Developing skill and facility in the extreme upper and lower registers of the instrument is a challenge for brass players. While most students learn with relative ease to cover the two octaves or so presented in first- and second-year band methods, extending range beyond this requires more intentional and targeted effort. The required coordination of accurate hearing, tongue placement, air speed and direction, and muscular development presents a number of potential obstacles to range extension for young players. Happily, these obstacles can be overcome with regular and correct practice; below are five broad, guiding principles to inform that practice.

Ear Training
    Successful playing in extreme registers requires first of all that the player accurately hear the desired pitch. In most brass instruments’ middle registers (the horn is a notable exception) the partials of the overtone series are far enough apart that students with only somewhat accurate notions of pitch can often find the right notes by pressing the right fingers and hoping for the best. In these cases the natural tendencies of the instrument have a way of guiding the embouchure to the right place.
    In the upper register, though (and beginning in the middle register of the horn), the partials for each fingering or slide position are much closer together, and above the seventh partial they are separated only by steps and then by half-steps. At this point in the range a student who is not accurately hearing the desired pitches before playing will be much less likely to find the correct note. Students must accurately conceptualize the correct pitch, at which point a clear signal is sent from the brain to the embouchure, which, if technique is correct and the student has undergone sufficient physical development, then produces the desired note.
    Have students sing and buzz before playing; this will help to identify and correct pitch deficiencies, while also helping to promote a musical approach to the extended upper range. Note that muscle memory is no substitute for ear training, as the tactile sensations of the embouchure are quite fickle.
    Low range development also requires that students have a good ear, although for different reasons than the high register. Here the partials are far apart and finding the correct one is rarely difficult. However, bending the pitch of low notes is much easier than in the upper register, and it can happen inadvertently if students do not hear the note correctly before playing. Additionally, most people naturally hear high pitches more accurately than low ones; students will have to train themselves to have good pitch perception in the lower register, particularly as the playing range extends below the vocal range.
    The importance of accurate pitch perception for extended range development cannot be overstated. Students with accurate internal pitch will be much better able to develop facility and accuracy throughout the tonal range. Those with lacking pitch perception will struggle.

Use Vowels
     Playing in extended registers also requires that the player make significant changes in air speed and direction. While this is an oversimplified explanation of the relationship of air speed and volume to pitch production, in practice I find it helpful to think of blowing faster air in the higher register and slower air in the lower register, and to think of air volume only with regard to dynamic level. Changes in air speed are largely accomplished by changing the vowel shape used when playing.

     There is a certain mind trick aspect to these vowels, and there is more going on with these changes in oral cavity shape than differences in the air speed. Certainly there are minute adjustments the tension and use of the facial musculature, and the direction of the air shifts as well, being directed more toward the mouthpiece throat in the low register, and toward the rim in the high register. Downstream embouchures are much more common than upstream ones, but in both cases the air is directed toward the rim for higher notes and toward the throat for lower notes.

     The great thing about the use of vowels is that these adjustments happen without the player having to think about them consciously. Instead, students can simply hear the pitch and then imagine singing it using the appropriate articulation and vowel (again, a rather musical approach), and allow these minute changes to take place automatically, on a subconscious level. Over time the player will develop the needed strength and coordination to develop and extend range simply by continuing to play in the extreme registers on a daily basis.

Be Willing to Sound Bad
    With a few exceptions, students who begin working to extend their tonal ranges will find that the new notes being attempted do not sound particularly good at first. This presents a psychological obstacle for some students, who might fear that the poor sound indicates that they are doing something wrong or who simply do not like to play notes that sound bad. While thinking about facial musculature while playing is usually unproductive or even harmful, it is nevertheless true that the musculature and tissues must develop the necessary strength and flexibility to produce those higher and lower notes. For most students this will take some time to achieve, and the initial sounds will not be especially good. As long as students are not using excessive tension or making extreme embouchure shifts, they should be encouraged to continue working through the bad sounds. With time and practice the sound will improve.

Practice Room Range versus Performance Range
    Because new notes at the end of the range tend to sound poor, as a rule, I never want to use the highest or lowest notes I can almost play in a performance. Therefore, in the practice room I will try to extend both the upper and lower ranges at least a fifth beyond what I can play consistently, comfortably, and with a good sound. This is illustrated below.

    There are limits to this, particularly with the lowest notes on the instrument, and pushing past the point of pain or excessive shifting should be avoided. Still, extending past the performance range strengthens those usable notes even further, and over time that range increases, which likewise extends the practice room range. Using this method, the poorer sounds that tend to accompany the first forays into extended ranges are anticipated and even welcomed, with the expectation that regular practice will eventually lead to adding these notes to the performance range.

Daily, Systematic Effort
    Range extension requires daily and systematic effort. I have avoided suggesting particular exercises in this article because there are a number of published routines and exercises that can promote healthy range development. The methods of Max Schlossberg (1873-1936), Emory Remington (1892-1971), and Robert Marsteller (1918-1975) come to mind, and many professional players and college and university faculty members have made effective daily routines available online. Ensemble exercises for range extension can be developed and used as well, although the focus here has been upon individual practice.
    Whatever exercises are used for range development, progress will not occur if they are used only occasionally or in an erratic fashion. Slurring exercises through the harmonic series, scales and arpeggios throughout the range, and even vocalises and other legato exercises in extreme registers should be used each day and in a regular, systematic fashion in order to promote healthy, steady development of extreme registers. Incorporating all of the principles presented here into this practice will promote slow and steady but ultimately simple, practical, and musical development of an extended tonal range.   

