Instrumental Music as Physical Education

Most public school music ensembles spend 95 percent of their classroom time preparing for public concerts. It takes many hours of repetition of the music in order to program the body to perform the music accurately. Band and orchestra directors basically run rehearsals for a living and become very good at  providing the repetitions necessary to program the physical movements required to perform the music accurately.

When I begin writing articles for my website, I focused on sharing music practice tips. The majority of these were strategies designed to help maximize practice routine efficiency, garnering more successful repetitions of the music. What I have only recently realized, however, is that the majority of time and effort spent practicing a musical instrument has more to do with  programming the mind to physically control the instrument accurately and reliably. There is more “physical education” involved in instrumental music making than actual “music education”.

In most traditional high school bands and orchestras, the vast majority of rehearsal time is spent drilling the music in order for ensemble members to develop some level of physical proficiency in performance. Teaching basic musicianship concepts like reading notation, audiating pitch, and so on is left to the elementary music teachers to handle. High school ensembles focus primarily on ensemble techniques such as pulse control, section and group intonation, balance and blend, and so on. Those concepts are touched upon and then drilled, drilled, drilled until the ensemble can perform them accurately.

The Marriage Between Physical And Aural

One of the amazing things about studying music performance is that it elides the physical skill of operating a musical instrument with the mental skill of perceiving and instantly processing and reacting to sound. Singers do this as well, but the need to physically train the body is quite different. Instrumentalists spend a great deal of time simply becoming proficient at manipulating the contraption that makes the musical sounds happen.

Students of music have to not only become proficient at the physical movements, they also have to use their aural skills to assess their own physical performance. The actual musical part of instrumental performace is all mental, and it requires training and skill building just like the physical training of operating the instrument.

Over-Programming The Physical Part Of Performance

Because it takes so much time and repetition to program the body, musicianship and listening skills often take a secondary role in many school performing ensemble classes. This is compounded by the fact that many high school band and orchestra directors choose repertoire that demands a high level of technical proficiency on the part of the performers. Technical wizardry (those fast sixteeth note runs, screaming high notes, rapid tonguing or bowing passages, and so on) are engaging and exciting to listen to, and many directors want their students to have the experience of performing exciting works with a lot of technical fireworks.

The trade-off, however, is that technically demanding repertoire often consumes the majority of available class time simply to get the ensemble performing proficiently. Even then, traditional band and orchestra programs lean on the students with the higher music aptitude and skill development to carry the weight while their peers hang on for dear life or fake their way through the difficult passages. Add to that fact the more important consequence – the students rarely have time to improve their musical skills in favor of improving their physical skills.

Audio Gym Teacher?

If ensemble directors, for whatever reason, continue to program technically demanding works that constantly stretch the boundaries of what the students are capable of, they are providing their students with more of an “audio physical education” than a “music education”. Technical ability is only part of what makes up an effective musical performance. It is far better, in my opinion, to choose repertoire with easier technical demand that can be mastered in a shorter amount of time, leaving room towards the end of the preparation period to work on ensemble playing techniques, expressive phrasing, and communicating the intent of the music to the audience.

Quite simply, if by concert time students are not able to look away from the sheet music for more than a brief glance at the baton in order to be able to perform the piece, the technical demand is probably too high.

There certainly is a need for repertoire that “pushes the envelope” and gets students to reach for a new level of technical ability, but I have seen too many band and orchestra programs that try to stretch the ensemble with every single piece they perform. Slaving away on demanding parts is enjoyable for only a minority of students – most are turned off by such hard work, especially if that level of demand is constantly upon them.

Physical training in the band and orchestra is a major component of instrumental performing music and is constantly being addressed. There needs to be a balance, however, between the physical aspects of instrumental performance and the mental aspects of listening, audiating, and understanding music as an art form.

Thanks goes to Thomas J. West Music for letting us use his blog!

