Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2015
14
group, they assimilate it quickly…but it’s like learning
a new language by memorizing phrases phonetically.
Are we doing too much rote-teaching? Are we spending
enough time on fundamentals? I owe it to my kids to teach
them to read…not to memorize the story. Note to self:
Fundamentals can’t be minimized in order to spend more
time on literature.
6) Teamwork and ensemble are more important than
getting through the individual parts. Blend, intonation,
balance, phrasing…these are the things that take music
from being a technical study to being an artistic experience.
Yes, we need to be able to play our parts…but that’s step
one…we then need to LISTEN and cooperate with each
other as a team in order to unify our message. Again…
it’s not about out-playing your neighbor or being the first
to master a technical figure…it’s about taking music from
notes on the page to expression and communication.
7) How you behave speaks MUCH louder than your
words. No cell phones during rehearsals…pay attention…
stop when the conductor stops…sit up…eye contact…no
hats…it’s all a part of being a great member.
8) Rely on a pencil rather than your memory. There is
too much information being exchanged too rapidly in an
honor band situation for you to remember every detail.
Write things down…mark your parts! Obviously do so in
a clear and concise manner…no need to draw giant dark
circles around everything or write in “85 point font” so that
it obscures the notes…just some small marks to reinforce
what your conductor asks for in the music. The fewer
repetitions needed to solidify a concept, the more time can
be spent on other aspects and refinement.
9) It’s OK to ENJOY the experience! Smile! Look like you
are glad to be there! Celebrate your accomplishments! You
are a member of a high quality group…be PROUD!
So, now I feel like I have more to teach…and that my
students will benefit from knowing that there is more to
making music than playing your parts. There is more to
being in an ensemble than passing the audition. There
is more to being a good member than simply following
instructions. What we do operates on many levels…and
it can’t be measured by a multiple choice quiz. It’s about
interaction, decision-making, and follow-up. It’s about
taking a set of material and working to make it more than
symbols on a page. It’s about helping those around you
achieve through your own cooperation. It’s about creating
experiences that go beyond learning a few techniques. It’s
about communicating emotion and experiencing an art
form that uses sound to tell its story. It’s about learning
lessons that will help you in life.
Gary D. Gribble has been Director of Bands at Alan C. Pope High School in Georgia’s Cobb County School District since the school opened in 1987.
Under his direction, the Pope High School Band has earned more than 400 awards of excellence and has been a Bands of America regional champion, a
regional finalist 19 times, and a Grand National semifinalist twice. The Pope band received the Sudler Shield from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in
1992. The school’s marching band has participated in parades across the continental U.S., in Hawaii, and in London, England, and its symphonic bands
have performed in state, regional, and national concerts.
Mr. Gribble earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Georgia State University. He has served as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and
clinician in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Florida. In 1996, Mr. Gribble choreographed a portion of the
opening ceremonies for the Paralympic Games in Atlanta. In 2008, he was named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High
School Scholars. Mr. Gribble was also selected for inclusion in the American School Band Directors Association and is currently on the executive board
of the National Band Association.
Reflections on District Honor Band