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    Mouthpiece buzzing is one of the most common tools for improving tone, accuracy, musicality, and pitch. There is tremendous long-term benefit from this style of practice for both students and professionals. However, some performers and educators note that buzzing can actually do more harm than good. There is truth to this sentiment; buzzing can harm students if approached incorrectly. If buzzing is going to be taught in the band room or private studio, it is critical to take a healthy approach.

Types of Buzz
    There are several common varieties of buzzing. The first method is called free buzzing, which is buzzing notes on the lips alone. Because of the higher tessitura, sometimes hornists and trumpeters will buzz down an octave from pitches that would be played on the instrument. Free buzzing is relatively rare and is used sparingly by professionals and students. Many performers believe free buzzing leads to tightness in the embouchure from the relatively abnormal compression required to produce a note. The best arena for free buzzing is when it is used as a stepping-stone for beginners when they are learning to produce a sound on the instrument.
    The next method to explore is buzzing only on a mouthpiece rim, sometimes called a visualizer. This feels more like playing the instrument than free buzzing does. Typically only professional players use this for warming up or pinpointing select concerns about resonance. This method requires increased compression on the middle of the embouchure to buzz a note, because of the absence of the mouthpiece cup. Too much of this, even for advanced players, can be counterproductive.
    The most common method is simply to buzz the mouthpiece; this technique has been in use for generations. However, to get the most benefit from it, it is important to factor in a few key elements: the quality of tone on the mouthpiece must be conducive to relaxed and resonant playing, there must be balance between buzzing and playing, and proper musicality and technique should be emphasized. At the root of most stances against mouthpiece practice is a discrepancy with one of these factors. If any of these aspects are overlooked, then side effects, such as decreased resonance and questionable intonation, are possible.

Tone Quality
    Students should pursue tone quality that helps resonance rather than harming it. There are two primary schools of thought concerning tone while buzzing. The first is that the tone should be thick or meaty. This produces a louder, angrier sounding tone on the mouthpiece. The second is that the tone should be soft, airy, or foggy. If a professional player plays a note on an instrument with the most brilliant possible tone quality and slowly removes the mouthpiece from the instrument while playing, the quality of the buzz would actually be a softer and foggier, not loud or thick. A loud or meaty buzz requires substantially more tension inside the cup of the mouthpiece. If a student practices this way, the results are disastrous. This concept applies to all brass instruments; practicing with a softer, airy tone on the mouthpiece can lead students to exceptional results on the instrument.

Time Spent Buzzing
    Avoid buzzing too much in relation to the overall time spent on the instrument. The specific amount of time that would qualify as too much will vary from student to student. For some, this means a just few minutes per day. For others, especially advanced players, much more time can be spent before there is a lack of balance. When buzzing is overdone, the results can be less than desirable and sometimes disastrous: the tone quality becomes actually duller and less resonant, a student’s high range typically will drop, and endurance could decrease. Additional possibilities include less accuracy and a lack of clarity in articulations. It is critical that brass players of all levels find balance between buzzing and playing to reap the benefits of buzzing. If balance is not maintained, the performer has to work harder than usual to play even at a normal level.
    Teachers and players should also consider when it is appropriate to practice buzzing. Buzzing the mouthpiece, even when done in a healthy way, is an extreme type of practicing. To perform a note on the mouthpiece alone, the embouchure compression that is necessary inside the cup is greater than when the mouthpiece is attached to an instrument. Although they may be unaware of it, many players struggle playing their instruments to a degree because they rushed into buzzing practice. In school bands, it is quite common for warmup routines to incorporate mouthpiece buzzing in the first several minutes, but buzzing is best avoided until after students have warmed up gradually for at least ten minutes. This is a much better approach.

Musicality
    Another common pitfall is treating buzzing as a separate exercise from performance and approaching it without any form of musicality. This leads to thoughtless playing, which, when done on the mouthpiece, can open the door to bad habits that can haunt even the most advanced players. In addition to solid pitch and rhythm, performers should also buzz with excellent attacks, dynamics, articulation, vibrato, and phrasing. These items are difficult for many players when they buzz, because they lack the instrument’s aid in funneling them into the right pitches.
    An effective way to foster a musical approach to mouthpiece practice is to have students buzz simple, familiar melodies, or selections from band or solo repertoire. Buzzing melodies connects what could otherwise be a mindless practice strategy to their musical and artistic efforts. The same strategy can improve flexibility; while practicing a melody or passage from the band repertoire on the mouthpiece, students should try to play intervallic material with a smooth glissando. This will allow healthy habits to develop while practicing. If the glissando is executed well, then the student experiences the interval with balance between lip tension and airflow. A simpler approach to this style of mouthpiece practice, especially for young musicians, would be to buzz sirens or smaller glissandi up and down, then down and up, in a conservative range. Once students are capable of performing sirens, then dynamics can be added to the exercise to maintain interest and provide another step in the development of the student’s flexibility.
    Unmusical buzzing tends to be substantially louder than necessary. Although loud buzzing may also be the result of a student simply trying to hear more clearly, buzzing a mouthpiece in the high dynamic ranges often leads to stuffiness, as well as a decrease of both range and endurance. A softer dynamic, from pp to mp, will foster more of a supple aperture and help the student achieve greater resonance.

