That should be a fairly easy question for any conductor who has studied scores and understands the pieces that have been at the foundation of the American Wind Ensemble and Concert Band.

Name three composers who wrote music for wind ensembles or concert bands between the years of 1950 and 1980 and will still be played in the year 2020.

Hmm….

I will go with J. Clifton Williams – Dedicatory Overture (1964), Alfred Reed – A Festival Prelude (1962), and W. Francis McBeth (1961) – Chant and Jubilo. Arguably these may not represent their “best” work, but they are ones which 1) I believe are engaging to students, 2) representative of the composer’s stylistic practice, and 3) provided appropriate challenge at the difficulty level for which they are designated. The debate may go on below and it should – so if you have different answers, please include them below.

Moving on, now name three composers who are writing music for wind ensembles or concert bands between 1980 and 2010 who might be enjoying rehearsal and programming time in 2020.

Hmm…getting tougher…

My choices go like this: James Barnes – The Trail of Tears, Mark Camphouse – Movement for Rosa, and Frank Ticheli – Symphony No. 2. Here again – the pieces above may not represent their best or most challenging work. The choices get tougher – there are more of them, they become more diverse in their style and sonic landscape, and these pieces have enjoyed more exposure and attention as technology has improved our ability to connect with the media.

All of that being said, it can be difficult to think in those terms due to the sheer numbers of new pieces for concert band and wind ensemble that are being published today. Critics both inside and outside the profession of music education challenge the sounds that are created, programmatic elements, and point towards the general detachedness of the pieces from anything musical. Some would argue that school music ensembles have become a culture of their own that is unresponsive to students or that the ensembles can be disconnected and insensitive to cultures outside this country. Some choices are made for ensembles on the basis of whether or not the band can perform a piece well enough to get a superior at the next contest, and little thought given to how that literature could be utilized to extend learning beyond the 44 minutes of the rehearsal period.

Though I do not completely disagree with these arguments, I do not believe that the apparent disconnect is at a critical mass. As I consider the communities in which these groups are situated and what they contribute to their local culture I ask this question: Has the traditional school wind ensemble and concert band become something unique and vibrant – a quality of the arts that some scholars have suggested to be celebrated and offered for study? While they embrace, continue, and revere classical traditions and forms, these traditional ensembles continually seek ways to expand existing models and ideas which continually deepen the aesthetic and paraxial experience of the students who engage with it. While I acknowledge that not every piece of music falls into this appraisal, there have been significant, engaging works created for traditional ensembles not only so the artist might say something that has not been said before, but so the performer may be transformed during their interaction.

At some point though, there will be “new classics” to emerge that mean no disrespect to those pieces that are the foundation of American Wind Band and Concert Band literature (see the Teaching Music Series, Composers on Composing for Band, or Rehearsing the Band for some concise lists). As we move past the date of their origins and the times in which they were created, it becomes much easier to identify how significant a piece they might be. It really is no different than those of us who teach a history course on American Popular Music – it’s easy to understand why Elvis, the Beatles, and Little Richard were important to rock and roll, and why we can’t tell yet if U2, Greenday, and Dave Grohl will ever be in that same class. Any director must maintain careful balance of the needs of the students (educational & enjoyment), their communities and schools, and the fact they are heritage bearers of the American Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. These ensembles have been at profession’s core for years, and that was no accident. On one hand the music teaches something, on another it preserves part of our heritage or extends someone else’s culture. On one hand it excites and transforms the mind of the performers, on the other it motivates them to perform at levels not thought possible. We are the educators – educators that must define our own vision of a quality work, research possible pieces that fit that vision, examine how the piece lines up with our goals and objectives for the students, consider how the audience might be engaged by the piece, consider how you can extend learning through the piece beyond the rehearsal hall walls, and make a decision. Picking music for our ensembles is a lot like something I tell my band students about learning music – I didn’t say it would be easy, I said it would be worthwhile.

New classics will emerge – but not without heavy sustained discussion from those in the profession who earnestly care about the future of wind ensembles and concert bands. We cannot rest solely on reviews from magazine’s or websites to provide the final verdict, though to their credit they do invest considerable time to make their best recommendations to directors.  We must further add to this process a comparison against proven, time-tested pieces of similar length, style, or tonality to gauge the overall quality in terms of its craftsmanship, imagination, sensitivity and authenticity (a line of thinking first proposed by Bennett Reimer in 1991 – a guy who I am guessing will still be discussed in 2020). The debate will continue and could prove to be divisive, but I urge all parties involved to make their decisions based upon a clear personal definition of quality that ultimately is in the best interest of the students who they profess to “share the love of music”.

I conclude by sharing my list of “new classics” for band, and urge you to add yours.

James Barnes – The Trail of Tears
Mark Camphouse – Movement for Rosa
Frank Ticheli – Symphony No. 2
Julie Giroux – No Finer Calling
Andrew Boysen Jr. – I Am
Patrick J. Burns – Toccata
Jack Stamp – Ricercare
Samuel Hazo – Ride
Robert Jager – Esprit de Corps
Jan Van Der Roost – Puszta

I am very pleased to have received an Editor’s Choice for “Festival and Ballade for Winds”, a piece I wrote for the 2009 Pittsburgh Diocesan Honor Band.  A recording should be up in the coming weeks at Wingert-Jones. Other new works coming this summer include “Moravian Dance” and “A West Highland Fanfare” from FJH, and “Siege of the Dark Castle” from Barnhouse.

Be sure to bump on over to Travis J. Weller on myspace to hear the PMEA District 5 Band recording of “Moravian Dance”.  Jack Anderson did a great job with the band, and I am so proud of the students for what they did with the music.  The piece will be available from FJH this summer.

On Tuesday, I will be taking students to audition for our District Honor Band at Westminster College.  It is always an anxiety filled time for them, and easy to lose site of the fact auditions are the test of our growth, not our worth (see I believe for more examples).

On Wednesday evening and all day Thursday I am guest conducting in Beaver Falls, Pa. I was absolutely floored that Len would ask me.  I have a lot of respect for Len as a director and person, and the fact he would consider me for the JH portion of the festival is an honor.  The program includes Julie Giroux’s Wagon Trail, Suspended Animation by Patrick J. Burns, Friends of Freedom by Timothy Loest, Basin Street Blues arranged by Paul Jennings, and the group will give the world debut of A West Highland Fanfare (coming in July of 2011).

On top of that I am still knee deep in research from my own students about their chamber music experience (Yes we stuck the landing, now we have to measure how far we lept…), thickening up a review of literature that may lead to my disseration topic at Kent, finishing a piece for another Honor Band in February (where I get to work with Mike Grady), and starting a commission for a pair of friends and colleagues who have an outstanding band program near Pittsburgh.

