”Moravian Dance” (PMEA District 5 Band), “For the Love of a Soldier” (PMEA District3 JH Band), and “Shine!” (YSU University Band) have enjoyed great performances – my thanks to Jack Anderson (University of Pittsburgh) and David M. Blon (YSU Graduate Assistant & Assistant Director at Mercer HS) for their part in bringing this music to life. 

I have cleared two major hurdles at Kent State this semester and now find myself in the “belly of the beast” so to speak as I begin analyzing data from a research study. It is my hope this study will lead me to focus the scope and subject matter of my dissertation. In the back of my mind, preparation for my comprehensive exams next fall has begun.

Teaching Music notified me they will publishing an article in the future dealing with selecting Middle School Band Literature. Attention to my presentation at PMEA All-State in April is picking up as colleagues are asking me for a sneak peek. Looking back where I was just three years ago to now is at times surreal – as Joe Pisano and I frequently discuss “The toughest thing about being successful is that you have to keep on being successful.”

I got to be a proud parent last night as my oldest daughter sang in her very first choral festival. 200 students on stage, great music, and delighted to have my parents, my wife’s parents, and all our children together for a wonderful night of music.

Finally, leaving class on this past Monday night at Kent on my way to conduct a concert at my school, Joe Pisano called. My conducting teacher – Lou Collela – passed away after a tough bout with cancer. I conducted that night with a heavy heart knowing that this was the first one of my mentors that passed away, and I realized that I did not completely like the idea of not being able to pick up the phone and call when I wanted to ask him a conducting question (and to break conducting down to just one thing according to Lou “It’s all about anticipation”). He held me to a high standard every day in class (just ask John Seybert at South Eastern Florida University about the time we were late). The one thing I never knew about him is that we shared the same birthday.

Thank you Lou for making me a better musician, educator and conductor. I will always remember “Great conductors love great music, and they share that love with their students.” God rest your soul Lou, and bless your family in the days ahead.

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.

I don’t really know any directors who in some part of their career have not uttered a phrase akin to “Percussion you are playing too loud”, or “Clarinets the eighth notes were not together”.  The director’s role on the podium can become as repetitive as the scale and rudiment exercises that we select for our students to study.  It is easy to lapse into being in “error-detection” mode to the point where our rehearsals become anti-music learning and we simply gather the output from the ensemble, offer our assessment and corrective measures, and then move on.  Given enough time, enough “No, that isn’t correct”, and desire to have a perfect product, important development and learning will get lost in the process.

I recently read several articles in nationally published journals that point out that a director should offer more detailed explanations as to why he or she has offered some corrective solution to an ensemble issue of musicality, precision, or balance.  Perhaps the percussion need it pointed out that their dynamic level drops over measures 36 to 38, or that the clarinets did not release as a section off the whole note tied over the bar and that is why they did not ascend the eighth notes together.  The point of this blog is not to disagree with those views at all, as there is certainly a time and place that we as a trained educator and musician must make a musical decision in the best interest of the ensemble and the music.  My concern is the neglect for making the students aware of these issues – are we conducting this music for ourselves, or do we want the ensembles to be more engaged and connected to the process of creating this experience?

Rehearsal time is precious. Sometimes when we break a rehearsal down to rehearse a small section of music with just one section of instruments it breaks the flow (or cools “white heat” as Robert Reynolds would say).  The attention span of other students is momentarily interrupted, and parts of the collective whole become disengaged from the common goal.  Perhaps we need to address multiple problems across the ensemble with three different groups.  The obvious solution here is to give each group a quick synopsis of what the problem was, where you want to start, and what you want them to do while you are working with other groups (i.e. review fingerings, write in rhythm syllables).  That still leaves other sections disengaged from the process of making music.

Here is where asking better questions of our ensemble and students may begin to pay dividends moving forward through our rehearsals:

Percussion Example

Question to the section: “Percussion, what is happening to your part from a standpoint of musical expression at measure 36 through the end of measure 38?”

Question to the ensemble: “Band, do you feel that the percussion is making that decrescendo happen beginning at measure 36?”

Comment to the ensemble: “Let’s try that section again. Percussion be aware of your decrescendo, band evaluate their expression at measure 36, and percussion when we stop again tell the band why that decrescendo is important.”

Clarinet Example

Question to the clarinets: “Clarinets, is the rhythm problem with where the eighth notes start, or before the eighth notes start?”

Question to the ensemble: “Band as the clarinets play this section, would you listen to and identify what beat the eighth note pattern gets out of sync?”

