and preferably both. First, the guest conductor should presently be teaching students whose ages are no more than three years away from the ages of the students at the festival. Alternatively, the guest conductor should be no more than three years removed from teaching students the ages of those at the festival. Ideally, the guest conductor should satisfy both of these criteria.
When considering candidates to lead a middle school honor orchestra, you could consider someone who has led the world’s most renowned orchestras. However, if the candidate has never taught middle school orchestra students or is more than three years removed from teaching middle school orchestra students, expectations might be unrealistic. Children do not care what groups a guest conductor has led or how much music a guest conductor has composed. They care about having a good experience with their group.

Reflect on Your Experiences
For me, the most memorable conductors were those who pushed the musical limits of the ensemble without overextending them. They selected challenging, enriching music, which led to deeply fulfilling and unforgettable musical experiences.
Think about your most memorable conductors and what made them that way. They might be noteworthy for exceptional charisma, great knowledge, high energy, or humor – or for more negative tactics, such as using fear or intimidation to get the most of the ensemble. Whatever characteristics you associate with your most successful guest conductors can serve as a springboard to identifying appropriate guest conductors for your honor bands and orchestras.

Ask Colleagues
Pose the same question to colleagues, and focus on why their best conductors were that way. Maybe there will be some overlap among your colleagues’ reasons. They may share similar sentiments with you, or perhaps even recommend the same conductor or conductors. Even if a colleague can’t remember the name of a specific guest conductor, ask the colleague to describe the reasons why this conductor was so effective.

Ask Students
College and high school students may have had enough ensemble experiences to provide you with characteristics of outstanding guest conductors, perhaps even specific people. Children are generally honest, sometimes to the point of being blunt. Use their honesty and experiences to help identify characteristics of conductors they hold in high esteem. You also might be able to use those conversations to influence and enhance your teaching.

Avoiding the Ordinary
Most of us have probably experienced a tactician guest conductor: one who is competent at teaching pitches, rhythms, and dynamics but who lacks personality traits that elevate them above an average band or orchestra teacher. The students selected for honor bands and orchestras have been chosen because they possess superior musicianship skills. They deserve an extraordinary leader to teach them. Identify someone who will have the students think critically about their music, visit the higher-order thinking skills of Bloom’s taxonomy, or engage in activities above and beyond the printed pages of sheet music on students’ stands.

Insist on Being a Part ofthe Music Selection Process
After you have identified and invited the guest conductor, inform this person that you will be involved in selecting music. This is especially important if you are at the limit or beyond the Rule of Three mentioned above. If you are the host teacher, you know the students’ playing levels at the time of the festival and can help the guest conductor select challenging music that students will be able to learn before the performance.
An additional resource for you and the guest conductor is to have access to the three or four most recent concert programs of the festival. These can be invaluable in understanding the degree of difficulty of the music you select.

Set Expectations for Rehearsal Time
All persons involved in the planning of the festival should understand how much rehearsal time is allotted. The guest conductor should select music and structure rehearsal time (and sufficient breaks) based on the design of the festival. It can be disappointing for young trumpet and horn players, for example, to be overworked for an entire day, and then have no upper range for the performance that evening. Savvy guest conductors know how intensely to teach a given group while still providing enough downtime for students to rest.

Conclusion
Hosting an honor band or orchestra festival is a daunting task, replete with unexpected problems to address, some of them urgent. However, the first and perhaps most important task is to identify a guest conductor who will work with the students to create a worthwhile, musically rewarding experience that should motivate them to continue to excel in instrumental music.

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Using Practice Sessions to Improve Fundamentals

theinstrumenta — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:36:50 +0000

Students can easily get caught in a practice rut, merely repeating passages, etudes, or solos with hopes of great improvement in doing so. Such students would benefit from learning a simple method to practicing. For brass players, a breathe-sing-buzz-play approach is best, as it is easy to remember and can be repeated at home in between lessons. Perhaps what makes this routine so helpful is that it addresses several problems simultaneously.
Ideally, the process should begin immediately after an error is detected. An error is not just a missed note; it can be an endurance, response, or intonation problem. The beauty of following through with this process is that even when things are supposedly going well, students can still reap fantastic benefits by building great fundamental habits.

Breathe
After an error is detected, the first thing a student should do is put the instrument down, relax, and blow through the passage with just air. The key is to relax first. This will reduce tension, improve air efficiency, and force the student to take a break. Often, brass students play too much when practicing and quickly become tired before any progress is made. Any breathing exercise done well will work here, such as blowing through the leadpipe, using a breathing tube, or playing a breath pattern. After this, the student should freely blow while fingering along to help connect the air to their playing. If they are seated, they should try standing up and breathing; this can help reduce tension as well. Breathing also helps students prepare the mind for learning and retain information better.

Sing
With that same relaxed breath, the students should sing the excerpt. By using a metronome, any problems with rhythms or time will become apparent. In addition, the pitch can be checked with a tuner or piano. Different syllables and vowel shapes can also be experimented with while drawing upon ideas gleaned from extensive listening.
Passages should be sung as musically as possible, exaggerating the phrase as if it is the most emotional composition in the world. The student should pay close attention to every nuance in the music, including articulation, dynamics, and vibrato. Again, fingering along while singing is preferred. Singing is also closely tied to visualization, which has had proven benefits for musicians and athletes for many years.