I will be back on soon hopefully with some profound thoughts and perspective that help save music…one note at a time.

While it is our job to teach instrumental music, we as a profession must take time to consider these student musicians and ultimately where there career path might lead.  Not every student in our program may become a professional musician or a music educator, but we do want them to leave with a positive connection to music that they can tangibly see in their lives.  We must also choose music that allows us as directors to connect the academic music of the school ensemble with the outside world in which the student live, and that music must contribute to and enrich the community in which the school ensemble is situated.  While high school bands have enjoyed list upon list in book after article of best music for study and performance, I am somewhat disheartened by the lack of attention paid to Middle School and Junior High Ensembles.  It is though because this music is studied and performed by amateur musicians it is somehow not serious literature, and is of little importance or no consequence – I whole heartedly disagree with that line of thinking.  I have previously tried to get the FIRE started for discussion about Middle School Band Literature.  My goal here today is to discuss aspects for choosing literature for Middle School/High School, and then present a list for consideration.

There is a wealth of traditional literature that needs to be part of the “core” repertoire of young musicians as it allows them to develop certain techniques.  Ballads, which can be used to develop legato tonguing and musical expression, and marches, which can be used to develop marcato style, contrasting dynamics and articulation, and understanding of form, are two such types of traditional literature appropriate for study and performance.  There are also a number of writers expanding the sound canvas and providing excellent contemporary literature that present opportunities to explore musical concepts once reserved for more advanced pieces played by advanced groups.  Aleatoric episodes, vocalization, body percussion, different textures, elements of other music styles, and experimental timbres are such concepts that students may experience (Wilborn, 2001).

While contemporary literature offers one kind of experience into a different sound canvas for young musicians, another source to consider in selecting literature is multi-cultural pieces.  Many “multi-cultural” pieces performed by ensembles are arrangements or compositions by a Western-trained musician and are typically written for a standard Western instrumental ensemble.  Goetze’s view is that stylistic practices of some culture’s music cannot be adequately recreated using Western instruments or Western harmonic structure and that the experience gained by student is a Western art musical experience rather than a multi-cultural one (Goetze, 2000).  Goetze doesn’t suggest that this music should be avoided, and suggests through study of the culture, seeking out authentic performances (live ones work best), and providing insight into the music’s use within its native culture can inform our choices and our teaching.

Another aspect to consider in selecting literature with regard to developing student’s technical skills is having a long-term vision for what you hope the students can accomplish as musicians.  A number of articles and chapters in text (i.e. Miles, 1997) have been devoted to the high school ensemble curriculum devised so that students make progress over the course of several school years.  Middle school becomes a unique situation in that some directors see their students only 1 year, others 2 to 3 years, and others continue to see them as they are the only instrumental teacher in grades 7-12!  In the case of students that move on to another teacher, a open and professional line of communication should exist so the high school and middle school director(s) can frame their expectations for student development through the study of instrumental music.  In the case of being “master of your own destiny”, a director should be able to build a logical repertoire curriculum for his own students.

Because repertoire can serve as the source for a long-term plan, it is very important that teachers at all levels have a repertoire list he or she believes that all students should perform over a period of several years (Geraldi, 2008). Geraldi offers the following considerations for inclusion on “core repertoire list”:

• Work should have formal, rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic creativity.
• Work should convey the composer’s imagination.
• Work should be well-orchestrated.
• Balance between tutti sections and thinner texture sections.
• Work should convey emotional or expressive depth.

Speaking to that last point made by Geraldi, we should give our students the opportunity to hear the emotion in the music.  Through this process of recognizing and exploring emotional moments in music,  it causes students to become aware of their own emotions (Whitwell, 2009).  As long we choose music that is authentic, the students (and the eventual audience!) cannot fail to perceive the generalized form of the emotion.  So in our selection and programming of literature, we need to be sure that our students become aware of the emotional depth of the music, begin to explore and understand what that emotion conveys, how the composer expresses it in the music, and they must find a means of expressing their own personal emotions through performance, self-reflection, or discussion within the ensemble.

Composers, conductors, and educators alike all discuss the need for variety in programming and repertoire selection.  Selecting literature of diverse style and origin provides much needed variety for the director, students, and audience.  Even such simple concepts as balancing different textures, contrasting tempos, and balancing major, minor, and modal tonalities are ways in which variety in programming can be achieved.  Other considerations when programming literature include having the required instrumentation and equipment, instructional time to teach the work effectively and efficiently, and the enjoyment that can be gained from rehearsing and the performance of the piece for the director, students, and audience.

With all of this in mind, I offer some suggestions (from the past 15 years of teaching) for pieces for middle school/junior high band I believe a) are worthwhile for students to study, b) provide variety in style, c) have aesthetic/artistic appeal to all parties involved, and d) allow students to draw out their own meaning and emotions.  The list is where I am in 2010 as an educator, and is subject to revision as my perspective, experience, and knowledge grows.  I would be interested in hearing about a list for your ensemble.

1) Air for Band – Frank Erickson

2) Wagon Trail – Julie Giroux

3) Suspended Animation – Patrick J. Burns

4) Kentucky 1800 – Clare Grundman

5) A Childhood Hymn – David Holsinger

6) Grant County Celebration – Mark Williams

7) Unraveling – Andrew Boysen, Jr.

The Forge of Vulcan – Michael Sweeney

9) Bashana Haba’ Ah – Lloyd Conley

10) Basin Street Blues – Mark Higgins

11) Carpathian Sketches – Robert Jager

12) Marching Song – Holst/John Moss

13) Cloud Gate – Timothy Loest

14) Our Kingsland Spring – Sam Hazo

15) Canto – W. Francis McBeth

16) Kilaeua – Brian Balmages

17) Crusin’ – Willie Owens

18) Ghosts in the Graveyard – Scott Watson

19) Highlights from the Music Man – Johnnie Vinson

20) Appomattox – James Hosay

Enjoy the list, good luck with your spring concerts, and don’t forget to add to the conversation!

Geraldi, K. M. (2008). Planned programming pays dividends. Music Educators Journal 95 (2), 75-79.

Goetze, M. (2000). Challenges of performing diverse cultural music. Music Educators Journal, 87 (1), 23 -25, 48.

Miles, R. (1997). Teaching music through performance in band. Chicago: GIA Publications.

Whitwell, D. (2009). Music education of the future: Two paramount new purposes. NBA Journal, 50 (2), 43-60.

Wilborn, D. F. (2001). Spicing up band with contemporary literature. Teaching Music,8 (5), 36-40.

