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

I definitely think the educational climate has changed, and the impact upon our scheduling and ability to retain students in our programs is a challenge – it is constant work with our administration and guidance councilors, a lot of advocacy to parents, and good, sensible PR with the students.  That being said, I think educators are starting to look at their large ensembles differently, with an eye and ear (appropriately) towards how they can continue to make their elective ensemble a viable and interesting offering among the school curriculum.

Over the past few years, SBO Magazine and MENC have featured a number of stories about educators who have developed successful and attractive non-traditional ensembles within the school day that are engaging to students (If you visit Owen Bradley and read through his blog archive, you get a great snapshot on how to do this!). My good friend and colleague, Joe Pisano at Mustech.net has reviewed and written about so many great, user-friendly ways to incorporate technology into existing classes, or how to structure a new offering.  I think these kinds of offerings have their place and if the schedule, facilities, and teacher load can handle it, should be offered to students alongside the traditional big three of (band, chorus, orchestra).  Having said all that, I do think we should be examining the structure of the big three so that we can make it more relevant in the lives of our students who enroll (VanZandt, 2001).

I think chamber music of varying styles and difficulty levels can provide one avenue for directors (educators) to break up the predictability of the everyday schedule, and to place more ownership for music making where it needs to be – on the minds and in the hands of the students.  We often talk about music as stimulating creativity – is it really?  How often do we as directors (educators) challenge our students to give us interpretation on shaping a melody, or discussing where the climax of a music phrase is?  I am as guilty as anyone in not engaging them enough to make musical decisions independent of me, and then asking them to analyze what they have done and why it did or did not work.  Putting students into chamber groups so they make musical decision and interpret the music makes for some good, revealing discussions.  Kevin Tutt wrote a great article that appeared in the MEJ a couple of years ago that points towards asking better questions of our ensembles, and certainly they are applicable to the small group setting as well (Tutt, 2007).

Obviously scheduling and facilities can impact a director’s (educator’s) ability to start working on chamber music.  In my wind ensemble, I have 30 winds and 5 percussionists.  We have 2 practice rooms that can accommodate 5 students, and one that can accommodate 7.  During a typical chamber music session during our regular scheduled rehearsal time, I will pre-assign times to meet with students in the rehearsal room and then assign time for the smaller groups to be in the practice rooms.  We are fortunate to have a large-group instruction room across the hall that is often not in use during our wind ensemble period, and at times have even used the stage (also across the hall from the band room).  As the percussionists need time to use the equipment in the rehearsal hall, I often will float between the practice rooms, rehearsal hall, and stage listening to the winds to let the percussion maximize their time working with the equipment.  During a 43 minute class period I can usually see 4 groups for eight minutes at a time.  A director (educator) must have established a level of trust and respect with their students for this to work effectively, and as my students do not know when exactly I may be standing outside a door listening they generally stay on task and work diligently.

During my time listening to a small section of their music, I often try to ask questions that encourage them to make decisions regarding musical expression or ask them to analyze why a section of the music was not rhythmically together.  In the large ensemble, there is always room to “hide” if a student is not completely secure on their part.  In the chamber ensemble, they must be able to hold their part and contribute for their group to succeed.  In essence, to revisit some great thoughts by Reimer, we create an atmosphere of trust (“depending on others who are depending on us”), competence (“to attain it there is work to be done”), cooperation (“working towards a mutual goal, person to person and even person to the medium to bring about its full musical potential”), respect (“a sense of one’s worth/esteem within their creative musical role”), and courage (“our ability to make a decision without guarantee of success and ability to grow into what we have not yet become”) (Reimer, 2003).  It is more pressure to develop executive skills, to help their musicianship to mature, and develop their ethics as a person and a person – but like I have told Tim Loest before “No pressure – no diamonds”.

