SBO July 2009 by SBO School Band & Orchestra

JULY 2009 $5.00

Andy Soucy

of Londonderry (N.H.) High School

The Dividends Of Commitment UpFront Q&A: Dr. John Benham Roundtable: Survival 101

Contents 18

July 2009

Features 10

UPFRONT Q&A: DR. JOHN BENHAM Dr. John Benham outlines the necessary steps every school music program should take to minimize being impacted by budget cuts.

REPORT: ESSAY CONTEST SBO presents the winners of the 2009 Essay Contest, for which students answered the question, “How Does Music Unite Cultures Within Your School and Community?”

ROUNDTABLE: SURVIVAL 101 A distinguished panel of industry veterans give advice on weathering the first few years of a career in music ed.

UPCLOSE: ANDY SOUCY SBO catches up with Andy Soucy, the driving force behind the booming Londonderry (N.H.) High School music department, to discuss the challenges of developing and maintaining a large and successful non-competitive music program.

PERFORMANCE: THE HORN SECTION Illinois State University professor David Snyder provides the fundamentals of nurturing a quality horn section.

TECHNOLOGY: INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS John Kuzmich takes a look at how interactive whiteboards can benefit music educators and their students.

Columns 4 6 43

Perspective Headlines New Products

45 46 48

Playing Tip Classifieds Ad Index

Cover photo by Matthew Lomanno, Manchester, N.H.

SB&O School Band and Orchestra® (ISSN 1098-3694) is published monthly by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781) 453-9310, publisher of Musical Merchandise Review, Choral Director, Music Parents America and JAZZed. All titles are federally registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Symphony Publishing, LLC. Subscription Rates: one year $24; two years $40. Rates outside U.S.A. available upon request. Single issues $5 each. February Resource Guide $15. Periodical-Rate Postage Paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER/ SUBSCRIBERS: Send address change to School Band and Orchestra, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Copyright © 2009 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

2 School Band and Orchestra July 2009

Perspective

A New Spin on the Survival Guide

ccording to the Web site for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “At least 47 states faced or are facing shortfalls in their budgets for this and/or the next year or two. Combined budget gaps for the remainder of this fiscal year and state fiscal years 2010 and 2011 are estimated to total more than $350 billion.” When we originally envisaged the SBO “Survival Guide,” it was intended to be a publication for new and veteran teachers to provide support and ideas to help them deal with the normal, day-to-day struggles as a music teacher. Although we still provide this type of information, with the current economic meltdown, this issue has taken us on a divergent path, and that is to be more focused on how to save music programs from being cut from school budgets. I have seen firsthand the effects of the cost-cutting mea“The more people sures within my son’s middle school, as several highly skilled who are marshaled and well-liked academic teachers have been given pink slips. and represented The music program was spared this downsizing, although many parents were quite nervous throughout the process. in support of mu- One person whom I hold in very high regard, Dr. John Bensic education, the ham is, unfortunately, quite busy now due to the fact that he applying his expertise in saving school music programs. We greater chance isconsult with Dr. Benham in this issue to discuss myriad ways there is surviving of to manage the potential cuts to music programs. Two important points, among many others, stand out an economic cut.” within Dr. Benham’s approach, and they are political power and a sound economic argument. The power is in the numbers, and the more people who are marshaled and represented in support of music education, the greater chance there is surviving of an economic cut. It’s hard to ignore a well-organized group of parents and students who show up at a school board meeting to let the superintendent know that they don’t want to lose their children’s music program. The economic argument John makes is that the band or orchestra director is often one of the most “efficient” teachers in terms of the number of students in his or her classroom. It’s not unusual for a band director to have 200 or more students during each day, which is significantly more than most other academic classroom teachers. Once these students are displaced, however, they need someplace else to go, and therein lies the problem. Benham’s argument shows, through a cogent economic analysis, that it often costs the school system more money than the amount would save by cutting the music program. An outline of his plans is shown in greater detail in this issue. Lastly, the informative Web site, www.supportmusic.com, which is supported through a coalition of music associations, organizations, and companies, including NAMM, MENC, DCI, ASCAP, Yamaha, Guitar Center, Grammy Foundation, and dozens of others, provides a wealth of news, ideas, and resources for anyone with concerns about their school music program.

Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com 4 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

July 2009 Volume 12, Number 7

GROUP PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com PUBLISHER Richard E. Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com Editorial Staff

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christian Wissmuller

cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com

EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Denyce Neilson dneilson@symphonypublishing.com Art Staff

PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill

lguptill@symphonypublishing.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Advertising Staff

ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox

ifox@symphonypublishing.com

CLASSIFIED SALES Maureen Johan mjohan@symphonypublishing.com Business Staff

CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Popi Galileos pgalileos@symphonypublishing.com WEBMASTER Sanford Kearns skearns@symphonypublishing.com Symphony Publishing, LLC

CHAIRMAN Xen Zapis PRESIDENT Lee Zapis lzapis@symphonypublishing.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Rich Bongorno rbongorno@symphonypublishing.com Corporate Headquarters 26202 Detroit Road, Suite 300 Westlake, Ohio 44145 (440) 871-1300 www.symphonypublishing.com Publishing, Sales, & Editorial Office 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1 Needham, MA 02494 (781) 453-9310 FAX (781) 453-9389 1-800-964-5150

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Alan Pasqua to Head USC Jazz egendary jazz pianist Alan Pasqua has been appointed Chair of USC Thornton School of Music’s Jazz Studies department. Also joining the jazz studies faculty are saxophonist/composer Bob Mintzer and drummer Peter Erskine. In addition, USC Thornton is introducing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Jazz, which will be overseen by Kathleen Grace and Kristin Korb. For more information, visit www.usc.edu/music.

Yamaha Cares Gives Keyboards to OC HS of the Arts

ongwriting students at the Orange County (Calif.) High School of the Arts recently received a special surprise: 20 new keyboards from Yamaha Cares to help them craft their masterpieces. Students must audition to get a spot in the coveted school, which was established in 1987. A public charter school that serves over 1,300 students in grades 7-12 who hail from 92 cities in Southern California, the school recently received recognition as a California Distinguished School from the California Department of Education. Earlier this year, Yamaha Cares fielded a request to provide keyboards for a songwriting class that had no instruments and turned to Walt Straiton, manager of Education Resources at Yamaha’s Academic and Institutional Resources department, to determine the ideal product for the class. The students signed a lovely plaque and sent several hand-made cards to Yamaha Cares. One student wrote that the instruments “will definitely be put to good use.” One senior drew an impressionistic treble clef and wrote that “we have been talking about having our own keyboards in the Voice Conservatory for so long, ever since I started in 8th grade, and it really is amazing to see this happening . . . Thank you so much again for these beautiful keyboards.” The “generous offer,” wrote another budding superstar, “makes me even more excited to start my career as a musician.” To learn more about Yamaha Cares, visit www.yamaha.com/yamahacares.

Big & Rich’s Big Kenny Donates 140 Guitars to Nashville Schools AVAILABLE IN: HIGH POLISH AND VINTAGE FINISH FOR: ALTO SAX AND TENOR SAX

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ig Kenny, of Big & Rich fame, presented 20 of the 140 donated Guild acoustic guitars in person to more than 40 students on May 12, 2009 at Mt. View Elementary School as part of Little Kids Rock. During the presentation, the children performed songs for Big Kenny. Additionally, they engaged in a question and answer session with him and presented him with an award for his generosity and support. For more information, visit www. fender.com.

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Online Survey Results

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, Lowrey Make $25k Instrument Donation

he Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (MHOF), a non-profit organization that supports music education programs in schools nationwide, surprised students at the Farnsley Middle School in Louisville, Ky. with the donation of $25,000 worth of instruments to the school’s music program. Farnsley Middle School serves 1,100 6ththrough 8th-grade students in the Louisville area. Over 300 music students at the school took part in the unveiling during early morning classes. Farnsley’s current school music program budget is $5,500 a year for both orchestra and band, so the donation came as a wellneeded boost to the music program and the students. The donation was generated by funds raised through Lowrey’s Web site. In March of 2008, Lowrey’s national music organization, L.I.F.E. (Lowrey Is Fun and Easy) established the ‘Kids Need Music’ program designed to bridge the gap between musical generations. LIFE Members nationwide, mostly retirees, held dozens of auctions, bake-sales and sold orange wristbands to help raise funds so that younger musicians would have the same opportunities to know the joy and accomplishment of making music. The organization chose The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation as the recipient of their fundraising efforts. For more information, visit www.lowrey.com.

Does your school host a band camp?

Yes

68%

32%

Visit www.sbomagazine.com and let your voice be heard in the current online poll – results to be published in the next issue of SBO.

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HeadLines Health Enterprises Products Earn American Podiatric Seal of Acceptance

ealth Enterprises, Inc has been awarded the prestigious American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance for its Therapeutic Foot Massager and Tru-Ice Reusable Ice Therapy, both of which are helpful for the physical demands placed on the feet of high school marching bands. The APMA Seal of Acceptance Program was created to inform podiatric physicians and consumers about products whose quality, safety and effectiveness promote good foot health. In order to qualify for the Seal products must pass a grueling scientific evaluation by a panel of APMA members and rigorous testing at a recognized laboratory. The results are then evaluated by a committee of Doctors of Podiatric Medicine who decide to grant or deny the use of the Seal. Health Enterprises, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of branded and private label OTC consumer healthcare products sold in retailers across the globe. For more information, visit www.healthenterprises.com.

