School Band and Orchestra by SBO School Band & Orchestra

August 2012 • $5.00

Commentary: Sax Quartets Survey: Back to School

Dan Farris

of Northwestern University

Balancing Tradition and Innovation Survey: Back to School

A First Look

at 2012-2013

ith preparations for the 2012-2013 school year already well underway, this mid-summer reader survey takes a look at some preliminary impressions of the coming year. Read on to see how music educators from around country

weigh in on areas of concern and reasons for excitement, likely trends in funding, program size, and overall performance level, and tips for starting the year off on the right foot. For the 2012-13 school year, I anticipate the number of students in my program will:

“We have had great success retaining students between middle school and high school this year.” Greg Borsz West Genesee High School Camillus, N.Y.

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23%

Decrease

22% 19%

33%

15%

58%

Stay about the Same

Increase

11% 4% 3%

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

3% 26%

11%

Increase

Scheduling Recruitment/Retention Funding Admin/staff support Facilities/other resources Troublesome students Teaching the curriculum I’m not worried about anything!

Decrease

63%

Stay about the Same

20% 20% 19% 16% 10%

Teaching new repertoire Incoming students Returning students Trying new teaching/pedagogy methods A fresh start

August 2012

30 Dan Farris

“

I try to remain consistent with instruction and stress the importance of fundamentals.

”

Commentary: Sax Quartets

Contents Features

10 UpFrontQ&A: Jon Krueger SBO checks in with Jon Krueger, the executive director of fundraising trade group AFRDS, for the latest trends and tips in money raising campaigns for school music groups.

SOS: Save Our Saxophones with Quartets this Fall

By Andrew J. Allen

his winter, band directors across the nation will walk into their bandrooms, ready to get down whole-heartedly to the business of the concert ensemble. Since June, or even earlier, the educator has been involved feverishly and completely with the marching band. The time for Holst and Hindemith has finally come. The uniforms, sousaphones, and flags have been packed away; the newest trophies have been proudly displayed; and the director has assiduously studied many scores in preparation. The mind races with all of the new possibilities. Contest season is quickly approaching! With a mix of hope and apprehension, the director mounts the podium, raises a baton, and gives a downbeat!

18 18

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

Guest Editorial

SQWANK!!!!!! An unholy noise issues from the saxophone section! What happened!? Hope quickly turns to fear and worry. What went wrong? How could this possibly have been avoided?

Why Quartets? As we all know, the marching band is an excellent educational and public relations tool that offers a great avenue for instruction, public recognition, and the building of esprit de corps. However, without proper preparation, some deleterious and pervasive habits can creep into students’ playing through this ensemble.

This is especially true for the saxophone section, for whom the very act of marching requires a different instrument position, which can lead to adverse effects on embouchure and toneproduction. Over-blowing and other marching band missteps can lead to the “laser-tone” all too often encountered in band rooms throughout the country. Of course, many band directors continue some form of concert-ensemble training during the fall, and many also have active private-lesson programs throughout the year. Whether or not a program is able to support these endeavors, however, an active chamber music program during both semesters can lead to great technical and musical advances with a minimal amount of active oversight from the directors. There are several reasons why a saxophone quartet can be a particularly advantageous educational undertaking. First, tone quality – with the correct guidance – can be greatly improved. The small ensemble offers the student saxophonists a chance to play out with full sounds, without the fear of drowning out others, as they might in a band. As a result, they will learn to support more, and their sounds will improve in solo, chamber, and large ensemble performance. By seeking to balance and blend with each other, also, the students can learn to hear and manage in microcosm the problems that are encountered in dayto-day band rehearsals. Second, intonation can more easily be addressed in the small ensemble. While out-of-tune saxophones may be able to hide somewhat in a full band, poor intonation will be painfully apparent in a quartet setting. With the reduced musical texture provided by the ensemble, it also provides a prime laboratory to resolve this issue. Third, the quartet offers an opportunity for the budding tenor and baritone players to stretch their technical wings. Quartet literature offers many more chances for those instruments to shine than the standard band repertoire. Further, along these lines, the activity allows young saxophonists to play all of the voices of the instrument family. The student who is primarily a baritone player can work on his alto

chops, the tenor player can pick up the soprano, and so on.

“Intonation can more easily be addressed in the small ensemble.” Also, by introducing student saxophonists to quartets, they are given an

arena through which they can continue to enjoy playing their instruments upon graduation from high school or college. It is much easier to find three other saxophonists and rehearse with them regularly and avocationally than it would be with a band of fifty or more instrumentalists.

Where Do I Start? When forming a middle school or

Department of Music

B.S. in Music Education B.S. in Music Adelphi offers its students: Much of these laboratory experiences are imple• how Commitment to excellence in mented is dependent a music education proteaching on andhow musicianship gram is structured, but there is a wealth of possibility. Integrated learning through common It• can start specifically with drum majors, but then grow to include section leaders and even students in marchmusic literacy skills ing band methods courses. Section leaders in the band • Interactions with expert public can be provided more opportunities to plan and teach school music teachers sections of the band while students in marching band techniques or instrumental methods courses can be • Concentrations in performance, given opportunities to run complete rehearsals with the composition and jazz entire ensemble. At the University of Nebraska, Omaha (UNO), all • of Distinguished faculty artists these areas were a main focus throughout the season as it sought specifically to create a laboratory • Competitive talent scholarships experience for its music education majors. Many of these methods can be replicated at any university.

Drum Majors The drum majors were already responsible for teaching basic marching fundamentals during band camp. They met regularly with the director to go over techniques for what they would be teaching. Gradually, they have taken on more responsibility reaching the point For more information on where, now, they plan this instruction on their own over Adelphi’s music program, the summer, checking in regularly with the director to visit pfa.adelphi.edu. fine-tune their plans. They observe other marching band rehearsals from a list of approved directors and note how

The College Marching Band as a

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

other teachers instruct their ensembles. The students come up with new ideas and plan how to include these ideas in their instruction and team-teach the band almost exclusively throughout the week of band camp.

“It will take time for new teachers to become comfortable and they will probably make some mistakes along the way, but these mistakes will ultimately allow for more learning.” Also – and this varies depending on their confidence in running music rehearsals – the drum majors warm-up the band using the standard practices already implemented through faculty instruction. At UNO, performances were already led by the drum majors, but now they take even more responsibility to arrange the students and prepare them for each performance.

Section Leaders Section leaders were already expected to teach sectionals and provide comments regularly to members of their sections. Now they are more involved in the plan-

Laboratory Ensemble By Dr. Courtney Snyder

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ost music education students will never get opportunities to direct a marching band on their own until their first teaching job. Even if they student teach in the fall, because of high competitive demands, directors do not typically give their marching band rehearsals over to their

18 Commentary: Sax Quartets SBO contributor Andrew Allen suggests that the benefits of implementing sax quartets will resonate across a wide array of school music ensembles.

24 Guest Editorial: Lab Ensembles Dr. Courtney Snyder of the University of Nebraska, Omaha details how college marching bands can be used as a lab ensemble for future music educators.

30 Upclose: Daniel Farris In this exclusive SBO interview, Daniel Farris, director of athletic bands at Northwestern University, discusses the balancing act of maintaining tradition while also seeking to be adventurous and innovative on the marching field.

42 Survey: Back to School SBO readers share reasons for excitement and concern about the fast-approaching 2012-2013 school year.

48 Technology: Improvisation Tools John Kuzmich explores the latest tech tools and resources for teaching improvisation.

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

serve as a laboratory ensemble for music education majors, with the goal of providing students opportunities to help better ready them for their future teaching careers, especially with regard to an ensemble as

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challenging as marching band. School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

Columns 4

Perspective

61 Playing Tip

Headlines

62 Classifieds

54 New Products

64 Ad Index

Cover photo by Tom C. McGrath, Chicago, Ill. Technology: Improvisation Tools

Get Your FREE SBO iPad edition at the App Store

Sure-Fire Instruction Tools for

Improvisation By John Kuzmich, Jr.

ho would have thought that a computer could be a music director’s best friend and right-hand man for teaching improvisation, the most personal and creative

form of performance? In my four decades of teaching, I’ve incorporated several ways to teach improvisation with and without technology. Like many people, I taught myself using excellent instructional materials by Jamey Aebersold, Jerry Coke, David Baker, and Dominic Spera, to name a few. And we’ve seen how the evolution and integration of technology has made improvisation instruction more exciting and accessible to all music students.

