Lessons learned from Michael Phelps

The Olympic Games have been nothing short of amazing displays by amazing athletes. Phelps certainly has claimed his spot at the front of the class with his amazing swims over the first 8 nights of these games. Watching others go through the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” (Thanks Jim! Rest in peace!) is as real as it […]

A Band for All Seasons

I have been way too busy.  It feels like a month since my last post, and then I realized it has been a month since my last post.  Arrrgh…. But now I find myself past the half way point of my summer session at Kent (a little sad about Dr. Dorfman leaving, but he will do great things at BU), […]

Processing adjudication festivals

Tuesday was awesome!  I was able to take all 3 of the concert bands at Mercer to the PMEA Instrumental Adjudication festival at Westminster College.  I am very pleased with the groups and their performance.  Pennsylvania’s adjudication circuit allows directors to choose music from the state list (which NEEDS serious revamping PMEA!!! Not that I dwell on the problems within […]

From Student to Teacher

Today marked the second day without a student teacher for the first time since Mid-January. Over the past eight weeks, I had the pleasure of working with Nick Samson (from YSU), and in a couple of weeks Krista Schmidt (from GCC) will join me. I enjoy the opportunity to have student teachers come in to the program, and watch them […]

Did NO ONE "listen" to the Grammy’s?

I need to keep evolving.  That means staying current, and that means staying up with what these youngsters are listening to.  So it requires some time on my part and sometimes painfully enduring the contrived chord progressions and hollow lyrics of any number of artists that students feel compelled to ask me to listen to.  So I decided I would […]

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