Letters to the Editor Hats off to Bob Spiegelman on his article “Salute the Troops.” He hit the nail on the head when he mentioned that in many communities throughout our country, the Public School Music program is the only organization that can provide music at a Memorial Day/Military tribute. Jari Villanueva has an excellent Web page that explains the history of and honors the Taps Buglers (www.tapsbugler. com) at Arlington National Cemetery. Band directors should encourage their trumpeters to watch this video. Brass players can also sign up at “Bugles Across America” to volunteer their talents playing taps locally for military funerals. Recently, the number of American Veterans passing has surpassed the number of available buglers to play Taps at military funerals, and so many communities have taken to purchasing mechanized or “fake” bugles. It is a shame when a Veteran cannot have the honor and dignity of having a real life bugler with the honor guard to recognize and celebrate his duty to his country. We are fortunate in my town of Westborough (Mass.) to have dedicated music educators (Karen Forrest at the Middle school and Matt Lefebvre at the High School) and students to perform at these events and sound taps at each of the local cemeteries. We should always remember our fallen heroes. Paul Tomashefsky (Grade 5 Band) Mill Pond School Westborough, Mass. I appreciate having SBO online. There comes a point when I simply cannot store all the “hard copy” back issues, so it’s great to have them in an electronic form. Thanks for the service, and the great magazine. Please accept my sincere best wishes for continued success! Jay Kahn Maquoketa, Iowa

14th KoSA International Workshop, Drum Camp and Festival

oSA’s 14th Annual International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp and Festival will take place from July 30-Aug 2 in Montreal, Canada. Featuring many talented artists, including Memo Acevedo, Pierre Béluse, Anne Julie Caron, Ndugu Chancler, Mario DeCiutiis, Kenwood Dennard, Dom Famularo, Aldo Mazza, Allan Molnar, Giraldo Piloto, Jim Royle, Dave Samuels, and Trichy Sankaran. KoSA 2009 promises to present a great program of learning, growing, and live performances. KoSA will also be celebrating the grand opening of the brand new KoSA Centre for the Arts, located in downtown Montreal. To learn more about the 14th annual KoSA International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp and Festival, visit www.kosamusic.com. School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 9

SBOUpfrontQ&A: Dr. John Benham

The Budget Cut Emergency Action Plan

he effects of the current recession have been felt far and wide, as state budgets have been slashed and spending curtailed. For many schools,

these are particularly difficult times. All too often, reduced budgets translate into direct threats to the wellbeing of music programs. While there isn’t always an easy answer to stave off administrators and school board officials who are responsible for making the painful cuts necessary to keep schools afloat, this is no time for band and orchestra directors to throw in the towel. But if there simply isn’t any money, what is a music teacher to do?

Dr. John Benham has some answers. A former music teacher and current professor of ethnomusicology at Liberty University, Dr. Benham has spent the last 29 years working directly with music programs to prevent cuts in the face of budgetary crises. In a recent SBO interview, this longtime music advocate provides the outline of an action plan that could spare your music program when those difficult financial decisions are being made. 10 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

School Band & Orchestra: With so much pessimism in the media about the economy, how are school music programs across the country holding up? John Benham: I can only gauge that by what I’ve seen. I’ve been doing this now for 29 years, and I would say that this year, to me, has been the most significant amount of activity in terms of my work – which means that it might be the most difficult for mu-

sic programs. The most discouraging thing is not even the economic crisis that seems to be stimulating this, but the fact that people seem to be giving up the fight and accepting cuts to music programs. SBO: What recourse do educators have other than simply accepting cuts? What should educators be doing? JB: Of course, there isn’t an easy answer, but from my perspective, when

people don’t refuse to accept a cut, they’ve lost the philosophical basis for the program in their own minds. And secondly, and even worse, maybe it’s not their own position that is being cut, but somebody else’s, so they don’t fight it. SBO: For a school music program director facing hard realities and budget difficulties, what options are there? JB: I don’t see any reason not to fight. For all the years that I’ve been doing this, I’ve seen that when three things are in place, we always manage to win [i.e., stave off budget cuts to music programs]. The first element is the development of a strong supportive music coalition. I don’t necessarily mean a fundraising group, although that’s often where it starts. If we unify these coalitions to where they don’t just represent one arm of music education – say for example, a band boosters or an orchestra boosters or a choir boosters group – because music education becomes unified, then we have political power. When I’ve seen political power, I’ve never seen anyone lose a program. So the number one factor is to have a strong, unified K-12 district-wide music coalition representing all areas of music. SBO: And this is group comprised primarily of parents? JB: I call it a community group because it doesn’t have to be restricted to parents. Assembling a supportive group is the number one issue because, essentially, the process of cutting programs in a school is political. So whoever speaks the loudest gets his or her way. That’s just a political fact of life. We have elected school board officials, who elect the head of the district, so what tends to happen is that the school board starts representing that person or that group rather than the community. The community needs to retake possession of what the law gives them the right and responsibility to do, and that is to determine policy for their district through the school board. So if a community says, “You will not cut music,” the community will win. But you have to have the community organized to accomplish that.

And the fourth area is how cuts The second most important aspect would impact the budget. If you have is to have the profession itself unified. bands, orchestras, or choirs that have This can be very difficult, especially 50 kids in them and you lose 65 perif you’re looking at having program cent of that enrollment, where are cuts. Let’s say I’m a band director and those kids going to go? They’re going I’m thinking, “Well, the orchestra proto go to a class that has gram is taking a lot of 25 or 30 students, not my kids that could be “We tend to look at the 50 that was in the in band” or “They have music class. This calow numbers anyway,” this process as saving pacity issue means that am I going to suggest teachers’ jobs rather the music program is a cut in my band pro- than saving kids’ opeconomically way more gram, or am I going to portunities to make viable than most other go suggest a cut in the classes. The problem orchestra program? music, but if we focus is that teachers often The fact of the matter is on the effect cuts don’t understand how that teachers shouldn’t will have on students, to demonstrate this, or suggest a cut in any area we’re much more sucthey don’t have the time of the program because to do that kind of detail then they’re partially cessful.” work, which is why I so responsible for the cut. often work with community members. The teachers should only develop Also, teachers generally don’t have what we call “impact statements.” much experience analyzing that kind If the administration makes stateof data in the budget. ment about what is going to happen, than the administration and the school SBO: Creating an impact stateboard are responsible for whatever is ment of the likely fallout from going to happen, not the teachers. potential cuts, having an informed SBO: What exactly does an impact statement cover? JB: We do impact statements in four categories. What will the impact be on the faculty? For example if one band director is cut, what percentage of the faculty is that displacing? Is that a five percent cut, a ten percent cut, or a 50 percent cut in the music staff? How will that impact the student/faculty ratios? This all comes down to making sure that the students can get by. We tend to look at this process as saving teachers’ jobs rather than saving kids’ opportunities to make music, but if we focus on the effect cuts will have on students, we’re much more successful. The second thing we look at is how cuts would impact the curriculum. So if we cut elementary band and orchestra, what is the long-term impact of that going to be? Well, we know from our research that if you do that, you’ll lose 65 percent of your enrollment at the secondary level within two years. The third area of impact is along those lines, where we look at the how cuts would impact student participation.

and unified community group – what’s the third step to saving a program?

JB: The third step is understanding the process of saving a program, which, in other words, means understanding the process of how the school board makes decisions. How do they gather the information to make decisions? How can educators provide school boards and administrations with the proper information to make sure that cuts aren’t made in music? SBO: You’re talking about raising the level of political awareness among teachers so that they can effectively communicate how the music program fits into the overall scheme of their students’ education? JB: A coalition gets people to listen. If you can provide them with the right information, then they have an escape hatch to go with you. So if I can demonstrate the impact of proposed cuts. For example, the average music performance teacher has, say, 200 students, compared to the classroom teacher who has 125. If you lose those students in the music classes because School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 11

you cut the feeder programs, essentially, it will take 1.6 new classroom teachers to handle those students. It seems overly simplified, and it is a more complex practice to demonstrate the fallout through statistical analysis, but the fact of the matter is that I’ve never had an administrator argue against that line of reasoning. That’s why they don’t tend to cut music at the secondary level, because schools know they can’t afford to lose those band, orchestra, and choir classes. SBO: What’s interesting here is that these are very pragmatic arguments that are also a different approach from just pleading the inherent value of music in education. JB: The problem is that you have

to attack the situation from the perspective it’s being presented. In other words, if you’ve got a financial crisis and you go in and say, “Well this is good for kids,” they’re going to respond, “Yes, we agree. However, we don’t have the money.” What always happens is that a financial crisis exposes an educational philosophy that’s been there the whole time. When people tell me that they have a very strong administration, I ask them how their financial situation

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is and they usually say, “Very good.” You’re not going to find out where your support is until you’ve got a crisis. So what is the crisis? Is it financial? Is it a crisis of educational reform? The fact of the matter is that, educationally, music is still not regarded as being on par with many other subject areas from the perspective of the decision makers. Also, if you make the argument that music is important because it helps students in other subject areas, what you’ve really done is infer that those areas are more important; we have to justify our programs from our own perspective. SBO: Do you have specific advice for music educators to go about creating a supportive community coalition? JB: I think the thing to do is to communicate with them. That’s always the first step. The Support Music Web site has a lot of great information. On www.supportmusic.com,. educators can find all sorts of resources free of charge. There is a segment called “Counterpoint,” which explains a lot of the process that I’ve mentioned here, and then there’s something called the “Community Action Kit,” which has all sorts of practical tools,

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and it’s all free and downloadable. SBO: This is a place where people might go to find the step-by-step process of building a community coalition? JB: Exactly. On that community Action Kit, there’s something called the “Advocate’s Plan,” which is a PowerPoint presentation with speech notes that parents can make to the school board. On this Web site, educators and community members can find all of the practical information that school boards and administrators want to hear. SBO: Do these three steps that you’ve outlined vary greatly based on a school’s demographics? JB: No, it doesn’t make any difference what the size of the district is or where it’s located; it’s all the same. I’ve come up with these points over 29 years of working in this field. We have to activate those people that have the power so that they can claim that power. Then we, as music educators, have to get out of the way so that we don’t undermine the process by appearing in conflict of interest or dividing our own programs and become competitive. And finally, if you don’t understand the process, you simply need to become more involved.

Dr. John Benham is president of Music in World Cultures, Inc., a non-profit organization through which he provides consultation as an advocate for music programs throughout the world. He is professor of Ethnomusicology & Worship at Liberty University, where he is responsible for graduate studies in ethnomusicology. He is the author of the How to Save Your School Music Program – A Handbook for the Music Advocate, and has extensive experience saving and restoring music programs in the face of budget cuts. Read his contributions in “Counterpoint” and the “Music Advocates Toolkit” on www.supportmusic.com. He can be reached at jlbenham@gmail.com.

