Notes from Midwest Clinic 2019
Leading Rehearsals that Inspire
Jeffery Grogan & Michael Raiber - Oklahoma City University
Hand out online on the clinic page
arm position 1-10, high-low, cue the instrument like the instrument
405-596-2120 Why did you decide to me a music teacher? It is a space to be human in a world that tells us we shouldn’t be
Music technique: Music is yes or no when we talk about technique
Musical knowledge: the things we want to know and understand. Not knowing what music is is the reason why we are here
Heart for why we do this.
We need to make the effort everyday to remind ourselves why we do this.
Parker Palmer - The Courage to Teach
teacher need and teacher focus - my degrees and experiences
entirely on students needs - if we get bogged down in their needs we can’t get to the reason they showed up.
The subject matter - music in service to the human beings who are making it (art is something that man does. What does the music demand of us?
Why did we choose this music now?
We make music because we have to
Band of brothers - Why we fight
There has to be one magical moment every single day.
The technique serves the art - relate what you say in rehearsal back to serving the music.
Keep the emotional and magical part at the center
A sense of urgency
pretend like the composer is there during rehearsal
do the students feel the same urgency that you have.
What was the reason the piece was written
Honesty and trust
Don’t praise when its not deserved. When its good celebrate it.
I make music because ____
When I make music I _____
Music makes me _____
Benjamin Zander - The Art of Possibility
Embracing the Traditional and the Emerging - a win-win for ensembles, for music education, and for all students
Dr. Keith Keiser & Dr. Matthews Claus - Ithaca College
Context and Shared Values
Music for all -
How might educators and conductors involve all students?
Advancing the art
What do music educators and conductors need to do to advance the art?
Ultimate goals: Comprehensive musicianship, independence, lifelong participation, creative expressive music making, excellence, etc …
What do music educators and conductors need to do to teach to these goals?
Best practice and pedagogy
lifelong musicianship
The Problem:
Traditional and emerging practices are often pitted against one another
some teachers feel our professional practice is outdated
Our profession is just beginning to explore the opportunities that may arise
The terms “traditional “ and “emerging”
Tradition is rarely thrown out. It is usually added to.
“Emerging” Pedagogies in “Traditional’ Ensembles
Do we really believe in music for all?
Relevancy - showing the community and showing the students
Pedagogy and literature/resources that both advances the art and is diverse and representative
Curricula and pedagogy that foster:
Student - musician independence
Collaboration with others
Deep meaningful aesthetic - expressive experiences
Comprehensive skill development
Lifelong participation
Traditional Pedagogies in Popular Music education
Informal learning doesn’t equal pop music
Formal learning doesn’t equal classical music
We can’t just take music they interact with outside and stick it int the classroom
Reflections and strategies to increase creativity and musicianship in our rehearsals
Joseph Parisi - UMKC
Algorithmic vs. Heuristic
Algorithmic is easier - show up, put fires out
Heuristic takes creativity and thought
How have you inspired your students to think creatively?
When are you at your most creative?
Creativity: The work and lives of 90 eminent people (book)
10 contradictory traits of creative people
Creative people have a great deal of physical energy, but their often quiet and at rest
Creative people tend to be smart yet naive
Creative people combine playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility
Creative people alternate between imagination and fantasy, and a rooted sense of reality
Creative people tend to be introverted and extroverted
Creative people are humble and proud at the same time
Creative people, to an extent, escape rigid gender role stereotype (gender instruments)
Creative people are both rebellious and conservative
Most creative people are very passionate about their work,
Creative peoples openness and sensitivity often exposes them to suffering and pain as well as a great deal of Joy
In class/ensemble you can incorporate
Guiding prompts - seat work when entering, journaling and answering
Short Listening/Videos
The Minds Ear (book)
Sparks of Genius - The 13 Thinking Tools (book)
Observing
Imaging
Abstracting
Recognizing Patterns
Forming Patterns
Analogizing
Body Thinking - certain frequencies and how they feel
Empathizing - Left (systematic) and right (empathizing) brains
Dimensional Thinking
Modeling
Playing
Transforming
Synthesizing
(avoid asking “How can tell me?”)
Human emotion in Music
How do we get someone there > How do we teach our students this > How do you show your students what we love and value?
Could you be a teacher without music?
What can you do to foster creativity?
How can you give everyone music ownership?
Do you share with your students what you love about music?
What do you want students to say about having studied with you?
What is your “sentence”?
What words do you want in your sentence
inspired to learn
inspired to lead
inspired to feel
Why Music?
Every person regardless of age has the capacity to be moved by music.
We must move the people we work with from the love of being in our ensembles/classes to the love of music
Help them experience the greatest music possible so that they have a wow moment
It is better to Illuminate than to Shine
Dr. Tim and Frank Battisti
Battisti -
A teacher of music instead of a band director
The most important thing we do is foster a love of music education
Music is the art of sound - Sound becomes music when it is embellished by humanity
Technical execution is a given, the goal is making music
Pick music the way you pick seed. Pick the seeds that grow the biggest and best flowers
Great teaching is sharing your passion
Education’s purpose is for expanding ourselves
Give the students something to love in life - expand on that
Collaboration happens when the music is prepared.
They can practice their parts by themselves but they can’t practice ensemble stuff at home
You can’t do everything if you want to do something well. You will make sacrifices
Interview with Julie Giroux
and Dr. Tim
Band music has to evolve
It can do anything orchestra can do but it needs to be orchestrated well
If you can write for band and not make anyone miss strings, you’ve done it well
Orchestration is a craft
The classical composers orchestrated one way because they didn’t study orchestration.
Chamber music- every instrument is a solo instrument
*Bandstration*
All of her music is based on emotion - Riften Wed
If it doesn’t mean anything, is it worth writing?
Educational music has to mean something too
musicians never retire
You don’t compete with other composers. Its yourself that you compete with.
Everyday is a gift and everyday you should make this place a better place.