The most pervasive musical element in term of correct interpretation by both composers and conductors was in regard to tempo.  Other commonalities existed across both conductors and composers (notably by Barnes, & Camphouse) including utilization of recordings, becoming familiar with a score through a secondary instrument (piano or voice were mentioned frequently), and that over time our interpretation of a piece may change because of new perspectives or personal experiences.  It would seem to me that the process by which one learns a score varies widely across known experts in the band world, and is a highly personalized decision based upon your pedagogical training.  Choices of meter, key, and tonal and rhythmic patterns are sufficed to say objective, but in matters of overall general expressive musical elements, tempo seems to be a common focus because of the great variability for which it can possess.  It is interesting to note that a number of conductors and composers both concede that a performance tempo can differ from the ideal (marked tempo in the score), and that the adjusted tempo of the performance can still result in a quality or reputable performance.  In some cases it is a matter of ensemble technique that will prevent an ensemble from being able to achieve the demands printed in the score, but it is obvious in the writings that conductors and composers acknowledge this and are able to recognize when other elements are brought to the best possible quality which contribute to effect interpretation.

Another commonality that seems to exist across many of the composers and conductors is they concede that there is a limit to what musical notation can convey, and at times there are ambiguities that may not make sense during score study.  Hopefully these moments of questions and uncertainties can be answered by the director as he looks at the work he is studying, compares it with other known pieces by the same composer, and compares the current piece against stylistic practices of the time or pieces of similar musical structure.  I believe it is worth noting that here that this process the conductor is going through for just one piece of music is not so far removed from the idea of comprehensive musicianship whereby the musician immerses him/herself in studying music from multiple perspective, each perspective contributing to a greater understanding of a larger picture. Andrew Boysen Jr.’s (Camphouse, 2007, p. 11) comments perhaps summarize the idea best as he asserts that the notation in the score should support the conductor’s musical decisions.  It follows that the performance is the very best attempt by an ensemble and conductor to represent what they believe to be the composer’s intent.

Flexibility as it relates to letting the music “live in a certain place” as Giroux states (Camphouse, 2004, p. 80), gathering insight from the ensemble not previously considered as Kirchoff suggests (Williamson, 2008, p.53), and, as Hunsberger observes, understanding each ensemble has an “optimum tempo” (Williamson, 2008, p.37), also seems to an important aspect of interpretation.  The modern conductor must have in his arsenal of abilities an understanding to be flexible as his perspective may change while working on a piece with his own students, but find a new perspective when asked to conduct the group of a colleague or an honor ensemble.  Getting back to the idea of tempo, both the music and the ensemble must find the tempo at where they can ideally perform.  I believe this is the reason why at times pieces are adored by one ensemble, and despised by a group 12 miles away – optimum performance tempo of the music and the ensemble do not converge.  Part of this problem may be related to that, but it might also have to do with directors being afraid to vary from the printed score even when it might be more educationally sound to do so (emphasis added, duplicity implied).  A discussion for another day – but this isn’t math or science with one right answer – and some directors are chasing a trophy  on the wall and it is easier to play it safe.  While McBeth and Giroux go as far to say that composers are sometimes indicating the wrong metronome markings they include on a score, Camphouse and McBeth agree with Jack Stamp that composers are not always the best interpreter of their own work.  James Barnes recounts a story about Verdi and Toscanini that is a reminder that one’s inner musician is critical for a conductor’s interpretation that is truly “in the spirit” of the composer’s intent.  Jack Stamp (Miles, 1998) discovered during his college experience that although Stravinksy was held in high regard compositionally, others did not feel he was the best interpreter of his own work!

The final aspect of interpretation that seems to be a shared concern of importance between composer and conductor is that of feeling, emotion, and passion.  To a degree, many of the composers explicitly mention important aspects of feeling, expression, and emotion in the interpretation of their work.  No matter what reason a composer decides to put “pen to paper”, their works are a product of their experiences, beliefs, surroundings, and creative ideas – and those experiences are at times attached to significant feelings, emotions, or expressions.  As stated by my friend and colleague Dr. Joseph M. Pisano, a composition conveys a concrete thought such as the liberation one’s country, an emotional thought such as the liberation of one’s heart, or a spiritual thought such as the liberation of one’s soul.  The composer is literally molding a conceived idea or a feeling into a sonic musical existence.  The passion of music becomes interpreted correctly when the conductor understands and enjoys the music, and is able to get the students in the ensemble to “reproduce those feelings” as Hilliard states (Camphouse, 2007).  Sam Hazo’s experience with Paul Thornton’s band demonstrates the importance of connecting the music to the lives of the students.  Paula instructed her students to write a meaningful life experience to the sound of the music in the margins of their music – it created in every student a way to connect their life stories to the music in which they were engaged in performing.  I would be interested in knowing just how many of those little anecdotes written by her students were emotionally charged or connected.  Robert Sheldon states that in order to convey passion (emphasis mine), a conductor must possess technical means and the wherewithal and self-confidence to do and say whatever is necessary to get the ensemble to respond (Camphouse, 2002). Frank Ticheli shares that the conductor must find meaning in the work, and believe in it passionately (emphasis mine) (Camphouse, 2002).  When asked about it, Mark Camphouse’s opinion is that “Passion (emphasis mine) comes from believing in the music long before a conductor ever steps on the podium…If a conductor has passion for the art of music and for playing great literature, his performance will have passion…” (Brown, 2001, p. 13).

Many conductors have written about helping the ensemble recreate or realize the interpretation of the composer’s intent, and rarely do they discuss a performance that was devoid of feeling, emotion, or passion if it was achieved.  Can we forgive a less then perfect performance that lacks emotional expression? My feeling is that many would agree yes.  I am not saying technical accuracy and precision may be tossed out – they are part of our responsibilities as educators to ensure that students have mastered.  But we might also be aware that there is another side that is beneficial for the student to experience, and that through our own authentic interpretation we may be able to unlock the emotion, passion, and feeling in music for the benefit of our students (Help them find the love!).  As Craig Kirchoff (Williamson, 2008, p. 54) states so eloquently, “Without such passion, there is no communication…and not even any real music.”

Brown, J. S. (2001). Mark Camphouse creates music with the passion of a performer. The Instrumentalist, 56 (6), 12-15.

Camphouse, M. (Ed.). (2002). Composers on composing for band (Vol. 1).  Chicago: GIA Publications.

Camphouse, M. (Ed.). (2004). Composers on composing for band (Vol. 2).  Chicago: GIA Publications.

Camphouse, M. (Ed.). (2007). Composers on composing for band (Vol. 3).  Chicago: GIA Publications.

McBeth, F. W. (1992). Interpretation: Unlocking the drama in music. The Instrumentalist, 47 (5), 14-18.

Miles, R. (1998). Teaching music through performance in band (Vol. 2). Chicago: GIA Publications.