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SBOReport: Essay Contest

2009

SBO Essay

Winners M

ore than 7,000 students from all part of the United States and several foreign countries participated in

SBO’s 9th annual Music Students Scholarship Essay contest, co-sponsored by NAMM, Alfred Publishing, Hershey Fund Raising, Yamaha Corporation of America and Avedis Zildjian. This year’s theme – “How Does Music Unite Cultures Within Your School and Community?” – had multiple winners from the states of Texas and California, and, for the first time, a winning essay came from the country of Kosovo, from an American student studying there. To date, $180,000 in scholarships and music products has been awarded to 81 school music programs. Allison Wrenn Thomas, the 18-year-old

As an American attending a music high school in the war-torn country of Kosovo, I have had the privilege to witness firsthand the power of music to unite diverse cultures. Music has opened the door to many personal friendships with Kosovars that I will cherish for life. Music has also become a bridge between the local Muslim community and the American Peacekeeping Forces. I remember the first time American soldiers visited our dilapidated school. Curiosity and tension vibrated in the air until Liridon sat down to the piano. As a Kosovar folk song filled the room, the atmosphere dissolved into smiles and applause: we had found a common language. The soldiers came often after that. They invited us to perform on their base and also attended our school concerts. As the only American attending this local school, I was increasingly drawn upon as an interpreter, liaison, and musical consultant. A particular highlight was a 4th of July concert sponsored by the local community for U.S. soldiers. City Hall was packed with Kosovars and Americans. I’ll never forget everyone rising to their feet as my classmate, Beltina, and I sang the first notes of the American National Anthem. The program continued with a lively mixture of local folk songs and American patriotic songs performed by our school choir and instrumentalists. It was a privilege to be a part of these musical events, which brought together the U.S. Forces and the local Kosovar community, contributing to peace in the world’s newest republic.

senior at Cesk Zadeja Music High School in Kosovo, entered this winning essay:

Other winning essays can be read online at www.sbomagazine.com. 14 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS 2009 Timothy Anderson

Enrique Garcia

Franklin High School 900 North Resler El Paso, TX 79912 Age 17 Grade 12 Music Director: Bruce Beach

Lincoln High School 4777 Imperial Avenue San Diego, CA 92113 Age 17 Grade 11 Music Director: Deborah Nevin

Allison Wrenn Thomas

Jonathan Ho

Cesk Zadeja Music High School Ferizaj, Republic of Kosovo Age 18 Grade 12 Music Director: Lindita Isufi

Andrew High School 3200 Senter Road San Jose, CA 95121 Age 17 Grade 12 Music Director: Tom Eschenfelder

Lilian Chou Wheaton Warrensville South High 1993 Tiger Tail Wheaton, IL 60189 Age 16 Grade 11 Music Director: Krista Halvorson

School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 15

Alexis Sell

Ashleigh Cox

Pulaski Middle School 911 South St. Augustine Street Pulaski, WI 54162 Age 14 Grade 8 Music Director: Timothy Kolovsky

Five Forks Middle School 3250 River Drive Lawrenceville, GA 30044 Age 14 Grade 8 Music Director: Joe Bader

Gavin Scott Age 12 Grade 7 Music Director: Jonathan Kruzel

Steven Gonzalez

Paola Bataresh School No. 1 32 Stevens Avenue Little Falls, NJ 07424

16 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

Michael Fossum Middle School 7800 North Ware Road McAllen, TX 78504 Age 13 Grade 8 Music Director: Robert Hochstetler

Glasgow Middle School 4101 Fairfax Parkway Alexandria, VA 22312 Age 12 Grade 7 Music Director: Lynette Blacksten

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SBORoundtable: Survival

Survival 101 A

s part of our survival issue, SBO spoke to experienced band directors and music education professionals to get their advice and tips on surviving that exciting and, at times daunting, first year of teaching.

What are the toughest challenges a music educator will face in their first year of teaching? Heath Wolf: Narrowing the gap between what they know and what they need to know to be successful as an instrumental music educator. No matter how good your college education is, there will always be areas in which you feel you need improvement, especially in the first years of teaching. Professional networking with successful educators and performers can be a great resource for the myriad of pedagogical problems that confront all teachers, especially those in their first year. Taking private lessons on instruments you feel weak on, attending clinics and master classes, and joining professional organizations can all help narrow the gap. John Stroube: Most young teachers struggle with classroom control and techniques for channeling the attention and energy of their students. All will be lost unless control is attained and maintained in a positive way. Yet the need to remain positive must not prevent the teacher from sustaining command of the learning process. Elizabeth Fritz & Leon Kuehner:

Establishing credibility with the students, consistency, dealing with students saying, “That is not the way Mr. /Ms. (fill in name) did it.” Establishing discipline and motivation, dealing with paper work and deadlines. 18 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

Sandra Jordan: If the program has not been updated in a while, they may need to work with their music or arts supervisor in the district to build support for instruments and supplies such as guitars, other stringed instruments, and related technology. And they’ll quickly realize they need to proactively mobilize and inspire the parents of their students to help keep support going for the program during budgeting times. Without parents as advocates and believers in the program, it will be very difficult for a new music educator to withstand the trend to cut arts programs in tough economic times. Jeff Phillips: I think the hardest thing for new teachers in general (especially band and orchestra directors) is trying to find that balance of where your job fits with your life. So many times the frustration on starting a new job is overwhelming; combine this with the demands placed on programs at the beginning of the year, whether that’s recruiting in the lower grades or a Friday night marching band show, and younger teachers often get in over their heads too soon. Then they can’t get out of a pattern of staying at school until midnight every day of the week and this leads to early job and career changes. Finding that balance between being a dedicated professional and having a life away from the job is crucial. Are there new issues facing music educators that you haven’t seen before?

HW: The biggest issue is the increased demand for a student’s time, impairing educators’ abilities to participate in the arts. While this is not a new issue, it has certainly intensified over the past decade. The ever increasing academic requirements placed upon students are forcing kids to choose between studying music and taking an AP class that they have to have in order to be admitted to the college of their choice. Add to that, family, church, sports, and social activities with friends, and you find there is not much time left in the day to devote to practicing an instrument. The only answer is to constantly educate your community about the importance of the performing arts to a balanced society and to produce a product that reflects that importance. JS: Music educators are being held accountable for authentic education to a greater extent than before, partly because new tools and methods of accountability are being developed. EF & LK: The Iowa Core Standards, more and more combining of instrumental/string/vocal/ general music positions, inclusion of special education requirements. SJ: Obviously the economic crisis in the United States is unprecedented in most of our lifetimes. It’s important for music educators to keep a positive, professional outlook and demeanor as programs face budget trimming and full-on cuts. Don’t wait for the cuts to come to your district – start today to build a community coalition of parents, professional musicians and business leaders who can defend students’ right to a complete education that includes music and arts instruction. JP: The economy is an issue that we’ve faced before, however, the reaction of parents and communities is different. Budget demands are tighter and there may be more people unable to afford instrument payments, trip payments, and class fees. With so many schools across the nation adopting curricular changes such as the American Diploma Project, scheduling and just basic curriculum design from the music teachers is something that we can’t just leave to the guidance department or the administration any longer. Music teachers must take a more

aggressive and active role in communicating their ensembles to not only those decision makers, but to students and parents. We have to be our own advocates. What are the basic, yet essential, tools a teacher should have? HW: You must have a passion for what you do. Passion is infectious and will draw students to your program as well as get you through the low points that everyone experiences. You must have a strong pedagogical knowledge of all of the instruments you teach. It’s alright to admit that you don’t know something to your students but make sure you figure it out by the next rehearsal. Finally, you must have good communication skills with students, parents, and administrators. You can avoid a lot of headaches by simply picking up the phone or sending an email. JS: A music teacher should possess good ears for tone and intonation, rhythmic accuracy, and precision, articulation, and style; good eyes for outward signs of proper or improper approaches to performance; a good sensitivity to mood and feedback from the learners; and a good vision for what the students should become. EF & LK: Musical knowledge, a basic knowledge of all instruments, a plan to discipline, a plan to motivate, the ability to ask questions, the ability to say, ‘I don’t know’ but I am willing to find out. SJ: Insatiable curiosity, respect for students, unflappable nature to withstand the onslaught of student vim and vigor; a commitment to finding and maintaining the joy and passion for music in each of his/her students, a commitment to personal excellence, good planning and classroom management skills, good sense of humor, breadth of genre and instrument knowledge and facility. JP: Universities do a good job preparing students with the music part of the major. Where most problems occur is in dealing with administration and parents (communication) and budget issues. Not too many people lose their jobs over missing a decrescendo in a 5/8 bar, but not working with the principal or misappropriation of funds will cost you. Do you have advice for educators to keep students interested and motivated?

Heath C. Wolf Director of Bands Farmington Jr. High President Utah PAS Farmington, Utah Heath Wolf is director of bands at Farmington Junior High School in Farmington, Utah, president of the Utah chapter of PAS, and a freelance percussionist in Salt Lake City.

John Stroube Executive Director Kentucky Music Educators Association Richmond, Ky. Dr. John Stroube has taught for 25 years at all levels. As executive director of the Kentucky Music Educators Association, he oversees the operations of the state office.

Elizabeth Fritz & Leon Kuehner Mentor Chairs Iowa Alliance for Arts Education/ Music Mentors of Iowa Iowa Elizabeth Fritz, band director and music teacher for the Decorah Community Schools, is a National Board certified music educator in her 24th year of teaching. As Music Mentors of Iowa chair, she has been involved with the creation of several mentoring programs for music educators in Iowa. Leon Kuehner has been a music educator for the past 34 years. He has been president of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, state chair of the American School Band Directors Association, and state chair of the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education. He has served on the boards of the Iowa Music

School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 19

Educators Association and is currently the vice-president of the Executive Board of the Iowa High School Music Association.

Sandra Jordan Associate Director, Public Affairs and Government Relations NAMM Carlsbad, Calif. Sandra Kilpatrick Jordan is the Associate Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations for NAMM, the trade association for the global musical instruments and products industry. A former clarinetist and the mother of a 25 year old daughter who benefited from quality music and arts programs in New York City public schools, Ms. Jordan now oversees the NAMM Foundation’s grants to innovative music learning programs that serve people of all ages and abilities and scholarships to students pursuing music business and education. She also leads the SupportMusic Coalition, which now includes over 200 arts, music, parent and other civic organizations, and represents 7 million people who are united in support of a complete education that includes music and arts instruction for all children. Ms. Jordan holds a Master’s of Science Degree from Bank Street College of Education in New York City and a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jeff Phillips Band and Orchestra Director Hendersonville High School Hendersonville, Tenn. Jeffrey T. Phillips, Ed.S. is currently in his 24th year of teaching Band, Orchestra, and Music Theory at Hendersonville High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Phillips also serves as the national president for the American School Band Directors Association and is active as a trombonist in the Nashville area. He also is the adjunct trombone professor at Belmont University.