Incorporating Buzzing
    The ideal way to incorporate buzzing in both band and private practice or lessons is to sing, buzz, and play. This method works well for both solo players, and entire sections of brass musicians. Select a passage where there is a lack of resonance, questionable pitch, or simply a need for general improvement. Have students sing it, then buzz it, then play it. Singing should be as close to accurate as possible, with all musical aspects nearly intact. Breath support and posture should not be sacrificed when singing, and younger instrumentalists will especially need to be watched in this. The same good habits should transfer to buzzing. Remember, the quality of tone on the mouthpiece should be somewhat foggy, and the overall buzz volume should be conservative. The buzzing, like singing, should be as accurate as possible with pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation. Once these two steps have been executed well, the results on actual instruments should be substantially improved.
    Singing, buzzing, and playing brings tremendous potential for rapid improvement for both students and professionals. If the buzz has a healthy tone and the volume is not too loud or forced, it is nearly impossible to be led astray. The actual time spent on the mouthpiece alone is only a third of the time spent practicing, so the possibility of excessive buzzing is nearly eliminated. It is a highly effective practice method that allows brass students to foster resonance as well as develop their inner musician. 

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    On June 21, 2016 Pittsburgh hosted its second annual Make Music Pittsburgh in each of its inner city neighborhoods. Make Music Day is a festival designed to show local musical talent and inspire others to play music as well. Originally started in France in 1982, there are currently over 700 cities in 120 countries playing music on June 21 each year as part of a global celebration. Whether it is hip hop in the north side, gospel in the east, bluegrass in the south, classical in the inner city, or kids playing the harmonica in the west end, Make Music Day represents what each city decides to make of it.
    On June 21 the usually quiet spaces in Pittsburgh were filled with live music. Everyone was encouraged to participate – either by playing music outside, providing an outdoor space, volunteering, or walking around and listening to the various concerts. Performers of all ages, levels, and styles of music were welcome.
    The Pittsburgh Flute Club merged with the Flute Academy performed an hour of flute choir music and solos on a city overlook high up on Mt. Washington. Fifteen flutists ranging in age from 10-93 played everything from Amazing Grace and America the Beautiful to The Entertainer and Finlandia in 2-6 harmony parts. Several members played solos and duets. It was a great way to entertain the city and highlight the flute in all its glory. Tourists, pedestrians, friends and family, and even the traffic at the stop sign appreciated hearing live music on a fair summer’s day.
    To participate in this festival in 2017 in your city, go to . You can use a link to see whether your area has hosted a Make Music event. If they have, there may be a website set up for your city already that will let you know how to participate next year. Some cities (Chicago, Cleveland, New York, St. Paul) host a Sousapalooza as part of the event – where you can grab your instrument and join in the fun. If your area is not already involved in Make Music Day, the website has a cool toolkit to download to get one set up.
    Choosing music for an ensemble of all ages and levels is easy. Make the folders in advance and mark each piece with a performance order number – use a sharpie. Choose easy-to-sightread, 2-, 3-, and 4-part pieces. You can download many of these arrangements for free from the internet. Our group decided to tell people to just show up and play, but you can also plan in advance and hold rehearsals, which allows for more advanced repertoire. Be sure to bring clamps and clips to hold your music in place when playing outdoors. Choose a variety of styles, tempos, and keys to keep it interesting. Mix it up even more by having soloists play between the ensemble works. Have sing-alongs and encourage dancing or movement from the audience. If the venue is amenable, chat with the spectators and invite them to take up an instrument. Here’s to Make Music Day 2017. Let’s have music playing outside all over the world!

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This is a chapter from a recent book titled The Pursuit of Excellence: A Band Director’s Guide to Excellence by Sally Wagner, published by Meredith Music Publications, used with permission. ISBN 978-1-57463-137-1.

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Selected Repertoire
    On most days, the largest block of rehearsal time (50% to 75%) should be devoted to preparing selected repertoire for performance. The rehearsal strategies here are as numerous as there are directors and could be the subject of multiple articles, but here are a few guidelines. First, as you begin to work with a new selection, ask students to play through the work from beginning to end. This allows them an opportunity to become acquainted with the whole work before any analysis begins. At this point, a high-quality recording could be very helpful, perhaps as a listening assignment prior to the first run-through. If your students cannot read through a particular work without multiple stops and starts, the work may be too difficult and your valuable rehearsal time will be spent chasing notes and rhythms. Instead, consider less complex material that will allow you to focus on higher-order learning. After you have sightread through the work, each subsequent rehearsal should then deal with ever increasing details and complexities moving from the general to the specific.
    Daily work on each piece should follow a whole/part/whole approach. Play through a section, apply your corrections, and then play through the section again, assessing any improvement. There may
be times when you have to repeat sections a few times with additional comments and corrections, but if a passage is not improving, move on and come back another day with a different approach. Do not allow the rehearsal to get bogged down.
    Avoid endless repetitions without purpose. Each time an error is repeated, it becomes more cemented in your students’ mind and muscle memory. At some point, they will have to unlearn and relearn the passage in question, which will take twice as long. Inexperienced directors will often say “play it again” in rehearsal, hoping for an improvement without offering a reason or solution. Be specific; every repetition should have a purpose. 
    When students are unable to play a passage correctly at tempo, slow it down before the errors become habitual. If it is a rhythmic problem, discuss the correction in terms of the musical mathematics using your established counting system. Have students count, sing, or scat the rhythm before trying to play it again. I have found ch to be a useful scat syllable. If it is a coordination problem, such as articulation or fingering, a slower tempo will allow corrections to be made before the errors become solidified. In addition, don’t allow arrhythmic repetitions. An unevenly played passage will also be uneven at the correct tempo. Practice at half or even one quarter of the tempo, but always with an underlying pulse.
When students cannot play a particular passage up to standard in rehearsal, show them how to practice. Instead of being critical of their efforts or lack thereof, show them how to solve the technical or musical issues. Instead of feeling bad because they were unprepared, students will leave rehearsal with new energy and the tools to solve the problem going forward.

