Rehearsals with Progress, Not Perfection
While the pursuit of perfection in performance is a goal, progress is the barometer by which directors need to gauge their students and ensembles.
The Impact of Covid-19 on Junior High and Middle School Band Programs
Introduction The purpose of this post will be to share data that I collected last fall from junior high/middle school band directors to examine recruitment and retention of students in band programs in the age of Covid-19. I have already shared the data from the survey completed with Elementary Band Directors. Before presenting the questions, and data, I must stress […]
The Impact of Covid-19 on Elementary Band Programs
Through the pandemic, there have been stories of success as directors reinvested and reinvented their approach to maximize reaching students and successively starting them in band. It is vital that directors examine and share these victories with the profession at large.
Some Thoughts on Moving Forward
Trophies at competitions, degree of difficulty in the repertoire performed, or the number of performances completed will not determine the success of instrumental ensembles in music education in the immediate future.
Lonely Travelers
Lost in the early stages of the pandemic, I wrote a piece for Dennis Emert’s Elementary Band from Fox Chapel for their performance at the 2020 PMEA Conference. Although we were disappointed that the debut was canceled, it was a pleasure visiting with he and his students virtually last spring. “Lonely Travelers” is a setting of the folk songs 900 […]