Still, there are challenges we face, particularly with teaching scales and chords, the building blocks of music, to students who have never listened to diverse forms of music, let alone studied music theory. When our tech-savvy students don’t know their scales and chords and do not hear or understand how they work together, we can now bring them up to speed with top-notch improvisation technology tools. Play-along recordings by Music Minus One and Jamey Aebersold have been around since 1950 and 1996, respectively. Today’s play-along recordings are no longer static. Some customize

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

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 © 2012 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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Perspective

Tradition and Progress The storied history of band directors in the Big Ten conference reads like a “who’s who” in the profession. It includes names like Revelli, Weigel, Begian, Harding, Bainum, Cramer, and so many of the other greats who built the foundation for a conference which certainly has a fair claim as the best group of bands in the country. “The Big Ten bands make up nearly 1/3 of the entire list of Sudler Trophy winners, which nearly doubles any other conference’s involvement,” notes Dustin Krause of Parkland College. The Northwestern University band program, our cover feature this month, has some of the longest tenures of band directors in the conference, with only three directors occupying the prominent position since its founding in 1926. One of the unique aspects of Northwestern’s program is that their third director, Dr. Mallory Thompson, is on of a very short list of women who occupy the prestigious position of the director of bands at a Big Ten school. Although she doesn’t direct the marching band – that job falls on Dan Farris, director of athletic bands – Dr. Thompson is in charge of the overall band program, and was a four-year member of the ensemble as a student. Considering the fact that many bands didn’t officially welcome women musicians into their ranks until the 1970s (some were involved during WWII when men weren’t available), and that Illinois was the first to have a female drum major in 1977, Dr. Thompson’s career takes on even more historical importance. According to a paper by Elizabeth Gould of The University of Toronto, there are still very few female directors of major college programs, and, “Despite gender af“Considering the firmative employment practices, women constitute little fact that many of more than five percent of all U.S. college band directors. Researchers have investigated this situation in terms of bands didn’t officially historical precedent, traditional socialization, discrimiwelcome women nation, segregation, professional identity, and lack of role musicians into their models.” Evidently Gould also found that the number of women directors remained at the same percentage from ranks until the 1970s, 1973 to 2003, which seems astonishing, as women have Dr. Thompson’s career made huge gains in a variety of other fields during this takes on even more time. This is also clearly evident at the professional level, there are only a handful of well-known female historical importance.” where conductors of top orchestras around the world. One might think that at a time when society has women in leadership roles in all types of fields, including nearly 15 percent of all personnel serving in the US military, the number in director positions at college band programs would be significantly higher. Another unique element to the Northwestern bands is the legacy that Dr. Thompson carries on from two tremendously important figures in the history of the band movement, Glenn Cliffe Bainum and John Paynter. Each one a former student of the previous director, this connection to the past gives Dr. Thompson a first-hand understanding and respect for the traditions that have existed in the band program, yet she remains open-minded about the evolution of the program, including implementing new ideas to reflect changing music and tastes. The fact that Thompson has transcended any gender prejudices is a significant achievement and will no doubt help to carve a path for more women who will follow in her footsteps. It is leaders like her who will give younger women the incentive to set their sights on directing a college band program and the understanding that it is indeed an attainable goal.

August 2012 • Volume 15, Number 8 GROUP PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com PUBLISHER Richard E. Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com Editorial EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christian Wissmuller cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Matt Parish mparish@symphonypublishing.com Art PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill lguptill@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Advertising ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox ifox@symphonypublishing.com CLASSIFIED SALES Steven Hemingway shemingway@symphonypublishing.com Business CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com

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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 www.sbomagazine.com Member 2012

RPMDA Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com 4

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Headlines Barry Manilow Donates Piano to Louisville School District

Famed singer (and former SBO cover artist) Barry Manilow recently donated a new Yamaha piano to help launch a music instrument drive in Kentucky’s Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, the state’s largest school district. He also announced that he would offer two free concert tickets to anyone else who donated an instrument of their own to the district.

Learn more about Manilow’s Music Project at www.manilowmusicproject.org.

National Philharmonic Teams with DC School Music Program

Washington DC orchestra The National Philharmonic recently announced that it will begin partnering with the William E. Doar Public Charter School for the Performing Arts in an effort to get every student from kindergarten through 8th grade involved in music education. According to the Washington Post, the program will in-

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Opens Program for Amateur Musicians

Music director Marin Alsop recently led an army of amateur musicians through a week-long immersive music program alongside members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The program invited 104 willing students to rehearse, socialize, take lessons, and study intensive lectures with the orchestra in what amounted to a classical music lover’s fantasy camp. The move marked another step toward connecting with the orchestra’s audience as well as a strong new source of revenue – fees for academy students ranged from $1,750 to $3,000.

NAfME Members Meet for Music Education Week

Leaders of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) met during the recent Music Education Week in Washington, D.C. to discuss a number of music education policy issues. Among them, were the subjects of maintaining the arts as a core academic subject, improving teacher evaluation measures, and increasing classroom time for music educators.

Mary Luehrsen, NAMM (left); Chris Woodside, NAfME; Lynn Tuttle, SEADAE, and Mike Blakeslee, NAfME, discussed the SAEDAE white paper during the SupportMusic conference call.

clude violin instruction for the youngest students, leading into piano and voice lessons with a concentration beginning in the 6th grade.

www.nationalphilharmonic.org 6

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

During 2011 Music Education Week, NAfME and the American String Teachers Association announced the formalization of The Music Education Policy Roundtable (MEPR). Today, The MEPR has 17 members, including its newest –the Drum Corps International. The Roundtable this year participated in a live fishbowl discussion led by Chris Woodside, assistant executive director of advocacy and public affairs, who noted that maintaining the arts as a core subject is key to any lobbying efforts undertaken by Roundtable members.

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Headlines More than 110 NAfME state and division executives gathered at the law offices of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP for their final marching orders. They took with them a one-pager of The Roundtable’s Federal Legislative Recommendations or “asks,” which include requests that music educators should be evaluated by qualified individuals utilizing measures germane to their field, and that the U.S. Department of Education should collect research to support the field of music education. The group also called for accountability provisions, which include a measure of music success, are essential. They declared that funding should be made available to all music programs in all appropriate programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), that school day accessibility to music education programs should be maintained and increased throughout the United States, and that charter schools, consistent with all public schools, should provide students with a comprehensive education including access to sequential, standardsbased music education. A large portion of the SupportMusic call centered on a white paper released by the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE), outlining the roles and responsibilities certified arts educators, certified nonarts educators, and providers of supplemental arts instruction play in providing a quality, sequential arts education for America’s K-12 students.

For more information, visit www.nafme.org.

Amarillo Fine Arts Director Awarded Lifetime Achievement Honors

The Texas Bandmasters Association recently presented its 2012 Lifetime Administrator Achievement Award of Outstanding Commitment to Music Education to Amarillo’s Cody Myers. Myers, the Amarillo Independent School District director of fine arts, has taught music across central Texas in towns like Tulia, Dimmitt, Dumas and Midland. He has served as director in Amarillo for 15 years and oversees all of the district’s music education and fine arts programs. Myers has also served on local arts boards for years, including those of the Amarillo Symphony, the Greater Southwest Music Festival, the Amarillo Youth Orchestra, the Tri-State Fair Parad, an the steering committee for Window on a Wider World.

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Q&A

Upfron t

Jon Krueger, Fundraising

Focus on Effective Fundraisers with Jon Krueger, AFRDS

hile some fundraising campaigns may be independently organized and executed, there are also thousands of companies that specialize in assisting nonprofit groups, like school band or orchestra programs and their boosters, with maximizing fundraising profits and minimizing the effort involved. Jon Krueger is the executive director of a trade organization comprised of such companies, the Association for Fund Raising Distributors and Suppliers (AFRDS). SBO recently caught up with Mr. Krueger, who gives some insight into the latest trends in fundraising, as well as some tips for maximizing bang for the buck, and focusing fundraising efforts.

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

School Band & Orchestra: What are some the trends in fundraising that you’re seeing, particularly relating to efforts by school music programs? Jon Krueger: There is some data out there indicating that many schools are doing more and more fundraising. Better said, the tendency is to run more campaigns. The budget gaps are getting bigger, and it’s getting more and more difficult for schools to fund everything they need to in order to provide their students with a well-rounded education. That’s been the case for many years, but it’s especially true in recent years. There is a tendency among school bands, orchestra, and other school music groups, just like with PTOs and other school groups, to think, “We need to raise more money, so we should do more fundraising campaigns.” Our organization encourages pretty much any fundraising group, especially at the school level, to do what they can to reduce the total number of fundraisers that they run. We have a mantra among our members, and they share it with their customers, that goes, “Do a few and do them well.” In other words, have a good game plan for your fundraiser,

say at the beginning of the year. Identify those programs that have worked well in the past. Work with your fundraising professional to find out what other groups in the community are doing, but in any way that you can, try to cut down on the fundraising noise. Parents, supporters, and other people in the community are getting hit more and more with fundraising requests of all types – and it’s not just schools; it could be Girl Scouts or Little League – and eventually apathy starts to set in. According to our members – and a lot of our members have been in the industry for many, many years – one or two well-executed fundraisers at the school or school group level will oftentimes outperform four, five, or six fundraisers. If you run too many, you’ll essentially cannibalize your support base over the course of the year. SBO: That makes sense, even though it might be a little counterintuitive. JK: Right, it’s not quite a paradigm shift, but it’s something that you need to let sink in a little bit, if not really think through. A lot of times groups

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are so eager to get something out there to bring in some money that they don’t necessarily end up doing it in the most effective way. It is often much better to have a plan, a more strategic approach to the overall fundraising efforts that will take place throughout the year. Professional fundraising programs should be able to help with that process. SBO: Speaking of strategy, is there a rubric for determining the most effective fundraising campaign for a given community – whether to sell products versus gift cards or whatever else? JK: To find the best fit takes a

multi-pronged approach. A lot of organizations should look at their history and what’s worked well for a particular community, especially what’s been popular with a group’s supporters. We have done some opinion polling and market research over the years asking school groups which fundraisers have been the most profitable and, consistently,

“One or two wellexecuted fundraisers at the school or school group level will oftentimes outperform four, five, or six fundraisers.” the most prevalent answer is product sales. There are other fundraisers that can be really effective depending on the community, organization, and goals of the campaign, but it does seem like traditional product sales continue to do well. There are several reasons for this: it’s a triedand-true method; people know how it works and are familiar with it; and it’s something that people identify with school fundraisers.