Question to the ensemble: “Look at your parts, and listen to this section as we play it without the clarinets. Which section of the band could the clarinets listen to assist them getting a clean release off the whole note into their ascending eighth note pattern?”

If we want our ensemble to be engaged and invested in the product of the music we have selected for study, then it is upon us to involve them in the process of listening, describing, and evaluating (someone should make that a national standard…).  One thing I frequently stress to my own ensembles and honor bands that I have guest conducted is that “We need to learn to listen to each other – the world is a better place when we learn to listen”.  It is one thing to tell our ensembles, but it is better to tell them and give them a reason as to why they should listen.  Have the ensemble compare articulation of unison rhythm passages between the brass and woodwinds – who is playing with a better staccato? Have students listen to the breathing and phrasing by a section playing a unison melody – who is breathing in the wrong place? Where is the right place to breathe? Ask your students what they think is the right answer – you may be very surprised.

For those who may be concerned about the debasement of authority in the rehearsal hall, I would urge you to place your fears aside.  My experience thus far with students and this concept has been very positive, and for the most part they are appreciative of the fact their opinions and ideas may be voiced, can be utilized to hear the musical result, and provides them with a sense of ownership in the ensemble and the music making process.  The idea here is to give them reasons to listen and evaluate their own ensemble, give them an opportunity to assist in the interpretation process, and to understand how subtle changes in the attention to details of a group of people can make a large difference in terms of the musicality of an ensemble.  Calling on students to answer or play by name is a powerful reward and indication of their worth to the group – involving them by name into interpretation strengthens your reputation as a leader, educator, and musician.

I have found asking better questions and involving more student input in the process of interpreting, shaping, and performing music has resulted in more engaged rehearsals and meaningful performances.  It becomes paramount that we equip those students with the necessary tools (conceptually, verbally) to speak about the music they hear being performed.  This process has forced me to be a better musician on the podium – in terms of knowledge of the score, knowledge of terms, and personal performance ability. Critical reflection and self-evaluation using objectives concepts to evaluate an aural art form – I bet the educational authorities and policy makers who are trying to fix education with standardized testing had no idea that our best answers are questions.  Happy new year – now get out there and ask some questions!

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.

It is very exciting to host, but it is even more exciting having nearly 100 submissions! There are so many of us now in this stream of communication and media that are making a difference by our professional development, reading, enacting new teaching strategies, and reflecting upon our craft as educators.  What a tremendous resource this movement has turned out to be, and how great to share it with you.  Many hard decisions were made, but we have a great line-up of articles and posts you need to check out!

Music Advocacy

Lindsay Morelli presents The Power and Purpose of an Ensemble posted at Lindsay Morelli.  What is an ensemble? Lindsay’s question unfolds into a great post with great perspective for all of us in music education to consider.

Music Education

The Grand-daddy Blogger of them All Dr. Joseph Pisano presents A Sample Curriculum For High School Instrumental Ensembles posted at MusTech.Net, saying “This curriculum example is a suggestion for Instrumental Concert Band Directors to study for use with their own programs. Many times “we”, as ensemble directors, really don’t think about the curricular needs of/for our ensembles nor give long-term thought to the integration of music literature that may fill a particular goal in our music programs.   This curriculum suggestion is just one way to think about these things and how what you are doing as a band director integrates into the bigger educational picture.”

Brenda D Muench presents BoomWhacker Mysteries in First Grade: Part One posted at Tech Tempo.  This lesson is a ton of fun for elementary teachers who use Boomwhackers – I will freely admit I tried it at home with the set in our basement!

Wendy Stevens presents To Give or Not Give Makeup Lessons posted atComposeCreate.com, saying, “Since many music educators also teach private lessons, this article gives them a list of options for making the most of their valuable time. Many independent music teachers will also find this information helpful.”

Great to see Andrew Ritenour (and fellow Tuba brother) getting involved as a future music educator!  Andrew presents The Educational Beauty of Twitter posted at Future Music Educators.

Janice Tuck presents Music Primary Singing Resources posted at The Music Teachers Blog.  I am continually impressed with the great teaching being shared by many elementary music educators, and Janice’s post identifies some great assets useful in the classroom music setting.

Matt Fonda presents Bass Drum Basics posted at DRUMMING WITH FONDA.  Keeping students aware of the physical demands of being on a drum line is essential, and Matt’s article (very appropriate for students to understand) outlines some things they can do to keep themselves physically ready.

Thomas J. West presents Creating Community in Secondary Performing Ensemblesposted at Thomas J. West Music, saying, “Here are some suggestions for getting choral and orchestra programs to experience the same kind of personal investment in a group musical activity that bands typically experience due to the marching band activity.”

