Juggling and the Brain
    Learning how to juggle improves a musician’s skills in unimaginable ways. The earlier students learn how to juggle the better, but it is never too late to start. Most of the time in everyday activities, one side of the brain dominates. Juggling is hard to master in the beginning because it forces both sides of the brain to work together. Musicians use both sides of the brain when playing music, so learning how to juggle enhances the brain connections needed to play the flute well.
    There was a study performed by the neurology department of the University of Regensburg in Germany that examined whether juggling affects the brain. The study was published in Nature, the International Journal of Science in February 2004 Volume 427 Issue 112-113. In the study, twenty-four people learned how to juggle proficiently and practiced for several months at it, while another group did not. The people who learned to juggle increased the gray matter in their brains although over time, this change decreased when they stopped juggling. More research is needed to see exactly how juggling affects the brain, but this is scientific evidence that juggling improves connections in the brain.

Juggling is Fun for Students
    Juggling is exciting to learn and provides visual results of progress in a short amount of time. As students learn a pattern, they can see their success and become more motivated to achieve the next level. I learned how to juggle mostly because it looked cool and challenging, and a friend was doing it too. I did not realize how much it would help my flute playing.

Juggling and Music
    In relation to music, juggling helps with counting and understanding rhythms. Unlike when students play, throwing the balls provides a visual representation of a rhythmic pattern. It also provides practice with coordinating the movements of both hands.

Getting Started
    In high school I spent several summers teaching juggling to children at camp. Later, I introduced college friends to the skill. The following are some of the most efficient ways to teach all age groups how to juggle.
    One of the biggest challenges for beginners is the fear of dropping a ball. When practicing, it is best to sit on the ground and to not even attempt to catch the objects at first. This allows the body to become familiar with the feel of the correct pattern. Once students can repeat the pattern with ease, they can try to start catching the objects. The maximum height that beginners should throw the objects is as high as they can comfortably reach. To figure this out, ask them to hold a hand up like they are raising a hand to be called on in class. They should not exceed that height.

Throwing Two Objects
    Another problem that beginners have is a misconception of the actual motion of the balls in the air. Most inexperienced jugglers attempt to throw two objects in a circular pattern. It is nearly impossible for beginners to maintain that pattern with three or more objects. That pattern is actually an advanced trick called a shower. Instead, they should begin with an X pattern. The best way to achieve this is to imagine that you are in a box and are throwing to the two upper corners. The balls cross and fall to the opposite hand, creating the desired pattern. The objects cannot be thrown at the same time because they will collide and then it will be hard to catch them. Throw with the first hand and then after a slight hesitation throw the second ball to ensure that the objects do not collide. It may take a few purposeful drops to figure out this pattern.

    If one is right-handed then the right hand throws first and is followed by the left hand. If you are left-handed then the left hand throws first followed by the right hand. Once you can toss and catch like this successfully ten times in a row then you can move onto throwing three.

Moving to Three Objects
    A three-object pattern uses the same X pattern. The objects should be small enough that two can be held comfortably in one hand at once. To throw three balls, hold two in the dominant hand and one in the nondominant hand. The hands alternate starting with the hand with two objects. The cue to throw the second object is when the first object reaches its maximum height. In other words, after starting, you should have only one object in each hand. It may take a few purposeful drops to get used to throwing three. Once you feel comfortable with the pattern, start trying to catch them. Count how many you can throw and see if you can beat that number. If you are having trouble, a friend may be able to see where you are getting off the pattern. (A useful tutorial video illustrating three objects can be found at )
    Just as in flute practice, partner practice is beneficial. Stand next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, with one person being the left hand and the other the right hand. Using two people to complete the pattern will improve hand-eye coordination and is a great way to improve the nondominant hand’s accuracy at catching. Periodically switch sides. This is similar to having one flutist blow on the headjoint and the other do the fingerings.
    Musicians tend to understand juggling faster than non-musicians. This may be because they use both sides of the brain more than the average person, and juggling reinforces these connections that are already there. A musician’s sense of rhythm is probably also helpful.
    It is frustrating in the beginning. I encourage students to have positive-sounding music in the background or humming or singing while they figure out how to juggle. Nursery rhymes like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Mary Had a Little Lamb seem especially effective.
    Juggling can be a great way to give students a break from playing the flute while still improving their skills. Especially for music summer camp programs, juggling can be a welcome physical break and a new exciting challenge. The equipment needed is not expensive. Professional equipment is not necessary. Just look for circular objects that are easy to hold and do not bounce. (With bouncing balls, students will spend more time chasing them than juggling.)