Williamson, J. E. (2008). Rehearsing the band. Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications

Dr. Stephen Gage is one of my favorite people on God’s green earth.  It usually takes about 5 minutes of talking with him to feel better about life, faith, and music.  His status on Facebook was the impetus and with his permission I will share it here:
“I am beginning to worry that in our quest to ‘get it right’ that we forget why we became musicians, that we lose sight of what is really important, and that we compromise what we know down deep in our musical souls. When all of these things are in an alignment, EVERYONE grows and everyone falls more in love with music!”

Love is a pretty important word in that last sentence.  But to get all Tina Turner on you for a second “What’s love got to do with it?”  Is love a second-hand emotion?  For the musician – absolutely not.  I am sure there are physicists that love calculus, but it is hard to see that.  Football players love to play football – thus the over-extended celebrations when they score a touchdown.  But a football player cannot play forever – and even from the booth or the sideline a retired player will never get that degree of love back again.  But musicians have the opportunity to extend their love over a lifetime, and whether it is conductor of community band, a local rock group, or a church organist they have the opportunity to keep making music.  Whether its covers of the Beatles, Corialan Overture by Beethoven, or hymns by Martin Luther, the love affair never has to stop and it is a relationship they never have to leave.

But we as educators, where is our love?  Where is our love for our students in which we profess to “have the best interests”?  Do they see our love and passion for this art that we teach? Do we model it? Do we help them build their own loving relationship with music? It saddens me when I meet a student teacher from another discipline in the building in which I teach, and they tell me “Oh, I used to be in music in high school…”.   I will ask them why they stopped, and usually the answer often turns into a rehearsal schedule and expectation level for competition that pursued a trophy on the wall instead of instilling a song in their heart.  Competition can be healthy – but if it is destroying student’s love of music, I am not sure that in the grand scheme of life it is appropriate or worth it.

How many of our students will play that final concert their senior year, and never consider how they can continue playing their instrument later in life? Too many.  How many of us as educators consider ways in which we can offer them avenues to pursue to keep playing? Too few.  Do we love teaching music? Do we share our love of music with students?  If the answer to those two questions is yes, why don’t we think about ways in which this future music-lover can engage with music? Unlike the song by Meatloaf folks, two out of three ain’t good enough.  I have already extolled on the possibilities of one avenue we can pursue, and I encourage you to read it about in my post entitled “Small Ensembles and the Chamber of Doom?”.

I would like to share a comment by Brian Balmages in response to Dr. Gage’s response that I think is particularly appropriate when we consider our role as an educator: “I think the biggest problem is not the music itself – it’s the passion for music. When everyone started playing an instrument, they did so because they were excited about it …just a pure love and excitement for music itself. We need to instill that same passion for music in our youth. I try to do that every time I guest conduct. Passing on our passion is a sure way to keep music alive. Many of our students will not go on to be music majors or educators – but some of them will be community leaders, politicians, school board superintendents, etc. They can make as much a difference from the outside as we can from the inside. I love that we all discuss the irrelevance of getting a “1″ at festival, but the problem is deeper than that – we need to instill passion. Absolute love for music. Things like that do not go away as you get older.”

Bravo, Brian! Another great quote about music, its importance, and the passion that it brings out was shared with me by Francis McBeth at Midwest my Senior year of College: “Don’t forget why you became a musician.  It was because of a love affair with sound.  It was not a love affair with organization, techniques, or competition, no matter how commendable these efforts may be.  A musical experience has no substitute; and when it is experienced by the band, the conductor and the audience, it is desired above all else.”

The benefits of instilling passion and love of music are now coming to the forefront as an important role for which the music education profession must take seriously.  It is a passion and love of music we must instill – not in the sense of puppy-dog utopia love – but a passion to engage with all kinds of music and let the music work on us and we work on the music to transport us to a different emotional and mental state. In an article about brain research as it relates to emotion, Bennett Reimer (2004) wrote that music can designate any easily identifiable emotions, and though drawn out through its context, can make something musical out of any and all various images, stories or events.  Where else would people choose of their own free will to engage with sad music not to feel sad, but to move beyond sadness to where the music takes them?  As the music unfolds, feelings and emotions unfold that powerfully and precisely reveal the conscious condition achieved by the human brain and body (Reimer, 2004).  Reimer calls upon music educators to be nurturers of consciousness.  Music has a boundless capacity to expand the intricacies, depths, breadths, and range of conscious awareness made available to our minds and bodies through a felt, sonic experience.  Our true self begins to form and take shape as our experiences with music accumulate.

I was surprised to find an article by David Elliot (2005) written about the same time that takes a similar stance to Reimer in relation to the emotional education of students.  It is Elliot’s view that “musical understanding” is often equated to reading music notation, knowing musical facts and concepts, and how to perform (I am sure he would they “music”…) by some parents, students, music teachers, and music education professors.   Elliot questions how often are teachers and students engaged in “expressional” musical meanings, and the role of such meanings in their enjoyment of music.

Elliot cites part of his own philosophy of music education when he states that musical expressions of emotion occur within specific musical-cultural contexts. For the listener to recognize a musical pattern as expressive of an emotion, that listener must understand the vocal customs or gesture customs that musical pattern seeks to resemble.  The implication for music educators then, according to Elliot, is to provide opportunities for students to listen, reflect and interpret works that are clear examples of emotion in music, and perform and create works that express emotion.  Furthermore, educators need to be musical role models by providing regular demonstrations of expressive music making, and use emotional language and emotional analogies so that students attend to the expressive features of a work.

Finally, the last piece of the puzzle for me came from an article that appeared in the NBA Journal by David Whitwell (2009). Whitwell discusses that language is an important form of communication, but anyone who has tried to write a love letter knows it is quite inferior in the realm of expressive emotions (Thank God for Hallmark!).  Language expresses ideas, while music expresses feelings, and expressing an emotion or feeling has something to do with becoming conscious of it.

Whitwell continues that music offers the listener the opportunity to discover his experiential right hemisphere of the brain, to discover individual emotional identity, and to contemplate his reaction to that discovery.  The student must be given opportunity to hear the emotion in the music, and through this process it causes him to become aware of his emotions.  As long as the music is authentic, the listener cannot fail to perceive the generalized form of the emotion.  So music education needs to be in the school where a child becomes aware of it, begins to explore and understand, and finds a means of expressing his own personal emotional being.

Any composer who wants his music to communicate joy can do exactly that – music in other words, is a form of communication that transmits emotion, and speaks about emotion in precise ways.  Musicians use this language in order to communicate emotions and qualities to others who recognize the language.  Whitwell contends that the great artist looks for the emotional content in music, and not the abstracted data elements, the “grammar” of music.