Brian Wis presents I’m too busy to go to the doctor, and other teacher avoidance-techniques posted at Teaching Music in the 21st Century, saying, “A call to high school music teachers to join the PLN movement.”

Natalie Wickham presents Custom Design Your Own Flashcards with these Free Files!posted at Music Matters Blog, saying, “Use these beautiful free flash card designs by Natalie Wickham to create your own custom flashcards! Now you’ll never be stuck at the last minute wishing you had a particular set of flash cards – you can just make your own!”

Charla Pearen presents Old Macdonald – Letter Recognition posted at High Park Home Daycare.  A great exploration of music with infants and toddlers.

Kevin Keena presents 60 Picnicers, 13 years, 2 schools, and 1 Facebook Page posted at Heritage Bands Podcast.  A touching and refreshing look at how social media reconnected a group of students with an educator who made a big difference in their lives.

The experiment is on for me personally at school this year – you can check out the details in my post Big Leap into a Small Room posted at Travis J. Weller.

Carrie Oakley presents Novice to Slash: 100 Free Resources for Teaching Yourself Guitar posted at Online Colleges, saying, “Whether you’re picking up a guitar for the first time or revisiting a teenage hobby, these links provide free resources for teaching yourself how to play the guitar, as well as improving your technique and learning to read music.”

Samuel Wright presents Graphic Scoring with Yothu Yindi posted at Wright-Stuff Music, saying, “An Australian Aboriginal unit of work involving listening worksheets, music analyses and a final assessment where students get to create an animated graphic score of a contemporary Aboriginal work in Keynote 09.”

Ken Pendergrass presents It’s about the work, not you personally posted at Music Is Not for Insects, saying, “helpful advice for those of us who want to be “liked” by our students…”.  Ken’s blog is great, and he offers some helpful advice to communicate with students while maintaining a sense of fairness.

Music Pedagogy

David Ahrens presents Ever-Improving Chops on Secondary Instruments posted at Sound Education.  While I am new to David’s writing and work, this is a great post for all instrumental teacher to consider so that we can be effective musical role models for our students.

Music Technology

Jim Frankel presents The Other 80%: An Industry Perspective posted at Music Technology in Edcation. Jim tackles a larger issue that many ensemble educators/directors face in maintaining their relevance with the other students not in performing groups.

Nemanja presents Dont Compromise Choose Used DJ Equipment posted at Cheap DJ Equipment, saying, “The problem is universal, DJ equipment is expensive. When buying DJ equipment squeezing the most out of your budget is essential.”

Music Tips

Sam Lyons presents Piano Practice Tips For Beginners posted at Learn The Keyboard Online, saying, “If you are new to the piano and you’ve probably experienced boredom. Sometimes that happens when you continue doing the same thing over and over again. Things become a little repetitious…”

Ashley Davids presents Guitar Warm Up Stretches posted at Metal Guitar Lesson, saying, “Highlighting the importance of warming up prior to practicing guitar.”

Sam Lyons presents Keyboard Practice Blues! posted at Learn The Keyboard Online, saying, “Keyboard Practice Blues! We all get them from time to time. Just keep practicing the piano a little everyday. You will succeed in learning the piano.”

Jenny Boster presents The Importance of Beginning Technique posted at The Teaching Studio, saying, The Teaching Studio is a relatively new blog all about teaching piano lessons. This article focuses on the topic of teaching beginning piano technique.

Other

Naomi Seldin presents 10 Rock Stars Who Went to an Ivy League School posted at Online Colleges and Universities Education Database. An interesting article to demonstrate to students about notable stars that have challenged themselves in the academic field.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of music education blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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.

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!)….

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!

In case you missed the October cover of SB&O, Brian Covey (director of Lockport High School) graced the cover.  The article got me looking forward to his group’s performance on Thursday morning and they did not disappoint.  While seeing Eric Whitacre was nice, and getting to watch James Keane is always a pleasure, the exciting part was getting to hear the band perform Traffic Jam by Timothy Loest.  Tim is a great writer, educator and director and this was the first time he had one of his pieces debuted at Midwest.  Tim has become a good friend over the past two years, and it was really awesome seeing him get some big time recognition for his writing at the conference.