Buzz
Not every brass teacher agrees with mouthpiece buzzing, but there are far too many benefits (especially for inexperienced players) to ignore this simple concept. With that same relaxed breath and musical feeling the student practiced with the breath alone, the student should buzz the passage on the mouthpiece. It can be buzzed with the mouthpiece alone or with one of the many available devices inserted into or attached to the lead pipe. Most students will respond well by alternating the two. Often, holding the mouthpiece in one hand will reveal a more efficient position, as students might place pressure on a different area, or set the mouthpiece at a more optimal angle. Holding the mouthpiece with the thumb and forefinger of the non-dominant hand will help ensure minimal pressure is being applied.
Occasionally, the student should gently blow into the mouthpiece several times, without forming an embouchure to double check the absence of any extra tension. After a relaxed exhalation, the student should slowly form his or her embouchure, while still blowing through the mouthpiece. Eventually the buzz will begin with less tension and will produce a fuller, more resonant sound. Done correctly, mouthpiece buzzing will help develop the ear, improve breathing, and create a better sound.

Play
Again, using that same relaxed breath and musical concept, the student may now replay the passage. If, at any point, the sound isn’t more relaxed or full, any or all of the steps should be repeated. Once a student is comfortable with the process, the whole sequence should only take a few minutes. When possible, students should also record the passage before and after these steps. Hearing the improvement in one’s sound and accuracy is a strong motivator and can keep them on track. Also, students should keep on exploring new ways to breathe, sing, and buzz to keep their practice interesting and varied. At the very least, students will develop great practice habits and build fundamental sound production techniques. By using this simple approach, they will be on their way to improving sound, accuracy, intonation, and endurance with every practice session.

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Choosing a Music School

theinstrumenta — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:32:04 +0000

Picking a college is so important for music majors because they will have one professor – a studio teacher – with whom they will spend the entirety of their college career. This relationship between student and studio professor can make or break the entire college experience. Ideally, a studio professor will become a mentor and teacher who can enhance your education every week.

photo courtesy of Florida State University

Starting
If you know you want to major in music, start looking at colleges as a sophomore in high school, while also thinking about what type of music degree to pursue. Different degrees require different kinds of preparation for auditions. Not all music schools offer a degree in education or performance. If you are looking for a school for music education it is potentially a different group a schools than if you were looking into music therapy, recording, music business, or performance.

Making a List
Use published lists to get highlights of schools. Ask present and former music teachers where they went and what their experiences were. The experience does depend on the individual, but finding out where teachers you respect went is a good place to start for a list. If other students from your district (or friends from nearby districts) pursued music, inquire about their experiences as well. Check the biography listings of symphony orchestras to see where these musicians went to school. For example, a bassist interested in performance would want to see where bassists in professional orchestras went to school.

What to Look For
Compile a list of these details of each school to compare and contrast. Check whether studio professors are adjuncts or full time, as well as how many there are for each instrument. Try to gauge whether the studio professor is likely to remain at the school for the whole time you are there.
Future music education majors should consider whether a school offers individual classes for secondary instruments or one class for brass and another for woodwinds. Note how much piano proficiency the school requires; more is better.
Future performance majors should give weight to the number and makeup of ensembles, especially whether they require auditions and whether there are separate groups for majors and non-majors. As a music major, you want as much playing experience as you can get in school. If ensembles are only open to music majors then you know you will get a better chance in one of the groups.
If there are non music major ensembles, you may be able to sit in on these as well. Music education majors should also consider joining such groups, possibly even on a secondary instrument.
Recording majors should look at how quickly they get on-the-job training. Some schools might permit recording recitals and concerts during the first year, while others might require students to wait until their senior year.

Visiting Schools
There is no substitute for going to the campus. College is a huge investment, and the music school that seems best from a distance might not be the right choice for you. The right school is the one that makes you feel comfortable and inspired to learn.
Tour the school, the dorms, and especially the music building. Many schools will allow you to meet with a music student if you contact the school of music directly. If you see music students walking around while you’re on tour, talk to them. People are usually happy to answer questions from interested students. Investigate the practice rooms and studios, as well as the performance hall.
When touring the music building, ask questions to fill in any gaps in your research. Here are good questions to consider:

• How often do the ensembles perform?
• How long is each lesson for music majors?
• Are non-music majors allowed in the performing ensembles?
• Can you double major?
• What is the practice room process?
• Am I automatically placed in an ensemble, or do I have to audition every semester?
• How many students are in the studio for my instrument?

If you are able to talk to a student at the school, also ask whether the environment is competitive and stressful.
Take a lesson with the studio professor. Prior to your visit, email this person, explaining that you are visiting the school and would like to take a trial lesson. This is an important part of the visit because you will see how you interact with the teacher that you might study with for four years. After you return home, email (or mail) the professor a thank you note. Even if you disliked the lesson, it is a good experience for figuring out what you are looking for in a teacher.

Advice from Current Students
I recently surveyed college students pursuing a degree in music from an array of different schools. Music majors were asked about their decisions and what advice they would give to future music majors.

When you decided you wanted to pursue music what did you do as a high school student to prepare?
“I talked to my high school music teachers and got a list of schools that were known for music education. Then I researched the professors at each college.”

“I talked to my private lesson teacher about what schools I wanted to go to. We looked at the requirements for auditions and prepared specifically for each audition. I also started taking bassoon lessons so I could play another instrument in a different clef. I took music theory and sound recording classes in high school to prepare me for college. I talked to my band director about applying for music school, and he gave me some helpful tips and extra practice time as the audition neared.”