Thomas J. West is an active music educator, composer, adjudicator, clinician, and award-winning blogger.
thomasjwestmusic.com

7 Steps to a Killer Music Program

By Caleb Chapman

Starting a Music Program from Scratch
Back in the fall of 1998 my wife, Alison, and I went for a lazy Sunday drive that changed my life. I was an undergrad student at Brigham Young University in Utah completing a music degree with plans to pursue an MBA. On that drive, Alison suggested that instead of me pursuing a business degree, we should open a music school. To me it seemed like a crazy idea with little chance of success, but I learned a long time ago to listen to my wiser partner. So, just one month later, without much experience, without money, and without any significant business training, we opened a tiny music school in Utah.

Onward and Upward
Today that tiny music school has grown into a program with 13 ensembles and close to 200 top-notch young musicians, ranging in age from 10-18.

Our flagship group, a jazz ensemble called the Crescent Super Band, has received international attention, thanks to the program’s 22 DownBeat Awards, and appearances at venues from New York to the Netherlands. In fact, the band has been named Utah’s “Best Professional Ensemble” in any genre by Utah Best of State for 8 consecutive years – pretty amazing for a bunch of high school kids.

In a very short period, our graduates have landed significant scholarships in many of the nation’s top music schools – Berklee, North Texas, Miami, USC, the New School, and many others. In fact, each year our 20-30 graduates from the program rack up well over $1,000,000 in scholarship offers.

I just got word that an upcoming show for the Crescent Super Band at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola has already sold out and our headlining debut at Carnegie Hall has almost sold out a month before the concert. I had to pinch myself when I got this news! How did we go from that Sunday drive in 1998 to having a full house at one of the world’s most famous concert venues?

A Recipe for Success
As I took a moment to reflect, I realized that there are several key philosophies that have served us well. They are not genre-specific and I am confident that the success our program has experienced can be duplicated anywhere when these principles are implemented. And, while none of them are “groundbreaking,” when combined, they provide a powerful recipe for a successful music program.

1. Keep music fun
As soon as studying music becomes something our musicians have to do—a chore—we have lost the battle. And this isn’t true just for our students; music needs to remain fun for the educator as well. Think back to what sparked your own passion for music. How can you instill that in your students?

2. Instill pride in the product
Music programs are cool! How can this be communicated properly, and the pride shared with the students and community? It comes from a mix of culture, programming, recruiting, professionalism, and other aspects. It starts with the way you, your students, and the public view the program. What can you do to position your group as a cultural resource to your community?

3. Remove students’ perceived limitations
Young musicians don’t know what the limitations on their ability are until you tell them. Don’t be afraid to set the bar high and keep notching it up. You will be amazed at the results!

4. Practice (and rehearse) for perfection
You already know that when a student practices while allowing mistakes, all he is doing is getting better at making mistakes! Create a culture that strives for as much accuracy as possible in rehearsals as well as performance and select the repertoire that will allow you to do that. What motivates your students to strive for perfection?

5. Empower your musicians with clear guidelines for learning the repertoire
It’s the old “teach a man to fish” analogy. A good educator can teach students how to play any piece of music. A great teacher will educate those students on how to accomplish this on their own. This approach allows them to learn new music during their individual practice time and not just when they are in rehearsal. For example, something that worked great for my jazz students was establishing a set of “rules” for articulation, which they apply to every piece they sight-read or play, whether in class or at home.

6. Surround yourself with a powerhouse team
Start with mentors for yourself; assemble an all-star cast of musicians and educators that have the skills that you want to develop who are willing to coach and guide you. Then, build a dream team for your students—clinicians, a network of private teachers, parent volunteers and boosters, and a staff of specialists. We’re all in it for the same reason: the students. Let’s help each other succeed.

7. Listen. Listen. Listen.
Encourage your musicians to learn the language of music through active listening. Provide information on area concerts in all styles, not just the one they are focused on in the classroom. Assemble listening recommendations and a forum for them to share their current interests and artists they have discovered.

As an educator, I love hearing about how other educators help their students succeed. What are your tips to helping your students achieve their best? Share in the comments below.

Caleb Chapman is an award-winning performer, author, music educator, and producer. His new book, The Articulate Jazz Musician co-written with Grammy-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin, was released by Alfred Music in 2013. For more information on Caleb’s projects and educational innovations, visit CalebChapmanMusic.com.