The literature varies from year to year with the chamber ensemble work.  We have used arrangements and settings of folk music, jazz music, orchestral transcriptions, and percussion ensemble music.  We have played Sousa, Mancini, Bach, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky.  Nothing is out of bounds necessarily with this chamber music in terms of style and composer – I am looking at each piece to gauge whether or not it will provide a good musical experience for each student, whether it will stretch their musical skills to the edge of their ability, and whether it will engage their group in good musical discussions and development.   I would enjoy hearing from any of you who work on chamber ensemble pieces or put your ensemble into chamber groups throughout the year and how it has been of benefit to your program and changed your teaching.

Reimer, B. (2003). A philosophy of music education: Advancing the vision (3^rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Tutt, K. (2007). Using questions to teach the national standards in rehearsal. Music Educators Journal 93(5), 38-43.

VanZandt, K. (2001). Is it curtains for traditional ensembles? Teaching Music 8 (5), 24-29.

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.

Our eventual performance on March 12^th by all the ensembles was superb.  It was probably the best concert I have put together in my 14 years of teaching.  Other program selections included Wagon Trail by Julie Giroux (excellent work), Cumberland Cross by Carl Strommen, and Cajun Folk Songs 2 by Frank Ticheli.  I am so proud of what they accomplished in the rehearsal hall, the auditorium, and now, as I begin to review the submissions for the interdisciplinary unit, in the computer lab.

The one main goal of the class last summer was to explore ways in which we as educators can help students make more authentic connections between the music we study and other subjects like art, music, history, and poetry.  The National Standards for Music make it pretty clear that we should be teaching students to understand disciplines outside the arts.  My view of the profession of band directors is that it must include becoming heritage bearers of the American Wind Band.  When that is translated into every day teaching, we must seek ways to help our students make more authentic connections with the music performed by the large ensemble.  It is no longer enough to just get music ready for the concert and adjudication or festival (Though noble goals they are).  We must find ways to engage them beyond the notes on the page so that their memories not only include the wonderful music they performed and studied but how that connects to their everyday lives and the culture in which they are living.

You can visit the website that I prepared by clicking here.  It was my first experience using iWeb, and the ease of use the software provided was appreciated since I am – as the commercial says – “PC”.  I am especially appreciative of Tracy Sevin, the technology coach in the building where I work, who provided me with a very easy way to collect the assignments from the students.  All the students are submitting their work digitally via Rcampus.  Within 15 minutes, I had registered myself as a teacher, set up 3 sections of classes, and provided links to the website and the learning activities.  The students are currently preparing their work in a Word Document, and then using a simple attachment option can send me the file electronically.  While we have used several of our rehearsal periods for the ensembles to access the computer lab, the beauty of this entire assignment is that it can be accessed and completed outside of school time.

Though very new to Rcampus, I am very impressed with their ease of use for both students and teachers.  A regular classroom teacher who creates projects for their students would be able to utilize Rcampus on a more regular basis.  It would provide a way for students to submit recordings for a playing exam or audition material, but there are issues of accessibility outside of school (several of my students do not have the internet), a student having the ability to record a sound file, and integrity of the person making the recording.  None of my students will be printing out any work – everything is handled through digital submission.

The student feedback so far has been very good.  Many of the upperclassmen have commented that the break from playing once every couple of weeks since January has made them refocus the next time a rehearsal begins.  I am planning on doing a post project survey to gauge their perspectives, and the open response section should provide some very interesting results.  The possibilities for future interdisciplinary projects are really endless, but it does take research outside our realm to bring authentic connections to the students.  I hope this sparks some interest and curiosity amongst our profession as move our 20^th century ensembles into a 21^st century educational setting.

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!

First of all, these athletes took the time necessary to focus on ONE thing and become great. There are wonderful students in our classrooms and ensembles who seek recognition in many areas – there always will be. They make positive contributions musically and socially to our organizations – they always will. But lest we forget, there is that small percentage who is on the cusp of doing something great. We need to focus the energies and talents of those students like a Coach does and help them understand their potential and the path to take to realize it. Every student is different, every situation is unique, and each coach has their own perspective. So where do we start?

