Travis J. Weller

Since May of 2011 I have been preparing for the last week of my life, and I still did not feel ready. With all course work complete at Kent State University, the next major hurdle in front of me towards a doctoral degree in music education were candidacy exams. On Wednesday & Thursday (10/26 & 27) I wrote for a combined total of 12 hours answering questions related to music education, music and special education, music theory, and musicology related to American music. After completing on site writing at Kent, I completed two research papers at home: one a dissertation review, the other a review and critique of “educational” band literature (A surprising question to be offered for sure given my background, and that I have already written a little on the subject here and here). Read more…

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…

Within today’s middle school band programs around the country, there are many directors that must develop their student’s technical performance skills within the ensemble setting.  Although not an ideal situation, it is the only viable option for keeping students involved in a band program.  Add into the mix a tight music budget, and the option to purchase ensemble method books to address some of this burden may not be available either.  The pressure of the next concert, next contest, or trip forces many directors to teach executive skills through the study of ensemble literature, and for that reason choosing literature that will nurture the growth of student musicians becomes of paramount importance. Read more…

This week I began researching interpretation and feeling as part of my work at Kent State.  At first glance, they seemed unrelated. However, the more I began reading perspectives of different composers and conductors, my conclusion is that great interpretation does not just recreate the composer’s intent but rather conveys feelings that the composer intended. The sources abounded including Mark Camphouse’s series Composers on Composing for Band, and a great text edited by John Williamson Rehearsing the Band – both of which I recommend for great insight into score study, interpretation, and enhancing your podium perspective. Read more…

Ironically enough my readings this past week at Kent State, a Facebook discussion thread, and  Valentine’s Day collided at spawned this post. Pushing students to achieve levels of tonal and rhythmic accuracy is important – it is all part of getting them to a point where they have the technical proficiency they need to execute the big fundamental structure of a piece of music.  Tone quality and intonation awareness are two other dimensions that if mastered, start to create degrees of separation in the quality of the ensembles we hear.  When we can educate the individual musician (the musician inside their head) they can use the instrument as a vehicle of communication to as they display phrasing, dynamic contrast, and stylistic interpretation.  These are all worthwhile and important goals of instrumental music education – but if a trophy on the wall is more important than guiding students towards a meaningful life-long relationship with music…

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