“I practiced a great deal and talked to other people who had applied for music school.”

“I started choosing and practicing repertoire for auditions even before I was 100% sure I wanted to major in music. The whole process is time sensitive, and I didn’t want to rule it out. I found that I enjoyed preparing for the auditions, and that factored into my decision to major in music.”

“I challenged myself to practice difficult repertoire, and I took fewer elective classes in school so I had practice periods scheduled into my day.”

“I practiced more and switched to a teacher who had gotten students into the music schools I was interested in attending. I read about teachers and talked to alumni from my high school about where they had applied. The teacher you study with in college, especially for performance, is more important than the college itself.”

“I researched colleges and universities relatively close to my high school online and attended college fairs about music schools and the Midwest Clinic session about majoring in music education.”

What did you look for in a school?
“I wanted a good private instrument professor. It mattered a lot to me that my private lessons were with a person I could connect with.”

“Because I would be double majoring, I tried to find a school that didn’t focus too much on one subject and ignore the other.”

“I looked for a good reputation, diverse programs inside the music sector of the school, and the potential professors I could study with. I went to all the schools and considered whether I could see myself here for the next part of my life. If the answer was yes, I applied. I really trusted my gut when it came to the overall feeling of the school when applying to schools.”

“Something more challenging than what I was doing in high school, because I didn’t want to be the best as a freshman.”

What advice do you have for a high school student interested in pursuing music?
“If you think you might want to pursue a degree in music performance from a top-tier music school, you should be practicing for a few hours every day. The sooner you start, the better. Consider attending a music camp with other musicians thinking of becoming professionals. Try to figure out how you compare to other students who will also be auditioning at these schools.”
“Visit the school before going. There were schools that looked promising, but I instantly disliked the campus or the atmosphere once I visited. Find a place that you know you wouldn’t mind seeing every day for the next four years. Try to meet the professors and get a feel for the music program. Here are questions to consider:

• What is the curriculum like? Do you think you will be challenged?
• Is there a good balance between having time to do work and having time to practice?
• Do you like the general attitude of the students and faculty?
• What do the students think of your studio professors? Do they like them and think you can learn from them?
• Do they have an NAfME, ASTA, ACDA, or NBA group that goes to the Midwest Clinic or state convention every year?
• Do they hold high school competitions?
• Are there enough music activities outside of classes and ensembles that you could get involved with?
• Are there opportunities within their school of music to volunteer?
• How far away from the school is the nearest place to observe?”

“Be ready to get out of your comfort zone. You will be expected to learn new types of instruments and sing (if you don’t already).”

“Take a lesson at as many potential colleges as possible and find as many local resources to help you in your search.”

Conclusions
Picking a major is an important task, and becoming a music major has the additional challenges of finding a school with the correct focus, a private teacher that fits your personality, and adding in any additional fields that you might want to focus on. Start the search early and put care and time into finding the right place. Accept advice and ask many questions.

The post Choosing a Music School appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Using Solo Literature To Improve Musicianship

theinstrumenta — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:21:10 +0000

After a number of years teaching private lessons in Texas, it has become clear that to give students what they need to succeed in band while also teaching them to be the best instrumentalists they can, pedagogy must be streamlined to get the maximum from each minute of a 30-minute (or shorter) lesson. In this spirit of efficiency, I began researching alternative methodologies and came across concept-based pedagogy. Although not often used in music, this pedagogy has been successfully applied in such fields as nursing and language learning. By combining it with Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance, it is possible to develop a method by which teachers can address key aspects of instrumental pedagogy while also preparing music for contests and other assessments.

What follows is an example of how this pedagogy could be applied to Elliot Del Borgo’s Elegy for Solo Clarinet, a middle school level unaccompanied clarinet piece. Although solutions proposed are clarinet-based, they could easily be adapted to suit other instruments as well on different repertoire.
Elegy for Solo Clarinet presents many different challenges. Large leaps pervade the work, making it an optimal vehicle for addressing tonal production and consistency. Extended sections of passagework create sizeable technical problems to be solved. Juxtaposition of duple and triple subdivision add an additional layer of difficulty. Additionally, students will be challenged by the demands of the phrase lengths and dynamic requirements.

Challenges
Tone: Large Leap Precision
Students rarely see large leaps or wider melodic intervals in their band parts or method books until high school. This is a lost opportunity, because practicing such intervals directly benefits clarinet tone production, as control of the air support, embouchure structure, and tongue position are required for effective production. By isolating these larger intervals and drilling them in a similar way to register slurs, students will develop tone quality while practicing key trouble spots in the work.

Del Borgo, Elegy measures 1 and 2:

Exercise for improving tone quality in large leaps:

Students should play the exercise as written but also vary it according to the needs at hand, which can include transposing it to a different key or changing the tempo. I recommend starting at 50 bpm and increasing to as fast as 200 bpm, although students should be careful not to increase tempo too quickly. Using a tuner will also increase the effectiveness of this exercise by forcing student to also focus on healthy tone production, which directly correlates to pitch accuracy. Finally, students should perform this exercise at several different dynamic levels beginning at mezzo forte, then moving to forte, mezzo piano, fortissimo, piano, and pianissimo.

