SBO October 2008

OCTOBER 2008 $5.00

Brian Covey

Positive Reflections

Survey: Print Music Technology: Web Based Software

Music In The Parks No Matter Where You Want To Go, We Are There...

Giving You A Choice To Experience More.

UÊÊ{ÎÊ V>Ì ÃÊ/ À Õ} ÕÌÊ / iÊ1-Ê `Ê > >`> Our newest locations.

UÊÊ-«i `Ê/ iÊ >ÞÊ"ÀÊ-Ì>ÞÊ/ iÊ } Ì We give you the choice of one- or two-day festivals.

UÊÊ Ê «« V>Ì Ê"ÀÊ À Õ«Ê iià UÊÊ Ê/À « ÞÊ ÀÊ ÛiÀÞÊ *iÀv À }Ê À Õ« UÊÊ/ iÊ ViÊ/ Ê ÌiÀÊ ÀÊ

«iÌ Ì Ê"ÀÊ,>Ì }Ê" Þ UÊÊ Ê Ì Û>Ì > Ê Ü>À`ÃÊ iÀi Þ UÊÊ ` Õ` V>Ì À½ÃÊ i ÌÃÊ/ Ê ,i v ÀViÊ9 ÕÀÊ/i>V } UÊÊ Ê- ÕÛi ÀÊ* Ê ÀÊ ÛiÀÞÊ-ÌÕ`i Ì UÊÊ9 ÕÊ > Ê Ûi Ê* > Ê9 ÕÀÊ/À «Ê On Your Own, "ÀÊ1ÃiÊ ÞÊ /À>Ûi Ê* > iÀÊ"vÊ9 ÕÀÊ Vi°

/ ÊV iV Ê«iÀv À > ViÊ`>ÌiÃÊ> `Ê«À ViÃ]Ê ÀÊ Ì ÊÀiÃiÀÛiÊë>ViÊv ÀÊÞ ÕÀÊ}À Õ«]ÊÛ Ã ÌÊ ÕÀÊÜiLà Ìi

www.musicintheparks.com

We Make It Easy To Choose, View, Change And Update Your Information Online.

UÊ iV ÊÞ ÕÀÊ>VV Õ ÌÊ> `Ê«>ÞÊ i You can check what performing groups you have registered or see if payment has been received.

You can download…

UÊ*iÀv À > ViÊÃV i`Õ ià UÊ*iÀv À > ViÊÃi iVÌ Êà iiÌà UÊ ÃÌÀÕ i Ì> ÊÃiÌ Õ«ÊV >ÀÌà UÊ* > }ÊV iV ÃÌà UÊ > }iÊÞ ÕÀÊ Õ LiÀÃÊ> `Ê«À ÌÊ ÕÌÊ>Ê iÜÊÃÌ>Ìi i Ì° Performing Groups Performing Group Concert Band Jazz Ensemble Mixed Choir

Participant 72 20 40

Division Concert Band I Jazz Ensemble Mixed Choir I

Competition Yes Yes No

Grade Level High School (9-12) High School (9-12) High School (9-12)

Class AA AA AA

When Things Change, As They Often Do...

You Have A Choice Of Options.

UÊ vÊÞ ÕÀÊÌÀ>Ûi Ê« > ÃÊV > }i]ÊÞ ÕÊV> Ê ÛiÊvÀ Ê iÊ`>ÌiÊÌ Ê> Ì iÀÊ ÀÊ iÊ V>Ì ÊÌ Ê> Ì iÀ* With 43 locations throughout the US and Canada, there is a Music in The Parks festival where you want to go.

UÊ9 ÕÊV> ÊV> Vi ÊÞ ÕÀÊi Ì ÀiÊ}À Õ«Ê> ÞÌ iÊÕ«ÊÕ Ì ÊÎäÊ`>ÞÃÊLiv ÀiÊÌ iÊiÛi ÌÊ> `Ê ÀiVi ÛiÊ>ÊvÕ ÊÀivÕ `° As fellow teachers, we know that things change. Fuel costs go up, tournaments are moved, students drop out. With Music In the Parks you have the flexibility of canceling your entire group up until 30 days before the festival. Just send us a written cancellation and we will refund any festivals and park admission fees. You may cancel individual students up until two weeks before the event with no penalty. *based on space being available at the new location at the time of your change.

Contents 14

14 20

32

October 2008

Features 14

FROM THE TRENCHES: LIONS, TIGERS, AND BEARS Bob Morrison examines the terrifying effects of Lions, Tigers, and Bears (testing, gas prices, and the turmoil on Wall Street) on music education.

20

UPFRONT Q&A: MITCHELL ESTRIN SBO catches up with Mitchell Estrin, assistant professor of Clarinet at the University of Florida and director of the school’s unique and renowned clarinet choir.

26

UPFRONT: SIMPLE MUSIC Dr. Ken Thompson presents compelling reasons to integrate simple music in the curriculum for students of all levels.

32

UPCLOSE: BRIAN COVEY In the midst of preparing his Lockport (Ill.) Township High School Concert Band to perform at the upcoming Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, director of bands Brian Covey takes some time to talk with SBO about how he’s facing the challenges of maintaining a top-notch program.

40

SURVEY: PRINT MUSIC This month’s reader survey tackles print music, covering subjects from school budgets to discovering new material and uncovering the latest music publishing trends.

45

TECHNOLOGY: WEB-BASED SOFTWARE John Kuzmich takes a look at Web-based software, an affordable and increasingly convenient alternative.

52

HOW TO BUY A BASSOON

Columns 4 6 56 60

Perspective Headlines New Products

61 63 64

Classifieds Calendar Ad Index

Playing Tip

Cover photo by Joe Iaculla, Lifetouch Prestige Photography, Woodridge, Ill.

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 © 2008 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

2 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

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Perspective

Practice Makes Perfect

W

hen you are listening to a recording or hearing a live performance of someone playing your primary instrument, do you feel yourself at a heightened state of attention? Are you more likely to listen extremely carefully for nuances of tone quality, intonation, and musicality? Do you almost feel yourself fingering imaginary notes on your instrument? Does this happen spontaneously when you happen to walk into a restaurant or theatre and hear the sounds of your instrument wafting through the air? On the other hand, if you happen to be a trombone player or saxophonist, for example, do you feel the same level of sensitivity when listening to a bassoon or violin concerto?

Most likely not, and now there is research that provides support to this theory.

A recent study authored by assistant professor of Music at the University of Arkansas, Elizabeth Margulis, along with colleagues from Northwestern Univer“Margulis’ study sity, peered into the reaction of the neurons in the husupports the man mind to musical impulses via MRI scans. The study concept that included classically trained violinists and flutists who listraining and ‘prac- tened to recordings of familiar Bach Partitas performed on their own instruments as well as on other instruments and tice, practice, found that “there were more extensive and complex neupractice’ is what ral responses to music played on their instrument of exultimately improves pertise than on another instrument.” The expected result, performance.” according to Margulis in an online article in Health News (www.topnews.in), was that “the difference between the two groups should be minimal. Both have a lot of experience with classical music.” The responses, however, were significantly different, as the MRIs indicated that “many more areas of the [participants] brain were engaged” when listening to their own instrument.

This study differs from others that have compared and contrasted people with musical training and those without, and showed differing reactions in their brains.

Margulis’ study supports the concept that training and “practice, practice, practice” is what ultimately improves performance, rather than a genetic predisposition towards musical ability. This data certainly counters the widely held notion that many of us have taken as a truth, which is that if your grandparents, parents, and siblings were fine musicians, you were more likely to become a capable musician, as well. Studies like this may eventually provide insight into improved methods of teaching students with all types of backgrounds and skill levels.

®

October 2008 Volume 11, Number 10

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

EDITOR Christian Wissmuller

cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com

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

PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill

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

ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox

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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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Member 2008

Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com

4 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

RPMDA

Keepin’ HeadLines Bickford Brannen Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

B

Travel with the country’s top student travel planner.

Performance Tours s Festivals Parades s Cruises s Bowl Games Clinics s International Disney©

ickford Brannen, co-designer with Conn-Selmer flute makers of the Avanti flute, was presented the National Flute Association Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 convention in Kansas City.

Bickford Brannen began his flute making career in 1962 as an apprentice, working first in the original Powell shop, then at W.T. Armstrong in Elkhart, Indiana, before returning to Powell as General Manager in 1970. In 1978 he and his brother Robert co-founded Brannen Brothers–Flutemakers, Inc. His work as a flute designer and craftsman has produced many acoustical and technical innovations over the years. He has worked closely with countless flutists during his long career in order to understand clearly and constructively what they need and seek from their instruments. In January 2008, he celebrated his forty-sixth anniversary as a flute maker.

To learn more about the National Flute Association, visit www.nfaonline.org.

Jupiter donates to Center for Music & Medicine Silent Auction

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upiter Band Instruments, Inc. has donated a black and gold lacquered soprano saxophone to a silent auction benefitting The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Emceed by Mercedes Ellington, Duke Ellington’s granddaughter, the late September event featured performances by Regina Carter, John Faddis, and the IMPACT Harlem Oscar nominated choir.

The Louis Armstrong Center treats cancer patients, musicians and performing artists providing music therapy and full medical coverage. The center works with patients from all stages of life from NICU to life-end, offering music therapy within the Beth Israel Medical Center, including outpatient services in clinics and schools. Supported by grants from the Louis Armstrong Foundation, the Grammy Foundation and other sources, the Music and Health Clinic serves the unique health care needs of musicians and performing artists.

For more information, go to www.musicandmedicine.org.

Online Survey Results Are you planning any major trips for your ensembles this year?

No

Official Sponsor of

email: info@bobrogerstravel.com

www.bobrogerstravel.com (800) 373-1423 6 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

Yes, but in-state only

Yes, outof-state

Yes, we're going international!

31% 37% 24% 8% 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.

Make their dreams come true!

Disney Magic Music Days is a dream-come-true experience for any young performer. Students have the opportunity to study their craft, perform in a professional setting, and become inspired through this unforgettable experience.

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The National Association of Music Education officially endorses Disney Magic Music Days.

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HeadLines 2008 TBA Music Industry Award

Teaching Guitar Workshops Expand

he 61st annual convention of the Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA) was held July 27-30 in San Antonio. At a spirited awards ceremony to conclude the show, Paul Lavender, vice president of instrumental publications for Hal Leonard Corporation, received the organization’s 2008 Music Industry Award.