It is more than just love.  Music has a fundamental ability to communicate emotion.  We, as a profession of music educators, have an oath to present this dimension of music to our students as passionately as we contend that trombones should play B natural in 4^th position!  It is easy to get ground down by the bureaucracy of that is forced upon us by mindless state departments and politicians (see also Ed Rendell) who think that the only way to show a school is succeeding is to publish their standardized test scores in the local fish-wrap.  Despite their worst efforts, music and music educators continue to rise up and confront these problems.  We keep many different musical styles and traditions alive in the public schools because of knowledge and abilities as educators.  I contend that we make them attractive to students because of our passion for them.  Remember to take your scores, baton, metronome, and tuner to the podium at your next rehearsal – but don’t forget the love.  You and your students need it!

We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;—
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.

-          Arthur William Edgar O’Shaugnhessy, Ode from his book Music and Moonlight (1874)

Elliot, D. J. (2005). Musical understanding, musical works, and emotional expression: Implications for education. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 37 (1), 93-103.

Reimer, B. (2004). New brain research on emotion and feeling: Dramatic implications for music education. Arts Education Policy Review, 106 (2), 21-27.

Whitwell, D. (2009). Music education of the future: Two paramount new purposes. NBA Journal, 50 (2), 43-60.

This post has been brewing for some time now, and it has taken a few days off from slinging a stick and writing passes to get there.  The Midwest 2009 experience was a big reminder of where our profession is in relation to the music that is made available for school ensembles to study, rehearse and perform.  Studies in English lead us to the pinnacle as evidenced in the works of Shakespeare, Melville, and Milton.  Studies in band lead us to the pinnacle as evidenced in the works Holst, Grainger, Vaughan Williams. But are there not other authors, and likewise are there not other composers?  The names are familiar and many great works are conjured up by a simple mention – Francis McBeth, Clifton Williams, Alfred Reed, Robert Jager, Claude T. Smith, and  Ron Nelson.  Chant and Jubilo, Symphonic Dance No. 3, The Hounds of Spring,  Esprit de Corps, God of Our Fathers, and Rocky Point Holiday (though for me, Mvt. 2 of A Medieval Suite…check it out, seriously).

This is by no means a comprehensive list that follows – but it represents a selection of composers and their pieces that are regarded by many as significant and worthwhile endeavors for ensembles to study and rehearse.  There are names left off – I mean no disrespect.  These are humble opinions and evaluations.  Even the composers listed might feel the piece below is not their best work.  They are all perhaps a tier or two down from pieces by those listed above as of the last day in 2009.  But in another 25 to 30 years, we might find them regarded quite differently.

I have no doubt that Ride, by Samuel Hazo, will one day be a standard measuring stick for ensembles technical facility.  Ghost Train, by Eric Whitacre, will stretch the limits of musicianship by an ensemble.  Bands will come to know new depths of patriotic emotional connection to music by experiencing Julie Giroux’s No Finer Calling.  Movement for Rosa and Watchmen Tell Us Of The Night, by Mark Camphouse, are musical gems with significant social consciousness.  There are a number of pieces by Ticheli which have garnered some deserved attention (and on a personal note,  I think the fact his piece followed mine in the Vandercook performance at Midwest caused me more anxiety than the performance of my piece!).  Even Puszta, by Jan Van Der Roost, has opened our ears to depth and quality of music being written by musicians from other parts of the world.  To my ears, James Barnes’ The Trail of Tears transcends the idea that great music is hard music, and his work reveals our capacity for writing music that transfers well to the medium and is culturally sensitive.

These are but a few pieces regarded as serious literature for mature ensembles.  The process of selecting them and the reasons for doing so are often give less scrutiny as the name of the composer, the “prestige” of the piece, its appearance on state festival lists, or reviews in magazines often provide the impetus for its programming.  Much will be written about these kinds of pieces, much attention will be given to their interpretation, and little will be considered before it is selected.  From my perspective, the opposite holds true in regard to literature for elementary and middle school bands.  There will be little written, little regard to interpretation (as these are “non-serious” musicians), and a lot will be considered (like whether or not it is easy enough to earn a top rating at contest!).

I applaud the efforts of the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, as it has done a lot to identify significant pieces at both the elementary and junior high ability/grade level that are regarded as “serious” literature.  There are a number of fantastic composers who are writing absolute masterpieces at this ability/grade level, yet their work is not regarded as significant because it is played by non-serious musicians.  We could spend days going through the history of music citing pieces that are masterpieces, but yet were intended for use by teachers to raise the musical ability of their students.  There are people within our profession that would look upon some of this literature as not worthy of creating a meaningful musical experience.  There are some outside the profession that decry its quality and have made verbal and literary attacks on composers for writing music that has no connection to the performers, or the intended audience.  I reside somewhere in the middle truth be known – while the music written for the American Wind Band to me is the most exciting and interesting written today, it is incumbent upon educators to make informed educated choices in the selection of music for study and find ways in which to make meaningful connections to our students.

At an elementary and middle school level, there are many factors that play in to our decision to select a piece for study that include but are not limited to: balance of our instrumentation, fitting the need of the ensemble, rehearsal time, balancing musical expectations of the administration, community, and students, and the difficulty of the piece versus the ability of the ensemble.  All are areas that must be weighed and considered before we make that selection.  There are two significant qualities I look for in a piece – but I usually cannot get a complete read on them until after I have started working on it: 1) Does it get the students excited about music and point them towards a more meaningful and personal relationship with music, and 2) Does it provide a worthwhile experience whereby the student, director, and ensemble experience growth intellectually, musically, and socially?  If both of those questions come back in the affirmative, it is hard for me to dismiss a piece as not being significant.  Whether it is programmatic, multi-cultural, or an extension of the American Wind Band heritage, I think it is important to weigh it against those two qualities alongside the pre-selection criteria that is utilized.

My question to all of you at middle school or elementary levels (current or future), what criteria do you use in the selection of music for your ensemble and how do you rank them in order of their importance?  Let’s start the new year with a good discussion, and sharpen up our skills as we search for greatness in elementary and middle school band literature.

Similar to the first assignment, they were given very specific guidelines to govern the creative process.  As they are writing 2 parts for their instrument, there were a couple of minor changes that would hopefully assist them. For example, the assignment due during tomorrow’s rehearsal used the following guidelines:

1) B-flat concert and Common Time
2) 8 measures in length.
3) Assigned notes per measure (notes listed in concert pitch)

m.1                        m.2                        m.3                        m.4
(B^b, D, F)             (E^b, G, B^b)            (C, E^b, G)                  (F,A,C)

m.5                        m.6                        m.7                        m.8
(G,B^b,D)            (C, E^b, G)             (F,A,C)                   (B^b, D, F)

The one thing I discovered is that I had to remind them frequently that there note choices for the harmony line were the same as the melody line.  In a couple of instances, we had some definite tension in the sound between the lines, but nothing that Stravinsky would say “wouldn’t work”.  In addition to the notes listed above, they may choose to use one beat of non-assigned notes per measure (For example, in measure 1 they could utilize an E^b or G as long as it does not exceed one and a half beats within the measure).