Technique: Note-Grouping
The melodic content of the work consists primarily of steps and small intervals, making it possible for students with undeveloped or underdeveloped pattern-reading or note-grouping skills to practice these. In his book Note Grouping: A Method for Achieving Expression and Style in Musical Performance, Thurmond discusses this concept in detail but does not use examples specific to actual pieces of music. Del Borgo’s composition presents an ideal situation in which note-grouping can be explained and applied to technical practice.

Passagework example from measures 1-12 of Elegy:

The bracketed passages above may not appear to resemble any pattern a student has yet encountered. However, upon closer inspection, common scale and arpeggio patterns are present. Through this passagework, students can be taught to recognize note groupings of stepwise passages that are approached from larger interval leaps within the key center.
The exercise below features elements of the passage above, isolating stepwise motives within the key and placing them adjacently in a fashion similar to the original passagework. Because Elegy for Solo Clarinet moves to a C major tonal center, this exercise does the same to relate to the harmonic demands of the repertoire, but the exercise can be transposed into any key.

Exercise for developing note-grouping skills in tonic and dominant:

As with the previous exercise, the metronome marking should be varied, starting at 50 and moving as high as 200. Articulating all subdivisions may be difficult for some students, so the exercise should be practiced with different articulation markings including slurring an entire measure, slurring two beats, slurring one beat, slurring two beats and articulating two beats, and any other variation deemed appropriate by the instructor. Using a tuner could help students be aware of their general tendencies as they are playing. Practice this exercise at mezzo forte first, and expand dynamics up and down in both directions after mezzo forte sounds good.

Rhythm: Duple and Triple Subdivision
The rhythmic elements of Elegy accentuate the difference between duple and triple subdivision, challenging students to develop that skill. There are several rhythms here that may pose problems.

Duple and triple subdivision in measures 18-19:

The difficulty of this passage is the rhythm of the subdivision combined with pitches required. Neglected is the idea that the root of playing rhythmically is rhythmic finger motion rooted in ergonomic, healthy hand position. Proper hand placement is critical for success in playing the throat tones in this group’s sequence.
Exercise for improving rhythmic finger motion:

To increase the conceptual nature of this exercise students should vary it in ways deemed appropriate by the instructor. Because rhythm is the most important concept here, students should use a metronome faithfully while practicing. As with other exercises, tempo can be increased, the key can be changed, and dynamics should expand in both directions from mezzo forte.
Finally, students should take care to move fingers from back knuckles only, keeping the palm relaxed and using finger motion to create the rhythm. Proper hand placement is essential for finger rhythm success. By practicing the motion from A4 to Bb4 in duple and triple subdivisions sequentially, students will train their hands to move in rhythm regardless of speed. This exercise can be used with any troublesome interval in a series of passagework.

Phrasing: Using the Air
Elegy for Solo Clarinet is in a basic ternary ABA form. Phrases are primarily in sentence structure consisting of a microphrase, followed by another microphrase, and finished with a longer consequent phrase. Within these phrases, printed dynamic markings indicate the specific required shape.

Elegy for Solo Clarinet, opening phrase:

Alhough phrase shaping is clearly notated, it is often difficult for students to learn to move air through a phrase to its high point, hold the harmonic tension, then release the phrase. Notating subdivision above pitches and numbering each subdivision provides a framework over which students can overlay a dynamic map. In this way, they can see what the most intense moment of the phrase should be and understand how to reach it effectively. In the example below, the subdivisions have been inserted above the music. Above that, numbers indicating the movement of the dynamic volume have been indicated so that students can directly correlate the subdivision to the growth and decline in intensity.

Exercise for developing phrasing:

To increase the conceptual nature of this exercise, students could use the technological tools available to them. Recording several different interpretations of the passage is one option to vary this exercise. Using a decibel meter app is a good way for students to attain a visual representation of how loud they are playing, as well as a measurement of their dynamic level. Combining recording with the use of a decibel meter can help students to more accurately perceive how loud they are when they play. These steps should be done in consultation with a teacher.
Although the exercise above is specific to the Elegy, the concept of using a small portion of an unaccompanied work to experiment with phrasing is not. Thus, phrases of other works should be substituted when a student progresses from the Elegy. The process of writing in the subdivisions and shaping markings to make decisions about where the shapes lie rhythmically remains the same.
The exercise above illustrates how a dynamic roadmap might look. Additionally, a student may be asked to provide three different alternatives that adhere to the same phrase shape to demonstrate places where the dynamic might suddenly rise more specifically. In this way students may explore different phrasing options while listening for which might be most effective in conveying the information on the page.

Conclusion
Although concept-based pedagogy may not be new or revolutionary, giving music students the tools to be independently successful via concept-based pedagogy rather than holding on to the power through the current content-based system of private instruction is new. The hope is that, through the exercises above, teachers may begin to explore this pedagogy with their students and ensembles.

* * *

Composer Background

Composer Elliot Del Borgo (1938 – 2013) is best known for his prolific output for band consisting of over 600 compositions. He received a B.S. from the State University of New York, an Ed.M from Temple University, and an M.M. from the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music. Del Borgo also garnered international fame as a clinician and conductor. Before his death, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York at Potsdam, where he taught composition and theory for nearly 30 years.
Del Borgo wrote Elegy for Solo Clarinet in 2010 for his friend the famed clarinet pedagogue David Etheridge, who passed away in the same year. Etheridge was David Ross Boyd Professor of Clarinet at the University of Oklahoma, where he taught for 34 years. He met Del Borgo working together at SUNY Potsdam, where Etheridge taught prior to Oklahoma. As a former student of Stanley Hasty, Etheridge placed a premium on teaching the next generation of clarinetists while also maintaining an active career as a performer.