At Hal Leonard Corporation, Lavender directs the product development and marketing of performance publications for orchestra, concert band, marching band and jazz ensemble, as well as instrumental books, collections, and methods. He supervises the creative work of the industry’s most respected composers and arrangers, overseeing more than 600 new publications a year.

Lavender is also one of the most widely played writers today. He has contributed more than 1,000 arrangements and compositions to the educational and concert repertoire. He co-authored and edited Hal Leonard’s Essential Elements 2000 method for beginning bands. His association with renowned film composer John Williams has produced the prestigious John Williams Signature Series, featuring Williams’ authentic film scores and concert music for professional orchestras.

The Texas Bandmasters Association Music Industry Award has been bestowed since 2000. Past recipients recognized for their commitment and dedication to music education include Remo Belli, Bill Ludwig, Fred Fruhauf, and Vito Pascucci.

For more coverage of the TBA, visit www.texasbandmasters.org.

The Board of Directors of the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association agreed to expand the Teaching Guitar Workshop Program to include 12 workshops, up from 10 in previous years. The expansion means that 600 school music teachers will receive guitar training through 2009 and 2010.

The increase is equivalent to a 20 percent expansion over previous years.

The decision to broaden the scope of the workshops was brought about by Guitar Center’s pledge of $100,000 to the program. It is estimated that the additional 100 school music teachers will introduce guitar to 10,000 children in their first year of teaching guitar. The 12 site locations for 2009 are still being researched.

The Teaching Guitar Workshops were founded in 1995 by members of GAMA and MENC, with major support from NAMM, in an effort to bring guitar instruction to school music. Today, having trained more than 2000 school music educators, GAMA estimates that it has brought guitar instruction to over half a million children.

Visit GAMA online at www.discoverguitar.com.

T

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TAKING THE FIELD WITH COLOR

quantummarching.com

HeadLines Winners of Next Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competition Announced

T

he Next Gretsch Greats competition began in May when 879 musical acts from the U.S., U.K., Japan, Canada, Germany, France and Spain entered their original songs at www.gretsch125th.com. Then, music lovers from around the world listened and cast more than 55,000 votes from June 15 through July 16 to select the top 10 finalists.

Next, a celebrity panel of judges – Chuck Leavell, touring keyboardist for The Rolling Stones; Steve Ferrone, drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; Keith Scott, guitarist for Bryan Adams; and Fred W. Gretsch, president of The Gretsch Company and great-grandson of the company’s founder – reviewed the finalists’ entry songs, media kits and videos of their live performances. They named the three prizewinners based on three scoring criteria: stage presence, performance/sound quality. and press kit quality.

The grand prize winner, Colourslide of Gainesville, Fla., will perform live at Gretsch’s 125th Anniversary Concert in New York City on Nov. 18 at The Highline Ballroom and take home $15,000 in Gretsch drums and guitars.

Lansdowne, the first prize winner from Boston, Mass., wins more than $5,000 in Gretsch instruments, and the

10 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

second prize winner, London Egg of New York City, N.Y., walks away with $1,250 in Gretsch gift certificates.

The Next Gretsch Greats competition is the centerpiece of Gretsch’s 125th anniversary celebration. More information about the competition and The Gretsch Company’s 125th Anniversary can be found at www.gretsch125th.com and www.myspace.com/gretsch125th.

PRACTICE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

With a Yamaha Silent BrassTM System, you can play your baritone (or trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, even tuba) without bothering others around you. The Silent BrassTM System allows you to play normally, unlike most mutes that require playing harder than normal just to hear yourself. Plus it comes with a cable so you can plug into an MP3 player and jam along with your favorite music.

Š2008 Yamaha Corporation of America. All Rights Reserved.

HeadLines Buffet Crampon Purchases Old LeBlanc Clarinet Factory

T

he Argos Soditic group has signed an agreement with the Steinway group for the purchase of the factory where LeBlanc clarinets were formerly made.

The factory is located in La Couture Boussey, in the Department of Eure region of France. This factory will now produce wind instruments for students under the brand name Buffet Crampon. This factory will now produce wind instruments for students under the brand name Buffet Crampon. The chairman of the company is Antoine Beaussant, chairman of the board of directors of Buffet Crampon.

The factory currently employs 35, and additional personnel will likely be added in the near future to meet new

production needs. A considerable investment plan is also on the horizon.

The Buffet Crampon Group continues to pursue its strategy of development through acquisitions. In 2006, the purchase of Besson and Antoine Courtois allowed it to expand its activity to include brass instruments, and to extend its range by launching over 30 new instruments. The purchase of this production unit, manufacturing student clarinets, bolstered the company’s strategy of autonomy three years ago.

The Manufacture d’Instruments de la Couture allows the Buffet Crampon Group to pursue its industrial independence while increasing its production capacity for students’ instruments. The primary factory in Mantes will continue to produce professionallevel instruments, notably clarinets and oboes.

Created in 1989, Argos Soditic is an independent European capital in-

vestment group established in Paris, Geneva, and Milan.

For more information, visit Buffet Crampon on the Web at www.buffetcrampon.com.

Pro-Mark’s “Anatomy of Feel” Packaging

P

ro-Mark Corporation has introduced a new drumstick packaging dubbed the “Anatomy of Feel”.

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According to Pro-Mark’s director of sales and marketing, Pat Brown, “The ‘Anatomy of Feel’ is a concept we developed after talking with hundreds and hundreds of drummers worldwide. All of them expressed frustration over confusing model numbers and how drumstick sizes and shapes relate to one another. As a result, we created an innovative system of color coding drumsticks in groups according to their general diameter. Those diameters are classified as Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large and DoubleExtra Large.”

For a more detailed explanation of the ‘Anatomy Of Feel’, please visit www.promark.com/feel.

SBOFrom the Trenches

Testing and Gas Prices and Wall Street…

Oh My!

BY BOB MORRISON

E

ight years ago, I wrote an article called “The Perfect Storm” about the impact of the dot.com collapse in the stock market and the pending implementa-

tion of NCLB. Five years ago, I revisited this article with the second installment, entitled “The View from the Eye of the Perfect Storm,” where I further delved into the issue and the strategies needed to move us through the storm. I am currently working on the third installment, “Surviving the Wake of the Perfect Storm,” in which I will explore all of these issues and the impact a new federal administration will have on music and arts education. However, recent events demanded I share some of my thoughts with you even before the election.

14 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

There are a lot of converging forces that has everyone – everyone – in this country becoming more fearful of what the future may hold. Just like Dorothy and her posse in the Wizard of Oz were concerned about all of the evil that lurked in that dark forest certain to bring them doom, the refrain “Lions and Tigers and Bears… Oh My” has come to be a metaphor for those things looming just beyond the horizon that we do not control and in many cases do not understand. In today’s circumstances, most of us have very little feel for where all this may be going.

Our lions and tigers and bears – both as citizens and as music educators – come to us in the form of the increasing emphasis on testing, the impact of increasing gas and oil prices, and now the near melt down of Wall Street.

So now you may say, “Okay, Bob, I understand the test scores business, but help me understand what oil/gas prices and the near failure of the financial markets have to do with me?” The answer is simple: everything.

Often times as educators we get so tightly wrapped up in everything it takes to successfully run our own programs that we miss some of the larger “macro issues” that can have a significant impact on our programs.

Lions The “Lions” in our tale are embodied by the word “testing.” When you look up testing in a dictionary, there could be a picture of a child chained to a desk filling in ovals with a #2 pencil.

This is the new symbol of the American education system in the 21st century – which to me looks a lot like the education system that was used at the beginning of the 20th century… except then it was without all the testing!

Over the past several years I have written at length about the impact of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and testing mandates. I will spare you a repeat here. However, I do believe that in the new Congress, NCLB will be significantly altered.

But for the next two years, at the classroom level, we will be faced with the challenges created by the mania of testing.

16 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

Tigers The “Tigers” in our tale are the rising oil and gas prices. The rising price of oil and the rising cost of gasoline impact, well, everything! Anything that is produced in the world is affected by these increased prices. From raw materials to shipping costs, to manufactured goods and services, to the transportation of children from one place to another, everything and anything is impacted (read: more expensive).

In the music education world, we are already hearing about how schools need to find ways to cover the significant increase in fuel costs. Everything is on the table. Several schools have put travel restrictions in place. Activities that involve transportation of students cannot go beyond a certain geographic region. In many places schools may not cross state borders. In other places schools may not even leave the county.

There are several schools that have reported canceling field trips (musical and non-musical) as well as cancelled participation in festivals and competitions. Of greater concern is how some schools are looking at the reduction or elimination of programs to fill the holes in the budget. In some places this means fewer staff and reduced music course offerings. In others, it means the end of the programs. Which brings us to the last character in our tale.

And Bears The bears in our tales are the financial markets. Unless you have been traveling intergalactically for the past six months, you have read or heard something about the little trauma being played out in our financial markets.

Things like the collapse of investment banker Bear Sterns (which we have guaranteed with taxpayer money), the government takeover of 50 percent of the US mortgage market with the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, our collective ownership of the largest insurer in the world, AIG (it is ours since $85 billion in tax payer money was used – you and I are on the hook for $7,000 each!), the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the sale of Merrill Lynch, and, last but not least, the mother of all bailouts: the proposed

$1,000,000,000,000 bailout of the financial markets. (That’s $1 trillion, for those of you who have never seen it written out before).

I am not a rocket scientist. I am not a financial expert. I do not play one on TV. I am not qualified nor will I imply here to know whether any of these moves to stabilize the financial markets are right or wrong. But I will venture this one little opinion, and I know I am going out on a limb here: this – the turmoil in our global financial markets – is not good.

When combined with the Lions and Tigers, this… is probably… bad.

However, there are two bits of good news buried in all of this: Good News Point 1 – The good news is this is all playing out above our collective pay grades. You and I cannot solve this bigger problem so we should not spend a lot of time worrying about. We do need to pay attention to what is being done since the actions taken could have a long-term impact on our programs.

Good New Point 2 – Economic challenges in our nation take at least 12 months to filter down to the school level. Yes, gas prices are impacting everyone now, but the ripples from the melt down of the financial markets will not be seen at the school level for at least 12 months. This is driven by what happens to state income (largely taxes) and local action on budgets.

This means you have time to prepare for next year… right now.

Oh My! So what can you do?