Choosing the Right Music for Your Orchestra

As a string teacher for many years, I always enjoy looking at new music.  It’s a bit like opening a present!  As an editor at Alfred, I see the music about a year before it is released. Right now we have just released the new 2013 music and have much of the music for 2014 selected.

Things have changed from the days when we all spent a lovely summer day in an air-conditioned music store looking for just the right pieces to play that year. Now we depend on the Internet and all the great websites to browse the new music or look for great classics.  A classic can be a piece that just works so well that teachers play it year after year.  It can also mean enduring music.  This month we are featuring several types of classic music – great rock and roll and timeless serious music. 

No matter what you are looking for, be sure it fits the skill level of your group. I would generally choose to play a slightly easier piece and play it with excellence than play a more difficult piece poorly.  Of course, there are times that a challenge is called for!  Keep your curriculum in mind as well and find tunes that provide the opportunity to teach the appropriate skills. Enjoy!

Planning for the Unexpected

By Sally K. Albrecht, Editor

Are you a teacher who plans every class period down to the minute? Or do you go in with a general plan for the day and see how the chips fall? Or perhaps you have definite long-range goals for each class, that may take 3, 4, 5, or more classes to accomplish, leaving yourself some flexibility?

Do you remember the popular phrase “Different strokes for different folks?” What are YOU comfortable with as a teacher, as an educator? I’m sure you’ve watched others at their craft, chosen a mentor, or perhaps became one yourself.

Happily, each of us has our own directive, own pace, own goals, and own way of getting there. But then, of course, there’s that unexpected snow day, or a late bus, or field trip, or pep rally, or guest speaker that just puts a major crimp in our our plans for the day.

Each educator needs to be ready to implement an alternate plan. Can we come up with a quicker solution or different route to the finish line? Think “The Tortoise and the Hare!” Slow and steady might just win the race, if we choose the right path.

No matter how much we plan ahead, or think we know the correct route, we must always be ready for the inevitable to happen . . . but the trick is NOT to let the students know you’ve missed a beat. Don’t blame it on them. Don’t make them think that they’ve missed anything in your teaching strategy. Keep up your enthusiastic pace, and make sure that every child in your room gets a smile, a positive word or look, or an encouraging pat on the back each and every day.

I recently conducted a choral festival where just about everything that could go wrong DID go wrong, mostly within the first hour of rehearsal. I’ve never seen a better, more positive, “quick-on-the-draw” group of elementary teachers (and custodians) jump in to help and solve the problems. I had limited rehearsal time and lost nearly an hour of it, but took a deep breath and jumped in as energetically as possible, encouraging the singers to concentrate to their fullest extent, taking turns taking breaks, and calling on the teachers to help with all of the extras.

Kids, like teachers, are resilient. They love to sing, to perform, and to succeed. They enjoy supporting and encouraging each other, applauding each other’s performances. Stay positive with them. Don’t let them know when you’re sweating out a scary moment or an unexpected turn of events. Be the teacher that draws the best out of them . . . “where never is heard a discouraging word!”

Piano Teaching Tips from Christine H. Barden

The Discovery Books and CDs are the heart of the Music for Little Mozarts curriculum! When children have them at home, they memorize the songs much more quickly. And they are exposed to different styles of music that are more sophisticated than they are able to play at this early stage.

Students love the Beethoven Bear and Mozart Mouse characters and the adventure story. They are an effective aid to make the music come alive in a child’s first lessons.

This echo-song from Music for Little Mozarts, Discovery Book 1 is such fun to sing! In addition, the “Do Re Mi Tapping Song” introduces several important concepts that will lay the groundwork for developing both singing and playing skills:

1. Listen and respond – Young children learn quickly from imitating what they hear. I call this the “My-Turn, Your-Turn Game” and say to them, “When it’s my turn, you watch me and listen. When it’s your turn, copy me.” As your students progress, the patterning process introduced in this song will be helpful in teaching short melodic patterns from their lesson book pieces (confirming rhythm and intervals) as well as in introducing phrasing and articulation.
2. Experience sounds that go up and down – Have your students tap the following: knees-tummy-chest for sounds moving up, and chest-tummy-knees for sounds moving down. This makes a large motor connection with the direction of the sounds.
3. Develop an awareness of matching pitches through singing simple patterns in solfege – This is the introduction to singing in solfege, the international language of music. Some of your students’ parents might recognize the solfege syllables that are sung by Maria and the children in the movie “The Sound of Music.”