    Besides increasing the connections in the brain, juggling can be used as a bonding tool. If a studio or ensemble learns how to juggle together, the group will become closer. Encourage partner juggling and pair up stronger jugglers with beginners. Give them some starting instructions and then just watch what happens. Students will help one another and develop stronger connections with each other.
    The most fascinating part about juggling is that just like with music there are endless possibilities. There are many types of equipment to master besides beanbags, and one can increase the numbers of objects for greater difficulty. Juggling also helps with focus and concentration. It is such a complex task for the brain that other thoughts such as bad test grades, stress, and wrong notes are forgotten. It clears the thoughts and leaves students more focused.   

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    One evening I was preparing for a euphonium masterclass and decided to do a little online research on the history of the euphonium. I surfed the Web a little, quickly finding the familiar serpent and ophicleide that I first encountered in my pre-internet college days. After reading about them again to remove a few mental cobwebs, I realized that I might be able to hear them for the first time if they were on YouTube, and indeed they were. It was an exciting moment; years ago I was totally dependent on a written description of its sound, but now I could experience it myself.
    This got me to thinking. I had heard it said that one could find anything on YouTube, and finding someone playing a serpent or ophicleide was surely first-rate evidence of that – but can you really find anything? To see, I compiled an odd, random list.
     John Philip Sousa speaking. Yes, it’s there. I found a video of a 1930 meeting of the Gridiron Club at the White House where Sousa speaks and then conducts his Gridiron Club March. There is also a 1929 international broadcast (audio only) where Sousa introduces his Stars and Stripes Forever.
    A performance of Claude T. Smith’s A Thousand Hills Overture. I first heard this during my student teaching in 1984. For several years, it was a very popular contest selection. Good news: there are still many recordings of this.
    Someone playing a burumamaramu (a bull-roarer of the Fly River area of New Guinea). I did not find a recording of this exact instrument. However, I did find a recording of an instrument that said in its description that it made a sound similar to that of the burumamaramu.
    Someone playing a hurdy-gurdy. Since the hurdy-gurdy dates back to the Middle Ages, I was surprised to find so many recordings of it, and even more surprised to find that there are modern versions of the instrument being made. Patty Gurdy, a German musician, has some beautiful recordings that are posted; one of them has more than six million views.
    Beethoven’s 5th Symphony performed on the nose flute. No luck here, but it was close. I did find a man playing Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th.
    A William Revelli rant. I have heard over the years that former University of Michigan bandmaster William Revelli (1902-1994) was known for his intensity and flashes of temper. Believe it or not, there is a recording of one of his rants. It is rather difficult to hear, but you’ll get the idea.
    Someone burning an oboe. I’m happy to report that I did not find this, but there is a video of someone burning an oboe reed to Ravel’s Bolero.
    Henry Fillmore conducting a band. I stumped YouTube on this one. There are many audio recordings of his marches, but no video of him conducting.
    Someone playing a sousaphone underwater. I could not find this, but I know it will happen at some point. I found a trombone player doing this, and if my past experience is any indication, the trend-setting trombone player will have other members of the low brass section following suit soon.
    Someone playing a song on a zucchini. I found a video of a cool-looking dude playing Toto’s Africa on both a sweet potato and a large squash using video and audio multi-tracks. Since zucchini is a type of squash, I am calling this a success.
    A guide on how to convert a timpani into a planter. A few years ago, I had to store three old timpani in our shed at home because there was not enough room at the school after purchasing new ones. My wife asked me if she could have one to plant flowers and such in. It sounded like a neat idea, but I declined and ended up donating them to a band in need. Surprisingly, if YouTube is any indication, no one else has a timpani planter. I did, however, find a guitar converted into a planter.
    A man dressed as Abraham Lincoln playing a violin. This is not as far-fetched as it sounds; Abraham Lincoln could actually play the violin. However, there are no recreations on YouTube.
    A drum major falling from a podium. There were several entries that featured drum majors making rather amazing recoveries while continuing to conduct.
    A marching halftime or contest show about moose. I found one halftime show titled Rocky vs. Bullwinkle performed by the University of Michigan Band in 1985. It was a musical melding of the Bill Conti’s Rocky from the boxing movie of the same name and the Rocky and Bullwinkle theme from the cartoon.
    Three random musicians from Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians:
    Mieczyslaw Soltys (1863-1929). A Polish composer who wrote several operas, nothing was posted for him. However, Soltys would be proud of his son Adam (1890-1968) who has a low brass ensemble recording posted.
    Teodoro Valcarcel (1900-1942). A Peruvian composer known for his studies in Peruvian folk music. There were actually several videos with his name attached, including a soprano solo titled W’ay! that had 1,288 views. His Concierto Indio (1940) had 44,652 views.
    Bogumil Zepler (1858-1918) was a German composer of operatic parodies and comic operas. Happily, his music does live on, but barely. I found a march he wrote for brass quintet. (Or as the French title on the video clip said, Quintette de Cuivres.)
    A Mozart concerto played backward. There does seem to be some fascination with how musical pieces sound backward. Although I did not find a Mozart concerto played backward, I did find Eine Kleine Nachtmusik in reverse and a pianist playing Rondo Alla Turca while he was on his back.
    Someone destroying a metronome. Surprisingly, I only found one video of a kid destroying one, and he didn’t seem to be a frustrated musician, just a destructive kid who makes boring videos. He had 31 views, so I joined 31 other people in wasting my time watching.
    A jazz version of theme from Three’s Company. I used to hate this televison theme song and the show as well. Would any jazz arranger feel differently? Yes, sort of. I found a video of the cover band and comedy act Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine performing it at Webster Hall in New York City in 2008. It had more than 18,000 views. Lounge singer Richard Cheese is a character created and portrayed by Los Angeles-based comedian and singer Mark Jonathan Davis.
    As you can see, YouTube doesn’t have everything, but it has nothing to be ashamed of. The good news is that if you have an inkling to post something you think is unusual, there’s still room for more. One tip though: if you are thinking of making and posting a 3D-printed serpent, forget it; that’s been done.    