Dr. Pisano, Dr. Greig, and I attended the Phi Beta Mu meeting on Thursday morning, and had the opportunity to connect with a number of great directors from around the country.  It was nice getting to put a face with names, and compare notes with this international group of colleagues.   I enjoyed Lynn Cooper’s presentation “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Choosing Music for Your Band” on Thursday morning following that meeting.  The one quote that struck a “chord” with me was from Bennett Reimer – “Music of high quality need not be music of high complexity”.  Too often we are tempted to pick music just out of our ensembles reach, but it need not be like that.  As Cooper shared, pick music that features both your group’s strength and weaknesses.  He also posed a list of questions to consider in the selection of music that were very insightful – and if we are doing our job, we should be asking these questions anyway!  While the Teaching Music through Performance in Band Series is great, sometimes it is better if we do the work for ourselves and sometimes we find the best songs that aren’t on any lists.  The quote by Bennett Reimer (1991) made me reflect on an older article in which he offered a succinct list of four criteria for judging quality in music.  I have found considering Reimer’s criteria of craftsmanship, sensitivity, imagination, and authenticity to be valuable in not only in selecting music for my groups to study but also as I begin writing new pieces.

A clinic by Anthony Reimer on iPods and filling them with band music was a reminder of how to fix the regret I felt after the Lockport Concert.  I thought as I exited “I wish there was a way to get my students to hear these performances”.  And there may not be a feasible way to get that done, but what can be done is make sure our rehearsal rooms have adequate listening labs where our students can gain access to high quality recordings of the band music on which we are working.  We want our students to have good musical role models – why shouldn’t we want them to have “aural” role models as well?  And why can’t that role model be an ensemble?  There are a number of companies providing free downloads of concert music that students can acess – here again we should be taking a non-traditional role and lead them to the information so they can access it!

It was also very rewarding to catch up with a number of composers whose music really speaks to me on different levels – as music lover, an educator, a conductor, and a composer.  Lockport also performed Song for Lyndsay by Andrew Boysen, Jr. As a writer and music lover, the sensitivity and expression in this piece was just wonderful.  I caught up with Andy on Friday – like Camphouse, I think Andy’s best pieces are yet to be written.  I spoke with Eric Whitacre very briefly on Wednesday night, and got to see him conduct Lockport on Thursday.  His star is certainly set as he continues to rethink and reshape orchestration practices.  It was a pleasure to get to know Chris Sharp and Erik Morales.  Chris is working on his doctorate from the University of Florida, so we had plenty to commiserate upon when comparing our pursuit of the terminal degree.  I knew only Erik through his jazz ensemble charts, but had a chance to check out a lot of his concert band works as well on Thursday while working the FJH Booth for a bit.  He is a very talented writer, and definitely knows his cuisine (It’s all about the pomegranates).  Always good spending time with Willie Owens – I have never witnessed anyone move that many CD’s in such a short amount of time.  Willie gets better every time I hear his stuff.  Brian Balmages had a big year at Midwest with a number of performances of his pieces.  The last time we spoke was “face to face” was the Skype concert, so it was nice being able to just sit down and visit a bit.  Check out Patrick Burns’ Toccata.  It is one of the best pieces for high school band I have heard in a long time.  Patrick was in the Daehn Publications booth, and he was working the crowd very well.   Julie Giroux might be the nicest person I know.  I spoke with her about Wagon Trail before the exhibits opened on Thursday.  What a talent she is!  I spent some time with Roland Barrett who has always been one on my favorites.  In undergrad, I conducted Symphonic Journey No.1 and from that point have become well acquainted with the entire catalog of his work.  I am eager to being his Fanfare and Jubilation with my groups second semester.  Is it ever a dull conversation with the quick-witted James Barnes? As we begin a inter-disciplinary revolving around The Trail of Tears, I am grateful for the time he took with me to discuss the significance of this piece in understanding what many history books ignore.  This work by Barnes is also a very important reminder that great music does not have to be difficult.  It is a substantial piece of remarkable depth worthy of study by students who want to become better people and individuals.  John Zdechlick signed my score for Chorale and Shaker Dance.  Timothy Mahr’s group performed on Friday (which included Boysen’s Unraveling – a monster piece at the grade 3 level).  Johan DeMeij and Jan Van der Roost were in the house, and I almost (albeit) accidently ran over Mark Camphouse.  Luckily, my dancer’s reflexes took over and we both averted disaster.  But that accident wasn’t nearly as bad as what could have been on Thursday around 11:43 a.m.   Where else can you wait in line to talk with Frank Ticheli only to have H. Robert Reynolds turn around and nearly run you over? Midwest, my friends.  Only at Midwest.

Reimer, B. (1991) Criteria for quality in music.  In R.A. Smith & A. Simpson (Eds.), Aesthetics and arts education (pp. 330-338). Urbana: University of Illinois Press.

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.