When introducing this song, I use the CD first. The tempo is fast so my goal is for students to have fun without expecting accuracy.

Next, I have students and parents in a group setting practice measures 15-18, singing and tapping knees-tummy-chest and chest-tummy-knees several times. Then, I have them tap knees-tummy-chest while singing ‘do-re-mi’ instead. In a private lesson, the student and I practice the motions together. In both settings I then accompany the singing as it is important for the children to see how much fun I have playing this song while they do the motions. I choose a tempo that is comfortable for my students and me.

During measures 19-20, I demonstrate whirling around once. In the second ending, we whirl around and clap “the end” on beats 2 and 3 of the last measure.

Some piano teachers may be opposed to singing, as lesson time is already short. During group lessons there usually is enough time to enjoy singing and dancing throughout the class, but for private students, I assign a listening segment from the Discovery Book as a part of practice time at home. Many parents and children tell me that they enjoy listening to the CD together in the car or at bedtime. Then it is easy to begin the lesson with “The Hello Song” and to choose another song to use in the middle of the lesson to help refocus attention. It takes little time and the pleasure is well worth it.

Happy teaching!
Christine H. Barden
Author, Arranger, Composer

Developing an Entertaining and Effective Book of Charts for Athletic Bands

“Some people don’t like scat singing!” This was a phone-in remark from a listener to the weekend big band jazz show I hosted on a local radio station many years ago. In my former life as a college band director, I found that – like programming a good radio show on big band music – finding a balance of fun, effective, and easy-to-put-together charts for an athletic band “book” could be challenging. It was important for me to face the fact that musical taste varied widely depending on the venue and the sport (not to mention the age ranges of the audiences). It also occurred to me early on that bands have to compete with pre-recorded music and advertising over a public address system that can be turned up to eleven (just like Spinal Tap). The resulting plan developed a system that allowed the band to be flexible with regard to events occurring in real time. It also involved teaching all of the student musicians, especially the student conductors, an understanding of the sport being played, a how to read the “room” (players, crowd, etc.) and adjust the bands performance accordingly. In order to make this work from year to year, I developed a standard book that was adjusted each year. At the beginning of each year, our staff and students would meet and discuss to retire some charts (those that didn’t get the response we had hoped), give some others a year or two off (great charts, but we all need a break), and audition new charts for the marching band folio and/or basketball/volleyball band book. Frankly, athletic bands enjoy a high public profile and need to be able to provide a variety of music in addition to the marching competition show book. The charts do not have to be difficult to be effective.

Being in a college situation, I was fortunate to have students every year interested in studying arranging (I have also witnessed this in many high school situations, as well). Each student was provided the opportunity to audition charts during the folio/book “reboot” at the beginning of each season, starting with the basketball band book then graduating to the marching band folio if the chart was successful. The chart audition process I used on these students is the same process I used for the published charts that I would buy, which provided the majority of music in each book. It is important to note that I still impose these guidelines on myself when writing marching and pep band charts for publication:

• Is the song instantly recognizable? (Most of the time, simple tunes need to be played simply – that is, folks don’t care for extended harmony in your everyday pop tune)
• Are the parts and score clean? (Easy-to-read, no complex instructions needed, no “Dead Sea Scrolls”)
• Is it 1:30 in length or less? (Let’s face it, attention spans are short. So are time-outs.)
• Can it be adjusted/edited to fit into 30 second segments or less?
• Does it have additional parts for maximum flexibility? (Keyboard, drum set, electric bass, optional bass clef parts in treble clef)
• Can the chart be played in public on the third or fourth read down? (When you’re preparing 20-30 charts, they need to read down fast and easy)
• Bonus points: does the song transcend age? (Jump in the Line – Shake Señora comes to mind as an example, known by people ages 5 to 85)

After the new charts are in place and prepared for public consumption, it is time to watch and read the atmosphere they do or do not create in a real time, live situation. Those that worked as planned were performed more often. Those that did not were placed in secondary mode and tried a few more times to double check their effectiveness.