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Why do you want to be a music major?
    Loving high school band or orchestra might well be a reason to follow in your director’s footsteps. However, if you would be just as happy studying for another profession if you were able to still play your instrument with others, consider performing in an ensemble in college while pursuing other interests. Many ensembles are likely to be open to both music majors and non-majors.
    If you are on the fence between music and another field, consider minoring in music. This will allow you to pursue a deeper understanding of your instrument and the wider musical discipline by taking lessons, being involved in collegiate ensembles, and taking classes in music theory and history. If you have another interest that is coequal with music, you can pursue that as a vocation while becoming a much better and more savvy musician, giving you the resources to be a highly skilled amateur throughout your life.
    If music is the only thing that you can honestly see yourself doing as a career, then, by all means, pursue it. Do not be lured into the money trap. While no music teacher has ever become wealthy in our profession, most school districts pay quite well and offer excellent benefits. A public school music teacher can earn a respectable living while pursuing vital, interesting, often uplifting work. However, if becoming rich is a desire, it would be advisable to stay away from most forms of professional music-making and music teaching.

Which undergraduate degree is the right choice?
    The most common are bachelor’s degrees in music education, music therapy, and music performance. Many young people believe that if they wish to pursue a future as a professional performer or college teacher of their instrument, they must pursue a bachelor’s in performance, but this is untrue. Many professional performers and college teachers have an undergraduate degree in music education. Future success as a high-level performer has much more to do with hours spent in the practice room than the exact wording on a diploma.
    While a performance bachelor’s degree is perhaps right for some people, most are best served pursuing undergraduate degrees in music education or music therapy. Both of these lead directly into highly rewarding careers in which practitioners are well-compensated professional musicians helping other people. The music educator shares the joy of music-making with students, while the music therapist uses our art as a tool to help those with medical needs. In both cases, you will be doubly served by the great joy of music and of helping your fellow human beings.
    Occasionally, I will hear a prospective student say, “I want to major in performance because I can’t see myself teaching.” If you have had that thought yourself, be aware that almost all musicians spend some part of their career as a teacher, whether in a classroom or a private studio. Even full-time orchestral musicians often also teach at a college or university. Members of the premier military bands of the United States are adjunct instructors at schools throughout the mid-Atlantic. Teaching is often the only path to a full-time career as a musician that will allow for all of the necessities and extras of life.