1. Organize – It is probably safe to say that most programs will see some impact from our lions and tigers and bears. Organize your parents and concerned citizens to be prepared to support your programs. If there is a silver lining in all of this it is that it will be organize people in the face of a potential problem than to organize when everything is peachy keen.

2. Communicate – Create communication vehicles to keep everyone

keep informed (and as a way to support your organizing efforts).

Weekly e-mail newsletters, blogs, Web sites, widgets, YouTube – use all the tools to help make the case.

3. Do a good job. Do a god job. Do a good job… then tell somone!

– Be visible! Constantly promote your programs. Invite administrators to performances. Share the good news about the success of your students and programs with everyone –parents, school board, administrators, the press. Develop

a personal connection between the administration and parents and the program. This will help you in the future when hard choices have to be made.

4. Be Frugal – Show your administration you get it. You know they are under great stress due to the financial pressures. Do your part to proactively provide solutions.

Position yourself as someone who is trying to come up with solutions for the administration. Are there items you can do without? A major purchase? A trip or two? Trying to

Quality Redefining Innovation Redefining the Saxophone

help solve the problem will keep you from being perceived as “part of the problem.”

Where will this go… who knows?

As a music community concerned about the education of our children we must be proactive to support our programs.

What will you do? E-mail me the actions you will be taking to be proactive in support of your program (bob@musicforall.org), and I will share them in an upcoming column.

Now is the time for everyone to generate ideas out on the actions we can take to support not only our own programs, but each other’s as well.

Redefining

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18 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

In Memoriam – As I was finishing this column a long-time friend of mine and wonderful supporter of music making and music education passed away. Henry Z. Steinway, the last of the family members active in the piano business that bears his last name, died at the age of 93. He was a great man who built one of the worlds great brands. This is what the public saw. I have a lot of great memories of Henry and all the ways he contributed to advancing music education. Most of his efforts were done so anonymously, because that was the kind of person he was. I look forward to sharing some of these stories with you.

Bob Morrison is the executive vice president and chairman emeritus of Music for All Inc. He can be reached via e-mail at bob@musicforall.org.

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SBOUpfrontQ&A: Mitchell Estrin

Building a Clarinet Choir

S

pecialized ensembles provide a unique opportunity for both music students and educators. They allow students to hone specific elements of musicianship

and delve into an intimate musical world, while teachers get a chance to work on creative arrangements and unique instrumentation.

Mitchell Estrin is an associate professor of Clarinet at the University of Florida, where he runs an acclaimed clarinet choir. In a recent SBO interview, he was kind enough to share some advice on tackling the challenges presented by running an ensemble such as his.

Mitchell Estrin

School Band & Orchestra: How did you get started with clarinet ensembles?

SBO: Was it difficult to convince administration or the band directors to recognize your group?

Mitchell Estrin: I grew up in Chicago and in the ‘60s and ‘70s clarinet choirs were very popular in the Midwest. I played in my first clarinet choir when I was in high school.

ME: My band director was very supportive. We used this tool to perform at a state solo and ensemble festival. In those days in Illinois where I went to high school, there were a number of pieces in the catalogue of repertoire that we selected from. We got a very high rating at the state competition, and obviously the school was very happy to recognize us at that point.

That was my first experience, and I always said that if I ever ended up in a career where I could have a functioning and thriving clarinet choir, that would be something I would like to do. And when I accepted the position here at the University of Florida, one of the first things I did was form a clarinet ensemble.

SBO: What was it that drew you to that ensemble?

ME: Well, of course I love the clarinet, but I think the sound of the group is what enticed me the most.

SBO: When did you start forming your own groups?

ME: Actually, the group that I played with in high school was one that I formed myself. I had heard a local community group play, and I decided that we should have one in my high school. We had quite a prolific band program and we had instrumentation all the way from the E♭ to the contrabass. So I got together with my friends and asked if they’d like to play in a clarinet choir. We went downtown to Carl Fischer and selected some music, and we formed our own ensemble.

20 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

SBO: Can you tell me a little bit about the clarinet ensemble at the University of Florida?

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ments themselves, acquiring them, ME: The University of Florida clariand maintaining them so that they are net ensemble is a fully balanced clarihigh quality – there’s certainly a budnet choir. We use full instrumentation get involved with that – and then you from the piccolo clarinet down to the have to supply mouthpieces and reeds. contrabass, and we use bass horns in There are some significant expendilieu of alto clarinets because I feel that tures involved. they have a better tone quality and inAnother challenge is repertoire – tonation. Of the programs that we do developing a library of working muhere at the university, the first half are sic that is appropriate to the level of duos, trios, and quartets – and somestudents you are leading, and also to times slightly larger ensembles than keep their interest and enthusiasm that – and the second half are devoted with a wide variety. Certainly during to the full choir. So we perform all different types of chamber music from duos all the “Students really tend to enjoy the way to the full choir. And this semester we’re doing sound of the group.” something very exciting: a the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, there was a joint concert with a fine high school tremendous amount of music that clarinet choir that’s in our area. We’re was published; sadly, a lot of that going to do a mass choir together, with music is now out of print. However, both the university and the high school there have been a few companies players. that have kept up an excellent cataSBO: What challenges are involved logue of clarinet choir music. I’ve in setting up and maintaining this been able to acquire pieces through type of ensemble? the International Clarinet AssociaME: One challenge, of course, is tion, and through some university the instruments themselves – having libraries that may have certain study the budget and ability to keep them in copies still available to sell, and good repair, and to have the auxiliary similar resources. I’ve also been eninstruments. Clarinets are expensive couraging composers and arrangers and difficult to upkeep. Also, it can be to write music specifically for the tough to find students that are interensemble. At this point, my library, ested in playing them. It’s the kind of which is about 350 titles, is very thing where, in the university setting eclectic in terms of the performance when you have accomplished players, it’s a little easier to do, especially when you have them for Mitchell’s Clarinet Resources four years. Those students have an ample amount of time to University of Florida Clarinet Studio become proficient on www.arts.ufl.edu/music/clarinet the instrument. It’s Clarinet Message Board best, if you can, to get test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard students in the high school setting interMalejo Publications ested early on in their www.malejo.com time there, so that International Clarinet Association they can build up a Research Center little bit of steam and www.lib.umd.edu/PAL/SCPA/icarcinfo.html really have the time to navigate the difficulty of the auxiliary instruments.

So the first challenge is probably just getting the instru-

Kendor Music www.kendormusic.com World Klarinet Alliance www.wka-clarinet.org

level of the repertoire and the variety of styles and types of compositions.

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SBO: For a high school band director who might be interested in setting up a clarinet choir, do you have any tips as far as enticing students to pick up the clarinet and devote time to a clarinet ensemble?

ME: I would suggest starting small, and with pieces that don’t incorporate the highest and the lowest members of the family because finding someone to play the E♭ clarinet and the contrabass clarinet are probably some of the biggest challenges. There are a number of publishing companies, such as Kendor Music Company, that publish a great deal of music that has first, second, and third, and an alto and bass clarinet line. The bass could also be doubled on contrabass, if you have one, where they sometimes give you parts either doubled in unison or in the octave. If you start with limited forces, other students will hear what you’re doing, it’ll catch on, and before you know it, your ensemble can get very big.

We started out here at the University of Florida with 10 players, and this semester I have 32 in the ensemble. Word gets around that the clarinet choir is a fun thing to do. Students really tend to enjoy the sound of the group – it’s a very homogenous sounding ensemble – and if you pick the right repertoire, it can be very exciting for them to play.

Mitchell Estrin is associate professor of Clarinet and director of the Clarinet Ensemble at the University of Florida. He also holds the position of Education & Creative Development manager for Buffet Crampon USA, Inc. He performed with the New York Philharmonic for more than 20 years and has an extensive discography of solo, chamber, orchestral, and motion picture soundtrack recordings to his credit.

Mitchell Estrin performs exclusively on Buffet clarinets and Vandoren reeds and mouthpieces.

SBOUpfront

Simply Teaching Music is Teaching Music Simply

BY DR. KENNETH THOMPSON

W

hat are the components of our everyday teaching?

They tend to involve a myriad of activities and responsibilities, but what should our focus be when we work with students in rehearsal settings? If we

parse down our daily focus, I will always argue that even given our multiple roles and the services we provide, the job should be simply teaching music. I know it is easy to agree with such an obvious statement, but it is also easy to become distracted from this goal. When we constantly remind ourselves that we are “music� teachers, we will find a way to prioritize what we do towards that end.

26 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

Examining the ways in which teaching music actually plays out in the classroom each day is important. I hear and work with hundreds of high school and middle school bands and orchestras each academic year, and I have decided there are three common areas ensembles have trouble improving: 1. Playing in tune with a beautiful sound 2. Playing with an awareness of the ensemble 3. Playing with musical independence It is ironic that three seemingly simple statements are so incredibly complex. This has additional meaning if we agree that the three items listed are, indeed, the key components to a good performance. However, like many of the problems we face, the solutions are usually simple, just never easy. In speaking with numerous directors and observing rehearsals, so many technical issues are addressed each day that the critical areas cited above often remain on the back burner until the final third of the rehearsal sequence. So we, in reality, wait until the very end to try and fix the three items that will be used to define a quality performance. I can almost hear the arguments now, so let me assert

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when we place high musical demands on students, and are I am not advocating we abandon all pursuit of technique worth your time to investigate: and playing correct notes and rhythms with our ensembles.

Obviously, nothing is good if those elements are out of alignJim Bonney “Reflections in a Tidal Pool” ment. We should just not allow these to be the final goal of Andrew Boysen “Simple Song” our teaching and rehearsing. When playing music, we must Steven Bryant “Dusk” not define success through technical mastery.

Aaron Copland “Down a Country Lane” Breaking down key elements of a quality musical perLarry Daehn “As Summer Was Just Beginning” formance and the components of the three main areas David Del Tredici “Acrostic Song” listed above, we come upon balance, blend, intonation, Frank Erickson “Air for Band” and phrasing. These serve as the gateway toward excelDavid Holsinger “A Childhood Hymn” lence in performance. To make sure we are always “simAnne McGinty “The Red Balloon” ply teaching music” we must examine how and what Jonathan Newman “1861” repertoire we program, but also strategies for teaching Hugh Stuart “Three Ayres from Gloucester, Mvt. II” this repertoire in our classes. Again, the simple-but-noteasy solution is that we must program music that is not These works are frequently performed by groups, and I technically difficult (rhythms, fingerings, articulations) must admit, rarely do I leave a performance of one of them and focus on these works over time. When we strip away thinking about correct notes and rhythms. When you hear heavy technical demands, we can renew focus on musical these, you likely have the same reactions I have, and they usuelements. ally relate to balance, blend, intonation, style, and phrasing.