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Helping Students Master Rhythm

theinstrumenta — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:03:29 +0000

There are a number of musicians in the world, particularly young ones, who think that they are rhythmically challenged. In addition, a certain percentage of musicians who think their rhythmic skills are satisfactory could benefit by improving this area considerably. To improve one’s rhythmic skills, a person must both believe that they can be improved and want to improve them. Once this is the case, students still need to know what to do. Below are my suggestions, based on 30 years of teaching lessons and 25 years of teaching sightsinging and ear-training classes.

Movement
For some, the skill of subdividing the beat would come first. However, even this skill would be improved by first ensuring that rhythm, meter, and motion have been fully linked in the mind. There are a wide variety of ways this can be accomplished, but they all typically involve some type of motion on the beat while singing and/or clapping the rhythm of a given song. Probably the best motion to do on the beat is to walk. So, for example, a routine for linking movement and rhythm might progress something like this:

01. Listen to a song in a simple meter (duple or quadruple), and determine where the beat is.
02. Take a step on each beat.
03. Sing or hum along with the song while walking.
04. Experiment with slower or faster beats: try walking twice as fast or twice as slow. Think about how these different rates compare to the first rate of walking.
05. With any but the fastest rate of walking, feel the off-beat by bobbing the head (or the entire body) twice as fast as the rate of walking.
06. Step a bit more firmly on the right foot than the left for a while, then try the reverse. For any given song and rate of walking, one should always feel more natural than the other.
07. Sing or hum the song again.
08. Try some different songs, gradually progressing towards some with more difficult rhythms containing dots, ties, or syncopation.
09. Try some songs in triple meter, noting how the strong foot alternates between left and right.
10. Try some songs in compound meter.
11. At some point, try clapping the rhythm of the song while singing, and still walking to the meter.
After exercises like these progress to a certain level of comfort, a good next step would be to read and clap various rhythms while walking. For many people, it is best to start with simple rhythms and increase the level of difficulty incrementally.
Next, it can be valuable to learn the various conducting patterns, at least for duple, triple, and quadruple meters. After achieving a certain level of comfort with these patterns, the student should sing various songs or rhythms while conducting. Conducting immediately provides a visual and spatial representation of how various rhythms fall with respect to the meter. Note that triple and quadruple meters can take some time to get used to, but duple should be able to work for them quickly. In addition, it may be best to start with songs in a moderato or andante tempo.
Once a student has progressed through a rhythm-and-motion regimen like this, they should keep it up for a long time, even if they only invest a few minutes each week in this type of activity.

Subdividing
Once a rhythm and meter have been firmly linked to motion, efforts to improve subdividing should pay off. In my opinion, the most valuable way to practice subdividing is by counting rhythms aloud. Of the possible systems for doing this, I recommend the Eastman system for simple meters:

Unfortunately, I know of no system for counting subdivisions in compound meters that is nearly as user friendly to apply nor as widespread in its use. Below is the system that I currently use:

For best results, students should speak the written rhythms in a normal voice and whisper (or speak much more quietly) subdivisions that do not get articulated.

Some students might be tempted to skip this step, perhaps because they do not see the merits of it or do not want to work that hard. To make sure that your students are doing this, ask them periodically to submit a recording of an assigned excerpt. Another possibility is to take it upon yourself to convince them of the exercise’s merits, because there are no shortcuts to creating a stronger and more reliable rhythmic sense. One possible strategy is to use an argument by authority: challenge students to find a person whose rhythmic skills they respect but who is unable to do this exercise well.

Time Signatures
Some of the people who consider themselves rhythmically challenged are actually metrically challenged. Such people might know to hold a dotted quarter note three times as long as an eighth note, but that type of understanding is insufficient for rhythmic mastery, because the vast majority of rhythms that students will encounter will occur within a metrical framework, and it is this framework that some students need to understand and internalize better.
Common time is by far the best understood meter among beginning and intermediate musicians. For metrically challenged musicians, the goal is to become as comfortable in other meters as they currently are in common time. I would recommend that students tackle additional meters in the following order: 3/4, 6/8, quadruple and duple meters with values other than a quarter note in the denominator, triple and compound meters with different values in the denominator, then asymmetrical meters. I do not address 24 in the list above because I rarely see it pose a difficulty.
Students who find 3/4 challenging should very strongly accent every downbeat until the meter sounds entirely natural throughout the excerpt or piece. Similarly, the best remedy for those for whom 68 and other compound meters prove difficult is to accent every beat. To people for whom neither of these meter types are difficult, hearing so many strong accents can quickly sound plodding or belabored. Please be patient while struggling students get acclimated to these meters.
Meters with different denominators can be a stumbling block for young musicians until they get used to them. The main problem is a lack of experience reading these meters while endeavoring to understand them, so reading through a great deal of music in such meters is one of the best cures. Another useful strategy is to write out a particular rhythm first in a very common meter and then in one with a different denominator. It is also valuable to write well known simple songs, such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Jingle Bells, or Happy Birthday, in a variety of meters.