I spoke with my marching band over the summer about five aspects of a musical experience needed to make it meaningful (These are taken from Reimer’s A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision – thanks Dr. Dorfman!). They need to understand trust – each member of our group has to depend on someone else who is depending on them. They need competence – achieving it means that work needs to be done. They need cooperation – both between members of the group, but with the materials (the music, the instrument, the sonic image of the composer). They need respect – grant others a sense of worth as part of a shared enterprise). They need courage – the risk of being open to the unexpected, the not yet known, and willing to be wrong as much as they are right. I agree with Dr. Reimer that these make more ethical people from our teaching, but it also lends itself to making student musicians who make great musical and social decisions. Phelps trust in his relay teammates was rewarded – Men’s & women’s track and field relay teams fell apart. How hard Nastia and Shawn worked for those moments – and cooperation with their coach, the apparatus, and allowing their body to perform what was created in a visual image by the mind. All of those athletes had courage – even when that meant a slight bump on the hurdle cost Lolo Jones everything she still had the courage to speak about what happened. The “Redeem” Team has been a wonderful example of respect in their support of the other athletes – a lot of that comes from the top down, and I love Coach K. (I highly recommend his book, Leading with the Heart).

But that is not all. There is one component I would add that they NEED to see from us – and that is passion for what we do, the art we create, interpret, and teach. Do you really believe there was no passion in the overtime between the US and Brazil in Soccer? Or between Japan and USA in Women’s softball? Passion reigned supreme when those events ended. But passion should fill our hearts as educators and we should not be afraid to show it in a rehearsal or in a concert. How much better will students react when they see someone excited and energized about what they do? Never forget why you became a musician – it was a love affair with sound (this great advice was shared with me by Francis McBeth some years ago). They need it as much as the five qualities named by Dr. Reimer.

In some cases, these athletes have spent a lifetime training for 10 seconds of glory. One match. Just under 51 seconds of the most exciting swimming final ever. But they prepare with a mindset to give their personal best each time – the process of their preparation is to be the best in the world. Our students are a little different and sometimes are far from that standard, but it doesn’t mean we should give up because it is never going to be attainable. Their coaches have taken TIME to teach them – they set them on a path towards excellence, they inspired them to believe in themselves, they put them through a process so that no matter if there were three people who finished ahead of them they know that they have given their best.

Maybe a concert doesn’t need to be an hour long – maybe it only needs to be 40 minutes of greatness instead of 60 minutes of better than average. Time is the biggest pressure we have day to day within our teaching schedules – ask anybody they will agree, maybe not on a Presidential choice, but on instructional time? Pshh, that is a no-brainer. When is the last time you heard anyone say “I wish I didn’t have as much time to teach my students?” These athletes continue to prove that the quality of the experience is more important than the quantity of experiences. Perhaps our instruction should reflect more of that commitment to raising the quality, and doing it in what little quantity we sometimes have.

We (as educators) are not in the business of working with professional musicians – but that doesn’t mean we should be lacking a professional attitude. Some of them are amatures, some slightly better, some that are exceptional – but they are all still kids. Kids who need role models committed to trusting, competence, cooperation, respect, courage, and passion. Role models who teach them because they love what it is that they do for all the right reasons. And before some of you take fingers to keyboard and call me out, yes those paychecks do help don’t they? But explain to me why I feel like a million bucks at the end of the Pines of Rome – for me that is one of those right reasons.

We want our students to make the right decisions as people and musicians. Let us lead them as their coaches in making our choices ones that inspire, challenge, and mold them into student musicians who seek to continually improve themselves. My opening ceremony for the year is now concluded , the torch is lit, and it is officially time to teach!

Suspended Animation by Patrick J. Burns - Any middle school director who wants a challenge for their ensemble that the students will really embrace and enjoy must check out this piece. Suspension after suspension unfolds across the ensemble, and creates some great teachable theory moments. With my own ensemble, we discussed the suspension in terms of “tension” and “relaxation”. Excellent craftsmanship through the piece – great lines, bursting with energy. I could not help but think of the spirit that John Adams captures in “Short ride in a fast machine”, and while different from that orchestral work, Burns definitely caught my ear’s attention with this invigorating work for band. I sincerely hope this piece begins to get more attention and starts appearing on state lists and festival programs everywhere.