Technique is a means to achieve musical expression, and These works are incredibly difficult to play well, but we probas such it can become a barrier to quality performance. This ably, when programming them, don’t spend as much time with is why it is imperative that we allow students opportunities them as we would a more technically demanding work, when to focus on creating beautiful sounds while maintaining an in fact they likely need more time than the technical pieces. awareness of everything going on in the ensemble around Performances would likely be much better if students could them. The best way to introduce this is to make sure that play in tune, with a beautiful sound, and an awareness of the students are able to focus on these issues while technically ensemble, all while maintaining musical independence. How performing their parts correctly at an almost unconscious many times have you complained about incorrect notes in level. Ask a student to play a B-flat concert scale and they “Down a Country Lane” as opposed to poor intonation and can do it without thought – while focusing on blend, balance phrasing? The statement I hear from directors about some of and pitch. That’s why groups sound great playing the scale these works is uttered with solemn conviction for a reason: in a round or unison, but often when an ensemble goes to “It’s a Grade II piece, but it’s a Grade V musically.” “the music,” the sound of the group changes. The students I think we should, in all cases, instill a sense of quality tend to shift their focus away from the ensemble and on musical achievement in students. Musical understanding, to the inherent technical demands of their parts. As educaand being musical, is in tors, we need to provide many ways an intellecstep-wise progressions tual endeavor realized for students to perform “This practice rejuvenates students and inspires through the physical a piece of literature with them to take the piece to the next level.” process we call techthe same type of autonique. Why should we wait until a student has attained an matic response as a B-flat major scale. advanced level of technical mastery before we introduce If you program some “simple” music, please be advised musical concepts? What great player has mastered her inthat if you do not change your approach, your students may strument? If we assume that musicianship is a function of quickly become bored. It seems that many directors menintellect, most of our students will display intelligence that tion to me that they would love to work on “musical” issues far outstrips their technical abilities. What a wonderful situin “slow, pretty” music, but the students just won’t remain ation, as it allows us to, from the initial stages of developengaged. I always ask them “are you as demanding musiment, instill in students a process which first creates a musically as you are technically?” And the answer is often no. A cal problem that can be solved through the improvement of trombonist accents the resolution of a suspension and a clartechnique. In short, make a musical decision, and then make inetist plays an incorrect note – which one would you norsure the technique is sound enough to realize the needed mally address? They are both equally wrong, but we tend to musical expression. As a profession, we tend to go about gravitate more towards rhythm and notes when we correct this in the opposite way, allowing technique to make musimistakes. If this is the approach, then when faced with techcal decisions, which means we will constantly settle for our nically simple music, students will become bored if there are own current abilities. not high levels of musical demand in place. We must teach It is not a pie-in-the-sky process I am promoting if we students that music is the goal, not notes and rhythms, and simply shift our focus. Obviously a band typically performwhile we might constantly tell them this, we must decide if ing Grade IV music can’t just start down this path playing our rehearsal process reinforces what we say. Below are just Grade IV music. It will require playing works below the leva few of the “simple” works that are extremely complex 28 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

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we can begin to move toward the most difficult portion of efficient and quality performances. Students will begin to develop appropriate models, based on their own performances, but also the performances of their peers to which they are now attentive. The combination of these will allow students to begin drawing from these repeated examples, along with the teacher’s directions and modeling, to become musically independent. This should be a final goal, and one that belongs at the top of any hierarchy. Musical independence reflects not only the intellectual consideration of ways to perform a passage, but also the technical mastery required to realize these decisions.

It is often a difficult path to take, but if our approaches to teaching music remain quite simple – simply teaching music – then students will progress more rapidly in all areas. The benefits of musical mastery will yield better dividends than just trying to develop purposeless technique.

els of technical proficiency and then shifting the musical focus, after it is an ingrained process, to works more technically demanding. It will be a challenge to convince students that a Grade II work is not easy. I have found that when a group scoffs at Copland’s “Down a Country Lane,� it only takes making a single audio recording and letting them hear what they sound like – remember, they don’t know what they sound like because they aren’t playing with an awareness of the ensemble – to get them moving along.

Until we move towards musical goals, the players are isolated and focused only on their parts, and we must begin the process through a focus on “simple� music. Imagine how much easier the technical pieces will be to rehearse and improve when students learn to play with an awareness of ensemble.

If we can allow students multiple opportunities to focus on playing beautifully with an awareness of what is happening around them at all times,

Dr. Kenneth Thompson is an assistant professor in the College of Musical Arts at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting and wind repertoire, band methods, works extensively with the student teacher program, and conducts ensembles in the band area. Kenneth is also music director and conductor of the New Music Ensemble, and his research has been presented or published in regional, national, and international journals and periodicals.

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UpClose: Brian Covey

Positive

Reflections Brian Covey

of Lockport Township High School

I

BY

ELIAHU SUSSMAN

n recent years, the Lockport (Ill.) Township High School Concert Band has performed at MENC, the Illinois Music Educator Conference, the Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival, and the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, where they share the record for most ap-

pearances by any one school. Under the guidance of Brian Covey, director of bands, the ensemble is in the midst of preparing to play at the upcoming Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.

Brian’s own story is rather unique: his parents worked overseas during his childhood, so he spent much of his youth abroad. First introduced to music as an eight-year-old in a curricular classical guitar class in Holland, it was several years before he would experience playing in an ensemble. When tragedy befell his guitar – it was accidentally knocked over and broken – Brian picked up the other instrument in the house, his father’s trumpet, and never looked back.

32 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

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Seventh grade brought Covey to the United States, where he attended junior high school in Naperville, Illinois.

There, Brian joined into a very strong program; his school fed into Waubonsie Valley High School, which had and continues to have a well-established and accomplished band – one that, incidentally, has largely served as the model for Brian’s Lockport program.

riences at “U of I” and at the Smith Walbridge Band and Orchestra Camp, where he worked during the summers, propelled him towards the world of music education.

Upon finishing his undergrad, Brian started his professional career as the assistant director of bands at Lockport Township High School. After his first year teaching, the fledgling teacher realized what a great opportunity he had joined into, so he entered a master’s program at Vandercook College of Music, received his degree, and subsequently took over the position of director of bands.

Now Brian is in his the sixth year in that function, his eighth at the school, and as previously noted, under his watch, the Lockport bands have already garnered significant acclaim. SBO recently spoke with the young director, who shared his approach to the process of achieving and maintaining a worldclass band.

“We raised the bar, told the kids about the quality that we were expecting, and gave them every opportunity to meet our goals.”

After junior high school, circumstances took the budding musician back overseas, this time to Egypt, where he participated in a small scholastic ensemble of “suspect and inconsistent” instrumentation. Most students there took private lessons and found performance opportunities outside of the school, and Brian was no exception, performing as a sub with the Cairo Symphony through connections formed by his private trumpet teacher. Looking to return to the US as he finished high school, Brian matriculated to the University of Illinios, where he became enthralled by the school’s marching band. His expe-

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34 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

School Band & Orchestra: What was the Lockport Township High School music program like when you came on board?

Brian Covey: It has always been a strong program. The tradition was established when Ernie Caneva was the director (1927-1957), and it runs pretty deep in the community.

There was a director before I came on that had the program performing at a high level, and they were attending national festivals, such as the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival. Lockport was involved in the first of those events.

Having that level of performance and expectation already in place made it easy for me to come in and say, “Let’s take those standards, and make them a little bit higher.”

There’s always been great support from the community and the school administration.

SBO: It must be great to step into a program that’s running smoothly, but how do you go about raising expectations in a program like that? What kind of goals did you set for yourself?

BC: When I took over the program, I evaluated what was going on and saw that we had drifted away from what I considered to be the state level. We set down these benchmarks and communicated them directly to the kids, saying, “Look at the opportunity you’re going to get. This is the standard that we as the directors are setting, and we have a certain duration of time that we have to get there, but we want to get there the right way.” The standards we laid out were enforced in the University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival, Bands of America, and even smaller events, such as our spring break trips.

The first trip that I took with the kids was to Texas. There, we rented out the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas and did a private concert of just Lockport High School. We invited some of the local high schools to come out and be in attendance. We had raised the bar, told the kids about the quality that we were expecting, and gave them every opportunity to meet our goals. It was just literally the standard that we demanded, in terms of character, integrity, and performance.

SBO: How is your program organized?

BC: There are five ensembles, and we have two campuses: a grades 10-12 campus (East Campus), and a freshmen campus (Central Campus).

The Central Campus has a freshman band that plays together for a year. After that first year, we break it apart and split students into the upper level ensembles. We currently have 11 different feeder schools that feed into Lockport, and they’re each in their own district. So we have to

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School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 35

spend that first year acclimating everybody and standardizing the skill sets – getting everyone up to where they should be. Then, everything else is ability-based.

Our top two ensembles have, in addition to the daily 55-minute rehearsal period, 25-minute sectional rehearsals. So the students in those groups get roughly an hour-and-a-half of curricular music classes every single day.

SBO: That’s substantial. Has it been difficult to maintain that amount of class time in the face of national standardized testing pressures?

BC: It’s been something that our school has just decided that will be the stan-

dard. By us having the opportunity and utilizing it properly, and the results that we’ve been able to produce – where we’re able to attend MENC or Midwest and those types of events – the administration has been backing us all the way. It has never come under question, and I think that’s a testament to how we are able to use the time intelligently. It’s clear that what we’re doing is all for the kids, and they’ve been completely supportive of that.

SBO: Approximately how many students are in your program?

BC: About 230.

SBO: And in the high school?

BC: Between the two campuses, we have about 3,800 students. We’re low in where we think we should be.

I’m kind of old fashioned in that I’d like to see at least 10 percent of the population in the music program, but we’re very happy that of the 230 that come in, there’s a very strong commitment to the program. There’s about a 95 percent retention rate between the Central campus and the East campus.

And there’s another 95 percent between the junior highs and the high school itself. So even though the overall numbers are a little low, as long as we can continue providing the quality instruction that the kids entering the high school have already started receiving, we’re pretty happy.

SBO: Obviously it’s easier when you already have administration on board, but what advice would you give to other band directors who are trying to foster that internal support?