4) The Winds may use any of the following note values so long as it equals four beats:

The percussion may use any of the following note values for the snare drum part as long as it equals four beats:

After the winds finished composing, they would sit down with a partner and perform the duet for a percussionist.  After hearing the composition a couple of time, the percussionist would begin constructing a percussion part consisting of two different instruments.  While most used snare and bass, a couple of students chose to use triangle, tambourine, and woodblock to accompany the winds to which they were assigned.

Again though it was optional, students were encouraged to begin including expressive elements within their melody including varying dynamic levels (piano through forte), accents, slurs, and also make use of crescendos and decrescendos.

My rule of “If you write it, you better be able to play it” definitely clicked with a couple of students.  After playing through their initial melody sketch two different students looked at me and said “That’s not what I wanted at all.”  A couple more didn’t realize the awkwardness of what they wrote until they tried performing it – one clarinet in particular has new appreciation for going over the break!

One of the big concerns is evaluating each composition.  My biggest concern is not to pass artistic judgment, but find a way to evaluate their music.  There are some objective items that can be assessed, but also a number of subject ideas that may not fit so neatly into the assessment process.  For that reason, I am using a rating scale to show the students where they are standing with the assignment.

Tuesday will be a mini-recital during band periods with the students.  I am in the process of developing a check list so they can do peer critique of the compositions they hear. Our next assignment on which we will embark will be asking the students to compose in 12 bar blues form.

Another guy that has really given me a shot in the arm of late is Drew Fennell.  Many thanks again to Drew who this afternoon debuted “Shine!” with the Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Summer Wind Ensemble!!! My respect and appreciation for Drew as a musician, conductor, and composer continues to grow.  The performance was great, and I really appreciate those students bringing this music to life!!!  Bump on over to myspace and check out the live recording from the July 18th concert – it even still has that new recording smell to it…I think!

More to come in the months ahead, so stay tuned! And if not, Korg makes a very affordable model (that’s free advertising you can’t buy anywhere!)….

Speaking of Drew – the RCYBB will present “A Frontire…er… I wish Finale had a spell checker.  The RCYBB got a huge chuckle as did I on the spelling error on the parts.  At any rate, “A Frontier Fought and A City Found” will debut later this month.  I cannot wait! I got to know several of the students in the group this year and I know they will do an awesome job especially under Drew’s direction.

I am still in a little bit of shock – I found out that “Journey to the Prairie” received third prize in the young band division of the 2nd Annual Frank Ticheli Composition Contest.  I took time to listen to some of the other winners – great stuff to be sure! I was especially taken with Joni Green’s “Moonscape Awakening”.  My thanks to Dr. Edwin P. Arnold and the Grove City College Wind Ensemble for making the recording that I sent in with the submission.  I always believe in what I write, but was just hoping for some more feedback from a different set of ears.  It is a thrill beyond words, and quite an honor to be included alongside so many other composers.

But screaming back to reality – the month of April has hit me in the face like a crazed one-armed Wampa.  And after a few festivals, the spring trip crunch, the final concert push, a bunch of meetings, and the PMEA State Conference this post has finally arrived (sorry Joe, I am a bad blogger this month).

Luke: [knowing his new acquaintance only as 'Ben'] He claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know what he’s talking about?
Obi-Wan: Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan… Now, that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time. A long time.
Luke: I think my uncle knows him. He said he was dead.
Obi-Wan: Oh, he’s not dead… Not yet.
Luke: You know him?
Obi-Wan: But of course I know him. He’s me.

My good friend Dennis Emert presented his Elementary Band with a piece I wrote entitled “Marshalls of the Open Range”.  The students took a liking to it imediately, and he is programming it for their June Concert.  I told him I will be there.  He shared that with the band last week, and there were lots of cheering.  But a young lady raised her hand and asked inquisitively – “How is that going to work? Aren’t all composers dead?”….

During the recently completed PMEA State Convention, Joe Pisano and “Doc” asked me if I had a score of American Visions to display at the Grove City College booth.  I did not have one on me, so I immediately walked over to the J.W. Pepper booth to acquire one.  After making the request, the one gentlemen said “We don’t have it here with us, but we can order it for you.”  The other rep looked at my badge and said “He doesn’t need it. He wrote it.”…

(Obi-Wan looks through the hole in the ceiling as Anakin jumps through)

Obi-Wan: Always on the move…

Hickory HS Band Concert on Tuesday, Wilmington last night, Ellwood City and Mercer Elementary tonight – my head is spinning from the recent flurry of concerts.  In a perfect world, I wish I could attend each one and hear the performances – but it is just not meant to be.  I conducted “Spygame” with the Mercer 6th Grade Band this morning, and it went very well.  “American Visions” and “Festival for Winds and Percussion” have been getting plenty of performances.  Gary Taylor’s group at Wilmington last night was fantastic – an honor to be included on a concert program by a colleague and friend that I respect so much and have learned so many things.  It is exciting and an honor to have so many colleagues supporting the music which I have written.  Hopefully, a few of them will take a page from Joe Pisano and I find an “out of the box” solution to expanding the audience perception of the music concert.

Obi-Wan: Anakin, let’s be fair. Today you were the hero and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians.
Anakin Skywalker: All right. But you owe me one, and for not saving your skin for the tenth time.

Saturday morning is off to a rehearsal with the River City Youth Brass Band and Drew Fennell.  They will debut “A Frontier Fought and  A City Found” in late May.  I am eagerly looking forward to hearing the group and working a little bit with them on Saturday.  Drew is such a polished stick guy and player, and it was a very rewarding process getting to work with him through this process.  Drew has recommended me for a couple of gigs and been a big supporter of what I have been writing. 

Obi-Wan: But Master Yoda says I should be mindful of the future.
Qui-Gon Jinn: But not at the expense of the moment.

As I told the 6th Grade Band this morning before dropping the first downbeat – “Let’s enjoy this!”  I am already thinking of new pieces, working out new ideas in my head, thinking about where I can go now and if I can create something “new” without repeating myself.  But these next few weeks are going to be filled with great moments that I cannot wait to live in – last performances with a group of Seniors, music that I have waited for years to perform with groups, and the opportunity to present my groups to Ken Bloomquist, Paula Crider, and John Bourgeois at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival.  Granted I am not blasting my way out of a space station with a wookie, two droids, a princess, and a cocky smuggler in tow, but this one time farmer kid is enjoying every part of this adventure.