Ties and Dots
For some, the biggest rhythmic challenges are posed by notes of unusual duration or notes that do not begin on a beat. Usually, such notes involve ties or dots. The best strategy for quickly mastering passages containing dots or ties is first to remove them. Removing a tie is an easy enough concept. For example, you would play the following passage

like this instead:

The removal of a dot is essentially the same thing, because a dot is a type of tied note. So, the following passage with dots

is the same as the following rhythms with ties,

which would instead first be practiced like this:

Once a passage can be performed well without ties, it should not be very difficult to add them back in again.
Another strategy is to leave in the dots and ties and also add accents where the beats occur. So, the first example above would instead be performed as shown at the top of the next column.

Note that the goal would never be to perform the passage with these additional accents. They are a temporary measure to help students get their brains around the rhythms.

Sightread Rhythms Daily
By and large, people learn by doing. Students who struggle with rhythm should get some sightsinging books and spend at least ten minutes a day, five days a week, reading rhythms. Ideally, students should have a metronome on for at least 60% of this time. However, tempo is not a priority; slow and accurate is better than fast and sloppy.

Transcribe Rhythms of Familiar Songs
After the above activities, a somewhat more advanced exercise is to transcribe rhythms. Rhythmic dictation always provides an excellent way to strengthen a musician’s rhythmic sense, regardless of how much time or how many hearings are required. It is a good idea to start with pieces that a student already knows, then progress to unknown pieces, starting with simple ones and gradually increasing rhythmic complexity. Only as the final step should the number of hearings or the amount of time to complete the dictation be decreased.

Conclusion
By following the recommendations above, good rhythmic skills will eventually come. Some students will wish for a short cut, but, in my experience, the regimen outlined above is the shortest route to success. Above all, students must be persistent and patient with themselves. l

Suggested Reading

Rhythm
Basics in Rhythm by Garwood Whaley (Delray Beach, Florida: Meredith Music, 2003).
The Rhythm Bible by Dan Fox (Van Nuys, California: Alfred, 2002).
The Rhythm Book: Studies in Rhythmic Reading and Principles by Peter Hampton Phillips (Mineola, New York: Dover, 1995).
Rhythmic Training by Robert Starer (Chicago: MCA Music, 1969).
Sight Reading: The Rhythm Book by Alex Pertout (Fenton, Missouri: Mel Bay, 2010).
Studying Rhythm by Anne Carothers Hall (New York: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005).

Sightsinging
Anthology for Sight Singing by Gary Steven Karpinski and Richard Kram (New York: Norton, 2007).
Manual for Ear Training and Sight Singing by Gary Steven Karpinski (New York: Norton, 2007).
Melodia: A Course in Sight-Singing by Samuel W. Lewis (New York: Carl Fischer).
Movable Tonic: A Sequenced Sight-singing Method by Alan Clark McClung (Chicago: GIA Publications, 2008).
Music for Sight Singing by Thomas Benjamin, Michael M. Horvit, and Robert Nelson (Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2012).
Music for Sight Singing by Robert W. Ottoman and Nancy Rogers (New York: Pearson Prentice-Hall, 2013).
A New Approach to Sight Singing by Sol Berkowitz, Gabriel Fontrier, and Leo Kraft (New York: Norton, 2013).
Progressive Sight Singing by Carol J. Krueger (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).
Sight Singing by Earl Henry (New York: Prentice Hall, 1997).
Sight Singing Complete by Maureen Carr (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014).
Sightsinging Complete by Bruce Benward and Maureen A. Carr (Wm. C. Brown, 1991).

Available at the International Music Score Library Project
1000 Exercises by Arthur Somervell (London: J. Curwen & Sons Ltd, 1911).
Graded Studies in the Art of Reading Music at Sight by Horatio Richmond Palmer (Cincinnati: The John Church Company, 1891).
Melodia: A Comprehensive Course in Sight-singing by Samuel W. Cole and Leo Rich Lewis (Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania: T. Presser, 1909).
The School of Sight Singing by Giuseppe Concone (New York: G. Schirmer).
Sight Reading Exercises, Op. 45 by Arnoldo Sartorio (London: Augener, 1909).
Solfège des solfèges by Adolphe Danhauser (New York: G. Schirmer, 1891).

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Recruiting Parents

theinstrumenta — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 23:41:48 +0000

“Once early in my career, I mentioned to a father that his son had told me that he worked in construction and stated that I would appreciate his advice sometime on our instrument storage room. . . . He informed me that he would be happy to replace all the cabinets and cubicles if I could provide some student labor to assist him, and he even had a better idea on how to arrange them.”

Most instrumental music programs have fully embraced today’s digital age, using email and social media as the primary means of communication. Although these are easy and efficient ways to share information, the impersonal nature can create a barrier between music directors and parents if there is no opportunity for personal interaction. It is a commonly held opinion that the more engaged and supportive parents are, the more engaged students will be. Therefore, it is important to seek opportunities for personal interaction with parents as well. There are several ways to accomplish this.