BC: The biggest thing I would say is communication, and I’ll give you an example because I know that that is kind of a stock answer. I have found with our administrators that they aren’t always aware of what we do. They un-

36 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

derstand the importance of the program, in my case, but they don’t understand the process. Since I have been here, Lockport’s budget has grown, so the opportunities have grown. When we talked about the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, our administration understood. They saw the word “national,” and we were able

did was communicate how it will be beneficial for the kids, not how it might be beneficial to us, as teachers, or make our lives easier, or further our careers. I think that’s a big distinction that directors need to make. We need to step back and take

“How the kids grow through these experiences is astonishing.” to explain its significance, but they didn’t necessarily understand why we would need three days out of class.

For our upcoming Midwest Clinic performance, the two days we’re going to be down there performing are the two days of our final exams, and our administration is actually allowing the participating students to skip finals.

They were obviously hesitant in coming to that decision – allowing students to make up those tests – but what we

H I6 G H

a look at the way in which we approach things. We often know why certain opportunities would be good, but we don’t always do an effective job communicating why they would be good for the students. We sometimes get caught communicating why we should go do something, but not necessarily what value the experience will have for the students in terms of their

education and personal development.

So, in this instance, we were able to take our administration down to the site of the Midwest Clinic. There, they saw the sheer magnitude of the event, learned about all of the attendees, and about why people are traveling from across the country to be there.

Out principal, assistant principal, my department chair, and our director of curriculum spent the day with us, watching us work and seeing what was going on. The experience allowed them to see how the experience will be great for the kids and how it fits into the curriculum and the structure of the program.

SBO: So it’s about transparency, in some respects.

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38 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

BC: It’s all about how it’s presented. As long as we’ve presented ideas with the kids in mind first, I haven’t experienced resistance from my administration. As long as we can illustrate how something is related to the progress and growth of the children, then that seems to be able to sway administration and work things out.

It was the same thing when we were looking at budget cuts and spending money for repairs: we were able show how there were kids who wouldn’t have instruments in their hands, that the cuts were taking opportunities away. It meant that we couldn’t follow

our curriculum and teach the material unless we had those instruments – they are our equivalent of textbooks.

SBO: Specifically, what are you hoping your students gain from those special performance opportunities you and your administration are providing?

The musical maturity, the character maturity, the overall life experiences and growth from these events are all remarkable. It prepares kids to go off to college and into the real world. How the kids grow through these experiences is astonishing, and it snowballs because it allows them new opportunities in life, and they can take charge and be a little more responsible.

SBO: What’s your take on competition in school music?

BC: We do competition in the concert band, jazz, and marching settings. In each of the endeavors we undertake, for example, even the Bands of America Concert Festival, while the festival itself is not a competition, the actual process of getting there is because bands are competing to get in. We take it as a bettering process for us. Wherever we go, any time there’s competition involved, I just want feedback for the kids. We aren’t as interested in where we end up in the standings, so long as we get valuable feedback and are able to use it as a learning experience.

When we do our marching competition, we always take time to look at the comments, not just the scores that are given. Of course, the kids always want that material success – to be shown that they’ve accomplished something – but there are other ways to show them exactly how they’re improving. And it’s up to the director to be intelligent enough to articulate how and why these are positive growth experiences.

If we’re competing just because we want to win, then there’s something missing, and the overall product and longevity of the program will suffer because of it.

SBO: What do you hope that someone who goes through four years of your tutelage walks away with?

I think growth and character. We want our kids to be responsible citi-

zens – not only in the music world.

We want our students to have integrity in life. And we aim to accomplish that through the medium of musical performance. I’d like to provide the students with memories they can reflect upon, and to understand the process behind how that event occurred. Even with our second, third, and freshmen ensembles, we find opportunities for them beyond our home concerts, so that they can develop that perspective and growth.

Of course, every band director would love to see each of his or her students continue to play music for the rest of their lives, even recreationally, but I think that goes handin-hand with the character growth we’re trying to instill in our students.

We want our students to reflect positively on what they’ve done, understand what they’ve achieved and how they‘ve achieved it, and be able to make intelligent decisions for themselves as they move forward.

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School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 39

SBOSurvey: Print Music

Sounding off on Print Music S

electing repertoire is a critical aspect of band and orchestra programs, as directors must choose

music that enables ensembles to reach their musical potential. Keeping students and audiences interested while blending modern music and classics is a challenge most easily met when there is a healthy variety of easily attainable material.

This SBO reader survey tackles print music, covering subjects from school budgets to discovering new material and uncovering the latest music publishing trends.

40 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

What is your annual budget for print music purchases?

26%

0-$500 $500-1,500 $1,500-2,500 $2,500+

39%

20% 15%

“My staff and I look for grants every year so we can buy extra CDs, DVDs and printed music. I also compose and arrange music.”

Richard D. Price Portsmouth Middle School Portsmouth, R.I.

What types of music do you buy?

Concert Band Jazz Band/Ensemble Symphonic Orchestra Chamber Music Pop Rock Marching Band Broadway Holiday Other

3%

16%

12% 6% 4% 14% 6% 12% 5%

22%

Have you noticed any recent trends in music publishing?

“The quality of literature has increased significantly over the past 20 years. There is great depth in educational literature for bands of all levels.”

Matt Sheppard Millard West High School Omaha, Neb. “The availability of scores and demo recordings on the Internet has made choosing music a much easier task. There is also a great deal of pop music being published for concert bands and orchestras. Some publishers, it seems, are more interested in pushing some of the pop items more than original compositions and quality arrangements from very qualified composers.”

Rick Worley Central York Middle School York, Pa. “More and more composers are publishing for themselves. And, more and more pieces are rental only, so you cannot purchase new, ‘trendy’ music to keep in your library.

Why should composers have a middleman when they can print their own music and not have to pay someone else to do it? It used to be that composers could not afford the programs or hardware to be able to print their own music so they had to seek out the services of a publishing company and copyists. This is no longer the case.”

Clay Stansberry Legacy High School Broomfield, Colo.

“Prices are increasing and some publishers are making it easy on themselves by not shipping things in score order.

This is a very frustrating practice, as it makes it harder on the instructors using the music to distribute it and catalogue it into their libraries.”

Russell Smith Shelbyville High School Shelbyville, Ind. “‘Standard’ classical arrangements are harder to find.

There seems to be much more Pop on the market and, of course, the prices are really climbing at a faster rate than they used to.”

David Hiett Regina Dominican High School Wilmette, Ill.

School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 41

In general, how do you come across new music to purchase?

Recommendations from colleagues/Friends

8%

Print Catalogues Online Resources Conference/Conventions Publications/Other

29% 26% 16% 21%

“Really, I find music from several of these sources. Referrals from friends are great because they are usually right on the mark. But, I also do a lot of browsing on-line, and I pick up other pieces by attending concerts given by other high school and college groups. While I enjoy getting catalogues and listening to the sample CDs, I don’t usually find a lot of new music that way.”

William Bryant A. C. Reynolds High School Asheville, N.C.

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“I listen to the demo recordings that the publishers send out, mark the ones that I feel have potential, and then try to get my hands on a copy of the score.”

Mark Philgreen West Delaware High School Manchester, Iowa

Do you attend workshops or conventions that focus on new print music offerings?

No

32% Yes

68%

“I attend the state convention annually and the regional convention when it is in the area. I also attend a Band Directors Institute each summer where we preview new publications for concert band and jazz band – we actually play them! This is a great way to make decisions about new music because we experience the technical difficulties that the students may encounter. It makes for wise purchasing in lean financial times.”

Mariellen Sears Nauset Regional Middle School Orleans, Mass.

“The Virginia Music Educator’s Convention in the fall provides some good opportunities to hear new music in performance sessions, and in the exhibit area vendors set up browsing areas.”

John Cznadel Saunders Middle School Manassas, Va.

Additional thoughts on print music?

“Print music takes up an enormous amount of storage space, plus shipping costs eat up a great deal of my budget.

One ‘non-mainstream’ publisher offers music on CD ROM with permission to print copies for that school. His pricing is competitive and makes a great deal of sense. In addition, the publications never ‘go out of print,’ so replacement parts are always available!”

Tom Tapscott Northeast Middle School Clarksville, Tenn.

“Please address the digital age with any publishers who would be willing to listen.

I would gladly pay $60-$80 for a concert band selection that only included a score and one copy of each part (or even just a CD with PDFs), provided I had also purchased permission to photocopy to outfit my band. I would gladly pay $50-$75 for one collection of duets or trios if it meant that I could provide ‘study copies’ for my students to mark. Currently, I lean toward purchasing from publishers or self-publishing composers who operate in the way described above. All publishers need to get on the same page. I think there is actually more money to be made with this practice than trying to provide

a complete set of parts through an initial purchase. In 33 years of teaching, I have yet to purchase a new set of music that matched the instrumentation of the band members registered for my class.”

Roger Thaden Lux Middle School Lincoln, Neb.

“Every time I order new music, when it arrives it feels like Christmas morning – even after 20 years!”

Rich Guillen Arlington High School LaGrangeville, N.Y.

§

“I find the seemingly arbitrary instrumentation of pieces decided by the publisher to be limiting. A publishing rep once told me that if I have more flutes than parts provided, I should purchase another full copy of the entire piece. Publishers want to make money, I get that, but the copying that goes on is a result of their unwillingness to see that not all bands have the same instrumentation. If we are purchasing the rights to play the piece, who cares what the format of delivery is? Lets move to an electronic delivery format so I can print my 16 flute parts and my 1 tuba part easily.”

Ryan Banda John Jay Senior High School Hopewell Junction, N.Y.

Surve

y

If you are interested in participating in upcoming

SBO

music education surveys, please contact Editor Christian Wissmuller at

cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com

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SBOTechnology: Web-Based Software

The Future of Music Technology:

Web-Based Software

BY JOHN KUZMICH, JR.

W

hile technology is significantly impacting much of today’s education scene, it doesn’t seem to have an equal presence in music classes. Only a third of music educators are using technology with students.

And even among this progressive one-third, few are reaching out beyond the classroom. Many of us still embrace the values of music education from its historical past, while overlooking the benefits of modern technological tools. But computers and the Internet are revolutionizing education far beyond the confines of 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, including a music technology column that appears regularly in School Band and Orchestra. 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.

the classroom.

