3/25/11 - Reflections

I was glad that this week's readings focused on score study, one of my very favorite topics in instrumental music education. This topic carries over naturally from lasts week's readings on the importance of selecting good repertoire. Selecting repertoire is very important, but once the pieces are selected, you have to know how to bring the music to life. I am reminded of a quote from the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where Indiana Jones is teaching archeology in a college-type setting. He teaches the students that, "90% of all archeology is done in the library: research and reading." This is true of conducting as well. 90% of all conducting really revolves around score study - knowing your score and how to bring the music to life. If you don't know the score inside and out, you really have no purpose being up on the podium. It would be like a math teacher trying to teach her students about a complicated calculus problem without first reading over the material and creating a lesson plan. Music educators need to be proactive about score study. Even though I do not currently teach, I always have somewhere around ten scores open at once. I read scores like I read books; for me it is fun!

Writing or marking on the scores is one of the most important things we can do as conductors. In this chapter, there was a school of thought presented that it was a bad idea to mark anything in the score - ever! I couldn't disagree more. In fact, I vehemently disagree! The book states that writing in the score might cause us to be slaves to the page instead of directing our attention to the musicians in front of us. This is ludicrous. Marking in the score is a technique to help us during the preparation process so when the time comes to step onto the podium, we can be better prepared. I think the conductor who neglected to do his homework would have his eye in the score even more! Look at the scores of all the best conductors who have ever lived. Their scores are so heavily marked, you can hardly read the manuscript!

This chapter also discussed detailed harmonic analysis as a necessary part of score study. I agree to a point. Yes, we need to be aware of the general harmonic map of the piece of music we are conducting. But do we need to have every measure analyzed down to the very last detail? To me, this seems superfluous and an unnecessary waste of time. How much is it really going to help you on the podium if you know that in measure 173, the flutes, 2nd clarinets, tenor saxes, and euphoniums have a French Augmented 6th Chord in second inversion that doesn't seem to resolve into anything, all while the oboes, horns, and vibes are playing chordal clusters, and the tympani is rolling on the supertonic in the parallel mixolydian mode? While fascinating, this is the type of information that doesn't have to be written down on the page. It is cumbersome and useless. A good conductor's ear will hear all these things happening simultaneously anyway, and they can know how to balance this sort of musical texture by analyzing the score. While it may be worthwhile to do a dissertation on the detailed harmonic analysis of Music For Prague, it is not practical for podium use.

3/18/11 - Reflections

The readings for this week focused on one of my favorite parts of a music educator's life: Repertoire! I always wanted to get into this profession because of the richness, quantity, and quality of music that exists in the world. Especially in the wind ensemble medium, there is so much variety of music to choose from that the possibilities are almost endless. There is always the "March" music from composers like Sousa, King, and Fillmore. Then you have the vast array of orchestral transcriptions which have always played an important role in the concert hall. Always important are those "staples" for band that have stood the test of time. I think of pieces like "The Holst Suites in Eb and F" as a prime example of this. Most band directors want to keep their audiences entertained by presenting them with some "lighter" selections, which might include works from popular and jazz styles. And last of all and probably my favorite, the vast exploration of all the new music that exists! If the 19th and 20th Century primarily belonged to the orchestra, then the 21st Century will be built upon creations for the band.

There is nothing greater than getting to conduct a band today, because the possibilities are so endless. By the same token, there has never been a greater time to be a composer for the wind ensemble medium. By and large, the wind ensembles are commissioning, playing, and paying more than any orchestra. There is a reason for this. In the United States of America for the last seventy years or so, there has been a great tradition in the public schools for band programs. Despite the economic conditions that we live in today, and all the money being stripped from the arts, there still is a strong tradition for schools to teach instrumental music, and the strongest instrumental music programs in this country are without a doubt the bands. People might not have to like this fact, but it is true. Sort of like the orchestral and choral traditions coming out of Europe, the Americas have one of their strongest musical foundations in the military band. Now, this is not to say that there are no schools with great orchestral or choral programs, but they are fewer compared to bands, and there are additional reasons for this along with military and tradition. Bands and Sports go together like peanut butter and jelly. And because marching and pep bands are so important to the athletic organizations, bands naturally have a solid place in this country and abroad.

I look forward to the opportunity for the first time I get to program music for my first band concert. I look forward to playing music from different styles, time periods, difficulty levels, and from all parts of the world. One of the questions that is often asked is, "Who do you program for?" The Audience? The Students? The Conductor? The School? The Community? I know sometimes band directors have to wear many hats and please a lot of people. Hopefully they will choose music that will challenge the students, and please the audience. But sometimes the best music pleases the students and challenges the audience! Whatever the case may be, it is important to have a variety. It is also important not to over-program. Why would a band director put Lincolnshire Posey and Music for Prague on the same concert? That would be like an orchestra programming two Mahler symphonies for the same night. The reverse is also true. As music educators, we must challenge our students to play more music than we think they can. The idea is to get a balance, where most students will be able to experience the "flow" sensation.

3/4/11 - Reflections

There were no assigned readings for this week, just lots of opportunities to experience the different joys that come from teaching! First, we had an experience in class to teach our "first lesson" on an instrument of our own choosing. I chose the clarinet because I am also in the Clarinet Methods class this semester, and I wanted an opportunity to teach someone a formal lesson on it. This experience had some positive moments, and some unexpected ones. I succeeded in that I was able to get through the lesson with my student knowing how to assemble the clarinet, put the reed on the mouthpiece correctly with the ligature, and get a fundamental tone. If I had a chance to go back and do it again, I think I would teach the concept of embouchure better. I like the analogy that I used, but because I feared that time was running out I think I sped over this important facet of playing in order to get to playing. I'm not happy with this aspect of my teaching because embouchure formation is one of the most important things an instrumentalist can do, and it is important to get it right the first time. The psycho-motor skills develop quick connections in the brain, and a student will play like his teacher says.

A couple of days later we had the great opportunity to teach 5th grade students in instrumental music at a local grade school. This experience proved to be extremely positive and enjoyable. I was happy that I was able to memorize my lesson plan so I could be the most effective while teaching. Instead of focusing on each "step" I was able to envision the lesson as one complete whole. This helped me get from my teaching objectives to the teaching outcomes quite easily. I was able to walk around the room and informally assess the students as I gave directions. Most of the students were able to count and play with a basic level of proficiency. Of course there were some students who could play better than others, but this is to be expected at such an early level. Overall I thought the class did excellent in their preparation and performance. I expected to have a much harder time than I did. The students were respectful, and for that I was very grateful. I look forward to going back there in two weeks and teaching them again.