March of the Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Julie Giroux - An imaginative and musically sensitive piece that drew a number of loud laughs from our audience. Making music should be an enjoyable experience – no matter the overall affective setting of a given piece – but this piece is a riot! From the bird whistles to the written “mistakes”, it is a whimsical little march of a different sorts that can bring some levity to a program but also bring a quality music experience to the ensemble in communicating the composer’s intent.

Out of Darkness by Quincy Hilliard - As dramatic a piece as you will find at the grade 3.5 level. Hilliard makes great use of color combinations across the ensemble as the brings the themes of the piece from darkness to light (great picardy third at the end). He replaces snare and bass drum with metal and rubber 32 gallon trash cans for a different texture in the percussion. Mutes, glisses, and flutter tongue are prevelant through the brass parts providing neat effects for the ensemble. Written in a minor key, it has a quasi-arch form, and moves from slow to fast and then back to slow. Those who know Quincy understand his passion for writing for school bands and providing a great educational experience learning the piece. The performance of this piece is an awesome experience.

Summer Dances by Brian Balmages is great piece at the grade 4 level. The entire piece is in 6/8 (except for one measure of 9/8) and from a rhythmic perspective is very engaging. The middle section is very powerful and expressive and has some wonderful solo lines to showcase some individual musicianship. The ending section is very exciting to perform and to conduct – great lines abound in all the parts (especially in Clarinet 2!) – and like the other pieces here I highly recommend it.

I remember reading somewhere or hearing it from someone that music is supposed to be fun. With that in mind, check out Willie Owens‘ Cruisin’. At a grade 2 level my middle school group ate this one up. It was a really nice opportunity in and out of rehearsals to give some students some exposure on drum set (an optional drum set percussion part is included). Everybody gets their opportunity for melody lines, and tubas everywhere are going to enjoy laying down the bass line.

If you are not familiar with Scott Watson, make it a point to check him out. We include The Siege of Badon Hill in our program, and it was very popular with the ensembles. The piece basically refers to a legendary battle in which a single knight in defense of his castle single-handedly disposes of over 900 Saxons. While he is identified by several names the most common one agreed upon is Arthur. The images of early morning battle preparations through use of voice and sounds gives way to the relentless rush of battle. At a grade 3 level, it is an exciting and dynamic musical experience for an ensemble.

Symphony No. 4 by Andrew Boysen, Jr. I worked on a piece by Dr. Boysen last year entitled Unraveling – very engaging, quasi-sinister, and a student favorite. Upon hearing Symphony No. 4, I had to do it. Boysen builds all the material from an octatonic scale (click here for details if your freshmen music theory fails you). It utilizes the classical symphony form (movement two is a Chaconne), but modern harmonic language. The opening theme is somewhat haunting, but stays in your ear long after the music closes. Boysen includes a number of different solo opportunities, and students really get the opportunity to play some serious music in a form that they may not often get to experience (while I enjoy parts of the Hindemith, it isn’t the most accessible symphony for any high school group).

The music is submitted for your perusal, and for my money is a worthy investment of time and learning for directors and their ensembles.

When preparing for this (which is probably similar to Contest Festivals in other states), there is no cramming and last minute “throwing things together”.  The performance should reflect a significant amount of time studying the piece to deliver the composer’s intent for the music.  That being said, there is another side to the coin which I feel can be dangerous for student growth and appreciation of music.  While I understand that for some schools a good rating at a festival is of paramount importance (and sometimes is oddly tied to their continued support and funding…), I don’t believe necessarily in a ”drop everything else so we can get this rating” mentality.  There is a fine line of process and product to be walked in this kind of endeavor, and it is certainly worth the walk to elevate the expectations for your program.  I do my best to emphasize the importance of what we can learn by presenting a part of the product as part of the process.  I will gladly acknowledge that preparing and performing at a very high level for some of our students creates a meaningful connection with music that alters their life perspective (and maybe their career choice to become a music teacher or performer!).  They may experience the ultimate success at this level (or a similar situation).  They could also experience a degree of failure.  Be mindful of how they pick themselves up, and be active in helping them assimilate and analyze what happened.  You could be Bowling for Mozart and not even realize it.