Additionally, I recently received a recording of Pirates!, a multi-movement work that will be available from FJH in the Summer of 2009.  The recording is from the Nassau Division 4 Honor Band that Drew conducted back in January.  If you get the chance, click here to here this group of freshmen and sophomores swashbuckling away!  The students did a wonderful job under Drew’s conducting.  My thanks to Drew and the Directors who programmed this piece for their festival!

One of the more interesting conversations I had over the past month was in regards to who is in fact next? ESPN’s The Magazine asks this same question each year as they look for the next greatest thing to come along in sports.  Dr. Pisano and I had this conversation a little over two weeks ago.  There is always a passing of the torch that occurs in any profession.  Sometimes it is graceful, and sometimes it is not.  Sometimes leaders make awesome exits at the top of their game (take James Keane last year at the Midwest Clinic with the Illinois Wind Ensemble), and sometimes they hold on too long (not to mention any names like Al Davis and the glorious debacle that is the Raiders).  Is there another Alfred Reed or Clifton Williams? What about a Kenneth Bloomquist or John Bourgeois?  And I say that with realization that there will never be another, but will there be someone that will accept the mantle and has earned the respect of our profession to follow in their legacy?

So who in our profession is next? Before I get to my list a disclaimer – I can only go by who I have seen, who I have worked with, who I have spoken to.  I am sure my list does not encompass all who deserve to be considered.  I don’t mean to exclude, but I will also not put out list that I can not substantiate either.  I would hope that like the Fire I lit a year or so ago about band literature, that we could open up some dialogue and start supporting others in the profession who might be utilized or contacted for someone else’s festival, music conference, a comisssion, or a clinic. 

Stick Men:

Dr. R. Tad Greig from Westminster College - My first nominee is right in my back yard, but I have really been impressed with him over the past 14 years as an educator, and conductor.  He and his Wind Ensemble will be performing this spring at our State Convention in April.  Tad’s knowledge of repertoire and his choice of engaging programs for festivals and his own students always impress me.

Dr. Stephen Gage from Youngstown State University – My second nominee is only about 35 minutes away.  I have had two students play in his youth orchestra, and have seen him work ensembles at festivals on four different occasions.  If you have never had the pleasure of watching him work a group, it is worth it.  Impeccable knowledge of his score, and he has a wonderful ability to convey the music to group.  I am most impressed with the core of his character.

Dr. Dennis Fisher from North Texas State University - The other guy at UNT.  It is hard to think of Dr. Fisher as a #2 to anybody.  I have spoken with him at both festivals at which I observed him work, and two things are readily obvious: He knows his stick work well, and he is one the sharpest education guys in our profession as well.  Dr. Corporon gets the lions share of recognition (and much of it deservedly so), but Dr. Fisher’s reputation is growing and I think he will be next.

Andrew Boysen, Jr., University of New Hampshire - Yes, yes, Boysen also writes like nobody’s business.  But I was even more impressed with him in person at an Honors Band festival two years ago.  The benefit of being a composer I definitely feel gives him an advantage on the podium in bringing another writers music to life. 

ADDENDUM!!! (updated on December 15, 2008)

Dr. Stephen Peterson, Ithaca University – I had the opportunity to observe Dr. Peterson last Thursday through Saturday with our local Honors Band.  He studided and worked with Paynter, and it was displayed brilliantly as his command of  Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo was fantastic.  His ability to unlock and interpret a score was really impressive (loved his treatment of His Honor by Fillmore), and his personality really clicked with the ensemble.

Composers:

Mark Camphouse, George Washington University - His conception and creation of the large form of music for wind ensemble and concert bands is tremendous.  While Movement for Rosa, Watchman Tell Us of the Night, and Yosemite Autumn are just tremendous, I am convinced that his best works are yet to be created.

Patrick Burns, Montclair State University - Patrick’s writing is really taking off over the past few years.  He recently sent me a score to his score I loved well those cities… (for narrator and band) and I was really blown away. His Toccata is one of the most exciting pieces I have heard in a long time.  If you are worried this is too heady for your group, check out his Gothic Dance  and (my personal favorite) Suspended Animation.

Brian Balmages - I am somewhat envious of Brian’s position – he is a composer.  While he does handle editing for the FJH Music Company, he is really developing some fantastic pieces for ensembles of all kinds.  It was a pleasure bringing him in last year via Skype as my ensemble performed his Summer Dances.  One of the more dynamic pieces I have heard from him recently is Fusion – a multi-movement work that fuses a variety of styles.

Clinicians:

Jess Beblo, Beaver Area School District - Listen up PA educators (and those from around the world) – if you are looking a young, vibrant educator that is passionate about her work, great perspective, and understands how to put curriculum together in today’s schools contact Jess.  She presented at our PMEA in-service for District 5 this fall, and I could not have been more impressed.  She is in a great situation at her school working with two other very polished people in Susan Metelsky and Carl Newyear.

Dr. Joseph Pisano, Grove City College - We have been friends for years, but I do have to step back from time to appreciate what he has accomplished since we met in the summer of 1991.  Joe has such great vision for what our profession could become, and when you consider this whole blogger movement you start to realize this isn’t some dream – the framework is going up as manyof us are examining our practices, sharing ideas, and rethinking music education in a positive way.  And to think, all because we chose to share some thoughts on line.  The practioners of the “universal language” engaged in a global conversation.

Tim Loest – Tim has so many great works for young band.  Tim has also spent a lot of time working on method books.  Throw in some of his studies at Northwestern with some guy named Reimer, and I really think he is the total package when it comes to educational presentations for band.  If you get a chance, ask him about coal and diamonds – trust me, it will change the way you teach.  There is great depth to the core of Tim’s character, and great perspective as he is a public educator, clinician, father, and composer.

So that is the short list, or at least my list.  I would love to hear from all of you with some contributions in any category (including orchestra & chorus).  The “old guard” will always have their place, and they certainly have earned my respect and admiration.  But a new guard needs to be ready to step forward and assume the mantle of leadership in the world of music education, and as a community of professionals we need to do our part to make sure that people know about them.

So, I never dreamed in a million years that writing a post called “My Band Room is on Fire” would get the attention that it has.  After having the summer to review that list, it has churned a significant repertoire list that as a profession of directors should be familiar. I got to thinking about it over the summer, and while thought provoking and good debate for high school directors the conversation should not stop there.  There are plenty of colleagues (myself included) who really struggle with selecting good music for the Middle School/Jr. High Level.  There are some exemplary standards out there, but I believe there to be a wealth of undiscovered gems as well.