20 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

HW: Motivated students are led by motivated teachers. A teacher who is excited and passionate about his or her job will instill those virtues into the students. Provide students with examples of what they could accomplish both as individual musicians and as an ensemble. Set short and long term goals describing your expectations for individuals and for ensembles, and then teach them the skills they need to achieve those goals. The success the students experience as they begin achieving their goals will further motivate and empower them to strive for the next goal. JS: It is essential to make students responsible for their own learning. I suggest that music teachers look into constructivist learning theory and attempt to apply it to their lessons. Also, nothing beats getting to know the students as individuals, engaging them in conversations about their lives outside the classroom. A teacher showing interest in this way develops a rapport that returns great dividends in student responsiveness. EF & LK: Take an interest in the students’ life outside of the classroom. Keep the students active all the time. Be genuine in your approach to students. SJ: Skilled music educators continually inspire and innovate; they genuinely want to learn more about their students lives and musical interests; they never assume the genres of music they will most enjoy; they provide lots of opportunities for smaller and larger ensemble work; they allow time for and expect selfexpression through composition, and for meta-cognitive skill-building through blogging and essays on music and its myriad elements. Good teachers in any subject area strive to be learner-centered, not teacherfocused. JP: One of the keys is to keep yourself challenged over the years. After 24 years, I still play my instrument regularly, teach privately at a local university, and read subject matter information constantly. In addition to this, I have outside inter-

ests and have learned how to take some time to refresh my mind so that I can be energized and excited about what I’m doing. In addition to their students’ progress, what method would you suggest an educator use to rate their own progress? HW: First, you must know what you would like your program to be. Second, you must then determine the skills you need in order to propel your students to that goal. Third, you must begin addressing the weaknesses you and your ensembles have, beginning with the most basic need. Throughout this process, you must record your ensembles’ rehearsals and performances. You can rate your progress as an educator by reviewing these recordings objectively and by determining whether or not your teaching strategies helped produce the desired results in a timely manner. JS: In the absence of an externally imposed program review, a teacher would gain valuable insight by rating his/her program according to MENC’s Opportunity-to-Learn Standards. Sharing the results of such a self-audit with an administrator should generate dialog about how he or she can assist the teacher with bringing the music program in line with these standards. EF & LK: Input from peers, fellow teachers, administrators, and judges. Be open to mentoring, seek input and evaluation. JP: If you’re happy with your life, then you’re on the right track. While this doesn’t mean complacency, if you can look at the whole year and say it’s been good and know that you’ve done everything you could to get it to “this” point, then that is success. Success is ultimately the responsibility of the individual. What are some of the best approaches for assessing students’ abilities and limitations? HW: Try to get to know each student personally so that you gain their trust. When students trust the teacher, they will be more likely to

open up and not hide their weaknesses. You must evaluate the students individually on a regular basis to accurately assess their progress. This can be done via playing tests on short passages, solo performances, or written exams.

EF & LK: Take time for yourself; you need some time away from students. Try not to take work home. Work late at school rather than take work home. When at home, try to relax. This can be a challenge at times.

JS: Some form of individual assessment is essential, as music students easily can hide their limitations by simply looking the part. Whether by live, recorded, or computer assisted playing tests, there is no substitute for planned tests on a regular basis.

SJ: It’s only natural. Take some time to enjoy a hobby such as gardening or cooking. Join or establish a weekend warrior garage band, a New Horizons concert band or or-

chestra, or a community or church choir. Get back in touch with the many benefits of making music for you. JP: Again, we have to find that balance of “job” and “life.” There are times during the year when it’s going to be really hectic; that’s just part of life, but as earlier stated, when the job becomes life, that’s when people lose focus and begin looking for other careers.

EF & LK: Individual or small group lessons if possible. I would rather have 10-15 minutes of a private lesson than a 30-minute group lesson. Try to be a team player – other teachers in your area or classroom teachers can be a great resource. JP: If you perceive a problem, check with a counselor or special education teacher. That sometimes provides insight into any learning disabilities or limitations. If you as a teacher aren’t getting through, assign a peer tutor. When you see that different approaches to the same problem aren’t making any progress, get some outside help to try something different. You can’t just give information or directions the way that you understand them; students may learn in ways different than the way the teacher does. Try to explain and demonstrate concepts in a variety of ways. What suggestions do you have for educators experiencing burnout? HW: This job can consume you, and know matter how passionate you are, sooner or later you will burn out if you push too hard. Find a hobby that has nothing to do with music and devote time to it on a regular basis. Although there are times when you have to take the job home with you, try to leave work at work. The emotional highs that come with success can be very addicting, but eventually, the time and effort it takes to maintain those highs will take a physical and emotional toll. JS: Teachers should read about their subject, study other peoples’ curricula, and discuss burnout concerns with other experienced teachers. They should ask the others what they do to keep themselves motivated. School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 21

UpClose: Andy Soucy

The

Dividends of

Commitment BY ELIAHU SUSSMAN In the past 12 months, the more-than-300-member Londonderry (N.H.) High School Marching Band has traveled to China, marched at a Presidential Inauguration, performed at the St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Parade in New York City, and had been honored by New Hampshire governor John Lynch, who issued a proclamation for an official Lancer Marching Band Day last October. At the helm of this burgeoning program is music director Andy Soucy, who has just completed his 37th year at, as he says, the only job heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever applied for.

22 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 23

It would be a stretch to say that these past 12 months have been the culmination of 37 years of work. However, Soucy does cite a director’s commitment to the music program and its students as the foundation upon which a program’s success should be built. In a recent conversation with SBO, he states as much: “It takes time to build a program, so the director’s commitment to that program is the first step.” Like so many other music educators, Andy began playing music in elementary school. He first played

The Londonderry Lancers at the Great Wall of China.

The Lancers drum line at the TD Banknorth Garden.

“It’s really a cool thing to be in the music program in this town.” in band during high school and also spent some time performing with the Spartans drum corps in Nashua, N.H. At that time, Andy also started to gig. He had a trumpet and was learning piano on his own, performing at weddings and other functions with a little combo back when he was only 16 years old. From there, he went on to Keene State College, and after that, in 1972, started teaching in the Londonderry School System. In the following interview, Andy outlines his program’s evolution, sharing the details of a few of the more memorable experiences he and his students have had along the way. School Band & Orchestra: What prompted you to study music education?

Marching at the N.Y.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade. 24 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

Andy Soucy: Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with music. There was a lot of music and singing in our household growing up, and I knew music was always going to be an important part of my life. When my dad encouraged me to take music lessons, it was just meant to be. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with music until I started playing in drum corps. At that point, one of the instructors became a real inspiration to me. He advised me to get a degree in music education because then I’d always have that to fall back on, even though I hadn’t thought seriously about going

into education at that point. What he told me made a lot sense, so I followed his advice. When I first started teaching, I continued playing with my band, and I kept that going for a long time. I wasn’t sure if I was going to really like teaching, but I fell in love with it. I’ve been here since I started, which is a pretty long time, 37 years now. If somebody had told me back then that I would still be here in 37 years, I would have said, “No way, I have other plans.” But it really has worked out to be a wonderfully supportive and exciting community. Years later, I did a masters program in administration, thinking that I would want to head in that direction, but I don’t know if I could have left the program. It reached the point where this has been a very strong part of my life. I won’t call it an obsession, but this is very meaningful and very important to me. SBO: Tell me a little bit about the early days of your time teaching. What was the program that you walked into like?

There was no high school program when I started. When I came in, I was just teaching grades six, seven, and eight. That was in 1972, and in ’78, the high school opened. SBO: What were your initial goals when you started at the high school? AS: Very simply, to get as many people involved in the music program as possible. It was a very exciting thing to do. I had written a few holiday tunes and we recorded a 45 record – nobody knows what that is anymore [laughs] – and everyone was excited. At the end of the year we recorded our concert and made an album. It was like a pied piper’s dream; everyone was interested in becoming involved with the music program. When the high school opened, we had a good turnout for band, orchestra, and chorus. We had good enrollment in the program, and that has continued up through today.

The Londonderry High School Lancers at a Glance Location: 295 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, N.H. On the Web: www.lancermusic.org Students in High School: 1766 Students in Music Department: 502 Curricular Ensembles (with Student Enrollment): • Concert/Marching Band (257) • Symphonic Band (46) • Color Guard (35) • Combined Marching Band (332) • Jazz Ensemble (19) • Intro to Jazz Ensemble (28) • Orchestra (40) • Concert Choir (35) • Chorus (29) • Chamber Choir (15) Recent Notable Events: • April 8, 2009: LHS Drumline performs at the Boston Celtics Halftime Show; then, by request, returns for a Playoff Game halftime performance on April 20th. • March 17, 2009; 310 Band & Guard members march for the 14th time in the annual New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. • January 2009: 280 Band & Guard members represent N.H. in the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. • June 2008: 252 Band & Guard members participate in a Beijing 2008 Pre-Olympic Music Festival. OTHER Manchester Monarchs Hockey – On-ice performances yearly 2003 – 2008 NASCAR – On-track / pre-race performance yearly – 1996 – 2007 Walt Disney World – 2006, 2001, 1996 Pasadena Tournament of Roses – 2004, 1997, 1992 Orlando Citrus Parade – 2002 JFK Aircraft Carrier – Performance for Parade of Tall Ships – 2000 Miami Orange Bowl – 1999

SBO: And what are your numbers like today? AS: In a school of almost 1800, we have just over 500 students that come School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 25

down everyday for a music course. We have four concert bands and one symphonic band. We have two jazz ensembles, one by audition and one which is an intro group. We have three choral groups: chorus, concert choir, and chamber choir – chamber choir being the select choir by audition. We have an orchestra with over 40 strings. In addition, we have piano and theory classes. And that doesn’t include color guard, which meets after school. It’s really a cool thing to be in the music program in this town. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the kids. At the middle school, we have 11 bands. They aren’t all huge, but about 35-40 kids per group. We have 11 choruses and three string ensembles. I would say we have about 80-85 percent of kids in performance groups at the middle school next door. There is a lot of interest in this town.