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Another thing to consider when planning a fundraising campaign is how much volunteer support there is for your organization – what it is going to take to actually pull off these events. Even if you do have a strong volunteer base, do you want to put all of their efforts into a fundraiser? Or do you want to do something that only requires a portion of your resources there, leaving open the option to apply the remaining volunteer resources to other activities outside of fundraising? Generally speaking, product sales is one fundraiser that doesn’t suck up a lot of volunteer support time. We’ve asked the questions over the years about the average number of volunteers it takes to execute different types of fundraising programs, and for product sales, it’s much fewer than something like a carnival or walk-a-thon. In the newsroom section of our website, www.afrds.org, there are materials that talk more specifically about some of the figures and facts associated with various fundraising campaigns,

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but I wouldn’t say that it’s something that’s too prevalent today. As it has been for many years in fundraising, the traditional, tried-and-true products tend to dominate the marketplace. This includes things that people typically think about when it comes to product fundraising: gift wrap, food items, gift items, magazine subscriptions – those

the most profitable fundraisers, number of volunteers per fundraiser, and so on. SBO: Has there been a push for more “green” or “eco-friendly” products in fundraising? JK: There is an emphasis from some suppliers for those types of products,

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continue to be the major players in the market. As far as green or eco-friendly items, there hasn’t been a lot of chatter about that to me directly, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not out there among our member companies. SBO: Has the slow recovery from the recession that took place several years ago had an impact on the fundraising industry? JK: It’s kind of ironic. With the economic recession, the fundraising industry as a whole has taken its lumps and bruises just like every other industry, but the flipside of that is that because of all the government budget cuts, the demand for the service is probably as strong as it has ever been. What we’re trying to do as an organization is help people focus their fundraising efforts, cutting down on the total number of campaigns and really focusing on planning and executing the ones that are the most effective. That’s why we suggest working with a professional and becoming involved with product sales in general, because of what we know about how effective they are. SBO: Where would you suggest that educators begin their search for a good partner in fundraising? JK: First and foremost, we encourage people to work with an AFRDS member, a company that is a member of our organization. We have a process when someone applies to join AFRDS wherein a credentialing committee of fellow members reviews their qualifications, makes sure that they’re experienced within the industry, and that they run a good business. When you’re working with an AFRDS member, you’re working with a professional who is committed to promoting ethics and integrity in the industry. Odds are that you’re also working with someone who has the experience to know the ins and outs and potential pitfalls.

Learn more about the AFRDS at www.afrds.org.

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Commentary: Sax Quartets Survey: Back to School

Dan Farris

of Northwestern University

Balancing Tradition and Innovation Survey: Back to School

A First Look

at 2012-2013

“We have had great success retaining students between middle school and high school this year.” Greg Borsz West Genesee High School Camillus, N.Y.

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23%

Decrease

22% 19%

33%

15%

58%

Stay about the Same

Increase

11% 4% 3%

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

3% 26%

11%

Increase

Scheduling Recruitment/Retention Funding Admin/staff support Facilities/other resources Troublesome students Teaching the curriculum I’m not worried about anything!

Decrease

63%

20%

Stay about the Same

20% 19% 16% 10% 7%

Weaker than it was last year

10%

6% 2%

39% About the same as it was last year

CoverFinal.indd 1

51%

Stronger than it was last year

Teaching new repertoire Incoming students Returning students Trying new teaching/pedagogy methods A fresh start New tools/resources at my school Travel/performance opportunities Other

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Commentary: Sax Quartets

SOS: Save Our Saxophones with Quartets this Fall

By Andrew J. Allen

his winter, band directors across the nation will walk into their bandrooms, ready to get down wholeheartedly to the business of the concert ensemble. Since June, or even earlier, the educator has been involved feverishly and completely with the marching band. The time for Holst and Hindemith has finally come. The uniforms, sousaphones, and flags have been packed away; the newest trophies have been proudly displayed; and the director has assiduously studied many scores in preparation. The mind races with all of the new possibilities. Contest season is quickly approaching! With a mix of hope and apprehension, the director mounts the podium, raises a baton, gives a downbeat – and SQWANK!!!!!!

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

An unholy noise issues from the saxophone section! What happened!? Hope quickly turns to fear and worry. What went wrong? How could this possibly have been avoided?

chops, the tenor player can pick up the soprano, and so on.

“Intonation can more easily be addressed in the small ensemble.” Also, by introducing student saxophonists to quartets, they are given an

Where Do I Start? When forming a middle school or high school quartet, the first issue to

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School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

be addressed is that of instrumentation. While most advanced and professional literature has been written for the combination of soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, there still exists a great deal of music for ensembles of two altos, tenor, and baritone, when access to a soprano is lacking. Two wonderful collections exist for the beginning ensemble. For the SATB combination, Sigurd Rascher and Lee Patrick’s Masterpieces for

Saxophone Quartet offers 13 arrangements of music from the Renaissance through the Classical periods. Larry Teal’s Ten Saxophone Quartets delivers equally wonderful transcriptions for the AATB ensemble. Through these, the young quartet can have a wealth of literature at their disposal for a very reasonable price. Both of these collections, written by lauded pioneering pedagogues of the saxophone, have stood the test of time admirably.

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After they have exhausted these resources, quartets can delve into standard works like the quartets of Caryl Florio, Jean Baptiste Singelee, Faustin and Maurice JeanJean, and many more. If there is one problem with the saxophone quartet literature, it is that much of it is weighted toward the professional performer. A surface search for lower grade-levels may yield many novelty pieces, but a great deal of quality music exists. Texas’s UIL-recommended literature list is an especially fruitful resource for band directors in search of quartets.

“Chamber ensembles are a wonderful experiment in musical democracy, where each member’s voice and opinions are equally valid.” If the director sets a routine for the ensemble in the first few rehearsals, the students will be able to be self-directed much of the time thereafter. When seating the new ensemble, many directors will be tempted to have the group rehearse in the same configuration that they would perform in on-stage. However, especially in the early days, it may be more profitable for the group to sit in an “X” formation, with soprano (or first alto) and tenor, and alto (second) and baritone facing each other, respectively. In this compact formation, it will be easier for each student to hear the parts of the other members of the group, as well as intonation discrepancies. If a concert is approaching, the ensemble can simply begin practicing in a configuration suitable for the stage. Seating the group in a tight arch, placing soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone from stage right to stage left is one common set-up. Next comes tuning. The ensemble should tune from the baritone, with that student playing their lowest written F# in the staff (a concert A), carefully referencing an electronic tuner.

Once the baritone is tuned, the tenor matches the concert A, followed by the alto (or altos), and then the soprano, if applicable. Next, every instrument should play their respective written F#s, with the octave key, so that fifths result, further insuring over-all intonation. Finally, the quartet should play a unison scale very slowly, checking for precise intonation and uniform timbre. After the initial tuning routine, the quartet should play a chorale for the purposes of intonation and ensemble-

building. This author is partial to two resources. The first is John Nicholâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transcription of Five Bach Chorales. These are useful for both rehearsal and performance. The second is a book entitled Bach and Before for Band by David Newell, which includes 19 chorales, with each of the four parts printed in every book. This provides an opportunity for a wide variety of musical combinations. While, in the early stages of development, a group may struggle with tuning a standard SATB voicing, the older quartet can

profit immensely from dealing with the challenges of intonation, musicality, and balance posed by the baritone playing the melody, while the soprano or first alto performs an interior voice. After the warm-up phase, the quartet is ready to rehearse their literature. It should be mentioned again (and even encouraged) that after the first few rehearsals, the director can take a mostly supervisory role, offering the occasional coaching session and popping by when a vexing problem comes up. Chamber ensembles are a wonderful experiment in musical democracy, where each memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice and opinions are equally valid. In the first few supervised rehearsals, the director can set a model of how to organize and offer help and criticism in the small-group rehearsal. Perhaps, the director could recommend that a different student take the lead in every rehearsal, encouraging each to develop a critical ear and the ability to voice musical thoughts independently. The most important thing to ensure consistent progress with a young ensemble is to establish a consistent routine: tune, chorale, and rehearse literature. The quartet can be an excellent pedagogical tool for the young saxophonist, both in the fall and throughout the year. By exposing these students to the challenges faced in chamber music, you will help them grow immeasurably as musicians. Aside from all of this, there is one other consideration that pleads the case of the saxophone quartet and all chamber music: What could be more fun than playing music with a few of your closest friends? Andrew J. Allen is currently a Presidential Doctoral Fellow at the University of South Carolina, where he is a student of Dr. Clifford Leaman. He holds degrees in music education and saxophone performance from Tennessee Tech University and Central Michigan University, and has studied with Joseph Lulloff, John Nichol, and Phil Barham. Mr. Allen has premiered new works for the saxophone throughout the United States and Europe, and serves on the faculty of Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

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Guest Editorial

The College Marching Band as a

Laboratory Ensemble By Dr. Courtney Snyder

student teachers. Though many music programs require music education students to participate in their college marching band, students often come away from the experience wondering just how this participation prepares them to be a marching band director. To help bridge this gap, the college marching band can serve as a laboratory ensemble for music education majors, with the goal of providing students opportunities to help ready them for their future teaching careers, especially with regard to an ensemble as challenging as marching band.

School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ August 2012

Much of how these laboratory experiences are implemented is dependent on how a music education program is structured, but there is a wealth of possibility. It can start specifically with drum majors, but then grow to include section leaders and even students in marching band methods courses. Section leaders in the band can be provided more opportunities to plan and teach sections of the band while students in marching band techniques or instrumental methods courses can be given opportunities to run complete rehearsals with the entire ensemble. At the University of Nebraska, Omaha (UNO), all of these areas were a main focus throughout the season as it sought specifically to create a laboratory experience for its music education majors. Many of these methods can be replicated at any university.

Drum Majors The drum majors were already responsible for teaching basic marching fundamentals during band camp. They met regularly with the director to go over techniques for what they would be teaching. Gradually, they have taken on more responsibility reaching the point where, now, they plan this instruction on their own over the summer, checking in regularly with the director to fine-tune their plans. They observe other marching band rehearsals from a list of approved directors and note how

Section Leaders Section leaders were already expected to teach sectionals and provide comments regularly to members of their sections. Now they are more involved in the plan-

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ning processes that goes into running each rehearsal. They meet one half-hour prior to every marching band rehearsal to discuss with the staff what the goals and expectations for the rehearsal will be. Though they are given a specific itinerary of events for the rehearsal, at times they may suggest adjustments it if

quired to write a basic drill to a selection usually taken from the marching band season. Now they not only write the drill, they teach it to the marching band. Also, through this process, they see how the drill communicates on the field and how it compares to how it looks on a computer screen.

