Klarinet Archive - Posting 000252.txt from 2004/05

From: "Thomas" <thomas@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: Being the poor old Band Director
Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 10:25:59 -0400

Nicholas - more aggressive doesn't mean getting angry! It means standing
behind what you say. Don't waffle. Set the musical bar higher. Raise
your standards. You have to make the students make intelligent choices.
You give them the guidelines.

Competitive marching band as a rule does not do that, as far as the musical
bar is concerned - who gives a rat's behind about what trophies they win, if
they can't play their scales and play in tune? Which most of them don't, I
judged marching bands and marched drum corps - so I am a bando and know from
experience, lol. But in any case, marching band should NOT be the core
of the program. Concert band (and lessons if your district has them) should
be. That is where they really Learn about Music.

Come up with something, like a playing test on different levels. The higher
the level attained, the higher the grade. They can choose. Give them a
few weeks to prepare. You can post a copy of the score sheet so they know
in advance what they are being judged on. You can test them on the music
they're learning for band, too. Give them all their major scales to 4-5
sharps and flats, 2 octaves by memory, mm 120 and start with quarter
followed by eighths with a quarter note on each Do. And chromatic. If they
can do them, that's a superior right there. And give them a generalized
chart: You do this, you get an A, you do this, it's a B, and so on.

Another thing to do is support private lessons. Most band directors just
give the kids a list of teachers, and forget about it. Go to the booster
meeting and make sure the parents get one, and talk about it. If they are
so concerned about superiors, then tell them their kids have to put the time
into the instruments because that is what gets the superiors. The kids
will get back what they put into it. What you do in class will be better
the more they can do on their own. The more kids who take lessons, the
more superiors they will see. People don't have to be future music majors
to be good musicians.

Also - go talk to the principal, and also the superintendent, or any other
administrator. If the program is on the chopping block, ask what he will do
to support it. Find out what needs to be done to keep it from being cut
and get it in writing.

MENC has a band director's bulletin board that is pretty good.
http://www.menc.org/networks/band/openforum/wwwboard.htm

Lynn

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