“I tell my students to be humble and remember that every community should be supporting their music program and providing these opportunities.” SBO: What do you think it is that makes the music program such a vibrant part of the community? AS: I think a large part of that comes from our philosophy, which is that music is for everybody. We try to make it an open door opportunity for people. We have a lot of students that are just in band for one year and then they drop out, and that’s fine. We also had about 80 graduating seniors in the band this year, so a lot of them do stay with it, too. The marching band is about 330 students on the football field. We took 280 students to the Inaugural Parade this year, and we had 310 in New York City for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Not everybody goes on the trips every year, but we do show up in pretty big numbers. SBO: It must have been pretty exciting to bring 280 kids down to Washington D.C.? AS: We were so honored to get that invitation. Of all the inaugurations, we felt like this was the one to be at because it was such an earth-shattering event. At one point, there were 1.8 million people on the mall. The numbers where just unbelievable and we were delighted to be there. However, it was not an easy parade. It was kind of scary, in some respects. We had to report at the Pentagon at a certain hour, the highways 26 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

were closed, we had parents with us that wanted to see the parade; it was really tough logistically, but we understood why. The Secret Service had a job to do, and we all recognized and had great respect for what they were doing. I told the kids that this is a military operation, not just a typical parade. So we arrived at the Pentagon and when our division, division 5, was ready to go, we all rolled in convoy to the White House, which is where the staging took place. But the parade was delayed. When we actually marched, it was dark. We stepped onto Pennsylvania Avenue at 6 o’clock, and at 6:25 we were in front of the President of the United States. All of the protocol that has to be adhered to was very, let’s say, enlightening. We had no idea of all of the rules we’d have to follow. For example, the band director can’t be on the same side of the street as the President, no eye contact with the President, and all kinds of other things. It was exciting. I was cold, the kids were really cold, the valves on instruments were starting to freeze up, but those kids cherished that memory and that will stay with them for their entire lifetimes.

SBO: I can only imagine. In addition to the Inauguration, your bands have participated in a number of very high profile events. What are some of the challenges of maintaining a music program of such size and stature? AS: The best way to describe this is that I think we have a good team. We have a wonderful parent organization called “Friends of Music.” We have 80 or more attendees at our meetings every month, sometimes more than 100. We have a lot of family involvement and we have a lot of siblings involved. Basically, we’re very accessible. We’ve seen a lot of friendships develop between families because their children are in band. Our administration is also very supportive, and we just have a good school. It hasn’t been any one thing that has helped us to prosper, it’s been an ongoing sequence of opportunities. We have a really wonderful team and you could say that people play together here really well. SBO: About the Friends of Music organization, was that something that you originally put into place? AS: Yes. At first it was called “Friends of Band,” but we changed that because we wanted it to be more inclusive.

We had some help from an attorney, who helped us draft some guidelines. We registered with the State Attorney General’s office and got a federal tax ID number. We were given some good advice and we just went with it. That’s the nuts and bolts of it. We presented it as a chance for parents and the community to celebrate the opportunities that their children were taking part in. SBO: It sounds like your program is in a great situation. Even so, have you felt the pinch of tough economic times? AS: Not as a department or a program, but we’ve seen it in the families of our students. SBO: Do the Friends of Music help support the trips financially? AS: Actually, they are mostly parent-supported. Washington D.C. was a $500-trip. In some instance we help kids go, but we have to be very careful that we don’t step on toes because there’s a lot of pride involved. That said, we do help students out, although it depends on the kind of trip that it is. For instance, we’ve been to the Rose Bowl three times. When we go there, we’re representing the school and we’re

School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 27

representing the state. If the group is going to another event that is more of an elective event – like Disneyworld or some place like that – we would not do the same kind of fundraising. For events where we feel we have a larger connection to something, where there was regional representation involved, then we will use all our resources to make sure that every student musician who wants to go will be able to. We have fundraisers all the time for students, and some parents do not want their children to do fundraising. Some kids have jobs and they’ll put money aside towards their trip. We give them opportunities and the students do what they need to; some might do one fundraiser and not another, depending on how much money they need to amass to participate in a certain event, so it varies greatly for each student. SBO: What kinds of fundraisers do you hold? AS: We’ve done everything from selling candles to flea markets to coffee sales. The brochure-type events 28 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

usually have a 40-percent return, which is pretty good. We also do walka-thons where students solicit pledges. We’ve done other unique things, like a cookbook where parents provided recipes; that was a lot of fun and very profitable. We’ve held a lot of different fundraising activities over the years. Some kids are really motivated and sell a lot, some are okay, and others just don’t get involved. SBO: Your goal when you were first establishing the program was to get as many students involved as possible. Has that goal shifted over the years? AS: I think that any student who

wants to be a part of the program has that opportunity here, and that, to me, was our goal back than, so I think we’ve achieved that. We’ve done three Rose Bowls and the Miami Orange Bowl, the Citrus Parade, and many other events. I don’t know exactly what’s next, but we’re always planting seeds, so to speak. Time will tell what will happen.

SBO: What is it that you hope your students take away from their participation in your program? AS: I hope that they take away a feeling of fulfillment, of personal reward and satisfaction. I hope that they feel that the cultural opportunities that they’ve had within the music department are unique and will serve them throughout their lives. I tell the kids that whether they continue with band or not, never forget how good the program was to them. They’ll have a chance to be supportive of the arts on down the line, and that’s very, very important. SBO: Do you have any advice for band directors out there who may be looking to build up their programs as you have? AS: It takes time to cultivate parent support to where you want it. It is not just a two-year activity to create a system where there is administrative and parent support, you have to keep building. It takes time to build a music department, and the director’s commitment to that program is the first step.

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challenged her to name tones for me—by ear. I made her stand so she could not see the piano keyboard. I made sure other classmates could not help her. I set up everything perfectly so I could expose her Perfect Pitch claims as a ridiculous joke. With silent apprehension, I selected a tone to play. (She’ll never guess F , I thought.) I had barely touched the key. “F ,” she said. I was astonished. I played another tone. “C,” she announced, not stopping to think. Frantically, I played more tones, skipping here and there all over the keyboard. But somehow she knew the pitch each time. She was AMAZING. “Sing an E ,” I demanded, determined to mess her up. She sang a tone. I checked her on the keyboard— and she was right on! Now I started to boil. I called out more tones, trying hard to make them increasingly difficult. But each note she sang perfectly on pitch. I was totally boggled. “How in the world do you “How in the world do you do it?” I blurted. do it?” I blurted. I was totally “I don’t know,” she boggled. (age 14, 9th grade) sighed. And that was all I could get out of her! The dazzle of Perfect Pitch hit me like a ton of bricks. I was dizzy with disbelief. Yet from then on, I knew that Perfect Pitch was real.

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“How does she DO it?” I kept asking myself. On the other hand, why can’t everyone recognize and sing tones by ear? Then it dawned on me. People call themselves musicians, yet they can’t tell a C from a C ? Or A major from F major?! That’s as strange as a portrait painter who can’t name the colors of paint on his palette. It all seemed so odd and contradictory. Humiliated and puzzled, I went home to work on this problem. At age 14, this was a hard nut to crack. You can be sure I tried it out for myself. With a little sweet-talking, I got my three brothers and two sisters to play piano tones for me—so I could try to name them by ear. But it always turned into a messy guessing game I just couldn’t win. Day after day I tried to learn those freaking tones. I would hammer a note over and over to make it stick in my head. But hours later I would remember it a half step flat. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t recognize or remember any of the tones by ear. They all sounded the same after awhile; how were you supposed to know which was which—just by listening? I would have done anything to have an ear like Linda. But now I realized it was way beyond my reach. So after weeks of work, I finally gave up.

Then it happened . . . It was like a miracle . . . a twist of fate . . . like finding the lost Holy Grail . . . Once I stopped straining my ear, I started to listen NATURALLY. Then the simple secret to Perfect Pitch jumped right into my lap. Curiously, I began to notice faint “colors” within the tones. Not visual colors, but colors of pitch, colors of