The strangest story about the short life and rebirth of a chart was my arrangement of Peter Gabriel’s cool tune, Sledgehammer. The year I wrote the chart, it failed the basic audition criteria. It was moved to the book anyway where it was met with a total lack of interest by the band and the audience. Needless to say, that chart was quickly retired. Fast forward ten years: a student librarian discovers Sledgehammer in the library and asks to add it to the reading session. It was an instant hit with the band, the team, and the audience, becoming one of the most popular recurring charts for the next ten years! Be flexible, be interested in current music and music trends (stay hip, my friend!), and remember to observe the atmosphere that is created by the band.

Ralph Ford
Composer, arranger, conductor, and clinician

Getting to Know: Alice Parker

Photo from ACDA convention from left:
Michael Spresser, Alice Parker,
Sally Albrecht, Andy Beck

By Sally K. Albrecht

During the recent national ACDA (American Choral Directors’ Association) convention in Dallas, I had the extreme pleasure of getting to know Alice Parker. This choral treasure is a non-stop, energizer-battery lady, full of wit and wisdom. For over 60 years, her love of teaching has touched thousands of lives and voices. She has truly created a community of musicians through her work.

Composer, arranger, conductor, and teacher Alice Parker was born in Boston, MA, in 1925. She is a graduate of Smith College and the Juilliard School of Music, where she began her long association with Robert Shaw. Their arrangements form an enduring repertoire for choruses around the world. She has influenced many composers, conductors, and singers through seminars held at conventions, colleges, churches, and in her home. Ms. Parker continues to be active as a composer, with many cantatas, choral suites, and octavos published in recent years. She was named the first Director Laureate by Chorus America in 2012, is a Fellow of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, and is the recipient of many honors and awards—including ACDA’s 2013 Robert Shaw Choral Award.

During our “The Legacy of Lawson-Gould” interest session at the convention, Ms. Parker explained her arranging process and the working relationship that she and Mr. Shaw enjoyed. She researched the music, sketched out the arrangements, then presented them to Mr. Shaw, who marked changes and suggestions as he heard them. It was a wonderful collaboration, which resulted in many subsequent performances, publications, and recordings by the Robert Shaw Chorale. She instructed us to first read the text for its true meaning, reminding us to make those “flat dots” and words on the page come to life. Then she concentrated on the melody, pointing out the line and the rhythms. Finally, she encouraged us to communicate the combination of the words and the melody in a new way, using our own voices.

Ms. Parker’s energy, expertise, and musical spirit captured us all as she led us in song through several of her favorite Parker-Shaw arrangements, giving us time-tested pointers along the way!

>Please visit melodiousaccord.org for more information on studying with Alice Parker.

>Click here for a complete listing of current Alice Parker arrangements from the Lawson-Gould catalog.

Structuring Opportunities for Creative Development

Nate Brown
Drum Author, Performer, and Educator

Some of the most successful toys throughout history have been those that leave the creating to the kids: Tinker Toys, Legos, Lincoln Logs, Play-Doh, Sims, Minecraft, and the list goes on. Kids have a natural drive to create and explore – even as adults we are motivated by the opportunity.

Honing that drive is not as simple as telling a student to go home and create something this week. It’s our responsibility as teachers to structure creative opportunities in a way that develops, motivates, and is within the reach of the students’ abilities. Think how motivated a beginning student might be with a structured assignment like this: Create a 16 measure snare solo using quarter notes and eighth notes, and give your solo a title. In this way, the student is taking strides towards developing his/her own style and connecting with his/her instrument.

This is the concept behind my book, Alfred’s Beginning Workbook for Snare Drum – to motivate students to create, explore, and ultimately develop a superior skill on their instrument by providing structured opportunities to be creative.