Closure
    A successful rehearsal should end on a good note with everyone involved in a complete musical experience. This can be accomplished in several ways. Play through an entire work or part of a work that you have been working on giving both you and your students an opportunity to assess and appreciate the progress for the day. You could also end rehearsal with something fresh, perhaps playing through a selection that was not on the schedule that day. A familiar march or a movement from a larger work would work well in this situation. You could even sightread a new work in the final minutes, particularly if it is part of your ongoing sightreading curriculum.
    When rehearsals routinely end well, with a sense of group accomplishment, students will be more likely to practice, look forward to the next rehearsal, and ultimately will be more likely to sign up for band next year. At all costs, avoid ending rehearsals by working with a few students while everyone else is silently waiting.
    At the conclusion of the rehearsal period, you should not be the first person out of the room. Stay away from your office for a few minutes to interact with your students. This is an excellent opportunity to compliment, encourage, or just wish students a good rest of the day. What student would not appreciate a kind word from their director while on their way to the next class?

Rehearsal Style
    The best rehearsal planning and intentions will not yield significant accomplishments if the students are unmotivated and disengaged. More than anyone or anything else, the director creates the rehearsal environment that will determine whether students succeed. Students need to feel safe and secure in rehearsal; they will not risk making an error if they feel unsafe. A powerful quote by the school teacher and child psychologist Haim Ginott hung on the corkboard near my office desk as a constant reminder:

    As you develop a podium style, it is essential that you try to be yourself. One of my mentors, John Paynter, would say: “If you try to be someone else, you will always be second best. Instead, be the best you that you can be.”
    Try to develop a businesslike demeanor in rehearsal. Project the notion that you are there to get things done. Mr. Paynter used to call it creating a sense of urgency in rehearsal. You always want to make the most of the limited amount of rehearsal time available. Do not digress or chit-chat in rehearsal; make every effort to stay on task. Do not talk too much; less is more. Say what needs to be said and move forward.
    In addition, make each rehearsal experience enjoyable for the students. Make your delivery interesting, and do not be afraid to laugh at your own mistakes. Be encouraging and positive at all times. Rage, sarcasm and ridicule are unacceptable pedagogical approaches.
    Compliment good work, but do not give your compliments away. They must be earned. Many make the mistake of saying “good job” when it really wasn’t a good job. “That’s really coming along” or “keep working on it” will work just as well. When you have to address a rehearsal indiscretion with a student or group of students, address the behavior that is inappropriate or unacceptable. Do not make it personal. When Paynter did this, he would always find a way to praise that student’s behavior or performance later in that same rehearsal. In other words, after you have caught them doing something wrong, catch them doing something right. That is what they will remember, not the admonishment.   

* * *

Helpful Resources
Sixteen Chorales by J. S. Bach compiled and arranged by Mayhew Lake (G. Schirmer)
Treasury of Scales by Leonard Smith (Alfred)
The Creative Director, Alternative Rehearsal Techniques by Edward S. Lisk (Meredith Music)
Foundations for Superior Performance by Richard Williams and Jeff King (Kjos)
Blueprint for Band by Robert Garofalo (Meredith Music Publications)
Habits of a Successful Musician by Scott Rush and Rick Moon (GIA Publications)

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    •    The topics they felt most prepared for by their undergraduate training.

    •    Those subjects they wished they had worked on and studied more in school.

    •    Two professional development clinics that they needed most.

    •    Balance of personal and professional life.

The first-year teachers were asked about their greatest source of distress. The second-year teachers were asked what they had learned with a year under their belts and which areas remained difficult. Because perspectives can change over the course of a year, I contacted the directors again in March to see how they had learned and adapted.

Name Withheld
First-year teacher

    I teach in a Pre-K through 12th grade building about 30 minutes from where I grew up. Each graduating class is about 25. Many of the teachers I work with went to this school, as did their extended families, so everyone knows each other. It is a small, rural farm town. I teach Pre-K through 4th grade general music, 5th and 6th grade chorus (which meets more like general music classes), 7th and 8th grade chorus (14 students), and two sections of 7th grade general music, which I really don’t enjoy.

Best Prepared
    I felt prepared in conducting, band pedagogy, basic piano, ensemble and chamber playing, and secondary instruments.

Less Prepared
    Two semesters is not enough keyboard experience, particularly when we are expected to teach general music or choral classes with our certification. Keyboard should be required for two years for all music education majors, not just vocalists. As a choral and general music teacher, I can get by, but I wish I had more experience.
    Percussion should be a year-long course to cover more technique and general/classroom music drumming (such as African drums and drum circles).
    I do not think I could lead a successful jazz band or orchestra. I played in orchestra and have limited jazz experience but lack the pedagogical knowledge to lead those ensembles successfully without emailing previous college professors and driving them nuts with thousands of questions.
    One semester of general music for children, even with a fantastic professor, is too little. I still do not have the tools to feel confident teaching general music. I subbed for elementary general music teachers when I graduated last December and borrowed as many of their ideas as I could. The elementary school music teacher I replaced also shared all of her things when she retired. Without this assistance, I would be lost.
    Teaching 7th grade general music is literally giving me gray hair. I want to love teaching it, but I don’t. I created a new 7th grade general music curriculum, and the students still aren’t having it. Teaching them is exhausting and makes me lose some of my passion, and that isn’t healthy for anyone in the room. The bottom line is I need more tips and tricks for teaching middle school general music.
    I also feel unprepared for working with special needs students. Many of our elementary and middle school students have various needs, and we do not have enough aides to assist them, so all special area teachers are struggling with how to best engage these students.

