Now in my thirteenth year of teaching, I have officially hosted 12 high school band shows, 4 all county band festivals, 10 jazz festivals, and by the end of this week will have hosted my second PMEA District 5 Band Festival. I made a decision long ago that one area in which I would make an effort to improve the quality of my band program would be to host music festivals of different sorts so that my students could see up close the quality of other bands and musicians. This does require an amazing amount of patience, tenacity, vision, and a great deal of planning. I want the festivals to be a positive statement for music education, an opportunity for musical and social growth for the musicians, and an educational self-evaluation for my own teaching, the ensembles, and the students.
Read more…
It is the Super Bowl of Music Conferences. The Cadillac of Music Cars. It is the only place where you hear gems like:
Francis McBeth” “I am proud to say I have lived long enough to see the rise and fall of Communism in Russia and 12 tone rows.”
A wonderful two days in the city of Chicago, Illinois. There were many personal highlights along the way. I will make no apology for the shameless promotion of a few really good writers and new found friends that I spent some time with, in addition to an uplifting musical experience thanks to James Keene!
Read more…
If you care about music education and our future as a profession, make a quick journey over to Owen Bradley’s blog (The Digital Music Educator). He has written a great blog in reaction to the movie “August Rush”. He poses a great question regarding if an individual is considered a great musician despite not having the ability to read and write music. Joe Pisano (from Mustech.net) offers some great thoughts as well. Don’t click over and think that’s nice – click on over, give it some thought and join the conversation!!!
Much of my recent non-music writing has been in the area of music advocacy. This article should come as no surprise that I am once again waving the flag, but this time I am looking to get the attention of a different audience. As I look ahead to my doctoral studies at Kent State University, the area of music advocacy is one area that I feel that music educators (and future music educators) must take greater care in developing as part of our profession. We must strive to make every class (like that being offered by the creative Owen Bradley) and every academic and extra-curricular ensemble provide a meaningful connection with music for our students and grow within them a respect and admiration for this art to which we have given our careers.
Of all the battles I have faced during my tenure in the public schools, this is the easiest. We sometimes are the most consistent factor each day in a student’s life – and like Uncle Ben said to Peter “With great power comes great responsibility.” It also just so happens that we teach the most dynamic, cross-curricular, aesthetically appealing unique subjects in the history of the world – and if you missed it earlier reference Peter Parker’s uncle listed above. Our students may have trouble admitting it, but they want this exposure to everything that music can offer them: Appreciation as an individual? Step up to the mic and play over the changes Coltrane Jr. Contributions to a team that can achieve great things? Ask the GCC Marching Band how they felt after the Clarion County Festival a few weeks ago. Experiencing the height of human emotion and beauty? How about the Vaughan William’s “Variation on a Theme of Thomas Tallis”, Morten Lauridsen “O Magnum Mysterium”, or even “October” by Eric Whitacre (yes, he’s a youngster, but he is so good!). Power? Intensity? Drama? Mahler, Beethoven, Respighi. This is the easy battle. It’s when they leave the school day at 3:15 p.m., or after marching band, or show choir, or district festival practice….the battle at home begins.
Read more…
Recent Comments