I had the amazing experience of working with Dave Black while writing this book. His best-selling method books have been in my teaching arsenal for years. When I presented him with the ideas I have used to motivate creativity, he was excited about the idea of a workbook that could accompany any beginning snare drum method.

In this workbook, students work through concepts sequentially as they are encouraged to be creative through structured activities such as composing, matching, beaming, completing duets, improvising, solos, check-ups, final test, and more. The late Louie Bellson had this to say: “Alfred’s Beginning Workbook for Snare Drum is a comprehensive, well-written, and a useful manual which achieves its overall goal of encouraging creativity in the learner. It has my highest recommendation.”

With the right tools, teachers can make strides towards encouraging students to become more connected with their music through creativity—and the best part—students will appreciate the exciting challenge. There’s a reason Legos and Play-Doh have stood the test of time: the desire to create is in us all.

Finding Meaning in Your Teaching Career

By George Megaw
Belwin/Pop Concert Band Editor

I’m reminded of two former students that brought meaning to my teaching career. Beth was an outstanding clarinet player and contributed to the high school band program above and beyond. She pursued music as her passion and career; she eventually earned her doctorate and is now teaching at the university level. It’s always gratifying to see a former student of this caliber share our passion and succeed, or even surpass their teacher.

Conversely, Ron was a good trumpet player who had lost his father at a young age and was brought up as the only child of a single mother. One weekend, I chose to take him flying with me to give his mom a break from being both parents. The afternoon had nothing to do with music or band. Fast forward about 20 years to when I was reading the newspaper while waiting for an early commercial business flight, when I became aware of a uniformed flight crew member looking at me from across the waiting area. As he approached me, I was sure I was going to end up on a no-fly list or something… but it was Ron…the Captain on my flight. That Saturday flight in a little airplane so long ago inspired his career choice as a commercial airline pilot.

I can’t tell you which former student I’m most proud of, and there are many more. (The first-class upgrade was certainly a nice treat though!) Every teaching day we have a critical impact on our students’ lives. Sometimes it just takes years to learn about them.

In our role at Alfred, we’re here to help you make those gratifying teaching opportunities more frequent and easily available. Thanks for considering the Belwin concert band catalog for your teaching and programming needs.

We Do It All for the Students…

By Richard Meyer
Highland/Etling String Editor

When asked in an interview recently to give advice to new teachers, I remarked: “Remember that you are teaching people, not music.” As teachers, we are so lucky. Every day we are given the opportunity to influence our students’ lives for the better and we have at our disposal the greatest vehicle for change known to humankind: music. Of all the subjects in the entire school curriculum, I am convinced that it is music that best teaches our students the most important life skills.

As every school year begins, we meet new students who are anxious to learn to play an instrument. They sign up for our classes because they know that they want music to be a part of their lives. What these eager beginners don’t know, however, is that once they start playing music, their lives will never be the same. They don’t know of the real life lessons that lie ahead or how music will change who they are. They don’t know.

But we know. Oh, how we know! We see them change daily and, with music, we help them develop skills they will carry with them for the rest of their lives—self-discipline, cooperation, teamwork, determination, goal setting, and leadership. The list goes on and so does our passion for teaching, renewed each year by a fresh batch of students who look to us for guidance. As year unfolds, we celebrate the musical progress our students make. Primitive, unrefined sounds slowly become recognizable tunes. Recognizable tunes eventually become basic ensemble pieces and, if we are all very diligent, ensemble pieces gradually turn into music.

As you celebrate the musical growth of your students, please don’t forget to celebrate those other ways in which they are progressing: the person they are becoming and the progress that each of them is making as a human being, as a leader, and as a caring citizen in a world that desperately needs caring citizens. Celebrate what you, with music, are doing to enrich all aspects of your students’ lives.

Recently, one of my beginning cellists was packing up after only her second lesson. She paused for a moment and said, in all seriousness, “I think I’m going to play the cello my whole life.” I hope she does. But even if she doesn’t, I am proud to know that music will have made her a better person.