Yes, rehearsal time is precious and limited. The demands and details of music performance accomplishments are never ending. But music educators must wake up to the vast potential of Web-based instruction, which can reach and teach students outside the classroom. Individual involvement is the very essence of this technology, and these types of applications put students in the driver’s seat, rather than in the back seat.

As I peruse the music technology scene, I sense that the inherent learning curve is the obstacle preventing many of us from implementing sophisticated new teaching tools. The time and frustration of learning the software is often self-defeating.

But we are working with a unique generation of students who are often already ahead of us on this learning curve; in fact, they are chomping at the bit. We can trust them to run with whatever we offer them, without limiting them to our stride. But unless students have access to music technology outside the classroom, especially at home, their chances for success will be restricted. No matter how many resources the Internet offers, students need direction with systematic instruction that only good music teachers and software can provide.

School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 45

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New Standards The time and energy to retrain music educators to fully embrace new

than resources to grow. They need interactive instruction geared to their training needs. Web-based, educational technology, which I define as organized instructional, interactive opportunities that students can access online, provides the answer.

It can include software applications that operate fully over the Internet, with specific training or supplemental instruction that teachers can customize and post for interactive participation.

After seeing the power of the Internet, Steven Chetcuti of Somers, New York created lesson materials for his performance groups on the Web. He developed interactive rhythmic exercises, scale patterns and performance benchmarks for his band using Sibelius Scorch (www.sibelius.com) to view any of the interactive instrumental materials on his Web site (www.theradiohour.net).

How can you demonstrate the impact of Web-based technology on a performance group? Steven started an integrated program with a fellow teach-

technology is a critical factor toward answering why so many music educators have lingered in incorporating it well into the first decade of the 21st century. Only 21 states have adopted MENC’s nine standards, while 29 states have adapted only a few of them. Yet, national teaching standards are the very framework of improving teaching, and the capability of assessing those standards involves even more time and effort. Music technology can certainly make a difference in raising the bar on teach- “This technology is a positive addition ing and assessing to the future of music education.� national standards.

To see where your state stands towards incorporating or er connecting studies of the American adapting national music standards, go Revolution with the music of the day. to www.aep-arts.org.

The group started with two drummers If our students could be engaged and four flautists. Steven developed an in music technology outside the classinteractive Fife & Drum curriculum, room, who knows what heights of which encouraged students to practice achievement and accomplishment at home. The Fife & Drum group is could be realized through our instrucnow up to 53 members tion? We need to direct students with Steven also developed a series of connected, organized opportunities SolFege lessons using the same Scorch outside of the classroom and overcome interactive process. With a minimal the obstacles of budget, commitment, subscription, a teacher can have access training, and time. to seven levels of ear training. Students must sign in to use the site, and when they do, an e-mail is automatically sent to their teacher to show participation of each unit. We need to find and create more Web sites like this for our The Internet offers a wide range students. of resources, but students need more

The Internet is the Answer

School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 47

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Web-Based Software There are some good Web-based music software applications presently available. Following are a few products that operate over the Internet with organized curriculum and instruction covering music notation, music sequencing, aural training, music theory, comprehensive musicianship, practice tracking, and more.

• Tri-Tone Music (www.tritonemusic. com) is keyboard-oriented instruction that offers an online multimedia music curriculum, which is based on a method of integrated performance, history, creativity, theory, and ear training instruction.

• Molto Music (www.moltomusic. com) is a comprehensive music practice-tracking system that lets students effortlessly report how well, and what, they practice. This saves you time and keeps your students organized.

• Ricci Adam’s Musictheory.net (www.musictheory.net) is a powerful Web site dedicated to teaching introductory and intermediate music theory lessons and ear training. Its curriculum can also be downloaded for free, to be used without the Internet on a home computer.

• Mastering Music (www.datasonics. com.au) is a powerful, music suite on the Internet that offers performance, music notation, MIDI sequencing, digital audio recording, film scoring, aural training and music theory plus complete record keeping for all modules of instruction so you can conveniently assess your students’ music performance skills, compositions, aural training and music theory achievements.

• Charms Office Assistant (www. charmsoffice.com) is a music office system that allows teachers to organize student contact information, manage inventory, assign uniforms, track attendance, and work with trips, fees, fundraisers, form collection, and lots more.

In addition, there are some traditional CD-ROM workstation software programs that now offer Web-based capabilities for posting customized drill and practice instruction on the Internet for your students to practice on-line, outside of class, without having the program itself on their computers.

• EarMaster 5 distributed by eMedia Music (www.earmaster.com) offers extensive aural training in its 450 standard aural training lessons and 211 jazz lessons that can be posted on the web for further practice at home.

• Practica Musica by Ars-Nova (www. ars-nova.com) offers both ear training and music theory in which the instructor loads his own customized web practice modules.

• Test Creator by Centron Software (www.centron.com) that can post Internet tests for your students to practice or take along with pictures and sound, and e-mail notification

School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 49

of all tests results. This web-based application is a very creative delivery system for students to interact with as they answer questions that you construct supplemented by music manuscript and sound.

What You Need To Know If Web-based instruction is a new concept to you, there are some major pluses to consider, starting with cost.

You know purchasing software for more than one computer can be expensive. Getting students to use them frequently enough to justify the cost is another issue. And getting students to purchase applications for home use can be daunting. Mastering Music offers a plan that includes student-use built into its pricing structure. For approximately $400, you and 20 students have unlimited use of seven powerful music programs at school and at home.

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Molto Music’s Musician’s Online Music Planner tracks students’ home practice in detail for less than a penny per day for each student. Many schools are able to use their technology budgets rather than their music budgets to purchase a license, saving precious resources for their music programs. Web-based software applications do not require upgrades from the user, as software is updated automatically by the manufacturer at no charge to the customer. New features can be added and implemented at any time, often due to the suggestions of the customers themselves. When a new feature is added, it is immediately available for all users.

Another factor is scalability, which refers to the technology working for very large groups of people simultaneously.

This also affects the cost of the software.

For instance, site licenses for an online system can be purchased by individual studio teachers, a music teacher at a specific school, the whole music department, or by an entire school district. With a single purchase, dozens of schools and teachers can use the system with hundreds of students. Often, the cost per student drops as the number of students on a single license goes up. The EarMaster home-user site license lets up to 200 students work at home from the school server.

Like all of the programs mentioned, Molto Music’s Musician’s Online Music Planner is easy to execute because on-line software does not require downloads or special add-ons to access the information.

It would be a nightmare to expect your students to install software at home on how-many-different operating systems, and then endure the hassle of technical support. Web-based applications can be up-and-running the same day a school signs its students up and everyone has immediate access to the program on their home computers.

Since Web-based technology often requires log-in procedures, all programs have a password that can be changed.

There are even two levels of security in Charms. Online Practice Planner software runs on servers at a host company’s location. There are daily backups, both on servers and on tape, and no information is stored on school computers.

Online software can allow unlimited users and is available to teachers, administrators, students, and even

parents, from any computer with an Internet connection. The software can be accessed at school, at home, from a parent’s work. For example, teachers can use the Musician’s Online Practice Planner with students while traveling to competitions, music camps, or on vacation – even overseas. The implications of this type of connectivity are extraordinary: no school time is used and no rehearsal time is wasted.

Because Web-based software runs online, many schools have set up links from their school band, orchestra, or choir Web sites. So, essentially, students visit their school’s music home page and immediately connect to online applications. This opens up communication possibilities, as well.

Mastering Music has complete record keeping in all of its seven software applications for teacher assessments for every student. Imagine being able to evaluate notation and sequencing assignments anywhere, anytime over the Internet, assess and post the grade.

And all grades from the seven areas of instruction are integrated into a single composite grade for student evaluation at parent-teacher conferences where the teacher can demonstrate the student’s music technology portfolio.

Test Creator creates and saves an unlimited supply of four types of questions: multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-theblanks, and single answer. Aural questions can be either MP3 or WAV format.

For an example, go to www.centronsoftware.com/pictures_sounds_practice.htm.

Steven Chetcuti effectively uses on-line testing with his middle school classes, and he estimates that he saves three weeks of classroom instruction time per school year with on-line instruction. Go to www.theradiohour.net and be amazed at the amount of multimedia interactive instruction offered through flash card charts, time sketches, crossword puzzles and more for band, jazz band, harmonica, guitar, and fife & drum corp.

Nova’s online system for organizing classes using Practica Musica. It is designed to let students use the program in multiple locations (home, computer lab, laptop) so the students lose no work and the instructor can easily access the report without having to ask the student to keep track of it. A teacher can customize Practica Musica activities to get the students work without asking them to download and install files.

EarMaster 5 lets a teacher create lessons in their tutor editor. The procedure is simple. On the server page, there is a link to a file with EarMaster lessons that the student can open with EarMaster Pro or School. The lessons end with a test and when students are done they just click the integrated “e-mail results” function to deliver it to the teacher. You can find this at www.earmaster.com/example.

Supplemental Web-Based Applications

tage of a new opportunity to be

Although the following applications are primarily available for workstation use, many products also support Webbased instruction. WebStudents is Ars

Teachers don’t need to use music technology at the expense of live instruction.

With Web-based instruction, we have a great opportunity to stimulate and direct our students farther and faster. This technology is a positive addition to the future of music education. Even CD-based software, such as SmartMusic by MakeMusic, allows students to practice their instrument/voice any time at home with assessments recorded and transferred to their teachers via e-mail. New avenues of instruction beyond lecturers are opening up. Come join this new era of music education!

“What topics or questions would you like to read about in upcoming technology columns? What do you view as relevant in improving your understanding of music technology and applied “chops”? Do you have a success story or “how to” tip that you or your colleagues would like to share? Take advanheard. Simply visit www.sbomagazine.com/techfeedback and complete the online form to submit your thoughts directly to John Kuzmich and SBO.” School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 51

How to Buy a Bassoon

BY WENDAL JONES

M

ost people think the bassoon is the most unique wind instrument of all. Unmistakable in sound and appearance, it is more easily recognized than the other woodwinds. The flute, clarinet, oboe and saxophone families are comprised of several different sizes but each family generally has the same look, from small to large, yet none look remotely like the bassoon. A close relative of the bassoon, the contra-bassoon is twice as big, so it must be doubled up a couple of times so that the instrument may be held more easily. Although there are miniature bassoons that have gained some popularity in Europe, they are used mainly for teaching very young players who cannot manage to hold or finger a regular bassoon, let alone a contra-bassoon. There is no sizable repertoire for these small instruments and they are unknown in orchestras or bands.