Which college should I choose?
    Make sure the schools that interest you offer the degree you want. Not every school offers music as a major, and those that do might offer different or limited options.
    Determine the quality of that program by researching job-placement numbers in the field you are considering. It is also worth looking at the track record of graduate school (and teaching assistantship) placement in the area of your primary instrument. These questions can often be answered by contacting the faculty member who teaches your instrument. This person will either know the answer or put you in contact with the person who does.
    Consider how well you get along with the professors you will be in contact with most often. No matter what your degree, music majors will spend the most time with their applied teacher. Make sure that you reach out to your instrument’s instructor at any school that you are considering. Most will be happy to have you in for a trial lesson (be wary of any who are not welcoming – studying with them for four years might be unpleasant).
    The ideal studio teacher will be warm and welcoming, tell you those hard truths about your playing with patience and respect, and be depended on to care for you through your college career and on into your professional life. This relationship is important to consider.
    Observe a band or orchestra rehearsal. The ensemble directors will exert a large influence over you, and you will spend a great deal of time in their ensembles. Determine whether you find the music education or music therapy faculty interesting and engaging – and whether they are interested in their students. Also observe whether current college students are inquisitive, serious, and warm.

How do I pay for college?
    A music teacher can earn a respectable income, but that can quickly evaporate if a large portion of each paycheck is going to pay for a hefty loan payment. If you are dead-set on attending a private or out-of-state institution, do yourself the favor of also exploring state universities close to home. There are excellent schools in every part of the country. In your hunt for a college, explore options for both academic and music scholarships. Do not be wowed by large dollar-amount awards. Rather, look at the final price of attendance, and shop wisely.

How can I be prepared for college?
    Many people who desire to major in music in college make this decision rather early on. The first thing that you can do to prepare yourself is to practice diligently. Get into the habit and never get out of it. Being an excellent performer on your chosen instrument is an absolute necessity for going into any music program; a mediocre musician will not last as a college music major. In addition, being in the habit of practicing will prepare you for the rigors of the college, including weekly lesson assignments, performance goals, difficult ensemble music, and even the preparations for classroom courses in music.
    Avoid being a multi-instrumentalist. Although gaining skills on one or two instruments related to your primary (such as a saxophonist having some flute and/or clarinet skills or a euphonium player who is also able to play trombone) has benefits, avoid being a serial doubler to the detriment of your main instrument. Music education majors will receive excellent instruction in teaching the various string, wind, and percussion instruments in the degree program. Focus, instead, on achieving a great understanding of one instrument so that you can learn to make beautiful music. This will serve you best in any college music program.
    Find a competent private teacher. This will help you make the most progress as a player before you get to college. In addition, start thinking about future core music classes, such as music theory, ear training, and music history. Ask your director for help in preparing for these subjects.
    At a basic level, make sure that you know all of the major and minor scales, both on your instrument and theoretically (on paper), before you go to college. Also, know intervals and the various kinds of triads and seventh chords and how they’re constructed. As early as possible, take some piano lessons. There is a piano class requirement for almost every music bachelor’s degree in the country, and a familiarity with the keyboard itself will give you a great way to visualize concepts once you are in a music theory classroom.
    Do not neglect your general studies. English, math, and history courses are a part of every undergraduate music degree. Make sure that you gain the best foothold in these subjects, and study hard so they do not become an artificial barrier to your success in college.

How do I get the best start to my first year of college?
    A freshman music major at most universities will have a busy day. Classes usually start at 8:00 a.m., often with music theory or ear training. A full schedule of lessons, ensembles, and both music and non-music classes will follow throughout the day, and there are likely to be many late nights in a practice room or at the library.
    The workload of college, paired with the reality that most students are away from the organizing help of their parents for the first time, can sometimes yield problems. However, with careful planning, bad results can be avoided. Set multiple alarms every morning. Sleeping through class is a direct path to bad grades. Get in the habit of using a day planner, and live by it religiously. Most people find success by writing out a detailed daily schedule that includes time set aside for practice and study. Pair yourself with a conscientious friend and hold each other to account on goals. These are all strategies that will help yield success.   