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Oh, you must be wondering: whatever happened with sound. They had always been there. But this was the Linda? I’ll have to backtrack . . . first time I had ever really “let go”—and listened—to Flashback to my senior year of high school. I discover these subtle differences. was nearly 18. In these three-and-a-half years with Soon—to my own disbelief—I too could name the tones by ear! It was simple. I could hear how F sounds Perfect Pitch, my piano teacher insisted I had made ten one way, while B has a totally different sound—sort of years of progress. And I had. But my youthful ambition wasn’t satisfied. I needed one more like “hearing” red and blue! thing: to beat Linda. Now was my final chance. The realization struck me: THIS IS PERFECT The University of Delaware hosts a performing PITCH! This is how Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart music festival each could mentally hear spring, complete with their masterpieces Join musicians around the world judges and awards. To —and know tones, chords, and keys who have already discovered the my horror, they schedme that year as —all by ear! to . uled the grand finale. It was almost For 28 years, we’ve received letters The fated day childish—I felt sure from musicians in 120 countries: arrived. Linda gave her that anyone could � “Wow! It really worked. I feel like a new musician. I am usual sterling perforunlock their own very proud I could achieve something of this caliber.” J.M., mance. She would be Perfect Pitch with percussion � “Someone played a D major chord and I recogtough to match, let this simple secret of nized it straight away. S.C., bass � “Thanks...I developed a full alone surpass. But my “Color Hearing.” Perfect Pitch in just two weeks! It just happened like a miracle.” turn finally came, and Bursting with B.B., guitar/piano � “It is wonderful. I can truly hear the differences in the color of the tones.” D.P., student � “I heard I went for it. excitement, I told my the differences on the initial playing, which did in fact surprise Slinking to the best friend, Ann me. It is a breakthrough.” J.H., student � “It’s so simple it’s stage, I sat down and (a flutist). ridiculous. M.P., guitar � “I’m able to play things I hear in my played my heart out She laughed at me. head. Before, I could barely do it.” J.W., keyboards � “I hear a with selections from “You have to be born song on the radio and I know what they’re doing. My improviBeethoven, Chopin, with Perfect Pitch,” sations have improved. I feel more in control.” I.B., bass guitar � “It feels like I’m singing and playing MY notes instead of and Ravel. The she asserted. “You somebody else’s—like music is more ‘my own.’ L.H., voice/ can’t develop it.” applause was overguitar � “What a boost for children’s musical education! R.P., “You don’t underwhelming. music teacher � “I can identify tones and keys just by hearing stand how Perfect Afterwards, I them and sing tones at will. When I hear music now it has Pitch works,” I counscoured the bulletin much more definition, form and substance. I don’t just tered. I sat her down board for our grades. passively listen anymore, but actively listen to detail.” M.U., bass and showed her how Linda received an A. � “Although I was skeptical at first, I am now awed.” R.H., sax � “It’s like hearing in a whole new dimension.” L.S., guitar to listen. Timidly, she This was no surprise. � “I started crying and laughing all at the same time. J.S., confessed that she Then I saw that music educator � “I wish I could have had this 30 years ago!” too could hear the I had scored an A+. R.B., voice � “This is absolutely what I had been searching for.” pitch colors. With Sweet victory was D.F., piano � “Mr. Burge—you’ve changed my life!” T.B., this jump start, Ann music to my ears, mine student � “Learn it or be left behind.” P.S., student . . . soon realized she at last! —D.L.B. also had gained Perfect Pitch. We became instant celebrities. Classmates loved to Now it’s YOUR turn! call out tones for us to magically sing from thin air. or 28 years now, musicians around the globe have They played chords for us to name by ear. They quizzed proven the simple methods that David-Lucas Burge us on what key a song was in. stumbled upon as a teenager (plus research at two leadEveryone was fascinated with our “supernatural” ing universities—see www.PerfectPitch.com/research). powers, yet to Ann and me, it was just normal. Now you can hear it for yourself! It’s easy and fun— Way back then, I never dreamed I would later cause and guaranteed to work for YOU—regardless of your such a stir in the academic world. But when I entered instrument, your playing style, or your current ability. college and started to explain my discoveries, professors Order your own Perfect Pitch® Ear Training laughed at me. SuperCourse and listen to the first CD. We promise “You must be born with Perfect Pitch,” they’d say. you will immediately hear the Perfect Pitch colors that “You can’t develop it!” David-Lucas starts you on—or return the course for a I would listen politely. Then I’d reveal the simple full prompt refund (you’ve got our 28-year word on it). secret—so they could hear it for themselves. You can even check out your progress at no risk. You You’d be surprised how fast they changed their tune! must notice immediate and dramatic advancements in In college, my so-called “perfect ear” allowed me to 1) your ear, 2) your playing and singing, and 3) your skip over two required music theory courses. 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SBOPerformance: The Horn Section

Growing Great Horns BY DAVID W. SNYDER

eveloping a good horn section seems to be one of the

Start at the beginning

great hurdles that many band and orchestra directors

Which students a director chooses to place on horn is often the most critical decision in creating a solid horn section. Student interest is important, but good aural skills along with proper lip thickness and teeth alignment are more important. Students with poor aural skills enter the world of horn playing with a strike already against them. The harmonics on horn are so close together that it is very challenging to locate the correct pitch, even when the correct fingering is used. In fact, once you go above written third space C on the F side of the horn, a player can literally play just about any note with any fingering! Horn students must have the ability to discern correct pitch and to hear the proper pitch in their head before playing a note. There are several commercially produced aural exams available for checking a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aural ability. I have found that the old Selmer Music Guidance Survey gives a fairly accurate account of a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to discern higher and lower within a

have a hard time clearing. My visits to various band and orchestra programs around the country often re-

veal a lack of understanding for this beautiful but challenging instrument. I have observed many school ensembles that have weak horn sections, if there is one at all, or horn sections that are not playing up to their potential. Horn definitely can be treacherous, but giving attention to a few simple aspects of the instrument can make your horn players better equipped for success.

musical context and it only takes a few minutes to administer. Proper alignment of the teeth and proper lip thickness are not as easy to determine, but there are a few simple guidelines a director can use to steer potentially ill-equipped students away from the horn. The rim and cup of the horn mouthpiece are thin and small

lips is 2/3 on the top lip and 1/3 on the bottom (see figure 1). Students who play with the mouthpiece too low on the lips will usually encounter limited range and stuffy sound in the extremes (see figure 2). It is also important to pay attention to how the mouthpiece rests on the two lips. It is all too common for young horn players to put too

“Horn students must have the ability to discern correct pitch and to hear the proper pitch in their

Figure 1

head before playing a note.”

and, consequently, students with relatively thin lips and straight teeth are best suited to play on one. This is not to say that students with thicker lips cannot play horn, but if the rim of the mouthpiece rests on the red fleshy part of the lower lip, it will decrease both range and flexibility. This soft inner part of the lip is where the sound is produced and it must remain unhindered to produce a full free tone. The correct angle for the mouthpiece and lead pipe on horn does allow for a slight overbite, but students with severe overbites may experience difficulties achieving the full range of the horn (which should approach three octaves for a descent high school student). Braces cause problems for all brass instrument embouchures, but even more so for the thin-rimmed horn mouthpiece. The rim tends to land right on the metal of the braces and can cause quite a bit of pain, even when wax is used.

Mouthpiece placement and embouchure The textbook placement for the rim of the horn mouthpiece on the

much pressure on the top lip and teeth due to the placement of the bell on the right leg. This heavy pressure on the top lip and teeth will again cause flexibility and range issues (see figure 3). Smaller students can experience the opposite problem by reaching up to the mouthpiece, which, in turn, puts too much pressure on the bottom lip (see figure 4). Make sure the mouthpiece is angled down slightly (in most cases) to align with the player’s natural overbite. If placing the bell on the leg causes the mouthpiece to be either too high or too low, you may need to have the student adjust his or her right hand position in the bell and play with the horn off the leg. Students who allow the lips to roll out, as in a pucker, will experience a tight and “buzzy” sound. This is easily corrected by asking your horn student to place their lips together as if saying “em.” This will cause the lips to gently come together with neither a pucker nor a rolling-in of the lips. Have students buzz their lips in this new position while bringing the mouthpiece and the horn up to their lips. This should alleviate the puckering.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Right hand position and instrument placement Right hand placement in the bell is probably the most abused aspect of horn playing by school-aged players. A quick visit to the bell-side of the horn section during a rehearsal will confirm this statement. Proper right hand position does not only help provide the proper tone but it also aids in keeping the pitch of the horn section more stable. The

Figure 4

right hand is to be placed in the bell for both historical and pedagogical reasons. In times past, the right hand was used to make the then valve-less instrument fully chromatic, but now the right hand is used to darken the timbre of the inSchool Band and Orchestra, July 2009 33

strument and to allow for subtle pitch adjustments on troublesome notes. The most common abuse of right hand position is simply not placing the hand in the bell at all. What many students do is rest the right hand on their leg or grip the top of the bell with it. Both locations will result in a brighter tone and an overall sharper pitch. I teach my students to cup the right hand slightly with all the fingers and thumb tightly together and then to imagine the bell of the horn as a clock while placing the right hand at the 4 o’clock position. The knuckles of the right hand should not go in too far and the fingers should lay flat against the inside of the bell (see figure 5). The right hand should be placed in such a way as to not block the end of the bell. It is easy to unintentionally allow the palm of the hand to close slightly or for the fingers to curl both resulting in a muffled tone and lower pitch. The placement of the hand at the 4 o’clock position also allows the player to easily close the palm for stopped horn playing usually indicated by a “+” above the note (see figure 6). If the player rests the bell on their right leg, attention should be given to the direction the bell is pointing. Never allow the student to have the bell pointed in towards the stomach (see figure 7). This will also result in a muffled sound. The bell should be pointed out to the right side of the player while the head remains facing straight ahead. If you visualize the sound coming out of the bell, it should follow in-line with the right forearm out to the side (see figure 8). If the player is playing with the bell off the leg, make sure that he or she does not block the end of the bell by having their right hand in too far. This is a common problem due to the awkwardness of holding a heavy instrument. Proper “off the leg” playing position will place the weight of the instrument on the first finger knuckle and thumb of the right hand, which allows the palm to stay open (see figure 9).

Using the correct fingerings This topic may seem unnecessary to some, but I have found many school-

aged horn players using incorrect fingerings, including those students in high school ensembles. The most basic concept that needs to be understood is that a standard double horn is in both the key of F and Bb, and the fingerings used for each side are different. Many students who were started on a single horn in F continue to use these F horn fingerings long after they have moved up to a double horn. This should never be. Playing on the F side of the horn, especially above third space C, is like walking on ice. The young horn student has little chance of getting through the passage without slipping at least once! It is important to know when to use which set of fingerings and for what purpose. It is commonly agreed upon that players should switch to the Bb side (thumb valve depressed) starting on second line G# and continue usage of that fingering system for any note above that. The horn player should consequently use F side fingerings (no thumb valve) starting on second line open G and all notes below. There are a few exceptions to this rule. If the horn player is playing stopped horn (closing the end of the bell with the hand and fingering a half step below written pitch), the F horn fingerings should be used at all times. This improves tuning because of the longer length of pipe on the F horn. When playing in the extreme lower register of the horn, Bb horn fingerings can improve response and in some cases, pitch. In particular, the D (fingered 1-3), Eb (fingered 23) and E (fingered1-2) below the staff on the F side will speak much more quickly and clearly using T-3, T-1 and T-2 respectively on the Bb side. This will also help correct the sharpness of these F side finger combinations. Adding the thumb when crossing over to the Bb side can make any finger combination more challenging so it may be more advantageous for the player to stay on either the F or the Bb side when performing a rapid passage that crosses between the two different horns. In the example below, it is easier to keep the thumb down and use the Bb side fingers throughout this passage rather than going back and forth between the F and Bb side.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8 34 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

Proper tuning

Figure 9

Figure 10a

Figure 10b

It was mentioned earlier that proper right hand placement is critical to tuning, but it is also essential to have the various tuning slides on the instrument positioned correctly. A standard double horn contains a minimum of eight tuning slides with some horns having an additional Bb side tuning slide bringing the total to nine. It is important that all of these slides be adjusted properly. The best pitches to tune the open horn to are second line G and third space C. The horn player should check the pitch for the C on both sides of the instrument. When tuning the C on the F side of the horn, pull both the F tuning slide and the main tuning slide. If you follow the lead pipe around, the first tuning slide you come to is the main one (see figure 10a). The tuning slide directly below it is the F tuning slide (see figure 10b). When tuning the C on the Bb side of the horn, adjust both the Bb tuning slide and the main slide. The Bb tuning slide will come directly out of the valve casing for the thumb key (see figure 11). Note that not all double horns have this tuning slide. In particular, the tuning slide that is attached to the thumb valve on the Conn 6D and 8D models does not actually alter the pitch for the Bb side of the horn, so do not pull that one. Tuning the six individual valve slides can be tricky, but a good rule of thumb is to have the first and third slides pulled the furthest (about a Â˝ inch) and the second valve slides to be

pulled very slightly if at all. The F side valve slides (the ones in front) should be pulled out slightly farther proportionately than the valve slides on the Bb side (the ones in back). This is because the F side horn is again longer than the Bb side.