For the most part, the bassoon is an ensemble instrument with an occasional solo passage providing just the right touch (oftentimes humorous) to a composition. The bassoon is also known for its plaintive voice in the orchestra. Solo passages like those found in the slow movement of Tchaikovski’s Fifth Symphony and several in Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov come to mind here. The bassoon is found in the symphony orchestra, concert bands, and in chamber music groups and there are some dazzling concerto soloists, too. The instrument is not generally found in jazz bands, although there have been some wonderful jazz bassoon soloists in the second half of the 20th century, notably Stuart McKay of Florida. Are bassoons found in marching bands? Good heavens no, not in the traditional sense anyway! However, each summer for over 20 years, this writer has played in a “Royal Band” comprised of 24 oboes, 18 bassoons, two contra-bassoons, 12 horns, eight trumpets, and percussion for a performance of George Frederick Handel’s Music For The Royal Fireworks. The group marches, while playing, through the crowd of about 40,000 spectators toward the performance stage on a floating barge – so there are exceptions. The bassoon is a bit awkEditor’s Note: “How to Buy a Bassoon” is one in a series of instructional guides on the history and use of musical instruments. SBO grants permission to photocopy and distribute the article to both students and parents. Reprints may be obtained by contacting the SBO reprint department, (800) 964-5150, extension 24.

Photographs courtesy of Fox Products Corp., South Whitley, Ind.

52 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

ward to hold in playing position while marching, and also is fairly heavy, so extended playing while standing or marching is unusual.

BACKGROUND The bassoon family dates to medieval times and there are many early works of art depicting groups of musicians – usually in a homelike or church setting – including one or more bassoon players. Various ancestors of the bassoon were often made in one piece, from a very long piece of wood. The Pommer was a bassoon-like instrument that found its place as a bass instrument to accompany church choirs and other ensembles.

Pommers were cumbersome instruments so they were gradually replaced by the bassoon, which finally was constructed as a long conical tube made of wood, with two holes bored lengthwise. When the bottom was stopped with a u-tube, the instrument was reduced to a length suitable to play low notes and yet it eventually had nearly a three-octave range, but in a size that could be managed by the players.

Larger ensembles, such as military or civic bands, frequently played for outdoor functions such as concerts and parades, and there are even a few illustrations showing bassoonists and other wind players performing on horseback! The earliest bassoons had no keys at all so the bigger the instrument, the harder they were to play. This is because the holes had to be placed far apart, therefore making fingering a real stretch. Even today, construction of the bassoon relies on boring of the finger holes at angles so that three or four notes of the scale can be within a hand’s reach. A few manufacturers today produce a “shortreach model” and these are a big help to young players or even professionals with small hands.

During the Baroque period, the bassoon emerged as one of the main wind instruments, usually doubling the bass line of choral, opera and early symphonic pieces. Also, the bassoon became one of the most popular solo concerto instruments in that time. For

example, the great Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi composed 37 concertos for the instrument and countless other composers of the time wrote solo pieces, too.

The late 17th and early 18th centuries saw an organized effort to have wind instruments play together in a group, and this was especially true of the court of Louis XIV of France.

His ensembles produced a forum for many outstanding musical works that even today are recognized as masterpieces. The standard woodwind octet of two oboes, two clarinets, two horns and two bassoons (called a woodwind octet even with the addition of French horns) was developed first in the French court. Later, Haydn, Mozart, Hummel and others used this instrumentation. Over time, the format became a standby for outdoor concerts and entertainment, a tradition that carries on to this day nearly everywhere in the world.

Increasing activity for the bassoon made the addition of keys imperative, especially as composers became more interested in exploring and expanding tonality. The idea of playing an instrument in any key was fairly easy for string players but was, for the most part, nearly impossible for early wind players. Early brass instruments were made to be played in specific keys, but this was not the usual thing with bassoons, oboes and other woodwinds.

Well into the Classical period, players were used to inventing all kinds of unusual fingerings, which were sometimes sonically unbearable. Gradually, fingering charts were published that helped unify playing technique, but inevitably the musicians themselves encouraged instrument-makers to add a key here and there until a full chromatic scale could be played.

Thanks to Theobald Boehm and some other innovators in the 19th century, entire key systems were developed to make fingerings easier for woodwind instruments. Unfortunately, to this day, bassoon and oboe players have not widely accepted these “modern” developments. The flute became a standardized instrument under

Boehm’s guidance and the saxophone, invented in 1840 by Adolphe Sax, relies on a scale with fingerings very similar to the Boehm system. The clarinet family is still divided with the French and the Americans using the Boehm system while the Albert system is still in vogue in parts of Europe, especially Germany and Austria. The oboe and bassoon families have become extremely sophisticated but do not follow the Boehm system. One of the main differences that Boehm developed was to have the distance between the left hand (upper joint) and the right hand (lower joint) be a whole-step. Raise the first finger on the right hand and you get a whole step. Therefore, the scale of the clarinet employs a major scale with B-flat to C between hands in the low register and F to G in the upper register. For the flute it is F to G in two octaves; same with the saxophone.

So is it any wonder that saxophonists double on flute? No such luck in the case of the oboe or bassoon. The oboe has a half-step between hands: F-sharp to G in two octaves and the bassoon B to C in two octaves. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is one of the reasons you see so many keys on oboes and bassoons. For example, on the bassoon, to play notes a step apart (B-flat to C), three fingers are used, not just one, as in the Boehm system. On the oboe, to play F to G you raise three fingers. Or you can use one of two other contraptions commonly found on modern oboes. Another unusual complication for the bassoonist is that, unlike the other woodwind families, no real octave or register key exists.

Bassoon players rely on no less than four ways to cause notes to speak in a higher octave – including the use of the “whisper key,” the “half-hole technique” and the “flicking” technique, all of which can be learned as part of the music education process.

Happily, an octave key does exist on the contra-bassoon and, just in case, the contra has two of them – one for medium-high notes and another for even higher notes.

At the present time oboists do not seem to be interested in changing from School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 53

the system perfected over time, but a move is afoot among bassoonists to change the key system. The goal is to possibly simplify the fingering and to make the instrument more versatile.

FRENCH OR GERMAN SYSTEM? The key system for the modern bassoon is, quite simply, a descendant of the Baroque bassoon. Keys have been added over time, especially after 1825, when two German bassoon makers, Heckel and Almenraeder, collaborated on a design that has to this day become accepted nearly worldwide.

The Heckel factory is still located in Biebrich, a suburb of Wiesbaden, Germany, and has been at the same location since 1831. The German system is known as the Heckel system, and although instruments produced by Heckel still conform somewhat to the early system, a rather standard key system has been used since the early 20th century. It is also possible to order an instrument with choices from a large variety of special keys, wood finishes, and even tuning options. A visit to the Heckel museum (by invitation only) is a surprise indeed. It includes prototype instruments from various eras, along with experimental instruments, some that seem like hybrids. All are fascinating and they pique one’s interest in instrument manufacturing trends.

There are other manufacturers, some in business for many years, in Europe, the United States, Japan and China who openly copy the Heckel system as standard. Some of them also offer a variety of specialized keys and the like. All seem to be getting better as time goes on.

To this day another bassoon system, the French bassoon (basson), commonly known as the Buffet system after its principal manufacturer, exists alongside the German system. The instrument looks generally like other bassoons, but the key system is somewhat different. Acoustically speaking, 54 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

the French and German instruments are similar, yet distinctive in sound, and have the same lowest note, B-flat below the bass clef staff, but the French instrument is capable of playing more easily in the highest register. As can be imagined, the French orchestral, chamber music and solo repertoire can provide some difficult challenges for players of the Heckel system. The construction of the French bassoon and its key system make the extreme high notes much more accessible. This reminds the author of certain “career moments,” including a week-long tour with a fine chamber orchestra where the repertoire included Suite For Small Orchestra by Jean Francaix. The slow movement features a lone bassoon wailing up very high. Even though the “wailing” went fine, it is still something not to be forgotten having played the piece on the German bassoon. Any principal bassoonist who has played the opening to Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring can easily recall the details of those performances. Even though Stravinsky was a Russian, he wrote this famous ballet for a French orchestra.

Ever since that time the solo passages have been a good challenge for bassoon players, especially those playing German system bassoons, because the high register is emphasized. Another valid question could be: “Why not use the French system instead of the German system?” The answer lies in preference of sound. There are probably no bassoonists in North American orchestras that regularly play the French system in professional orchestras while in France the German system has only recently received some acceptance.

HOW HARD IS IT TO PLAY THE BASSOON? For starters, the bassoon is the only mainstream instrument besides the piano that uses all 10 fingers. The bassoon is a bit large for youngsters, mainly because of the stretch for the fingers. Most every professional teach-

er would agree that previous musical experience can be very helpful and transfer from any of the other woodwinds would be a plus. The author has also had excellent results switching players from brass instruments, the embouchure being surprisingly similar.

Of the woodwinds, the bassoon is the most difficult to play in tune, so some simple testing of pitch discrimination would be beneficial for the student before getting started.

ACQUIRING YOUR FIRST BASSOON Very few beginning bassoonists are able to buy their own instruments because of the initial cost, so school systems often are required to furnish a bassoon if they want to round out the instrumentation of performing groups.

Having a real professional bassoonist try the instrument before the student proceeds with instruction can be worth a lot. A professional can spot problems immediately (ranging all the way from bent keys to loose pads or cracks) and will make recommendations for adjustment and repair. Most professional players are not repair technicians, but they can spot problems quickly. Almost no school-owned bassoons are in playable condition when they are checked out to students.

Assuming that the student has used a school instrument for a few months or years, buying an instrument should be considered, especially if the student intends to pursue further study in college or beyond. A top quality used instrument can be very useful and satisfying but usually will require restoration. This work is often beyond the normal concept of adjustment and repair and could cost considerably more than the original price of the bassoon. The author has experienced this with his own instruments and also when helping students in this process.

There are several very talented instrument repair people who now specialize in restoring bassoons. Some are so

skilled that they are capable of making keys to add or replace on an instrument, to work on the bore of a bassoon and to possibly completely refinish the wood and silver keys.

The process is much easier if the student is able to purchase a new bassoon because of the variety of excellent instruments available. Prices vary considerably but the main problem is in finding one or more to try out.