“This provides for great discussion and helps reinforce the importance of proper planning and problem solving.”

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necessary. Leaders also help make decisions related to the show, such as changes in the manner in which some drills are executed or adding visual elements to the drill to make it more stimulating to the audience. They take even more ownership of the band while also learning the importance of consistent planning in order to implement the most effective instruction.

Drill Writing There is no marching band techniques course taught at UNO, although basic elements of drill writing and logistics of running a marching band are covered in Secondary Instrumental Methods. In previous years, students were re-

Using drill-writing software already installed in the music computer lab, students write a minimum of 12 sets to one selection the marching band already knows. With only one week to teach the marching band, it would be unreasonable to expect the students to teach new music and drill when they have no previous experience teaching the full ensemble. There are very specific parameters for the project relating to the spacing between players with appropriate accommodations for color guard and drum line in particular, step size, staging, design and overall flow of sets and their relationship to the music. Before students use the computer software, they write out count sheets

and make sure the counts correspond correctly with the phrasing of the composition. They also are encouraged to create a drill flow chart to help them begin the process of seeing the drill in their mind’s eye as it flows with the music. After these preliminary steps are taken, they begin using the software to write. Students are given a tutorial on the program before they have to use it for their projects. They are required to create specific shapes in the drill so that they learn to use various tools of the program. These drills are not meant to be intricate; more intricate drills would take much longer to write. The project is to help them understand the basics of the program with the mindset that they can continue to refine their skills beyond the project itself should they make that choice. Methods classes at UNO typically consist of eight-to-10 students. Because this class teaches more than

just marching band, students are paired up to create the drill. This helps the work be more manageable and hopefully the students can inspire each other with new ideas and perspectives. Once all the drills are completed, they are played on the computer for the entire class while the music is also playing in sequence with the drill. After several viewings of each drill, the students then decide which drill they will all teach to the band. Once the final drill is determined, students are put into two teams of four or five members. Each team’s members choose specific teaching roles including field instructors (percussion, color guard, and marching techniques) and podium instructors (music and drill). They are encouraged to meet on their own time to plan, but are also given one regular class time to work out lesson planning with faculty guidance. After the planning is complete, each

team is given one rehearsal to teach the drill.

Preparing the Band The marching band itself is prepared for the experience. They are encouraged to be flexible as new teachers are not the same as experienced teachers. It will take time for new teachers to become comfortable and they will probably make some mistakes along the way, but these mistakes will ultimately allow for more learning. Once the first team teaches its lesson, members then collaborate with the members of the second team during the next class period so that the second team is ready to take over where the first team left off. They also discuss how the rehearsal process went, what things they did well, and what they could improve upon. It is a great opportunity for students to ask questions and critique each other’s performance. It is also a chance to

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

methods students are grateful for an opportunity to run their own rehearsal. They come away realizing how much it takes to be successful and how many elements they need to pay attention to at the same time. This provides for great discussion and helps reinforce the importance of proper planning and problem solving.

The Bigger Picture

discuss team dynamics – how the team works together and how that dynamic affects the rehearsal process. Each team has different strengths and weaknesses and some things go

very well while other things are a struggle. But, all in all, the students in the marching band are happy to help their friends while keeping things fresh in the middle of the season. Additionally, instrumental

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After the first year of including this laboratory experience in the curriculum, each methods student said it was an incredibly invaluable experience. In some respects they were intimidated by just how much multi-tasking it takes to run a rehearsal effectively, however, they have been guided through the process step by step. They have a firmer foundation from which to build their own successful program. Now that they have had this guided experience in running a marching band rehearsal, they understand the complex demands of being the director and thus will be more prepared to run all of it when they have a band of their own. Since 2009, Dr. Courtney Snyder has been an assistant director of bands, assistant professor at University of Nebraska, Omaha, where she directs the “Maverick” Marching Band. She is also the associate conductor for the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, teaches conducting and music education courses, and provides individual conducting instruction to both undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to her position at UNO, Snyder is music director for the Nebraska Wind Symphony, a community concert band based in Omaha, Neb. She serves as the faculty advisor for the Kappa Iota Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and is an active clinician and adjudicator in Michigan and Nebraska. Prior to her appointment at University of Nebraska, Omaha, Snyder completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in conducting at the University of Michigan, and taught instrumental music in the Michigan public schools for six years. Dr. Snyder received her master’s degree in conducting from Baylor University and her B.S. in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Balancing Tradition and

Innovation

Dan Farris & the Northwestern Wildcat Marching Band By Eliahu Sussman

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Surrounding yourself with talented people is essential in running a program, especially for a marching band.â&#x20AC;?

aniel J. Farris is the director of athletic bands at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, where, among his many responsibilities, he oversees the Wildcat Marching Band. The Northwestern University Marching Band (NUMB) is an all-volunteer ensemble that includes members from every nook and cranny of the diverse Northwestern campus. The vast majority of band members are not music majors. Yet, in spite

of the immense challenge of bringing an enthusiastic-but-largely-inexperienced ensemble up to speed in a very short period of time, the Sudler Trophy-winning ensemble has long been known as “the Finest Band in the Land.” In leading the NUMB, Farris, who is entering his 13th year with Northwestern, draws on a wide array of teaching experiences, including stints at public schools, the Illinois State University,

and UNLV. His goal, he says, is to balance the signature moves and traditions that have been a part of Wildcat Marching Band field shows since the group’s inception way back in 1926 with the latest innovations in the marching arts and entertainment. SBO recently caught up with the director to discuss his teaching approach, the intricacies of the NUMB, and some of the challenges of preparing the music educators of tomorrow. School Band & Orchestra: How were you first introduced to music? Dan Farris: One of my earliest memories of being around music was listening to my grandmother play piano and hearing music at our church. My parents told me that I begged for piano lessons when I was in first grade. In fifth grade I started saxophone and continued in the program at Oregon High School in Wisconsin. My first high school band director, Mike Davis, left after my sophomore year and eventually moved to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, following my senior year. Along with three of my high school classmates, I followed him there to study music education. SBO: He must have been a substantial influence on you, then!

The Northwestern University WildPride performs. Photo by Daniel M. Reck. 32

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

DF: Oh, without question. Mike had a great high school program with excellent concert, jazz, and marching bands. When he went to JMU, he founded what is now known as the Marching Royal Dukes, and I was there to see the group more than double in numbers and grow tremendously in quality. He was a master motivator and understood how to entertain an audience, later working at Disney World for many years. I was also influenced by my other high school director, Steve Spiwak, who instilled an incredibly strong work ethic and energy in his students. SBO: From your experience teaching in public schools before moving up to the college ranks, what are some of the things you learned that helped you have success throughout your career?

The sousaphone section of the Northwestern University ‘Wildcat’ Marching Band waits to greet the team before the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas in Houston, where the Northwestern football team will challenge Texas A&M University. This image appears in “NUMB Shares, Collects Photos for Posterity.” Photo by Daniel M. Reck.

DF: I really received my education during my first few years of teaching. Not to take anything away from my undergraduate experience, but you really find out who you are as a person and as a teacher once you get into the classroom. You take inventory of what works and learn to use the resources around you to become more efficient. One of the more difficult things I had to learn was how to

delegate. Surrounding yourself with talented people is essential in running a program, especially for a marching band. Another mentor who had a huge affect on me as an educator was Gary Smith at the University of Illinois, where I was

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a graduate assistant. Gary is an amazing person and a master teacher. He provided me with numerous on-thejob opportunities in drill writing and leading ensembles. Among the many things he taught me was how to be effective within the system that he had spent years refining. This included a number of specifics in what should appear on each drill chart. At first I didn’t really get it; I thought it was just a ton of work and detail. Once I witnessed how quickly the students were able to read the music and the drill charts, leading to an efficient and productive rehearsal, I was convinced. You can see the influence of his teaching methods in many music educators throughout the country. SBO: Let’s talk about the Northwestern University Marching Band; when you came on board at Northwestern, what were your initial goals?

The Northwestern University ‘Wildcat’ Marching Band performs at the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas in Houston as Northwestern football challenges Texas A&M University. Photo by Daniel M. Reck.

DF: I’m beginning my thirteenth year here. This program is one of the oldest in the country and has a very storied past, beginning in 1926 with the original director of bands, Glenn Cliffe Bainum. Mr. Bainum was an icon and early innovator in the marching field. He was succeeded by NU alum and then-assistant director John P. Paynter in 1953. Mr. Paynter was really hands on with the marching band throughout his legendary 40-plus years as director of bands. There is a great lineage in that Northwestern’s third and current director of bands, Dr. Mallory Thompson, was a student of Mr. Paynter’s. She was a four-year member of NUMB and is committed to being involved in the organization. As you can see, the heritage and tradition of the band speaks for itself. When I came here, I wanted to maintain and build Per tradition, the NUMB senior class of 2011 takes the field as the band plays “Go on these traditions, while keeping current with half- U, Northwestern!” The Northwestern University ‘Wildcat’ Marching Band performs time music and drill design. NUMB is made up of an at Ryan Field on Saturday, November 26, 2011. Photo by Daniel M. Reck. amazingly intelligent and talented group of students who have a tremendous amount of pride and spirit. Building on the tradition of excellence has been both motiSBO: Are electronic instruments something that you’ve vating and inspiring. considered implementing in the NUMB? SBO: You mention trends in the marching world – what are some of the things you are seeing taking place? DF: When I adjudicate competitive and festival shows, I see the expanded use of electronics and amplified soloists,

DF: Not really at this time, but I wouldn’t necessarily rule anything out in the future. The Wildcat Band is primarily traditional in what we do during pre-game, but our halftime shows can include anything. Our shows range from classical to Broadway to rock. Our hope is that we hit on something that everyone enjoys. NUMB is essentially all-volunteer, with no audition requirement. Virtually every major offered by the university is represented, and from a very diverse population. We have members who are very experienced, having marched in competitive high school and drum corps, alongside students who may never have marched a day in their life. Last year we had a number of international students who received our recruiting materials, thought it would be fun, and there they were on the first day of band camp. We welcome them as part of our Northwestern family.