Talking with a couple of friends who also had groups at the festival, I was in agreement that we definitely learned things about our groups on Tuesday.  More importantly, the students learned things about themselves and their ensemble as well.  When we return from our Easter break, there are a number of comments from the judges that I can share that will hopefully guide us on the next path of our journey.  Our students sometimes end up unconciously “tuning us out” (sorry, no pun, put away your Korg….) because they hear us day after day address things like:

• Key Signature
• Accidentals
• Rhythms 
• Tuning
• Intonation
• Phrasing
• Balance
• Expression
• Trombones, it’s A natural! Second position! (Ok, so perhaps I tipped my own frustrated baton on this one….)

But throw the comments of an outside observer at them, and suddenly their perspective is refreshed (Not to mention our own!).  Knowing the adjudicators we had on Tuesday, they have all been in the position during their career that the directors are currently working.  Their comments will be very useful, because they will reinforce to the students to commit to quality and strive to make your next performance better.  They will tell a group where the strength lies, but also where the weaknesses are as well.  Their comments will be practical for everyday use in rehearsal, and they will not be condescending to the point it would damage the group’s self-esteem or confidence.  As I have said before, the ears of an outside observer – whether a colleague, a student teacher, a friend – can lend a perspective that can be helpful in evaluating our instruction.

I was proud of all my students for accepting the challenge of the music we studied, and for giving the music their best possible effort.  I have a list of things that we will continue to build upon.  I also have a list of things I know that we will be able to incorporate, work on in our daily rehearsal, and thereby improve the quality of the ensemble as well.  This was part of the on-going process that by engaging our students and ourself we will ultimatley improve our product.  

I am fortunate to have a school administration and board of directors that are supportive of these endeavors.  It would not happen without them, and that is the truth.  They ultimately have the power to say “yes you can host this” or “no you cannot”.  Part of the equation is they see the value, but that comes because I take time and show them why it is important that we host these kind of events.  The other part of the equation is that these kind of events are very good for public relations, which may not sound like a legitimate reason to host.  The truth is it is great to bring the public to us on our terms.  It isn’t selling out by a long shot – we are selling one of the many positive benefits and outgrowths of studying music.

My parent group has also been very supportive of these endeavors through the years.  Our Band Festival has generated a lot of financial stability for our group.  That is a bottom line that cannot be ignored, but yet when they talk to me after the band show all they can remark is how good their child looked on the field, and how proud they were of the group.  It has taken time to educate them about the value of these festivals – musical, social, morale – but it has been worth the effort (As I have said before on this blog, at 3:15 class is just beginning….and Jim, if you are out there – THIS POST IS NOT FOR YOU.)

With just days remaining, and a free hour on Sunday evening, I have put together a crash course in hosting a music festival.  Some considerations for directors – practical, and simple.  I am certainly not going to reinvent the wheel on this post, but I am going to make sure I check the fluids, put in some gas, and check the tire pressure as I need to be rolling tomorrow morning like Optimus Prime taking on Bonecrusher.

1) Lock up the festival date early!  (I put in to host 4 years ago because of the student potential I saw).  You would be surprised to see what kind of message it sends to all those who are involved – it shows it as a big commitment.  Set deadlines for yourself leading up to the festival, and stay focused on meeting them.

2) Speaking of locking up – guest band? Guest Conductor? If the date works, college and university groups love to come out for festivals (generally speaking the result is a lot of “musical muscle flexing” that really inspires HS students).  Their conductors are not far behind as they know they will be received eagerly, and it is a great recruitment tool.  But they too have schedules, and the sooner they get requests the sooner they can plan and hopefully commit.

3) Communication! If you are bad at returning calls or emails – DO NOT HOST A FESTIVAL OF ANY SORT.  Sorry to be blunt, but it requires a steady stream of instruction from your office – hopefully given by you!  And what exactly are you going to be communicating? Well….