Few music stores or mail-order vendors actually stock even one new instrument, but some dealers specialize in woodwinds so this kind of store is probably the best source.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR When trying an instrument, look down the bore of the “wing-joint” (the first joint made of wood). If the bore is straight and shows no scratches, this is a plus. Many used, and even a few new instruments have a scratched bore due to faulty swabs. Quite a few bassoons are furnished with the type of swab that has fuzzy yarn wound on a metal wire.

It’s usually quite scratchy, and this is a very bad thing to use on a valuable instrument.

Another important thing is the condition of the pads, corks and felts. The pads must seal so that the instrument will play notes properly, while the corks and felts are commonly used as bumpers or cushions for keys and rods as they work up and down or back and forth. When you finger the instrument, check to see if the keys make a lot of noise. If they do, chances are good that extensive repair work may be needed. If the long rods have play from side to side, excessive wear has occurred and the pads may not seat down properly on the tone holes. Periodic lubrication of the pivot

screws will help prevent this typical problem. If the large pads seem to be unusually open above the tone holes, this may indicate that one or more corks or felts are worn down and this will cause the instrument to be strangely out of tune, usually on the sharp side. Also a very important part of the bassoon, the bocal(s) should have no dents or other damage, since intonation and tone quality will surely suffer.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN A NEW INSTRUMENT The body of a new instrument can be made of wood or polypropylene and it should be sturdily constructed. The bassoon should have two bocals, normally a #1 and a #2 for tuning options. The key system should have a full 22-key format with a range from B-flat below the bass staff up to at least high C, equivalent to third space, treble clef.

In addition to normal keywork, the instrument can be greatly enhanced by adding some keys and other fixtures: Whisper-key lock (right or left hand), hand rest mount, seatstrap mount, high D key, high E key, left-hand E-flat trill key, body lock, high A bridge plate, A-flat trill key, right-hand E-flat trill key, low C extension plate, extra rollers on right-hand thumb keys. Other options are available, but these, in preferential order, are the most common.

ACCESSORIES AND HELPFUL SUPPLIES Most new instruments come with a small flannel cloth, which is normally used to polish the keys and also to place between the wing joint and long joint while the instrument is stored in the case, thus preventing scratches in the wood.

Another crucial item is a swab, and the very best are the silk swabs that can be pulled all the way through the wing joint and also through the boot joint (around the u-tube). A good seat-strap is essential and a cushioned neck-strap is very helpful when playing standing.

Every player should have a reed-case to store reeds. Even though a player may not make his/her own reeds, it is also worthwhile to have a small pair of pliers to adjust reed openings, a reamer to make reeds adaptable to the bassoon’s bocals, and a knife or file to help in modifying reeds. A reed soaker that attaches to a music stand is also very useful. (For more information about reed maintenance and care, read Jones’ repair article on SBO’s Web site, www.sbomagazine.com.)

Wendal Jones is president of Jones Double Reed Products, www.jonesdoublereed.com. He earned B. A. and M. A. degrees in music education at the University of Northern Colorado, and a Ph. D. in composition and woodwinds from the University of Iowa. He was a professor at the University of Arizona and Eastern Washington University, where he conducted the university orchestra and taught composition and woodwinds. Jones was principal bassoonist with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra for 30 years. He is a published composer and has served as a clinician worldwide, including appearances at the University of Edinburgh, a chamber music seminar sponsored by the Vienna Symphony in Austria, at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and the Texas Music Educators Conference in San Antonio.

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAINTAIN AND CARE FOR YOUR INSTRUMENTS? WWW.SBOMAGAZINE.COM

School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 55

NewProducts Sabine’s ZOID Clip-on Tuner

Sabine’s new ZOID Tuners are a family of clip-on tuners designed to quickly attach to both string and wind instruments. Chromatic and automatic, the tuners feature instant note recognition, fast and stable tuning information, and industry-standard accuracy.

The ZOID Z-1000 is tailored for stringed instruments, and includes a Flat Tune function to quickly transpose guitars down from standard tuning – great for those dark and heavy E♭ and D tunings. Designed to clip on to the headstock of any stringed instrument, the Z-1000 mounts via a durable clip, and the tuner can be rotated and swiveled for viewing at a variety of angles.

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The ZOID Z-2000 is designed for use with brass and woodwind instruments, and includes a very handy Transpose function. Players can easily change the note display to read the proper notes for their instrument. Choose from standard concert C, B♭, E♭, or F. The Z-2000 can clip on to the bell or lyre of any wind instrument and the tuner easily swivels to be viewed at just the right angle. The ZOID can also be clipped to a music stand.

The bright and large LCD features a large note name indicator and a meter-style display of the tuning status. The meter clearly shows the pitch of the note – sharp or flat and shows how far away from in-tune the note is. When the note is sharp or flat, the entire two-color display lights up in bright orange. When the note goes in-tune, the display changes to a bright green.

The ZOIDs each have two tuning modes. In the Clip Mode the tuner senses the notes of the instrument through the clip. This means the ZOID focuses on the note and rejects background noise, making it easy to tune when everyone else in the band is playing. In Mic Mode the ZOIDs use a built-in mic to pickup the notes. This allows for easy sharing of the tuner among everyone in the band. Both ZOIDs feature a Calibration function allowing the tuner to match pitch from a reference of 433 to 447 Hz. Both ZOIDs have a 7-octave tuning range, and come with a free long-life lithium battery. The ZOIDs turn off automatically after three minutes of inactivity, further extending the already long battery life. All settings are recalled on powerdown, so the tuner always turns on with the player’s preferred settings loaded in.

Suggested list price for both ZOIDs is $39.95.

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NewProducts Pro-Mark announces the addition of the Diversity Series to its line of keyboard mallets.

Designed by the percussion staff of The Concord Blue Devils, the Diversity Series is a part of Pro-Mark’s new System Blue line of marching and education products. This eight-mallet line features four graduated marimba mallets and four graduated xylophone mallets. It was created to satisfy any musical demand while maintaining a true, fundamental tone from the keyboard.

The DV1 through DV4 range from soft (DV1) to hard (DV4). They feature latex-wrapped synthetic heads with a nylon-wool blend yarn wrapping and a birch shaft. These mallets can be used on marimbas with either synthetic or rosewood bars. Suggested retail price is $44.95 per pair.

The DV5R through DV8R range from soft (DV5R) to hard (DV8R).

They feature mushroom-shaped, cordwrapped heads on rattan shafts. Suggested retail price is $54.95 per pair.

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American Audio’s Pocket Recorder

American Audio’s ultra compact Pocket Recorder is affordable and easy to use. It can record both WAV and MP3s formats for crystal-clear onsite recordings. The battery-operated recorder has two built-in condenser microphones and stereo audio inputs for true stereo sound. The unit also comes with two small lavalier microphones that are perfect for recording interviews. Its interface is specially designed to easily switch between mic, guitar, and line-in recording sources.

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NewProducts Featuring a 128MB of internal memory, the Pocket Recorder records pristine-sounding audio files directly onto an SD card. It can accommodate SD cards up to 4GB. A USB port allows you to connect the device to a computer, so you can playback or manipulate the files

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Off The Record

Off The Record, by Ed Breckenfeld of Modern Drummer Publications, is a new book and DVD-ROM multi-media package designed to help drummers improve their skills. The collection of lessons from one of Modern Drummer’s most popular columns showcases more than 500 drum tracks by the world’s most important, influential, and inspiring drum artists—defining just what great drumming is all about.

The innovative educational bundle is recommended as a supplement to lessons and self-study for drummers of all levels. It includes a 120-page book with note-perfect transcriptions of isolated drum patterns with in-depth analysis of how they were created to fit the style, context, and structure of the song. It also includes a bonus

Other handy features include a volume control for input and output level adjustments, a stereo earphone jack and DC power in. The Pocket Recorder operates on two AA batteries or via a DC 5V adapter (not included).

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DVD-ROM that contains nearly 180 MP3 tracks recorded using advanced software and techniques to emulate the sound, feel, dynamics, groove, and intensity of the original drum parts.

Off The Record carries a suggested retail price of $14.95 and is available from Modern Drummer Publications.

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58 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

NewProducts König & Meyer Speaker Stand System

König & Meyer has a new concept for a speaker stand to keep the speaker firmly in place. The newly designed and patented “ring lock” system is based on an expanding mandrel system with flanged bushing providing a reliable fit to the speaker.

Straightforward to use, the speaker is positioned on the connector pins as usual, but then secured with only a single twist of the ergonomic ring lock.

The mandrel system not only prevents the speakers from tilting when the floor is uneven or the stand is subjected to wind pressure, it can even withstand a serious onrush of fans.

The “ring lock” does away with speaker tilt caused by too much room between the connectors and the extension tube, something only worsened by elongation sections.

The “ring lock” has one more advantage---the high quality polyamide mandrel system provides a lowresonance connection between the stand and the speaker, enhancing music transmission. The whirring and rattling background noise, often a problem with conventional speaker connectors, is a thing of a past.

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TASCAM has launched the GT-R1, a new portable recorder for guitar and bass players. A pair of built-in condenser microphones captures rehearsals and live shows, or musicians can plug directly into the instrument input to record with amp simulation and effects. The GT-R1 includes a rhythm player for instant inspiration, and a 1GB SD Card and rechargeable battery are included to get started right away.

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The Baseball Songbook, Music Fun 101, by Alfred

Alfred celebrates the 100th anniversary of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with The Baseball Songbook, a collection of baseball-inspired songs from 1867 to 1922, the golden era of the game. Written on some scrap paper during a train ride to New York by Jack Norworth in 1908, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is a baseball classic which has been sung by millions across the nation. Musicologist and folklorist Jerry Silverman presents this famous song and 40 other classic baseball-themed songs. Decorated with the sheet music covers and with many other vintage baseball illustrations, this book contains historical information about the songs, the composers, the performers, and, above all, the players and teams mentioned in the songs. The Baseball Songbook is now available as a book and CD set for $19.95.

Music Fun 101 ia a reproducible publication that includes popular games and puzzles, from alpha grams, matching puzzles, crosswords, name that tune, musical Sudoku, word searches, mazes, and more. Clever, educational, and fun, Music Fun 101 is perfect for the music classroom.

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School Band and Orchestra, October 2008 59

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Virginia Music Educators Association Conference November 20 – 22 Every attempt has been made to provide accurate data, though readers should note that all dates and information listed are subject to change.

If you have information on any relevant future events that you’d like to see included in next month’s calendar, please e-mail SBO editor, Christian Wissmuller: cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com

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64 School Band and Orchestra, October 2008

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