“As an admitted control freak, one of the most difficult things I had to learn was to let go.” vocalists, and front ensemble instruments. The amount of auxiliary equipment and props has also increased dramatically in the past few years. Music and drill are growing more sophisticated and complex.

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

Dr. Mallory Thompson, Director of Bands, Northwestern University

School Band & Orchestra: Remarkably, you’re only the third director of bands since the marching band was founded in 1926. What does that legacy mean to you? Dr. Mallory Thompson: Glenn Cliffe Bainum was one of the real leaders in the 20th century band movement, not only in terms of building the marching band, but also building the concert organization. One of the ways he did that was by writing transcriptions, because during the time he was conducting concert bands, there really weren’t that many original works. John Paynter, my predecessor, was a student of Mr. Bainum’s, and always spoke very highly and reverently about Mr Bainum and what Mr. Bainum meant to the band program. Now, I can hardly believe that I’ll be starting my 17th year in this position, and as a student of Mr. Paynter’s, it’s very meaningful for me to be here. Each person had a great deal of respect for their predecessor, but had the expectation of coming in and building on the tradition and excellence, while putting their own stamp on it. Northwestern, along with Illinois and Michigan, in particular, are some of the schools that have this really long and rich history of excellence and leadership in concert music, not only in the Big 10, but also across the United States. SBO: When you came on board as director of bands, where were you looking to make your mark? MT: I was really interested in doing recordings. This was something that Mr. Paynter did a little bit of, but not a great deal. This was something that became important to me, and we actually just released our fourth CD in my tenure on the Summit record label. It is called Rising. And Summit has just entered us into consideration for the Grammys, which is a first for me. We were entered in the Best Orchestral Performance category, ironically enough, because no one really knows what to do with a wind ensemble. I also really wanted to establish strong relationships with our applied faculty and collaborate with them a great deal. I’ve had them play many concerti with the symphonic wind ensemble, and I’ve been involved with a lot of commissioning. I just wanted to put my own artistic and musical stamp on the organization, and the kind of artistic training that I want to give the students as they go on their way – many of them – to professional performing careers, as well as the kind of artistic quality of performance that I wanted to present to our audiences. SBO: How do the athletic bands fit into the scope of musical opportunities at Northwestern? MT: The athletic bands are very near and dear to my heart 36

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

because I actually played in the NUMB for four years when I was a student here. This gives me a lot of perspective, as well as credibility, both with the alumni and the students who are in the organization now. People feel such an emotionally vested interest in it these bands. I’m all in favor of the students putting their stamp on the organization and watching it evolve, because you have to evolve! You can’t just be a museum. That’s not relevant to the members, and it’s not relevant to the audiences. I always want to think about the audience, whether that’s with the Wildcat Marching Band or with my symphonic wind ensemble. You have to consider the audience, and you have to make the audience want to watch your performances. I’m really very interested in the marching band, in many ways like I’m interested in my own ensembles. You want to be respectful of and attached to the history and tradition of excellence, but you have to be aware and modify things so they speak to the modern times – without pandering to the lowest level of taste. SBO: You mean base entertainment factors? MT: Right, exactly, because that’s not excellence. SBO: So with your unique perspective, having been a band member and now overseeing the entire program, how has the marching band evolved in terms of purpose, identity within the university, and execution on the field? MT: It’s been an amazing evolution. The evolution went from the stock picture-style show – where you go from formations making a clock or a bugle or whatever else – to incorporating more of the drum corps, while not giving up some of the traditions, which is a very important part of the entertainment value and historic value of what the marching band does. Dan Farris does an exceptional job charting for the marching band. He stays very current and is always finding a way to incorporate the tradition of the highest level of musical performance and playing really effective arrangements with really modern and very entertaining drill design.

Director of bands Mallory Thompson (r) and director of athletic bands Daniel J. Farris cheer “U, Rah, Rah!” as the Northwestern University ‘Wildcat’ Marching Band welcomes the team before a game on Saturday, November 26, 2011.

It’s always interesting for me to see. I can’t keep up on drum corps; it’s not my thing. It’s all I can do to stay current and on top of things in my own area of expertise, but I can’t wait to get to rehearsal to see what Dan is having them do and to see how he leads them to their really excellent level of execution. SBO: For people that might be unfamiliar, what are some of the signature moves, sets, or sounds of the NUMB? MT: Our big traditions are in our pregame: there’s our high step; there’s something called a “rear back,” which is a flashy move that makes their capes move when they’re about to turn in a new direction; and the formation of our block “N,” where that letter appears as a sort of a marquee, like there are theatre lights blinking around it. Those happen during the pre-game and that’s the real tradition in terms of drill design. The pregame is an homage to the Big 10, and to the traditions of the bands in this conference. A new tradition, this year, was having the drum line come out of this inflatable wildcat. That was very exciting! I’m all for reinterpreting traditions and putting a new spin on them. I think our wonderful relationship with the athletic department really facilitated our creativity and our the ability to brainstorm and come up with something new and something really entertaining for the crowd. Musically, the band is really known for making a quality sound, not just loud and blaring volume for its own sake. We’re not the biggest group in the Big 10, and there are virtually no music majors in the marching band, unlike at some other prominent schools. Dan just absolutely works magic with this group. From hearing them from the first rehearsal to what they’re able to do on the field, it’s just magic. And he does it by encouraging students to play musically, to play smart, and to never ever make a bad sound. Maybe one of the most important aspects of the marching band, to me, is that they play musically.

“It is a very exciting time, but there are many issues we need to explore.” SBO: How do you maintain the level of consistency and musicianship with so many non-music majors in the ensemble? DF: That is the challenge! I try to remain consistent with instructions and stress the importance of fundamentals. It takes some time, but once they are established it makes learning that much easier throughout the year. I also rely on the work of many talented graduate assistants who work

closely with the students and help our student leadership. They are essential to the success of our organization. I think it’s important to note that many high school students think that their musical careers end at graduation, that they won’t be good enough to play at the next level, or that they have to be a music major to participate in music; with NUMB, and the vast majority of university band pro-

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

grams across the country, it’s to the contrary. I would estimate that 95 percent of students in our marching band are non-music majors. It’s demanding, but I view the diversity of backgrounds and experiences as a huge bonus for our group. SBO: What’s your secret for making it all work? DF: You have to be really organized and prepared. We’ve set in place a proven system and a hierarchy of student leadership. I communicate with the students to coordinate the techniques and style that we use. They are incredibly committed and prideful of their individual teaching and the results they achieve with their respective sections. Coordinating is sometimes challenging, but it works effectively in the end. There is also an emotional element with the university and football team that is special here. NUMB creates an immediate connection to the Northwestern

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School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

community. Supporting the team, no matter what, has been a tradition that will never die. SBO: That system of student leadership goes back to what you were saying earlier, about learning to delegate. DF: Definitely. With a marching band, and larger sized groups in particular, empowering the people around you makes the students feel that they have a vested interest and pride of ownership in the product. That is one of the most rewarding aspects for me. As an admitted control freak, one of the most difficult things I had to learn was to let go. Part of it is teaching, but it’s also about being an organizer who trusts other people to teach what you want that really makes the system work. SBO: That sounds like a system that could work at any level of marching band, no? DF: Yes, or any organization or even corporation – without question. A special part of being at Northwestern is being surrounded by such talented and bright students. It’s an honor and privilege to work here. I don’t think there is a smarter band in the land. They are also very nurturing and accepting of their peers, which creates a positive energy within group.

sic and the style of marching that I wanted to do, and I wasn’t really open to anything else. As I’ve been around and experienced different programs, I’ve realized that marching bands can have many different layers. They can provide different opportunities depending on the performance venue and audience. This is another thing I learned from Gary Smith. Just because one group might be more traditional in nature doesn’t make it better or worse than a group who is “cutting edge.” Quality is quality no matter what the program or style. It really comes down to what is appropriate for the performance setting and how the program is presented. An extremely complex, esoteric show might not be appropriate for a halftime show at a football game. I do think, however, that it’s important that people are pushing the envelope with what is possible on the field so that we can continue to grow. It’s kind of like

SBO: With the NUMB, how do you draw the line between staying current with marching trends, without becoming so esoteric that you lose the audience? DF: As far as programming goes, marching bands can be many different things. I’ve tried to be open to the many different possibilities of what a marching band can be, and what it should be. Early in my career, I had an idea of the style of mu-

The Northwestern University ‘Wildcat’ Marching Band drumline. Photo by Daniel M. Reck.

musical composition; people are constantly trying to see what’s possible with technology, form, and technique. Whether you’re talking about drum corps, college, or high school shows, advancing the aesthetic, musical, and technical boundaries is what allows us to learn from each other and grow the art form. SBO: Speaking of growing the art form, in a broader sense, how has music education been influenced by technological innovation? DF: Technology has definitely changed things, particularly in the past five to ten years. One of the challenges facing music education today is how we can harness all of this very useful technology and use it to improve instruction. It can be powerful tool, but it can also detract from learning. The question is how can we be creative in using and implementing what technology has to offer? Equally as challenging is keeping up with an ever evolving medium. It is a very exciting time, but there are many issues we need to explore.

Northwestern University Marching Band

At a Glance

Location: 711 Elgin Road, Evanston, Ill. On the Web: northwesternbands.org/numb Students in NUMB: 175 Students at Northwestern University: 8,300 Director of Athletic Bands: Dan Farris Awarded the Sudler Trophy by the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 1992.

Scan this image on your smart phone to see an in-depth feature on the Wildcat Marching Band producted by the Big Ten Network!