Never Underestimate the Telephone
A telephone call is much more effective than email. I have directed three programs during my career – two high school band programs and a college athletic band program. In all three cases, I was hired to rebuild the program. The enrollment problems at the two high schools were largely because of a high upperclassman dropout rate. Students were not truly committed to the programs. It was evident that the priority in addressing this problem was to build a relationship with students and their parents.
Upon being hired, I began by calling each student and introducing myself. After talking with the student I always asked to speak to the parents. After the first year of leading each program, I continued this practice but focused my efforts on potential new members. With the high school bands, I called eighth graders and their parents at the end of their eighth grade year, and with the college band, I called the homes of every high school student who indicated an interest in the band program. This took several evenings over the course of a few weeks, but the results were well worth the effort. It is important to understand that you are recruiting parents as well as students, much like college coaches do when they recruit athletes. I have occasionally had athletes in my classes here at Clemson, and I have always been fascinated to hear details about how they were recruited. They usually have one thing in common regarding their decision to attend Clemson University – their parents liked Clemson as well.

Take Advantage of Conferences
I have known music educators who dreaded parent-teacher conferences, but I always embraced them, because they are the most effective way to develop good working relationships with parents. I often expanded the school’s designated parent-teacher conference day schedule, knowing that all of the parents I hoped to talk to would not be able to meet with me in one day or evening. I added evenings and often a Saturday or two. Because band participation was a year-round activity, I even scheduled conferences in the summer. I also considered the nature of the community when creating a conference schedule. For example, my first job was at a high school in a mostly rural community with several family farms, so I avoided scheduling conferences during weeks when crops were being harvested. To encounter as many parents as possible, choose times that are convenient for them.
Although I found in-school parent-teacher conferences to be the most effective way to forge a good relationship, there were a few times when special circumstances required me to have a conference at a student’s home. On one occasion, I learned that an incoming freshman band member was being raised by his elderly grandparents, who were both in poor health and rarely able to leave their house. It was obvious that this student could have difficulties being a member of the high school band given the schedule of rehearsals and performances outside of the school day. I called the grandparents, who were impressed that someone from the school had reached out to them and delighted to learn that I was willing to stop by their house to talk with them about their grandson’s continued band participation. The middle school director joined me on the visit, and our discussion resulted in a plan that involved assistance from a neighbor and another band parent who lived nearby to provide transportation for the boy to and from band activities.

Preparation
Because you are going to use these conferences to highlight a child’s strengths, share thoughts about personal and musical development, discuss any concerns, and offer suggestions for improvement, consider keeping a file on each member of your ensemble with notes about their participation as well as notes about any previous parent encounters. I routinely referred to this file when talking with parents, and they were usually impressed with my organizational skills and concern for their child as an individual, rather than as just another member of the ensemble.
Another part of the conference preparation involves finding out more about the parents. The majority of your students may come from environments with a parent or parents in the home, but there are always those who do not. As it did with the above student’s elderly grandparents, it may take more effort to make a meaningful connection in these cases. Be mindful that your students, regardless of situations in the home, will be the beneficiaries of your efforts to increase engagement.
Directors often give students forms to fill out at the beginning of the school year. In addition to the usual emergency contact information, my form also included an optional section for parents or guardians to list their music experiences, professions, special skills, and hobbies. The intent of gathering this type of information was so parents could be contacted if I needed their expertise or advice in certain areas. If any information was incomplete, I routinely contacted high school guidance counselors to see if they could provide further details about the parents.
This information also provided valuable conversation material during the conference and was especially useful in breaking the ice with a reluctant parent. I learned early in my career that showing interest in parents and what they did helped them view me as a person with interest and knowledge beyond music and academia. I can recall many conferences with parents that involved discussions about farming, nursing, carpentry, car repair, banking, plumbing, motorcycle racing, and professional sports. One discussion even resulted in an invitation to go skydiving, although I was not brave enough to try.
Once early in my career, I mentioned to a father that his son had told me that he worked in construction and stated that I would appreciate his advice sometime on our instrument storage room. The wooden storage cubicles and closets were in poor condition. I had priced new cabinets from a manufacturer but the cost was prohibitive. He insisted on taking a look at the room as he left the meeting and asked if he could stop by the following day. When he returned he informed me that he would be happy to replace all the cabinets and cubicles if I could provide some student labor to assist him, and he even had a better idea on how to arrange them. He also informed me that there was another parent who laid carpet and yet another who was a painter. Soon our music program had completely remodeled instrument storage areas far better then anything we could have purchased, and the expense was simply the cost of the some of the materials. All the labor was either donated or provided by band students.

On Conference Day
Once the conference schedule is in place, it is time to focus on creating a professional-looking space to conduct the meetings. Take pride in the appearance of your office. I routinely had numerous strategically placed pictures and mementos designed to be conversation starters for parents and students alike.
Because the rehearsal room would be a waiting room for parents prior to their conference, I usually had recordings or videos of band performances playing to help create the proper mood. When it was time for the parents’ conference, I would come into the room and greet them by name with a smile and a firm handshake.
Parents may initially come into a conference with reluctance or even suspicion, in part because their impression of you is largely based on their child’s opinion. If students view you as mean-spirited, expect difficulties when engaging parents. If students describe you as a teacher who not only has high expectations concerning music performance and discipline, but also as a person who is kind, caring, and encouraging, then a good connection with parents is likely. Parents routinely seek relationships with individuals who engage their children in respectful ways and are capable of providing mentorship.
Although parents might enter the meeting with a preconceived notion of who you are, directors should avoid doing likewise. Approach these meetings with an open mind and view them as an opportunity to show parents that you are committed to helping students reach their full potential in music and beyond, as well as to make it clear that your hope is that they will be your partner in these efforts.

