For many music educators, summer is the one time of year where we get to invest in ourselves. For ten or so months, we give everything for our students, often "burning the candle at both ends" to provide the quality instruction we demand of ourselves, and the workflow our administrators require. Once the summer recess … Continue reading Reload, Relax, and Recharge: A Teacher’s Summer Guide
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Transform Your Band’s Performance with Less Effort
At some point in my music teaching career, later than it might have been, I questioned why I was putting so much physical effort into conducting my band, and getting a very poor return on my investment. As my band dragged the tempo, I pumped the beat harder. As they ignored dynamic markings, I got … Continue reading Transform Your Band’s Performance with Less Effort
Understanding Musical Accents: Enhance Your Performance
Music is made expressive and exciting and emotional by the skillful use of contrasts by its performers. Music that is all loud or all soft, for example, becomes sterile and boring, while music that builds to climaxes and retreats into serene quiet is highly expressive. One area of music that relies on contrast is that … Continue reading Understanding Musical Accents: Enhance Your Performance
The Importance of Clear Music Notation
I wrote my first music composition for concert band when I was in high school. I was fortunate enough to have a supportive band director who allowed me to pass out the parts I'd made, and read the piece with our concert band. Eventually, I got a pretty good reading and a pretty good sense … Continue reading The Importance of Clear Music Notation
The Composer-Audience Tension in Classical Music
When I say “new classical music,” what is your first thought? Do you think, “let me at it, if it’s new, I want to hear it. New music is exciting.” Or, are your thoughts more along the lines of, “oh no, another noisy, annoying, incomprehensible piece. Why do they write music like that? Is it … Continue reading The Composer-Audience Tension in Classical Music
Choosing Mallets for School Band: A Complete Guide
For a non-percussionist teaching middle school or high school band, deciding what kind of mallets to use on various instruments, in various compositions, and for various effects can be confusing. The choice of mallet type and hardness has a profound effect on not only the loudness of the tone produced, but also of the timbre … Continue reading Choosing Mallets for School Band: A Complete Guide
Top Features of Dorico Pro 5 for Former Finale Users
Most people don't like change. A lot of people who have been Finale users, some for twenty-some years, don't like having to change from Finale to something else. To be honest, when I first heard that Finale was being phased out, I was upset, and even felt betrayed. What of all those over one thousand … Continue reading Top Features of Dorico Pro 5 for Former Finale Users
The Importance of Musicianship in Learning to Play an Instrument
Robert Adams Learning to play a musical instrument, or to sing, with a high level of musicianship takes lots of training, practice , and listening. A student will take lessons in school and attend music classes beginning in early elementary school, and continuing through middle school, if not further. Through it all, music teachers will … Continue reading The Importance of Musicianship in Learning to Play an Instrument
Why Do Grand Pianos Sound So Grand
by Aidan Whelan, guest author Grand pianos are prized for their magnificent sound. What makes these instruments sound so extraordinary? Why do grand pianos sound so full and rich? What makes their tone so penetrating and robust? Pianos come in all shapes and sizes, so why don’t all pianos, big ones and small ones alike, … Continue reading Why Do Grand Pianos Sound So Grand
Conducting Is A Visual Art
When I think of the many conductors I have played for, three kinds come to mind. One is the talker. This conductor explains everything before allowing anyone to play or sing. They like to "talk through" the piece, drawing our attention to all of the details they want us to play or sing in a … Continue reading Conducting Is A Visual Art
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