Proper placement within the ensemble Where the horn section sits is of great importance and should be given careful consideration as you devise your ensemble setup. Since the horn is a directional instrument and a member of the brass family, it needs to be positioned in such a way that the sound from the bell can get out to the audience just like the trumpet and trombone. Ideally, the horns should be placed on the back row with either a wall or a reflective surface directly behind them. Absorptive materials like curtains should be removed to allow the sound to reflect freely. If positioning the horns near a wall or acoustic shell is not possible, the use of portable reflectors made of Plexiglas or even music stands turned down can accomplish the same purpose. Seating the horns in the middle of the ensemble with no reflectors puts them at a terrible disadvantage as a good deal of their sound will be absorbed by the other players in the ensemble and what sound does get out will sound late to the audience. Another possible placement that will assist your horn players is putting them on the end of a curved row to the

Figure 11 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 35

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conductors left. This puts the bells of the horn section facing the audience, although really it is just to the left side of the audience. This placement will help with the sound delay and make the horn sound a little more present. Seating the horns on the director’s right, where the bells face off stage, should be avoided.

Final thoughts It is important for the director to be patient as the above suggestions are implemented. Changing habits such as fingerings, embouchure placement and right hand position can take time, but regular reinforcement of these concepts will result in a much more stable horn section. I would also suggest that directors with inexperienced horn sections encourage their student players to play loudly with large amounts of air at all times. This will result in an abrasive, edgy sound for a time, but with guidance and a few reminders about opening up the oral cavity to allow for the greater quantity of air, the horns will experience an improved tone quality and greater accuracy in all ranges and at all dynamic levels. Directors may also want to consider choosing music with only one or two different horn parts until the section becomes more comfortable with these new concepts and demonstrates a consistent, in-tune, well-supported sound. The acoustic properties of the horn’s overtone series make playing accurately quite challenging at times and placing the horn section into multiple parts too early only increases the difficulty.

David W. Snyder is currently professor of Music Education at Illinois State University, where he instructs instrumental method classes, supervises student teachers, and performs with the faculty brass quintet. He has been a member of the horn section in the Peoria Symphony since 1995.

SBOTechnology:

Interactive Whiteboards

Introducing Interactive Whiteboards

echnology is changing how we teach. First we had

BY JOHN KUZMICH, JR.

old blackboards and chalk, and then we moved onto colored markers on whiteboards. Now, a totally new interactive whiteboard is waiting in the wings.

What is this new-fangled contraption? It’s basically a giant touch-screen on which an LCD projector can display your computer’s screen for the entire class to see. Instead of lecturing students, you can teach a concept and let students illustrate those ideas on the spot. Let’s take a closer look at Dr. John Kuzmich Jr. is a veteran music educator, jazz educator and music technologist with more than 41 years of public school teaching experience. He is a TI:ME-certified training instructor and has a Ph.D. in comprehensive musicianship. As a freelance author, Dr. Kuzmich has more than 400 articles and five textbooks published. As a clinician, Dr. Kuzmich frequently participates in workshops throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and South America. For more information, visit www.kuzmich.com.

38 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

these next-generation interactive whiteboards. There are several companies producing interactive whiteboards, including: Mimio, Hitachi, Smart Technologies, PolyVision, Promethean, and Panasonic. All of these companies offer products with a diverse range of features and Web-compatible extras. Mimio offers an array of multifunctional interactive whiteboards in four different modes, ranging from a wide-screen to standard, 78 to 110 inches. A wireless USB receiver provides coverage for up to 30 feet, eliminating the need to run cables across the floor to attach to a PC. Web-based lessons can be captured and saved using their Capture Kit, which can also save the notes from the board in various formats (PDF, JPG, HTML) to be printed or e-mailed. This interactive “smartboard” can be viewed online at www. electornicwhiteboardswarehouse.com. Hitachi offers a very large screen for greater presentation space. The durable surface can sustain scratches, dents, and heavy-handed student use without diminished performance. It comes with software that lets users record and capture onscreen activity for posting on YouTube or to a resource center where lessons can be modified. It also has conferencing capabilities that can facilitate project collaboration with other schools in a Web-based community called Twinning Portal (www.hitachi-twinning.com). Smart Technologies is one of the leaders in whiteboard use among music educators. Their Smart Notebook Student Edition software can be downloaded to a PC or the Smart Notebook SE bracelet to help students find information and organize files. The software enables students to search

for documents and digital materials through keywords that are reviewed in a Web 2.0 tag cloud, a user-generated tag that helps find content. PolyVision offers a three-in-one product, the Enco, which is a markermagnet-multimedia combination that makes use of a dry erase marker and letter and number magnets. This tool can be integrated with other peripherals and hardware such as a Bluetoothenabled stylus. Teachers can use Web browsers without having to download special software and can toggle between other applications and the Web while using the marker, magnets, and stylus. Promethean is another leader in interactive whiteboards among music educators. Most Promethean Activboard peripherals, including pens, are used wirelessly so there’s no muss or fuss with cabling. If the board can’t be mounted due to lack of wall space or a need for it to be transported back and forth between classrooms, there’s the option to use a mobile stand. When banded together with e-learning software provider Elluminate, it brings Web collaboration into the electronic whiteboard space. This allows students from far-away classrooms to meet and learn together via the Internet. Panasonic’s Panaboard is best used with Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. Teachers can write, draw, print handouts or save the content on the board to a PC for archiving. These units work well with Microsoft’s NetMeeting for cross-classroom Webbased collaboration.

Using Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom My favorite example of interactive whiteboard usage in the bandroom is when it is used to display a warm-up exercise transposed by SmartMusic, and there’s only one computer in the room. SmartMusic’s jazz improv patterns, Play by Ear and Jazz Exercises are particularly well suited for whiteboard presentations because they are all ideal for class participation. Rhythm Bee (www.rhythmbee.com) also works smoothly with whiteboard technology generating quick, sequential rhythm

instruction in an ensemble setting. Craig Gonci of Valley Forge (Pa.) Middle School has developed some rather sophisticated uses of the interactive whiteboard. Some of his great whiteboard teaching ideas are online at: www.themusicinteractive. com. Craig has created activities and

helps when she is positioning notes on the staff in Sibelius, for instance. For more info on products that teachers can use without turning their backs on students, check out www2.smarttech. com. Martha uses the Smartboard notebook software to prepare and set up the class. “I create a file with the

“Interactive whiteboards are a great new classroom innovation, and school districts are quickly recognizing their importance.” projects called: Staffwars (V1 + V2), Recorder, Rhythm Dictations, Boom, Music Math, Strings, Rhythm Blocks, String Tuner, and Hands on Math. He uses Abode Flash, which is a great multimedia application that handles audio and video very well and allows users to easily make interactive content and animations. Martha Reed at Tucson (Ariz.) Magnet High School teaches piano, theory and AP Music Theory. All of these classes begin with a musical clip from YouTube on her whiteboard. She finds that the addition of visuals keeps kids focused better than just playing audio recordings. Her piano classes keep listening logs, which gives students an opportunity to reflect on what they have heard as well as learn and integrate new vocabulary. Martha has a Sympodium and a projector that she projects onto the regular whiteboard. She prefers the Sympodium to an interactive whiteboard because she can remain facing the class while she uses it. Other whiteboard companies do offer alternative ways to face the classroom, as well. The screen is easy to write on and can be more finely calibrated than an interactive whiteboard. This really

date and announcements, as well as an agenda of performance objectives,” she says. “I set up a page with a staff. The gallery includes staff lines and notes, but I just use the staff and write my own notes. I embed the YouTube links directly into the file, as well as links to other files or URLs I may be using in that class. It is so great to have this all in one dated file. I can immediately call it up and see what I did on any given day.”

School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 39

Martha continues, “In addition to Sibelius, I use Finale Notepad. We have a laptop cart with this installed for the students to use and more recently I use www.Noteflight.com. This site allows me to quickly throw together musical examples, at home or wherever I am, then embed the URL directly into my Notebook File. Also, my students can do composition or theory

40 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

homework on Noteflight and send me the link to their work, which can instantly be seen and heard by all. “Interactive theory Web sites abound, and we use them all the time in class. The kids enjoy taking turns at the Sympodium to either answer questions and quizzes or lead the class in a game. We use everything from the elementary games at www.musictechteacher.com to the Kostka Theory Self Tests at www.mhhe.com. “The techonology engages students because it gives them instant feedback. They construct chords and are able to hear them, check for errors in part-writing, and immediately see the answers. I also enjoy projecting their sight-singing exercises from the screen because it keeps their heads up and they aren’t mumbling into their books! I don’t know if any of this is particularly groundbreaking, but I recently found out how much I depend on the Sympodium/Smartboard software combination when my projector lamp burned out in the middle of class! I had to rethink everything, and I realized how much time this actually saves me in planning as well as lesson delivery.” Sympodium products enable users to control any presentation and bring it to life – simply connect the interactive pen display to a computer and projector. Write over slides in digital ink, save notes, access any Web site or multimedia file and project work onto a large screen to give students a truly interactive experience. Steven Chetcuti at Somers (N.Y.) Middle School in uses his Smartboard extensively in guitar class, all bands, music appreciation, and other courses. “The Smartboard is the answer to the visual learners’ prayers,” he says. “Now the teacher and the students can see the same images at the same time while keeping the whole class involved.” Here are some of the ways that he teaches with editorial interactive whiteboard teaching strategies. • Display Sibelius exercises in pan-

