Thanks Doc!

I write today to say thanks to Edwin P. Arnold. “Doc” will retire from Grove City College at the end of this school year after 38 years of service. There are many great educators who were mentored before me by Dr. Arnold, and there were many after me at Grove City College. We all owe him gratitude for providing us […]

Does the Grind Ever Stop?

Amid now 186 pages and just shy of 45,000 words I take a minute to revisit one of my favorite hashtags on Twitter – #grindneverstops  – and apply that to a lifestyle in music education. Notice the difference – I said lifestyle, not a job. The one thing I have tried to impress upon assistant directors with whom I have […]

Member article in the NBA Journal

I am pleased to announce that “Never a Losing Season” was included in the NBA 2012 Spring Journal. There are a number of great articles in the issue, and my article can be found on page 19. It is an honor to be able to share these insights with colleagues across a larger circle, and I am hopeful that some […]

Musical Accountability

What follows is a revision of the speech I delivered to the underclassmen at my school’s band banquet in May of 2012. If this speech is of use to any of you who address your students at a formal gathering over the next year, please feel free to quote as needed as you prepare your program. The purpose of the […]

An Open Letter to Emily

It was really nice hearing from Emily, a freshman music major, a couple of days ago. Her journey is just beginning, and knowing who she is studying with – I cannot be more excited for her.  In one of her music education classes she was asked to pose some questions to a current teacher about how they arrived at being […]