SBO: What technological tools have you implemented into your own courses and ensembles, writing drill, and so on? DF: When I started writing drill I did everything by hand. While I’m glad that I learned to do it that way, I now use a computer. For me, it saves an immense amount of time and is far more accurate than I can chart by hand. Animation within the program is also a helpful tool for both writing and teaching drill. In addition, digital media has made it much easier for students to communicate using videos and recordings to facilitate learning a show. SBO: You mentioned that your first few years in the classroom were a trial by fire in some respects. What can be done in the music education courses at colleges so that future teachers might be better prepared to step into the classroom? DF: Providing as much practical involvement as possible is key. A typ-

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School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

ical music education curriculum usually includes student teaching only at the end of a four or five-year curriculum. I think it would be advantageous to have more extended teaching experiences throughout the undergraduate curriculum. Whereas music performance majors perform and composition majors compose throughout their entire collegiate experience, music education students have to wait until their senior year to student teach. As a pre-student teaching experience, I incorporate teaching practicums in my music education methods course where we have the opportunity to go out to four or five high school and middle schools. Students prepare a lesson plan, rehearse the band, and receive a video review. It’s proven to be a valuable experience and one that, quite frankly, Drum Major Michael San Gabino leads the NorthI wish we could do more of in western University ‘Wildcat’ Marching Band. Photo preparing music educators. You by Daniel M. Reck. can only theorize so much about certain ideas before you have to I think we do a good job of teachput them into practice. ing the technical aspects of music We also have a rehearsal lab that – fingerings and that sort of thing was started several years ago. It meets – and preparing them on that front. once a week, and is required of all muHowever, you really need to be in sic education majors. Students who are front a classroom to learn the essenclosest to their student teaching extial skills needed to be a quality eduperience organize and run rehearsals, cator. Assessing your teaching style with everyone playing on a secondary and developing interpersonal skills instrument. with administration, parents, and colleagues – I think that’s where you SBO: What have you found to be really learn the most about being a the main logistical impediments to teacher. increasing the number of contact hours for student teaching? SBO: Last question: what would you say are the characteristics that DF: That’s a challenge for a make for a great educator? number of reasons. With the number of required courses in a music DF: There are many qualities that core curriculum, music education come to mind; clearly a person needs courses, general education courses, to have expertise and knowledge of observation hours, student teaching what they are teaching. Someone who experience, technique training on all is caring, enthusiastic, committed to the instruments, and so on, it’s a full excellence, dedicated, and passionate curriculum, to say the least. There’s about both music and teaching. I also very little room for additional electhink the ability to adapt to change tives and supporting activities, even and continue to grow personally and though that contact element is so professionally is vital. These are all important. universal themes.

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Survey: Back to School

A First Look

at 2012-2013

ith preparations for the 2012-2013 school year already well underway, this mid-summer reader survey takes a look at some preliminary expectations of the coming year. Read on to see how music educators from around country

“We have had great success retaining students between middle school and high school this year.” Greg Borsz West Genesee High School Camillus, N.Y.

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

33%

Stay about the same

Decrease

23% 22% 19%

58% Increase

15% 11% 4% 3% 3%

Scheduling

Recruitment/Reten Funding

Admin/staff suppo

Facilities/other res

Troublesome stud

Teaching the curri

“I’m in a shrinking district. By my numbers staying the “Most of the funding for the program has stayed the same, I actually show an increase in percentage of school atsame over the past few years. The exception is an intending music classes” crease in the part of the budget that goes toward uniform Dan Johnson cleaning costs, which is just now starting to catch up 23% Decrease Scheduling 9% Philomath High School with the growth of the program in the last five years.” 22% Philomath, Ore. Brent Barnett Recruitment/Retention “As I recruit throughout various regions I have noticed Rutland High School 19% that the programs are becoming smaller and the talent level Rutland, Vt. Funding is decreasing as well,33% especially in the inner city.” 15% 58% Stay about the same Admin/staff support numbers are increasing, the amount al“Although Increase Michael Hendrix Grambling State University lowed in the budget will most likely stay the same. To 11% Grambling, La. Facilities/other me, thisresources is better than a cut. The students and I will have 4% to work on making up any extra funds via fundraisers.” For the 2012-13 school year, I anticipate the funding my Troublesome students Stacey Hartman program receives will: 3% Seaford Middle School Teaching the curriculum Seaford, Del. 3%

26%

11%

Increase

Decrease

63%

20%

Stay about the same

20% 19% 16%

I’m not worried about anything!

“We will see a 10-25 percent decrease from District. Last year’s cut was about 30 percent. Boosters are maxed out.” James Irving Tigard High School Tigard, Ore. Teaching new repertoire Incoming students Returning students Trying new teaching/pedagogy methods

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20% 19% 16% For the 2012-13 school year, I anticipate that the performance level of my students will be: 10% Weaker than it was last year

10%

39% About the same as it was last year

Decrease

33% Stronger than it 51% 58% Stay about the same was last year

Incoming students Returning students Trying teaching/pedagogy Mynew biggest concerns methods for the 2012-2013 school year are: A fresh start

23%

Scheduling New tools/resources at my school

22%

Travel/performanceRecruitment/Retention opportunities Other

19% 15%

Increase

11% 4%

“Our performance level seems to increase with every passing year. I expect the level to jump up again this year since Increase we were able to add another band director to our 11% staff. It is going to be a happy year!” 26% Decrease Tony Luzzi Searcy High School Searcy, Ari. 63%

“I have young groups across the Stay board this year – what about the same could be better than building them into something special?” Marianne Ball La Salle High School Yakima, Wash.

3% 3%

Weaker than it was last year

10%

6% 2%

About the same as it was last year

Facilities/other resources Troublesome students Teaching the curriculum I’m not worried about anything!

Returning students

10%

51%

Admin/staff support

“Funding is tight across the state, it seems. It is also very difficult to fundraise in a rural area up against other school activities, such as clubs and athletics. Eventually the well 20% seems to runTeaching dry.” new repertoire Mike Palmer 20% Incoming students Charles B. Aycock High School Pikeville, N.C. 19% 16%

39%

Funding

Stronger than it was last year

Trying new teaching/pedagogy methods A fresh start New tools/resources at my school Travel/performance opportunities Other

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School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

4% 3% 3% 26%

11%

Increase

“I always worryDecrease about recruitment/retention. I want to graduate more then 1015 percent of what started as 5th graders. I want to be better. Schedules always 63% seem to change justStay a little insame order to about–the make things better – but sometimes they don’t.” Bill Thomas Shawnee Mission West High School Overland Park, Kan.

Troublesome students Teaching the curriculum I’m not worried about anything!

For the coming school year, I’m most excited about:

“Despite having the largest class ofit wasislast yearnot a fered at our Weaker school,than band still scheduling priority. That’ s why I volun10% teered to be on a schedule committee for the coming year. You can’t complain if you don’t offer any suggestions for Stronger than it 51% improvement!” 39% was last year About the same as Ross Schumaker it was last year Mid-Prairie Middle School Kalona, Iowa

20% 20% 19% 16% 10% 7% 6% 2%

Teaching new repertoire Incoming students Returning students Trying new teaching/pedagogy methods A fresh start New tools/resources at my school Travel/performance opportunities Other

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School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

“I think anyone who teaches longterm does it because of the students – they are a life source of energy, joy, and teen/tween issues. Being almost a 30-year veteran, I find my enthusiasm bounces back from the kids in their energy and enjoyment of music making. I thrive on the challenge of finding new ways to be super successful with the kids’ understanding and skills, plus new music is always exciting for us all.” Anne M. Watts Discovery Middle School Granger, Ind. “The excitement of teaching beginners in their first few months never gets old – their enthusiasm is contagious!” Carole Smith Grooms Freedom Intermediate and Middle Schools Franklin, Tenn. “We received a small grant to implement some iPads into the band and orchestra curriculum for the fall. I look

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

forward to that technology becoming available and to being able to pilot some new elements to the band program.” Steve Stenzel Lake Zurich Middle School North Hawthorn Woods, Ill. Do you have any tips or suggestions for starting off the new school year on the right foot?

“It’s all about the attitude – be positive! Anything you screwed up last year is water under the bridge. You have the opportunity to make it better this year!” Chuck Silloway Mountain Ridge Middle School Colorado Springs, Colo. “Take the time needed to get to know your students and set clear expectations for management of the classroom, behavior, and so on. Music should be secondary to establishing

positive relationships and mutual respect during the first week or two.” Mark McCrady Whitefish Public Schools Whitefish, Mt. “Establish clear goals for each ensemble and communicate those goals to each student. Plan for the entire year, not just for immediate start of the school year. Establish solid communication lines with parents and maintain those lines of communication.” Glenn Northern Penn High School Mishawaka, Ind. “This is my 33rd year of starting over. If there has been any success throughout my career, it has been because of developing relationships with students in as honest and open an environment as I can possibly make it.” Casey Cropp Rocky Mountain High School Fort Collins, Colo.

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Technology: Improvisation Tools

Sure-Fire Instruction Tools for

Improvisation By John Kuzmich, Jr.

ho would have thought that a computer could be a music director’s best friend and right-hand man for teaching improvisation, the most personal and creative

form of performance? In my four decades of teaching, I’ve incorporated several ways to teach improvisation, with and without technology. Like many people, I taught myself using excellent instructional materials by Jamey Aebersold, Jerry Coke, David Baker, and Dominic Spera, to name a few. And we’ve seen how the evolution and integration of technology has made improvisation instruction more exciting and accessible to all music students.