The rules: You have time to save 10 pieces for study.  I chose 10 so we have a little more flexibility, plus it creates a little larger rep list.  Don’t be like a near-sighted colleague from my area that said he would wait for the place to burn and get the insurance money – contribute to the conversation and help the profession make progress!.  A list of songs with arranger and/or composer will suffice.  If you want to explain any of your choices, feel free to do so but it is not necessary.  I will recap it all in about a month.  Beware, the fire is burning again!

Carpathian Sketches…..Robert Jager

Suspended Animation…..Patrick J. Burns

Friends of Freedom…..Timothy Loest

Air for Band…..Frank Erickson

Canto…..W. Francis McBeth

Kentucky 1800…..Clare Grundman

Grant County Celebration…..Mark Williams

Marching Song…..Gustav Holst/arr. Moss

Salute to the Duke….arr. Michael Sweeney

The Battle Pavane…..Susato/arr.Margolis

First Suite in E-flat – Holst
Greensleeves – arr. Alfred Reed
Flourish for Glorious John – Vaughan Williams
The Pines of Rome – Ottorino Respighi
I Am – Andrew Boysen Jr.
O Magnum Mysterium – Lauridsen/arr. Reynolds
The Liberty Bell – John Philip Sousa
Lincolnshire Posy – Percy Grainger
Washington Post March- John P. Sousa
Dedicatory Overture- Clifton Williams
Allegro Animato- Frank Erickson
March to the Scaffold- Hector Berlioz (arr. Leidzen)
Shenandoah- Frank Ticheli
Incidental Suite- Clarke
Sleigh Ride-Leroy Anderson
Jupiter- Holst
Concerto For Orchestra-Bartók
Syphonic Metaporphosis- Paul Hindemith
Adagio for Strings- Barber
Irish Tune from County Derry – Grainger
Dusk – Whitacre
Blue Shades – Ticheli
Chester – Schumann
Robin Hood Prince of Thieves – Horner (arr. ?)
American Overture for Band Jenkins, Joseph W.
Russian Christmas Music – Alfred Reed
American Salute – Gould, Morton
March from 1941 – John WIlliams
Of Sailors and Whales – McBeth
Amazing Grace – Ticheli,
Loch Lomond – Ticheli
America the Beautiful – Carmen Dragon
Daphnis and Chloe – Ravel
Manhattan Beach March – Sousa
Variations on a Korean Folksong – Chance
Hands Across the Sea – Sousa
March of the Belgian Paratroopers – Leemans
Flourish for Wind Band – V. Williams
Overture for Winds – Charles Carter
Salvation is Created – Tschesnokov
Canterbury Chorale – Van der Roost
An American Elegy – Ticheli
Courtly Airs and Dances – Nelson
La Fiesta Mexicana – H. Owen Reed
Rushmore-Alfred Reed
Canzona-Peter Mennin
Abram’s Pursuit-David Holsinger
Pagent-Vincent Persichetti
American Patrol-FW Meachum (concert band, not jazz)
Shiny Stockings-Frank Foster (jazz band)
Switch In Time-Sammy Nestico (jazz band)
Symphony No. 1 – Lord of the Rings – de Meij
Gran Partita- Mozart
A Child’s Garden of Dreams – Maslanka
Armenian Dances – Reed

My sincere thanks and appreciation to Joe Pisano at Mustech.net who helped get this post out there and generate a significant amount of attention to it.  If you have not been keeping up with Joe – the man has been more than a little busy lately.  Get on over to the Music Educator Blogger campaign and you will have a little understanding why.  He has really opened so many doors and avenues for all of us and started a lot of people talking about music education in a productive matter.  While you are there, do some searching and buy the man a cup of coffee!!!

For the rest of you courageous directors who decided to risk your life in this little exercise, a humble thanks for joining in this conversation. If you haven’t decided to save anything yet, head back into the band room and make some choices (chances are the fire hasn’t got down burning up that alto clarinet yet, and besides we all know it will take twice as long to go burn through a bassoon). List the seven pieces you would save and contribute to a great resource list!

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!

• The University of Illinois Wind Ensemble Concert – under the direction of James Keene performed works by Ticheli, Carter Pann (Holy Cow!), Hindemith, and Sousa (to name just a few).  BRILLIANT!!!  There have been few life changing moments that I clearly remember happening all at once (like listening to the Vaughan Williams fantasia on a theme of Tallis) – and this was definitely one of them.  Keene was smooth and musical on the podium, the ensemble played with effortless power and grace.  I think if God has a wind ensemble in heaven, James Keens might be the associate conductor.
• Reconnecting with Francis McBeth, James Barnes, Robert E. Foster, Jack Stamp, James Hosay, and James Curnow.  The common denominator here among these gentlemen is a lifetime of commitment to musical excellence.
• Catching up with Sam Hazo, Tim Loest and Patrick Burns.  All three of these guys are generating some great literature to read and perform with your groups.  Sam is really blossoming as one of the hottest writers in our profession.  Tim continues to pen solid music (through FJH) that is so educationally sound that students enjoy playing.  Patrick is a new found friend and colleague who is doing absolutely great stuff at pratically every level.  If you are the uniniated, I strongly encourage you to check out two pieces that hooked me on his writing – Suspended Animation and Enchanted Night.  Look for more great things to come from each of these guys in the future.  It is also worth mentioning here the music Julie Giroux, Joseph Spaniola, Willie Owens and Christopher Tucker.
• Meeting for the first time both Timothy Mahr and Brian Balmages.  Listen  up! There is more to Tim Mahr than just Endurance (although a great piece!).  Check out View From the Mountaintop, Sol Solatar, and Hey! by Dr. Mahr and you will find some great music indeed.  Brian’s reputation is quickly ascending in a lot of circles.  The bulk of his work is for upper level groups, but the compositions he is putting out are just brilliant.  He is a straight shooter, and does a great job improving the quality of literature available for public school bands.
• Great concerts – I heard two fine concerts by high school groups from Texas and Illinois.  While technically precise, pristine intonation, and good balance, I did leave feeling that the conductors and musicians left a lot of the music on the page.  My own philosophy is I don’t want to live life mezzo-nothing, so let’s put some emotion into our performance!
• Great clinics – jump on over to read the quote by James Barnes at Mustech.net, and you’ll get an idea just how good most of the clinics are at these conventions.  Sometimes funny, most of the time practical, and always give you good food for thought.  The other quote of that day also came from Dr. Barnes: “My high school band was small, and we didn’t have balanced instrumentation all the time.  We did have a bassoon….it’s just that no one knew how to put it together.”

Take the time, and make the trip.  Yes it seemed like a lot in two days, but I have come away with new respect for my profession, and more inspiration and determination to improve the quality of my life’s work.  Being a band director is the only thing I know how to do, and it’s the only thing I want to do as a professional educator.