Professional Development Workshops I Need
• Curriculum development for new teachers
• General Music in the middle school (I am attending a session on this soon)
• Working with students with needs

Finding Balance
    I barely have a social life, even though I try. I drive over an hour each day. I leave right at 3:30 p.m., and get home at 4. Each night I try to cook, work out, read, and relax, unless there are meetings or papers to grade.
    I keep playing bassoon and other woodwinds as much as I can, so I don’t lose sight of why I love music. I play with a semi-professional orchestra and a community band and teach six bassoon lessons and two private oboe lessons on weekends. I would be losing it without those private students.
    I have to plan each day hour by hour, including weekends. Even when I have time for a night out, I am often too tired. Few of my friends still live in my hometown or college town. Because I’m lonely, I need to find more ways to have a social life, and meet more new people. It’s just not happening yet.
    This crazy, busy life, in addition to the stress of working in a small, economically challenged community with many special needs students, stressful testing, and considerable politics in the job, has altered my 5-10 year plan. This saddens and scares me. I still have passion for music or education, but it is changing. I need to get my social life in check to help that. I think if I do that, I will feel better.

Wisdom in the Second Year
    I started my job at the end of the last school year – in April. I now know more people (although I am still often confused for a student by kids and colleagues), and I understand the students more. Over the summer I reflected on what worked and what I wanted to change. I understand better now that change will not happen overnight. I will have to advocate more for music and the arts. So much of the ten weeks from April to June were a blur because I was in charge of ten concerts, including one in my second week. I think it went well, but I saw how important it is to be organized. I look forward to having more time to prepare this year

Greatest Distress
    Though the other music teacher, administration, superintendent, and parents are quite supportive, I still feel like I am just going through the motions, not as strong a teacher as I want to be, and not truly happy in my first job. and it is only October of my first full year.
    I hate that so much of what I have written sounds negative. It is hard for me to be honest because I want to love every aspect of my job, but I don’t. What I do love is teaching elementary general music. I never expected to love general music so much, and would not mind being a general music teacher for a long time. There are other parts of my job, whether it is the grade level, the subject matter, or the loneliness caused by the demands of being a teacher, that I really wish I was happy about.
    This is a good first job, even with the stress and unhappiness. I’m just happy to hear from others who are in the same boat and are people I respect so much. My department head is a wonderful mentor to me, and our new high school principal is a former music teacher. So, I have a lot working in my favor.
    I have been seeking advice from former teachers, and I know I will get through. I knew the first year wasn’t going to be a breeze, and I am fortunate to have a job. I may not be here forever, but it’s a good place for now.

Name Withheld
Second-year teacher

Note: The next respondent has done wonderful things in his district but still has a hard time thinking that he has done enough. His reflections in March were an honest summary of a difficult year that did have bright moments too.

Best Prepared
    I was best prepared in conducting, band pedagogy, leadership, knowledge of repertoire, secondary instruments, and instrument repair.

Less Prepared
    I wish I had spent more time outside of the School of Music.
    I feel inadequate leading my jazz band. I have played in several jazz bands and led semi-professional ones, but leading a high school group has been a real challenge. Frankly, most of my students can’t read music. It has been difficult devising exercises to improve reading skills without making the rehearsal tedious. I have a new drummer this year with limited experience and no background knowledge. Teaching him patterns for different styles has been difficult for me, and I have had to do a lot of legwork.
    Percussion class should have been a full year. My percussion knowledge and technique is just not as strong as any of my wind chops.
    I have several students interested in contrabass for concert band and jazz band. Class strings just felt like a blur to me. Bass among all of those instruments should have been highlighted because a band director deals with that instrument quite a bit.
    Seventh grade general music is the bane of my existence. I don’t feel like I know what I am doing and don’t enjoy teaching it. My time in undergraduate general music class does not apply to what I am expected to do with these 7th graders. I have tried guitar, drumming, and piano units, and nothing seems to stick. A mandatory college class geared specifically to this level would have helped.
    More time on fundraising in one of our instrumental methods courses would have been helpful. In one day this week, my students brought in $4,500 dollars for a fundraiser. It was a little overwhelming.

Professional Development Workshops I Need
• Curriculum development for middle school general music classes, especially for non-choral music teachers.
• Ideas on creating a harmonious department.
• Grant writing and how to take advantage of funding methods including state-level sources.

Finding Balance
    My balance between work and personal life is terrible but getting better. I play in three bands and two orchestras right now, and my brass quintet meets every few months. I no longer stay at school until 7 p.m. I play keyboard, lead a choir, and teach seven private lessons on Sundays. I spend my Saturdays practicing at the local college and attending concerts.
    I have worked to get my life in order, so I don’t lose my mind. I have been going to the gym at 6 a.m. for an hour and then practicing for 40 minutes before school. I try to leave by 4:30 if possible. So far, I have felt better about the balance. I really enjoy what I am doing but the balance is all messed up. I want to take up clogging, and I have been doing woodworking on Saturdays.
    I wish I had a house but don’t have the means yet with my budget. Apartment life messes with my balance. Almost every day I want to rake leaves, plant flowers, and read at my leisure. My apartment feels like a cell. I can’t practice or entertain.