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

tempos for practicing each track. Digital recorders also easily adjust tempos and can be quickly altered with complete accompaniments. Few things are more challenging than teaching listening skills to students who read music better than they listen. Too often, ear training is restricted to just playing in-tune. But for improvising purposes, students can be encouraged and taught to hear jazz scales and chords, chord progressions, and transcribe solos, and there are a number of tools designed expressly for this purpose.

through 13ths. Plus, it gives second and third alternative choices for more exotic harmonies. It is a comprehensive chord and scale thesaurus covering synthetic or altered scales, symmetrical, special modes, and more. Everything is notated in all keys for both treble and bass clefs. The chord substitution segment ingeniously provides chord choices for

all melody notes with 54 common tone chord substitutions for any given note. An ear training and theory wonderland, www.changes98.com is a musical feast for both improvisation and rhythm section comping. The second area of instruction is perfectly timed to funnel studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; creative energy into improvisation. The newer

Four Sure-Fire Improv Tools Perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the entire industry is www.changes98. com. Debuting in 1998, this free site can make a huge difference. Developed by Larry Ross Norred, noted arranger for Jenson and Hal Leonard publications, www.changes98.com is a chord/ scale reference utility web site that can be used individually, in a private studio, or any classroom situation. You have an instant and exhaustive resource of musical examples in all chromatic keys for both treble and bass clef to view or hand out. Students can use these for self or group study and practice. I suggest that students print out some of the chords and scale pages and keep them in their music cases, since the material on this site can be printed and/or downloaded to any computer without charge. Or for a nominal fee, you can purchase a CD. It is organized in four sections: 1. Chords and Chord Scales in any key 2. Advanced Scales and Modes in any key 3. 54 Common Tone Chord Substitutions for any note 4. Frequently Asked Questions. The author answers questions by e-mail to encourage teachers and students to master their improvisational skills. The array of chords goes far beyond basic major, Dorian, and Mixolydian scales, venturing into advanced levels of every chord type with altered tones

School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ August 2012

generation of play-along recordings use the latest attractive computer capabilities to motivate solid, productive practice. SmartMusic by Makemusic is a software application that offers a lot of jazz technology tools with jazz patterns and popular play-along albums. Band-in-aBox likewise offers the opportunity to create one’s own play-along accompaniments. For non-tech teachers, the fastest way to jump into the play-along market is with Alfred Publishing’s Jazz Play Along Series: The Music of Gordon Goodwin. These MP3 CD play-along albums include tempo-changing software along with additional pedagogy features that make them very effective. The C, B♭, E♭, and bass clef books have excellent small group arrangements, as well as available companion books for rhythm section, piano, bass, and drumset at easy, medium-easy, and medium-advanced levels. There are written melodies and sample jazz solos to listen to, study, and play along with while learning to improvise and comp with, as well as jazz choruses for soloing opportunities and helpful

improvisation tips/suggestions for each tune. Students react very favorably to these charts.” Some of the Alfred Publishing’s play-alongs now have sample solos to listen to and to sing and playalong with. In the December 2011 issue of SBO, I reviewed BAMtracks, a multimedia soft-

n o r t h w e s t e r n u n i ve rs i t y

ware that generates Jamey Aebersold’s 132-title recording library with complete digital altering capabilities and the best practices options in the industry, which is scheduled to hit the market this fall. Digital recorders can also have a positive impact when used with the vast play-along libraries because they

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School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

can easily change the tempo to fit the needs of every student level. And you don’t need a computer. If you do a web search for “digital recorders with slow playback,” you will find a summary of digital recorders that can alter playback and modulation options. Superscope Technologies is the leader in this digital recorder market with speed/key playable tempo controls. Roland and Tascam are two other manufacturers who offer digital recorders with similar playback options. Prominent play-along publishers to choose from include Hal Leonard, Alfred Publishing, Jamey Aebersold, and Music Minus One. Another play-along approach to consider is Audacity, a freeware digital sequencing program you and your students can download. Under the Effects pull-down menu, you can modify the recording track by speed, tempo and pitch. (This will require that you first convert the play-along file from a WAV recording to an MP3 and then reload the file.) It is an excellent sequencing application with lots of recording and playback capabilities for PC and Mac platforms. Garageband is a free Mac program that offers similar features. To see how easy it is accomplish this, check out this YouTube video: www. youtube.com/watch?v=10rJZTgizd4. The third tool deals with ear training, which is often the missing link that directors rarely have time to adequately cover. Jazz and ear training go hand-in-hand. The two leading ear-training applications are Auralia and Ear Master 5. Both offer a variety of jazz instructional tools. Ear Master 5 offers exercises with the on-screen notation, or you can enter the notes of your answers with the on-screen piano. Ear Master 5 includes a whole set of lessons dedicated to the characteristics of jazz music, including jazz chords and swing rhythms. Perhaps best of all, is the jazz tutorial with 211 lessons in their Pro and School versions that can add a lot to the instructional process and save both educators and students valuable time. Auralia also offers specific jazz ear-training drills for students. They can explore jazz instruction, covering scales, jazz scale and chord singing, chord imitation, jazz chords, jazz progressions, and jazz forms and rhythm styles. The fourth and ultimate instructional area for improvisation focuses on help-

ing students transcribe jazz solos. This is not a simple one-step process; it takes time and effort and a background in theory and aural skills. But once initiated, students are effectively on automatic pilot learning to improvise creatively and without intense teacher monitoring. They will be able to sing the solo licks, play them on their instruments, transcribe them, and then analyze the melodic and harmonic implications of the licks in relation to their chord pro-

gression. Without hesitation, Transcribe! is the most popular piece of transcription software in the field. This program slows down the recording while retaining the original key and can loop a solo repeatedly using a foot pedal controller to simplify the process. It will even allow users to transcribe videos. Transcribe! is available for both PC and Mac platforms and is easy to use, much like an analog recorder with enhanced audio playback options.

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

Closing Comments

summary suggestions from an innovative resource in the next generation of jazz play-alongs, The Alfred Jazz Play Along Series: The Music of Gordon Goodwin: 1) Listening: Listening is essential to improvisation. Concentrated listening develops a mental muscle that you need to build up – the stronger the focus, the better the solo will be. Focus on listening to yourself and the entire rhythm section and then react accordingly. 2) Hear it, Sing it, Play it: Listen to each tune, the sample solo and the chord progression. Repeat this again and, this time, sing the melody and the sample solo aloud. Repeat often. Listen for intervals and chord movement that appeals to you. 3) Form: Always know where you are in the form of the song. This is easy when playing the melody but can be a challenge when soloing. Listen for pivot chords – chords that will move your ear to a new section or a new key center. Pivot chords help you keep your place in the form. 4) Chords and Scales: At the minimum,

This four-step process is jazz education in a nutshell, whether you choose to incorporate technology or not. Soloing skills take time to develop and mature, and the sooner students start learning the elements of improvisation, your job gets easier. Middle school is a perfect time to introduce students to improvisation. Their techno-savvy minds will gravitate to these training tools. And, above all, you don’t need to be a tech person to download the training materials at www. changes98.com, use the easy tempochanging play-along recordings, or try the ear-training software. When these four areas are taught, students’ solos will take on a new life. Don’t hesitate to experiment with these improvisation tools presented. They work as advertised. By incorporating technology, your students will be better informed and more receptive to practicing with a purpose and excited to strut their newfound creative skills. To illustrate how the comprehensive musician thinks when creating an improvised solo, consider these closing

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School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

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learn the Mixolyidan and Dorian scales in all keys. The more you know about the notes in each chord and the related scale, the more knowledgeable and prepared you will be. Study and learn the notes in the chords, chord extensions and the scales that apply. However, one does not improvise by simply playing chord and scale notes. Chords and scales are tools to assist and guide you in creating your own improvisation. 5) Patterns: Practice various patterns, especially ii-V patterns, and then apply them into your solos right away. 6) Sound: Always strive for a good sound on your instrument. This is the first impression a listener will have on your playing and will determine your musical voice. This applies to all instruments. 7) Right Notes: How do I play the correct notes when I improvise? Connecting all aspects of listening: “hear it-sing it-play it,” knowledge of chords and scales, using and trusting your ear, and trial and error will all contribute to playing the “right” notes. Also regarding note selection, learn to play it and then let go of it. Whether it was the best thing you ever played, or the worst thing you ever played, it’s in the past. Forget it and move on! Avoid being distracted by what you have already played. Play each solo as if it’s your last. 8) Devices: Improvisational devices are good tools. Sequences, patterns, imitation, quotes, and snippets of melody are all devices. But the mere regurgitation of devices is not really improvising. Use them with deliberation and strive to maintain a balance in your solo. An interesting solo will have good emotional content but also good intellectual content as well. 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 text books published. As a clinician, Dr. Kuzmich frequently participates in workshops throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and South America. For more information, visit www.kuzmich.com.

New Products Red Label Pearl from Super-Sensitive

Super-Sensitive Musical String Company’s Red Label Pearl is a nylon core string designed for students whose technique and skill have advanced beyond the company’s legendary steel core Red Label string.

Yamaha Power-Lite Series

The 6300 Power-Lite Series from Yamaha is geared towards middle school children and youth community marching band programs, featuring lighter-weight equipment to accommodate the average size and strength of children within that age group. Yamaha’s updated series is easy to tune and uses ultra-durable, highend materials to ensure a rich sound and more vivid musical expression. The Power-Lite Series Bass Drums feature shallow depths, making them easy to carry. The 9-ply birch-ply shell is manufactured with Yamaha’s exclusive Air-Seal system to help ensure a warm tone and includes sound impact strips to provide for improved sound clarity and ease of tuning. With sizes ranging from 16” – 28”, all 6300 Power-Lite Series Bass Drums also come standard with white Remo Ambassador bass drumheads. Offering traditional sound with simple operation, the Power-Lite marching snare drum now comes in two different sizes, 13x11(MS-6313) and 14x12 (MS-6314). The 6-ply birch-ply shell is complemented with 1.6mm, triple flange steel rims and zinc alloy lug casings with reinforced walls and webbing for superior strength, flexibility and portability. It also features Yamaha’s Air Seal System for a pure, fundamental tone. The snare also features 20-strand, high-carbon steel wires for a crisp response and bright sound, as well as three protective feet and an ET carrier clip for easy, quick and secure attachment.

www.supersensitive.com

Do you have suggestions for future articles or areas of coverage? Share your ideas at www.sbomagazine.com!