How to Talk to Parents
Begin the conference by telling parents how much of a pleasure it is to meet them and thank them for taking the time to visit with you, as well as for allowing their child to be a part of the instrumental program. Eye contact is a must throughout the meeting, from the moment you shake their hands to the moment they depart, as eye contact conveys sincerity and helps build trust. Always begin with positive statements about their child’s progress and participation in the music program before sharing any suggestions you may have for improvement.
While most directors would agree that the vast majority of their students should practice more, it is best to avoid simply saying “practice more,” as this is as vague and uninformative as a teacher in another academic area saying “study harder.” An effective way to convey that message is to cite how impressed you are with the student’s progress to date, and offer comments about how you believe the student has the potential to become a fine player with some extra work.
Leave openings in the discussion for parents to offer comments or ask questions. In my experience, parents were often excited to hear sincere comments about their child’s potential as a musician, and on most occasions when I framed the discussion properly, it was the parents who would comment that they needed to encourage their child to practice more.
Use a similar approach when addressing any behavioral or social concerns, citing how students’ potential is being affected by their actions. I often began discussions in this area with the phrase “are you aware,” as parents were usually unaware. They appreciated learning that their child’s behavior was hurting them or the other students rather than simply aggravating me. More often than not, parents offered comments about how they would assist in solving any problems. For example, I had students who knew that my instruction from their parents was to call them immediately if their child misbehaved, and then hand the child the phone. On the few occasions that I had to do this, the problem was solved quickly, and it rarely happened again.
Although the intent of these meetings is to talk about a child’s music participation, discuss the child’s future as well. The vast majority of your students will not pursue careers in music, so make yourself an advocate and supporter of their diverse career aspirations. I always had an idea of what my students hoped to do as adults and told parents that I could see them being successful in that endeavor based on the work ethic they routinely demonstrated as a part of the music program. Making connections between the benefits of continued ensemble participation and future career success is helpful as well.
I routinely ended a conference with a comment about how honored and excited I was to be a small part of their child’s development in preparation for adult lives and careers. In addition, I always stated my sincere appreciation concerning their child’s choice to participate in the music program, as well as my appreciation for the parents who were supportive of their choice. Ultimately, the goal of these conferences is for parents to leave the meeting with the opinion that you are a trusted ally and advocate for their child, and that they as parents are truly partners in their child’s music education and valuable members of the band family.

Following Up
Be sure to follow each parent-teacher conference with a thank you note. It is always appropriate to thank people for their acts of kindness, but it is also appropriate to thank parents for their willingness to meet with you. Although most people today would say that an email thank you is appropriate, there is nothing like receiving a handwritten note in the mail, as email messages are often overlooked. A note also works as a valuable visual reminder of you and your music program, as it may sit on a kitchen counter for a few days or even be posted on a kitchen bulletin board or refrigerator.
I always kept a stack of thank-you notes and stationery imprinted with our high school band logo in my office desk drawer, and I wrote a brief note to parents before I left school following the conferences. It took time to write these by hand, but I always believed that the long-term goodwill they produced was well worth the time it took to write them.
When writing thank you notes, consider using a “thank you plus at least two more things” strategy. Thank the parents for the opportunity to speak with them, express sincere appreciation for their support of their child’s participation in the music program, and tell them how you are looking forward to further opportunities to speak with them. It is also appropriate to personalize the note by commenting on some specific item that had been discussed in the meeting. Always put the thank you note in the mail the morning following the conference, so it is received in a timely fashion.

Parent Events
In addition to parent-teacher conferences, considering planning events that will give you an opportunity for continued parent engagement. Parent receptions after concerts or football games, music awards nights, and social events for parents such as fundraising dinners and dances are all activities that parents will enjoy. Also, consider programming a selection at a concert each year that allows parents with music experience to perform with your ensemble, and even explore forming a community band to give parents with music experience an opportunity to continue playing an instrument.
Parents of my students also enjoyed accompanying the band on trips, not just as chaperones, but as fans. Over the years my high school bands traveled to perform at a variety of events including The Indianapolis 500 Parade, The Kentucky Derby Parade, and The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, as well as Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates games. On these excursions there were often several busloads of parents who made the trip as well, and thanks to my efforts I knew them all by name.

Conclusion
The types of engagement previously described can be time consuming, but as a high school band director, I felt that it was important to build a larger, more engaged network of parent supporters. Over time, the combination of phone calls, in-person conferences, and parent group activities became a relatively easy endeavor to manage. For example, once the system was in place, all parents of incoming ninth graders became the focus of my phone calls and conferences. As a student progressed through the program, the conferences became viewed as annual check-ups, while the parent activities provided numerous opportunities for me to follow up with parents in a more informal and social environment.

The goal of building a good rapport is not simply about getting parents to do volunteer work. Dedicated, long-term support is the result of parents viewing a music educator as a genuine, caring person, as well as a welcome and trusted mentor to their children. The most noteworthy result of these relationships was that the more dedicated and supportive parents became, the more dedicated and focused their children became. In fact, in the high schools where I taught, student dropout rates decreased significantly, and on the rare occasion that a student left the program, it was never a case where a student just stopped showing up to rehearsal. The parents and their child usually requested a meeting with me to explain the situation. A final benefit of a strong parent-teacher relationship was that many parents continued to support the program after their child graduated. It was always wonderful to see these people and hear about former members in college or starting careers and families. It made the instrumental music program truly a family affair.

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