Wisdom in the Second Year
    Dealing with parents is easier. In the beginning I struggled to deal with some parents who were squeaky wheels, but they were the outliers. I don’t chase students who want to quit like I did last year. If students do not like what I am doing, they can quit.
    Dealing with other high school band directors is tricky business, and I am learning to choose my words more carefully. I am working to repair my band program’s reputation regionally.
    This year has been more difficult because the program has grown. We added 21 students to the band from last year, and I have already spent my year’s budget on supplies. We have four new small ensembles. Some students lack instruments because the school and the students don’t have the means to get them. The year’s experience helps me handle the pressure from various forces. I have a much better understanding of the bureaucracy of the school and the politics of the district and the community. Although I was pretty good at it before, I am much better at defusing situations when they come up. In general, I appear to be much more evenhanded and level-headed. When I get tenure, I will advocate for my students much more aggressively.

Month of March Reflection:
    Last fall, I was asked to host a music festival at my school with just four weeks notice. The host school bailed at the last minute and the superintendent volunteered me. Corralling some of the other band directors to help was challenging. At the same time was I was gigging heavily with an orchestra. On Friday night of the festival, I left at the end of the night to play principal in a symphony an hour away. I changed my suit in 30 seconds and was in my seat one minute before the downbeat.
    Between December and February, there were some difficult politics in the music department of my school. A popular teacher was not offered tenure, and it was challenging for everyone. Between parents and students trying to help this person keep a job and press and media reports, it became a big deal. I was caught in the middle until this teacher was actually removed from the school. A new director was offered the position, and that also caused stress because we had to cancel our music department trip. My students’ activity account lost a few thousand dollars. We now have $120. Throughout the whole thing, I was accused of not being transparent by parents. I could say and do nothing as an untenured teacher.
    I’ve been elected to serve on a few high-level curricular committees for the district. It is amazing to me the chess game teachers and administrators play against one another. People seem to be friends on one board and mortal enemies on another.
    The band has been making a lot of progress. Student attitudes are changing, and music has become an important part of their day. All of the stress has made me more resolute. At times, the only thing I enjoy is making music by performing.
    At one time, I wanted to be a college band director (actually the president of CBDNA), but I’m not sure I see the point anymore. I wrote a letter of resignation during the worst of it and almost submitted it a few weeks ago because the situation was so toxic. I couldn’t afford to quit. I have poured my heart and soul into my program, my freelancing, and the people around me, but I am not sure I am cut out for this. (I’m sorry this is so dark.)

Name Withheld
First-year teacher

    I am a general music teacher at a special education middle school (6-8) in the South Bronx. Although my undergraduate preparation focused mainly on instrumental music education and I am a flute player, my position has no traditional band instruments.

Best Prepared
    I was ready for anything band related: repertoire, classroom management, secondary instruments, conducting, and pedagogy for winds and percussion.

Less Prepared
    I also wish we had more emphasis on students with special needs. I took one class (outside the music school) and while it was quite helpful, many general education techniques really do not work with this population.

Professional Development Workshops I Need
    I wish I could attend a professional development session that focused on general music for special needs students. I frequently find myself staring at blank lesson plans wondering what I could possibly teach them. I know it’s all a learning experience, but I’ve had more failed lessons than successful ones.
    I also wish I could attend a session on music for middle school. I find it hard to keep all students engaged because of varying maturity and cognitive levels. Classroom management has also been a struggle for the same reasons.

Finding Balance
    The balance is terrible. It is partly my fault for drowning myself in work on the weekends, but I am panicking about loans, grad school, and commuting. I hang out with friends once a week, but spend most of my time at home lesson planning and (literally) drawing materials for the next day. I also have an exhausting 11⁄2 hour commute each way, but my rent is much less than it would be in New York City. I prepare my meals in advance and don’t cook much except at breakfast. Errands are done late Friday or Saturday night, grocery shopping and lesson planning Sunday – lather, rinse, repeat. I plan lessons every night because my students are unpredictable, and I never know what will work.

Greatest Distress
    There are two classifications of children with special needs in my school: Autistic and Emotionally Disturbed. All of my students are on the Autism spectrum. They are all in middle school, but cognitive levels range from birth to 13-years old. I have four classes that are nonverbal, and I struggle the most with them. I am currently teaching students guitar, but even my highest functioning students are unable to put one finger on one string, due to poor fine motor skills. I still perform bus duties and interact with the students who are emotionally disturbed, and having to manage both populations can be stressful and confusing.
    Teaching at a school that is just for students with special needs is incredibly stressful, and I can barely look past one period at a time. I feel great as I leave the school and think that my job is also a great first job, but I also realize how unhappy I am as I reflect on the day. It’s getting better every day, I recently changed my 5-10 year plan.

Reflections in March
    The past few months have changed me for the better. Two things that stressed me out in October were my students and the balance between my professional and personal life. These are now two things that bring me joy. My students are some of the coolest musicians I know. I am lucky to have the opportunity to create music with them daily.
    As for my personal life, I quit my retail job, picked up my hobbies again, and made a commitment to health. Since I have excised many of the stressors of my personal life, my professional life has flourished. I feel much more confident and have a much more positive outlook. My job may not be in what I do best, but it’s in what I love, which is creating a positive change through music.
    Two things that have helped me through the past five months are tackling everything one step at a time and letting go of preconceived notions of what progress looks like, because progress is relative.
    Every day is a challenge, blessing, and lesson and we’re all so lucky getting paid to be our best selves and challenge the next generation to be their best selves as well. I never expected to enjoy this job so much. I still miss band and I hope to return to that world soon, but for now, I appreciate what is right in front of me.