Vandoren Hygro Reed Cases

Vandoren has released its new Hygro Reed Cases, which are designed to be the best of both worlds; compact enough to fit in an instrument case but with a humidity control system to offer advanced performance to the most discriminating player. Each reed case offers space for six reeds, a sponge to maintain optimal humidity, and a disc that indicates when it is time to add water. There are two models: the HRC10 which holds clarinet or alto sax reeds and the HRC20 which holds bass clarinet or tenor or baritone sax reeds. www.dansr.com

The strings are designed for students with advanced bow speed, bow weight, and point-of-contact techniques. Pearl’s nylon core is made up of multiple independent strands of fiber. The result is a core that is said to be warm, broad and full. Additionally, Pearl’s nylon core is anchored with copper eyelets that increase tone dymamics, creating more centered midrange tones. The composition of Pearl’s wound strings are silver for the D & G strings and aluminum for the A string. This contemporary collection of windings creates an audibly balanced set. Each Pearl set includes an extra “E” string. Pearl is available for violin only and in 1/16, 1/8, ¼, ½, ¾ and 4/4 sizes.

www.yamaha.com

Avid’s Sibelius First

The new Sibelius First takes advantage of the features introduced by Avid’s Sibelius 7, including a task-oriented UI specifically designed to guide users through the creative process, exceptional playback and sound quality, 64-bit technology and support for the latest operating systems – plus new video export functionality, online publishing, and direct sharing to YouTube, SoundCloud, and Facebook, and more. Sibelius First’s features include an easy-to-use interface, a variety of inputting methods (scanning, transcribing, or MIDI import), an exclusive sound library, full 64-bit support, the ability to add scores to a score library on the Avid Scorch app, and new social media and video sharing options: Users can easily export compositions as videos and publish their work to social media websites (YouTube, SoundCloud, Facebook) along with traditional print, email, or audio exports.

School Band and Orchestra • August 2012

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Complete with rugged hardware and cymbals, the Audition is a preconfigured kit designed for the intermediate player looking to step up from their first entry-level drum set. Select Poplar sheets are cross laminated to provide an 8-ply, 7-mm rigid shell which is wrapped in a durable laminate available in three colors. The drums are finished off with black E-plated triple flange hoops and matching tension lugs. The included hardware pack is comprised of a hi-hat stand, straight cymbal stand, snare stand, bass drum pedal, and throne. The two-piece brass cymbal pack includes a 14” pair of hi-hats and a 16” crash cymbal.

Developing Virtuosity from Latham Music

Developing Virtuosity is a supplemental string teaching method that reinforces rudimentary skills while addressing many of the National Standards for Music Education. It fol-

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lows the instructional sequence used in most method books for beginning string players and augments those books through its extensive offering of diverse performance pieces. This approach allows students to achieve the same level of content mastery but at an individual pace, an important educational concept called Mastery Learning. Each book includes music in a variety of styles, activities, performance information, facts, vocabulary, and profiles of famous virtuosi, as well as references to the video mini-lessons found online. The material is further supported by full performance and accompaniment recordings, which are provided on the included CD along with printable piano parts. www.lorenz.com

In John Philip Sousa’s America: The Patriot’s Life in Images and Words, Sousa’s last living direct namesake, John Philip Sousa IV, gathers together a wealth of previously unpublished and rare photographs, newspaper clippings, satirical caricatures, publicity stills, propaganda and other archival material surrounding his infamous great-grandfather. More than just a biography of Sousa, the book is also a documentary of American society and culture from the Civil War era leading up to the tumultuous and uncertain period of World War I. The book is coauthored by Loras John Schissel, a leading scholar on Sousa and a senior musicologist at the Library of Congress. A CD containing recordings of Sousa’s works, performed by the “President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, rounds out this collectible homage.

TRX Cymbal Mallets

TRX Cymbals’ deluxe, new Cymbal Mallets are custom-crafted from top-quality components to provide superior sound and performance in a wide variety of drumming situa-

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New Products tions. The two-color, soft yarn heads are individually hand-wound by drummer/educator and mallet specialist Adam Argullin and attached to premium-grade, southern hickory drumstick handles that feature distinctive, color graphics. According to TRX, the deluxe mallets utilize yarn instead of felt to produce a fuller sound from all types of cymbals and drumstick handles instead of birch, rattan, or fiberglass to provide a more natural feel for drumset players.

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Lip Slurs for Horn & Winds of Change II from Meredith Music

Lip Slurs for Horn provides a comprehensive collection of essential slurring skills for the first year student as well as exercises that challenge the most advanced professional. A balance between variety and accessibility is used to challenge the ear and combat the monotony of typical lip slur exercises while maintaining a logical and musical shape to the phrase. A focus is given to large intervals within a modest

range, exercises designed to eliminate or minimize breaks between registers, memorizable warm-ups, techniques that exploit outof-tune harmonics, innovative ways to increase range both high and low, exercises that provide an extreme challenge to the ear, and lip slur hybrids combined with lip trill precursors. Also new from Meredith Music is Winds of Change II, an extension of The Winds of Change that traced the development of the American wind band ensemble in the 20th century. Unlike Winds of Change, which is a history, this book is a chronicle, a narrative record of American wind band/ensemble activity and development during a very concise period of time, namely the first 10 years of the 21st century. Battisti, using the events of the last 60 years as a framework, identifies the important literature, conferences, and trends from this period and makes recommendations for the future.

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Concert Artist Pianos from Kawai America

Kawai America has released the newest generation of its award-winning Concert Artist line of digital piano. The new Kawai CA65 and CA95 models replace the previous CA instruments, of which the CA93 was named one of the top 20 products in the entire music industry in 2011. The top-of-the-line Concert Artist models feature an all new tone generator (TG) that has significantly more processing power than previous TGs, allowing for many technical improvements in these instruments. For instance, the CA65/95 feature a whopping 256 notes of polyphony and improved digital to analog audio conversion. The new TG also allows for greatly enhanced and expanded reverbs and effects. Other technical improvements include the new Harmonic Imaging XL sound technology and the new Grand Feel (GF) action. This action features extra-long wooden keys with a key front pivot length the same as Kawai grand pianos. www.kawaius.com.

Quality Instruments

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Two Pipers Piping: 13 Christmas Favorites for Two Flutes Arranged by Gary Schocker

Two Pipers Piping: 13 Christmas Favorites for Two Flutes is a fresh approach to favorite Christmas melodies, sa-

phony. In addition to being the most published living composer for flute, Gary Schocker has composed sonatas and chamber music for most instruments of the orchestra, as well as several musicals and children’s musicals.

D’Addario Helicore and Zyex Strings

The Helicore Fourths-Tuning Cello Set is a set for the cello designed to be tuned in bass tuning (E, A, D, G – low to high). This tuning pattern allows for new chordal and scalar possibilities in alternative cello playing. It also provides a way for bass and guitar players to more quickly adapt to cello by using a familiar tuning. Tonally, the set provides rich clarity and balance across the strings. The Helicore Fourths-Tuning Cello set will be available in medium tension, 4/4 size. The Titanium-Wound Violin A String provides an alternative to the standard aluminum-wound Helicore A string. It was designed to stand up to rigorous playing, corrosive elements and fretted instruments. Frets often take their toll on aluminum, a softer metal. Additionally, the string provides an alternative for violinists whose body chemistry is naturally corrosive to aluminum. The Titanium-Wound A String is tonally brighter, more focused, and thinner in diameter than its aluminum-wound counterpart, but retains the quick bow response and short settling time of other Helicore strings.

www.carlfischer.com

Meisel Accessories’ Chromatic Metrotuner

The Meisel COM-250 Metrotuner features a special clip designed to fit violin and viola scrolls. Because of the clip’s unique design and extra wide opening, the COM-250 will fit virtually any musical instrument, as well. The tuner features a color display, a reference pitch that is adjustable from 410Hz to 490Hz, a built-in mic or clip transducer, a visual metronome, that runs from 30 to 280 beats per minute; and a pitch accuracy of +/- 1 cent. The Meisel COM250 weighs only 1.25 oz.and is powered by one 2032 3V coin battery.

New to the Zyex line is the Zyex Bass 4/4 Scale E String. Zyex strings work for a variety of musical styles, from bluegrass to jazz and even classical. Zyex strings maintain a warm, rich, gut-like tone quality and is designed to remain stable in tuning even under extreme climate conditions. They feature robust pizzicato tone with a long, full sustain and a quick, clear response. The Zyex Bass 4/4 Scale E String complements the standard 3/4 scale A, D and G strings and comes in medium and light tensions.

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berly, Getting Started on Cajón provides a step-by-step method for the beginning cajon player to quickly learn a variety of actual traditional and contemporary rhythms on the cajon. This DVD is perfect for percussion beginners and established drummers and percussionists looking to expand their sound palette. Topics include background on the instrument, basic playing techniques, explanation of traditional rhythms, application to modern musical styles, and more. All of these topics are covered with clear demonstrations. Playing techniques covered include basic strokes, “bass,” “snare,” and slap. These techniques allow viewers to learn to play rhythms such as Guaguanco (Cuba), Samba (Brazil), Merengue (Dominican Republic), Ganza (Africa), rock, hip-hop, funk, and more.

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cred and secular. Songs include “Jingle Bells,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Deck the Halls,” “Silent Night,” and more. For intermediate to advanced players. Flutist-composer-pianist Gary Schocker has performed with many of the world’s great orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra (both while still in his teens), I Solisti Italiani, the Dallas Symphony, and the New Jersey Sym-

Getting Started on Cajón

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