4) Festival plans! When again? Where again? What time? How many students? How much performance time per group? How long will the festival last? Does it require overnight housing? How much parking do buses need? Security? Chaperones? Food Service required? Music distribution to guest musicians? What about inclement weather? Do you have enough seating? The right equipment…..I could go on, but I am giving myself an anxiety attack.  The larger point here is to plan early and continually evaluate and revise.  Assemble a team around you that can offer sound advice and share your vision for the festival (ex: My assistant Michelle does a fantastic job identifying small details for a festival).

Having been on the other side, I try my best to comply with the deadlines and needs of other host directors when I take my students elsewhere.  Hosting a festival will teach you a great deal of professional courtesy for your colleagues.  It will also set you a part and alter the way they view you (both positively and negatively).  It also provides a carry over effect to your students, as they view as a director who will (hopefully) exorcise the “golden rule” and will put in the extra work for their benefit.

There is also a great professional growth spin-off that can occur.  As educators we have the opportunity to discuss issues we are having with schedules, with students, and with music.  It removes us(oft times) from our secluded kingdom in our own school, and gets us talking about issues in our daily life as educators.  Sometime we vent and “let off steam”, and yet other times we pick up great tips (i.e. how to get your ensembles to breathe together and correctly, what piece of music is great for a young ensemble).

My final thoughts about hosting revolves more around the “why”.  I always consider these questions as I make a decision about hosting a festival (even the marching band exhibition that I host each year) :

• Is hosting this festival consistent with my goals and philosophy of the program?
• Will  my students benefit from this exposure in a positive way?
• Will the outside groups or students benefit from attending and performing?
• Will this demonstrate to educational authorities (both at my school and others) the value of music education?
• How will hosting this festival benefit our program and my teaching over time?

For those of you who have hosted festivals, I would love to hear from you about your experience and what you have learned.  For those of you who have never, don’t rule it out.  A group of my colleagues collaborated resources, equipment and facilities and did a highly successful co-host of our District event 2 years ago (You would never see opposing athletic teams working together that way…ah athletics, a rant for another day).  Many of us have already made music our life.  So why not invite others who love it in to your home away from home?

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.

Okay, if you made it to sentence two then you realize there must be an upcoming concert.  The ensembles at Mercer will present their Holiday Concert on Wednesday evening, November 28th at 7:00 p.m.  A synopsis of each group’s program follows….

Middle School Concert Band – A Joyous Holiday (Robert E. Foster Sr.), Bashana Haba’Ah (arr. Lloyd Conley) and Santa Meets Sousa (arr. Mark Williams).  Santa Meets Sousa has unique moments shading in parts of The Stars and Stripes Forver, Semper Fidelis, and Washington Post in between Christmas Carol favorites.  The real push piece is the setting of Bashana Haba’Ah (Jewish translation – “Next Year”).  Minor key, slow tempo, and lots of accidentals – the presentation will be rough, but it has put the students through good process.

High School Concert Band – The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (arr. John Moss) and Ere The World Began To Be (Dr. Jack Stamp).  Stamp’s setting of this early plain chant is just awesome.  The piece continues to build on itself leading to a wonderful section with woodwinds presenting the plainsong in eighths over an augmented version in trumpets, bass clarinet, and tuba (melody, yes!).  It took me until my second time teaching/rehearsing this piece, but the ending chord is actually constructed from part of the plain chant and results in a lovely suspension.  I like this setting, and it is a great way to shake up a Holiday concert with some music history, and a unique sound canvas.

Wind Ensemble – Coming off our recital and Honors band auditions, we scaled back to work on some more musical items – namely intonation and balance.  Symphonic Prelude on Adeste Fidelis (Claude T. Smith) and Greensleeves (Alfred Reed).  Reed’s treatment is just gorgeous, and lends itself well for working on the items I mentioned (no wonder I saved it from the FIRE).

We close with the combined senior high groups presenting The Holly and The Ivy and The Christmas Song.  The Holly and Ivy goes through a number of musical treatments and shadings before drawing away to a small chamber group.  You can hear more about it over at Composing Like Mad Podcasts. 

I hope you can join us for a wonderful show!