oramic mode for good sight reading. • Bring up YouTube videos appropriate to curriculum use. • Work with interactive Web sites like www.theradiohour.net. • Take notes on the board and save to a file to be uploaded to a classroom homepage. • Create and save for consistency between classes. • Prepare plans that are ready for display by the substitute. • Connect a VHS/DVD player to the video input for an always-ready large screen projector. • Teach form analysis, interactive harmonica lessons, and jazz students use Jazz Musician overviews at www.theradiohour.net. Jackie Wiggins and Alex Ruthmann studied the impact of SmartBoards in elementary and college music classrooms in the metro Detroit area. They observed some innovative uses of the tool in the classroom. Here are just a few of their observations: Teachers use the whiteboard with traditional notation or sequencing software to enhance their lessons. Teachers can use sequencing software to display iconic (piano roll) and notated versions of music previously recorded as MIDI files. The whiteboard enables the teacher to stand in front of the class and touch the screen to highlight and alter parts of the MIDI ﬁle, while engaging the students at the same time. Students can work interactively on music programs like Music Ace and MakingMusic. With the whiteboard, the entire class can be involved with one copy of the software running on one computer. The whiteboard with its companion digital whiteboard software allows students to create visual representation maps to pieces they are listening to. Tonie DePasquale of Middletown, New York uses a Smart board with Notebook 10 software with her general/vocal music students in grades 25. In her 20 years as a music teacher using the principles of Orff-Schulwerk pedagogy, Tonie has seen her teaching evolve right along with technology. Convenience, easier access to materials, and the ability to create and use

exciting interactive visuals to motivate students has helped her to better serve her students. With Smartboard technology, great looking and kid-motivating visuals are colorful and interactive and easy to save and store in folders on a laptop or ﬂash drive. Tonie especially enjoys using the Smartboard when presenting recorder lessons. “I have noticed a marked improvement in the students ability

to track and read music since I have been presenting it on the interactive white board,” she says. She uses a laser pointer to help students keep their place when reading music on the staff as well as color-coding notes for students who need an extra visual cue. She has found that it is easier to monitor whether students are actually looking at the music when playing if the music is projected on the board.

School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 41

The Kirby School District #140 in Illinois purchased Promethean boards for every classroom teacher. Teachers use the Promethean board throughout the day. Many teachers create their own flipcharts and have incorporated previous PowerPoints into their flipcharts. Music plays a large part of their lessons. Their music web page can be found at: web. me.com/fernwaymusic. Janet Jones, an elementary teacher in this district, stated that students learn how to create music on the computer by using the Promethean board to demonstrate the process. Their school song, “We Can Do It,” was created using GarageBand. They regularly create interactive podcasts created in GarageBand. Amy Burns in Far Away Hills, New Jersey has several whiteboard tricks

42 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

that work for her. Here are some of her tips: • Use the SmartBoard to have students interact with software such as Sibelius’s Groovy Music Series, Morton Subotnick’s Series, GarageBand, notation software, and interactive Web sites such as www. nyphilkids.com, www.sfskids.com, and more. • Use the SmartBoard Notebook Software to draw a staff and place notes on the staff – and make smiley faces and use them as notes to place on the staff. • Use graphics to make a note tree that allows the students to drag and drop the notes into the proper note basket. For example, if there is a quarter note on the tree, the students would drag the quarter note from the tree and put it in the bas-

ket labeled “TA.” • Test the students on the lyrics of a song on the SmartBoard, using the shapes tool to block out selective words. The students can use the pens to write in the words. • Use the recording software that comes with the Notebook software to record the students singing to the lyrics on screen, orchestrate a book with classroom instruments, and export the recording as a movie file. Interactive whiteboards are a great new classroom innovation, and school districts are quickly recognizing their importance. With a single computer and the Internet, a whiteboard can be an important factor in your teaching, promoting great student focus and participation.

NewProducts McCormick’s New Designer Flags and Costumes

Designer Dianne Maielli teams up with McCormick’s again this year to offer an array of fashion-forward flags and costume designs. Diane is a veteran of the pageantry world, creating flags and costumes for some of the most successful competitive drum and bugle corps, marching bands, and winter guard groups. These costumes – like all of McCormick’s made-to-order costumes – come in over 50 different fabrics and are shipped within three weeks of ordering.

Sonaré Winds’ Intermediate Trumpets

Sonaré Winds’ new 500 and 600 Series of intermediate trumpets feature a

www.mccormicksnet.com

NS Design Electric Bowed Instruments

NS Design is coming out with a new line of electric bowed instruments. Designed by Ned Steinberger, the instruments will be produced in the Czech Republic at the same facilities that make NS Design’s flagship CR series of instruments. The new instruments will incorporate the same styling and workmanship as the CR series but use more cost-effective materials and passive pickup technology to bring the price midway between the CR and WAV series.

www.thinkns.com

New from Jupiter

The new Jupiter 360L Baritone horn gives players an upright ¾ model. Despite the ¾ size, the sound of the 360L is said to be bright, sharp, and distinct due to the cylindrical tubing and the .531” bore. It features a 9.5” bell, rose brass lead pipe, and three stainless steel valves. The XO series from Jupiter now offers a lightweight slide for its professional trombone models. Lighter than traditional slides by six ounces, the lightweight slide gives horns a more professional feel and improved balance. This feature is available for the 1032 and 1028 XO models at no additional charge.

www.jupitermusic.com

Earthworks’ DP25/C and DP30/C Mics

Earthworks has introduced its DP25/C and DP30/C tom and snare microphones, which are now shipping to retail outlets and sound contractors worldwide. The DP25/C and the DP30/C are said to capture a high degree of detail due to their extended frequency response and fast impulse response. The diaphragms found on the DP25/C and DP30/ C settle quicker, enabling them to more accurately capture the varying timbre and dynamic sounds typically found in a drum performance. The DP25/C, designed specifically for snare drums, has a frequency response of 50Hz to 25kHz while the DP30/C, designed for toms, has a frequency response of 30Hz to 30kHz. Both microphones have a flexible mini-gooseneck and can handle up to 145 dB SPL.

Blackburn designed brass leadpipe and the MicroLok adjustable valve guide system, now exclusive to all Sonaré trumpets. The 500 model horn comes with a lacquer finish and black pearl buttons. The 600 model is silver plated and comes with gold plated valve caps and fingers buttons. A backpack style case and a 5C mouthpiece are included with each 500 or 600 trumpet. Retail prices are $899 for the 500 model (TRB-500) and $999 for the 600 model (TRB-600).

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School Band and Orchestra, July 2009 43

NewProducts New Intellitouch Guitar Tuner

The new Intellitouch PT10 TM tuner from OnBoard Research features a needle display, calibration from 430Hz to 450Hz, simple controls, aggressive pricing levels and a multicolor backlight that makes tuning easier by showing red when out of tune and green when in tune.

www.tuners.com

Altus Intermediate Flutes

Altus Flutes now offers an intermediate line with the Azumi flute. The Azumi uses the professional Z-Cut headjoint. Its intermediate body uses the Altus Bennett Scale to provide players with a more concrete intonation than traditional scales. Both the 2000 and 3000 Azumi models are constructed with .958 Brittania silver and are available with inline or offset key configuration with an option for the split E mechanism.

www.azumiflutes.com

Pure Instrument Polish

Black Diamond Strings introduces Pure Instrument Polish, a boutique polish packaged in a two ounce bottle, which fits easily into the compact storage areas of any guitar case. The bottle also comes with an atomizer pump sprayer which spreads an even and well dispersed amount of polish directly on the instrument or cloth. Additionally, the stay tight cap prevents the atomizer sprayer from being depressed while in the case.

ears, rather than their ankles, players and band mates can hear an accurate tone without missing highs and mids. The integrated threaded shaft end eliminates the need for additional mic stands. It accepts all standard boom arms and goosenecks, allowing the amplifier to be miked directly from the RS7500. Its wide 28” stance provides stability for 1x10, 2x10, 4x10, 1x12, 2x12, 1x15, and other speaker configurations. All contact points, including the adjustable sleeve on the upper shaft, are padded with black velveteen rubber. Angle adjustments of 10-20 degrees are made via a telescoping rear leg. Other features include non-slip rubber feet and a black powder coat finish. As with all On-Stage Stands tripod designs, the RS7500 Tiltback folds for transport and storage.

www.onstagestands.com

www.blackdiamondstrings.com

jj Babbitt’s Otto Link Vintage Mouthpiece

The jj Babbitt Company, Inc. has introduced the Otto Link Vintage mouthpiece for tenor sax to commemorate its 90th anniversary. The new model recaptures the retro sound of the company’s old Otto Link mouthpieces. The sound of the old Otto Link has been recaptured through a combination of minor adjustments to the mouthpiece. The body shape, bore, chamber, baffle, side rails, and tuning are all different from current Otto Link models. Otto Link Vintage is available with the same standard tip openings as current Otto Link models and comes in a choice of metal with 24-karat gold plating or hard rubber. Each mouthpiece is individually serial numbered and comes with a ligature and cap. The metal Otto Link Vintage is specially wrapped in a black & gold box and hard rubber models are packaged in a red and white box.

www.jjbabbitt.com

On-Stage Stands’ Tiltback Amplifier Stand

On-Stage Stands’ RS7500 Tiltback amplifier stand features five tilt positions allowing the amplifier to be aimed up towards the player, sharp angles for shallow stages, and gentle angles for deep stages. With the speakers directed at their

44 School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

Finale 2010

Finale 2010 music notation software has been updated for 2010. From Percussion Notation and Chord Entry to Rehearsal Marks and Measure Numbering, common tasks have been automated and simplified to be more user-friendly and save time. Finale 2010 features a streamlined user interface; a Setup Wizard to instantly configure scores; Band-in-aBox Auto-Harmonizing; and Exercise Wizard – generates practice pieces for an entire band, orchestra, or choir. Users can also import video plus send and display SMPTE.

www.makemusic.com

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Rule of 5 When practicing a passage or lick, use the Rule of 5: If you can play it correctly five times in a row, you’ve got it. However, if you mess up on the or before fifth time, start over from one again. Some people even use the Rule of 10! Nick Sowul Dover High School Dover Plains, N.Y. Submit your PLAYING TIP online at www.sbomagazine.com or e-mail it to editor Eliahu Sussman: esussman@symphonypublishing.com. Win a special prize from EPN Travel, Inc. Winning Playing Tips will be published in School Band and Orchestra magazine.

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Get your ads in for Summer Issues. Summer is a great time to go over issues from cover to cover.

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School Band and Orchestra, July 2009

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