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In such a large school district, how do you and the instrumental staff stay on the same page?
    In the North Allegheny school district, schedules make it nearly impossible for all of the directors to travel between schools. My associate and I mostly work between the Intermediate School (9th-10th grade center) and the Senior High School (11th-12th grade center). I conduct the three concert bands at the Senior High in addition to the top and fourth jazz bands. My associate leads the second and third jazz bands. At the Intermediate School, my associate and I share similar responsibilities with the concert groups on that campus. We both work with the marching band, and because of our constant interaction throughout the day we are able to stay on the same page fairly easily. The other directors in the school district have schedules that rarely line up with ours, so we rely on frequent communication through email and talking at in-service meetings and PMEA events. We have a great team that really works well together, and everyone understands what is necessary to move the students from one level to the next within the school district.

What are some events that get younger students excited about being in the high school band program?
    My associate director and I are fortunate that the principal and central office administration understand and support the band program. One of the concessions we are allowed is meeting with every eighth-grade band student one on one. During this meeting we have a conversation and administer a playing test that allows us to get an idea on placement in the high school program. This meeting offers several benefits, including creating balanced instrumentation at the high school, identifying what should be addressed fundamentally between eighth and ninth grade, and easing some of the anxiety students face in the transition to high school. Additionally, our administration allows our current 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students visit their middle school band program to talk to the upcoming students about their experiences at the high school. We typically bring food. My students give a presentation covering all aspects of the high school program, including the trips we take and anything else that we feel the upcoming students will resonate with. I find that our student presenters take pride not only in their presentation, but also in the contribution they are making to the future of the band program.
    We have two major program-wide events, one in the fall and one in the spring. In fall we invite all three middle schools to participate in a football game with the marching band. Prior to going in to the stadium area, the eighth-grade students march over to the stadium with our band members. We are fortunate to have a long straight pathway on our route that takes us from the band hall, through the tailgaters and to the stadium.
    On the field, the eighth graders are positioned in front of the high school students. They will perform the school song, fight song, alma mater, and the national anthem. We have the middle school band directors conduct on the field to show the students that there is no disconnect between these two parts of the North Allegheny band program. Having the middle school directors on the field calms some of students’ initial anxiety and provides extra eyes and ears to assist with the massed band. Once pregame is over, we invite them into the stands and purposely have our students intermingle with the eighth graders. We want to give the eighth graders a great experience by talking to the high school students and experiencing the fun that marching band creates. During halftime, we invite the eighth graders to the field to watch both our show and the visiting high school band’s show. It is a great experience for the eighth graders, and our current high school students get a kick out of being the mentors, so to speak.
    During the spring semester we have an event called the All NA (North Allegheny) Band Night. The event, also known the ExtraviBanza, allows the elementary teachers to pick their best players and make a band from all seven elementary schools in the district. The truth is that almost every elementary band student participates, and this is a great thing for us as it excites the students and gets the parents involved in a district-wide event. We also have a single band formed from the three middle schools. During the event my associate will have the intermediate high school wind ensemble perform as a showcase group. We use this group as it will resonate with the middle school students more than the top 11th- and 12th-grade wind band. The message we send to these students is “This is what you can look forward to next year versus two years away.” During the transitions between performing groups the top jazz band will perform to keep the crowd entertained. We conclude with one massed band of all students in grades five through twelve as a fun way to end the event.

Considering how large your music program is at North Allegheny, what roles do parents play?
    I have a tremendous parent organization (The North Allegheny District Band Patrons) that takes care of a ton of administrative tasks as they relate mostly to travel and fundraising. The band parents will do all the typical things most high school programs rely on, including uniform fittings, alterations, and tasks that are special to such events as trips. In addition to this, my parents will also assist with grant writing and take the lead on all aspects of fundraising, including meeting with the principal and other interested school officials. With parental support, I am able to focus most of my time on improving the band’s performance with increased attention to detail of my teaching.
    The parent organization includes a head chaperone position and an assistant head chaperone position. Each has certain responsibilities linked to it, with the head chaperone position coordinating most of the activities. My rationale behind having two head chaperone positions is to have these parents coordinate and execute the necessary activities on trips that ensure student safety. Their focus is to coordinate and communicate with the other parents while my focus remains on the music and the students’ learning. Our parent volunteers must go through extensive background checks to be involved with the students. The amount of paperwork and follow up is tremendous, and having a parent leader in the organization I can rely on really allows my focus to be where it should.

For the director who has to build a booster group from the ground up, or assist in reorganizing, what advice would you give to get this started?
    My advice for any director, whether starting a new band booster organization or organizing an existing one, is to find a parent in line with your philosophy to be the president. Once this happens, that person can then form committees and recruit parents who would best serve in those positions. Once the culture is defined and the president position is established, I would suggest that the band director monitor the group’s progress as necessary. Following this philosophy, I am fortunate to have a president who will come to me prior to going to other parents when wanting to stray from the norm, even if the intentions are good. Once this culture is present, the booster organization can become a huge asset rather than a drain on the director’s time.

Describe a typical warmup you like to use with your ensembles.
    A normal concert band rehearsal is 42 minutes each day. What I found works best is to give students the first five or six minutes to get the equipment and materials out and warm up on their own. I encourage the students to work on scales, technical passages, and other materials to get ready for the rehearsal. Once this time has passed, I will generally spend about five to seven minutes working on breathing, articulation, long tones, chorales, and singing.
    I began to shift my focus to working on sound production versus technique, as I had adjudicators tell me that while my concert bands play technically well, the overall sound was similar to a marching band. While I am no advocate of a marching band sound versus a concert band sound, I decided to find ways to create a warmer and more inviting sound. I do this in all of my ensembles, including the marching band. To me the difference is not in the quality of sound, but rather I may have 30 trumpets in the marching band versus the eight I have in my top concert ensemble. There is a difference, but I think the concept of developing the desirable sound should the approached in the same manner with any ensemble.