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A Quick Start
    Investing in a strong combo program is an essential building block in establishing a great big band. For programs just getting started, success can be achieved early on with combo. You can start a program with yourself, a horn player and a playalong recording. Then two or three horn players and that same recording. Then add a drummer, who can be a rock drummer you teach the basics of swing, and bass (even if it is a keyboard bass) – still with the recording.
    Follow this by adding a classical piano player who doesn’t know jazz voicings. Avoid having your pianist read the piano parts of published big band charts. Teach the piano player simple shell voicings and you are on your way. Shell voicings are two notes, typically the third and seventh in the left hand. These are easy, but sound hip. Bebop pianist Bud Powell is a good example of someone who used shell voicings.

The Art of Melodic Paraphase
    In the early years of jazz, soloists had eight or 12-bar windows on recordings, so the solos had to be cogent and fully assured. Jazzing up the tune was a route many 1920s players took, and it is a great springboard for young soloists.
    Teach the students the tune – preferably by ear – and give them tonal centers. A tune without a bridge (such as George Gershwin’s Sum­mertime) works best. Then have them play the tune again, just changing rhythms while keeping everything else the same. This is improvisation; it is formative, but legitimate. I have taught improvisation this way for many years, and never has there been a student who hasn’t experienced immediate success. Some students will have a more natural ear for what to do than others, but all will immediately realize they can do it. This is important because with beginning improvisers, the psychological element is the most important part. Nurture students’ belief that improvising is natural and achievable, not voodoo magic.

Introducing Form
    The next step is to find a 32-bar standard – the simpler the better – and teach students that tune, giving them tonality changes to use as landmarks to help their memory: “The tune is in C. At the second melody (bridge) it changes to F. When the original tune returns it goes back to C.” This is all the information they need to understand form.
    Those two tunes could be the combo’s debut. That group would excite other members of your concert band about jazz, establishing a strong foundation for a big band and perhaps inspiring additional combos to form.

Moving to Big Band
    When you do get into a large group, do not start with published arrangements. You can use the written bass part if you wish (although learning changes is preferable and simple). Find a big band chart on a standard tune and teach it to the horn players by ear. Then, let everyone take a shot at improvising on it while using melodic paraphrase. Those who have been in your combo will know form, but those who are brand new to jazz won’t have to at this point. If they follow your instructions to change only rhythms, they will be fine.
    Set everyone up for success. Some students can be especially shy. Break the tune into eight-bar segments and let students take turns on a portion of the tune or have two of them play together. You do not want to run anybody off; you do want to show them what is possible.

Playing Written Charts
    It is only after all of the above that I would pass out a written chart. This approach takes more time but is well worth it. Combo should remain the focus of the program at this point to give greater depth to your pool of soloists.
    It is important to have a strategy to big band programming. It is easy to fall in love with a chart that you think the band can play, but if there is a wide divide between the ensemble quality and the soloists’ ability to keep up, you have a problem. Before picking a piece, you need to take a close look at the chord changes. This is especially true with arrangements of standards. Arrangers of standards often shift harmonic schemes to freshen up familiar material. These arrangers’ changes are attractive but can create pitfalls for soloists. All it takes is an unexpected ii-V or substitute chord to create unnecessary drama. There is nothing wrong with reverting to the original changes when you get to the solo section. On more than one occasion I have heard a band struggle with a blues, only to find out they have been tripped up by arrangers’ changes.
    The combo format allows you to get into the harmony in much greater detail, but in a big band setting there are several options for odd changes. First, make sure all soloists have memorized the original tune. Unless the soloists are advanced, have them start with melodic paraphrase. On borrowed chords (such as an E major chord in a C major tune), give students a target note – preferably the third because that is the out-of-key note – and a resolution for that target note. This opens the door to more extensive improvisation.

Conclusion
    One of my mentors once said, “A jazz experience isn’t about playing the third trumpet part in a Count Basie chart.” All of our students deserve an authentic jazz experience. Give them that, and a jazz culture emerges. Such a culture is powerful and uplifting.   

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