What an exhilirating feeling today at approximately 2:10 p.m! It was a wonderful moment that I can only compare to feelings I had as my own children were brought into this world. The students of the PMEA District 5 Band under the direction of Jack Anderson finished a run-through on “Moravian Dance” and I could only tell them “Play well, love music, and support each other”. Their performance – and they still have another day of rehearsal! – was precisely what I had hoped for in this song. Jack’s interpretation, the musicians care and attention to the subtle nuances of articulations and dynamic changes, the passion, energy, and emotion that permeated the lines - I am so proud of the kids, I am indebted to Jack and all my colleagues of PMEA District 5 for their support, and am eagerly looking forward to the concert on Friday evening. It is a rush to hear musicians breathe life into music like they did with conviction, courage, and clarity. To be short – I couldn’t have said it better myself. Bravo students and thank you Jack!
I am honored to have “Moravian Dance” make its world debut on Friday, February 11, 2011 by the students in the PMEA District 5 Band. Being an educator in this district and having worked alongside their directors (many whom are great friends and colleagues) I am eagerly looking forward to their performance. There are many fine directors in this district and I know their students are up to the challenge of this program. Mr. Jack Anderson is the guest conductor, and Steve Garay, Jim Scanga, and Donnie White are the on-site hosts for the event. I am indebted to these gentlemen for asking me to write a piece to be debuted at the festival, and their long-time support and friendship is a blessing each day.
A sincere thanks to Susan Glover and the students of the West Ridge Middle School Wind Ensemble for their performance of “Tales of a Medieval Warrior” this past December at Midwest.
I was delighted to find another performance on Youtube given by the Hopkins West Junior High Band under the direction of Mrs. Kay Hawley. Bravo students and thank you Kay!
I am not one to make a new year’s resolution – the idea of self-regulation only once every 365 days is somewhat unsettling. If you think that needs to happen only once every 8,760 hours, you might have some personal issues that no amount of blogging can ever fix – sorry to drop the hammer, just a personal view. That being said and out of the way, I hope to present an idea for consideration more than one day a year, and hopefully will be used more than 17 out of the 365. It’s not so much about giving some answers or explaining a solution, it’s about finding better questions… Read more…
Categories: Concerts/Performances, Conductors, Expression in music, Feeling, leadership, Listening, Motivation, Music Education, Musical Role Models, National Standards, Professional Responsibility, Rehearsal Ideas, Rehearsal Strategy Tags: Director Resource, leadership, Music Education, Rehearsal Ideas
A busy week – in the stretch of a busy month of thinking…
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.
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