How would you advise a younger band director to develop a band’s sound?
    During band camp, which is the two weeks before school starts, I will begin teaching the concepts of breathing and sound production that we will carry over to concert band. Once school starts, in rehearsals I focus on having students develop their overall sound by focusing on intonation and listening to recordings. I am a huge advocate of Mayhew Lake’s arrangement of 16 Chorales for Band (J. S. Bach). I have found that these chorales are a staple for getting students to understand how to balance chords and how to adjust, especially the third of the chord in both major and minor keys. Going back to establishing the culture, I find it is beneficial for the students to sing, as well as play, these chorales as it helps the students focus their ears in a different manner. I found it difficult at first to get band students to sing, but once they were able to hear the difference in their sound, especially their overall intonation, the culture developed and now it is simply a part of our everyday rehearsal. In addition to the Bach chorales, we will use Leonard Smith’s Treasury of Scales to offer additional opportunities to focus on many of the same concepts. Having this variety is important for keeping students focused during warm up.
    When I use recordings of other ensembles, I will often use recordings by the Eastman Wind Ensemble, the Marine Band, and other high quality groups. I go into this activity with the students having the understanding that we are a group of high school musicians ranging in ages 14-18 and it is unlikely we will ever sound like these groups. As I offer these recordings, I find that the students begin homing in and, generally speaking, try to imitate the more mature sounds from these advanced ensembles. I find that every little bit helps.

What have you learned about balancing band trips with students’ academic success?
    This is always a tough subject, as we have a large number of students who are academically advanced, and the competition for college admissions and academic scholarships grows each year. What I have found works well at North Allegheny is that I will communicate with all of the teachers about our travel schedule. Whether we have to leave school a few hours early or travel to a venue out of town that takes the students away for a day or two, I will let all the faculty know well in advance. I also make the students communicate with the teachers as well. To me this not only reminds the teachers of our travel, but it shows the faculty that our students are taking their responsibilities seriously.
    When we take trips that span more than one school day, I will give students time to take care of personal business. Last year we took a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. On one of our recreation days, I scheduled the students to have several hours in the park and then had them return to the hotel for a few hours to do what they needed to. Some students used this opportunity to go to the pool while others hung out in public areas. For several students, this was their chance to study, take care of homework, or email assignments to their teachers. Most of our students who take advantage of this personal time are appreciative, as it does not put them further behind in their studies or compound the amount of work they may have when they return home.

How do you maintain a high level of enthusiasm and interest in the program?
    Now that the culture is established, both the students and their parents understand the amount of work that is involved in our preparation and what can be expected as far as outside performances. In all honesty, my focus has shifted almost 180 degrees from just a few years ago. I used to be so worried about the competitive nature of the events we attended. I would find out who the adjudicators for the event were and try to get some feedback from my colleagues to see what their focus might be. I would also be concerned abut where we would place in relation to the other schools and what ratings we would receive. This created a ton of stress not only for me, but also the students as they tended to feed off of me.
    Nowadays, I simply just worry about myself and what I can do better from rehearsal to rehearsal. I want the students to get a great experience, have lasting memories, and perform the best that they can for themselves. About four years ago we performed Gould’s American Salute and Orff’s Carmina Burana and received scores of 92, 90, and 87, giving us a high II rating. I thought the students did quite well on the literature, and I was proud of what they accomplished. After the announcement of our ratings, one of my students, who was concerned that we did not receive a superior rating, asked, “Are you mad at us?” It was at that moment my demeanor and my priorities had to change. While I am not against competition at all, I found my stress was taking away from their experience. After all, my philosophy has always been that this is about the music, not winning. A well-received performance of tremendous, well-crafted works of art cannot be quantified with a rating. Certainly, music assessment is a part of the job, and a trophy may signify success to parents and administrators and create excitement with students, but the joy of the journey in getting to that final performance is what matters most to me. With this, rather than ratings, rankings, and assessments, being my focus, I have much less stress and I am convinced everyone has a better experience.

What do you do outside the office?
    My life completely changed two years ago when I lost my wife in a drowning accident on Lake Erie. In an instant I became a single father, raising a young boy with a very demanding job that I love. I was not sure after my wife’s passing if I could continue with the job, but the students all pulled together and lifted me up from the darkest moment of my life. I knew I had a great group of kids around me, but their concern for me and my son was life-changing. For instance, right after the accident we had the viewing and funeral in my wife’s hometown, which is about two hours from North Allegheny. Not only did a majority of the band kids and their parents come for the viewing, but they also came back the next day for the funeral itself. I was totally moved by their dedication and concern for me and my family. Afterwards, the students almost refused to leave my side, as they knew I was heartbroken.
    I never anticipated high school students could be this caring and I am fortunate to have experienced the tremendous good that they are capable of. So, in my free time, I spend time with my best friend, my son, Tyler. We go to sporting events together and I make sure that I am present for those events that he participates in, such as hockey.

What advice would you give to up-and-coming band directors?
    It is easy for a band director at any level to become consumed by work. Most of my colleagues are in by 7:00 a.m. and out by 3:00 p.m. For most band directors, the job is rarely done at 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. may be pushing it. Before my wife’s passing I used to come home late most days, eat dinner, and then go immediately for the laptop to do more school work. Now I feel that I lost precious time that I can never recover. The bottom line is that we all are passionate about what we do as music teachers, but the job will always be there tomorrow. Long after you retire and someone else carries the torch with the music program, you will always have family and friends. It is important to establish relationships with these people as much as possible. Spend quality time with the family and make time for your friends.     

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