Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • April 2016
4
Information is Great —
Inspiration is Better!
Phillip Clements, 2015 - 16 TBA Secretary
You may have heard the saying: “Average teachers
tell. Good teachers explain. Great teachers demonstrate.
Exceptional teachers inspire.”
We can only inspire our students when we feel
passionate about our craft of teaching and the art of music.
It is important to remind ourselves why we chose our
profession. I would suspect that in almost every instance
it was because of our passion for music. Someone or some
musical experience inspired us when we were young. At
the end of the day the most important thing we can share
with our students is our passion for music.
One of my favorite books about music is “What to
LISTEN for in the WORLD” by Bruce Adolphe. It is not a
book of rehearsal techniques or strategies for success. It is
a book of poetry about music and musicians. I read and
re-read it every year and it serves to remind me of why I
do what I do. As the demands of a busy semester creep
up on us it is easy to get lost in the daily grind, much of
which has nothing to do with music or music making.
We have countless responsibilities that draw us in every
day: student issues, parent issues, logistics, budgets…the
list goes on and on. Yes, these are important components
to our job, but we must remember they are not why we
became musicians or teachers.
In order for us to inspire others we must feel truly
passionate. We must constantly be re-kindling our passion.
For me, reading books such as “What to LISTEN for in
the WORLD” helps to provide some of that inspirational
fuel. Surrounding ourselves with people who inspire us,
listening to great performers and ensembles, immersing
ourselves in the world of great art, attending workshops,
or viewing Ted Talks are just some of the ways we can stay
passionate. There are countless ways to feed our musical
souls. Just like our physical health, if we don’t make time
for this, who will?
We must continue to remember that there are certain
parts of our job that no one else can do. Only we
can make ourselves a better
musician. Only we can study
the scores for our ensembles
and prepare masterful lesson
plans. Only we can work to
engage our students in conversations and rehearsals that
are musically meaningful and inspiring. We must continue
to ask ourselves, “What did my students learn about music
today in my rehearsal?” “What did I bring to inspire them
to be excited about music?”
By making time to focus on our passion for music and
the ways we can inspire our students we will find that we
bring more to each student and each rehearsal and perhaps
remind ourselves why we love what we do.
Who is a true musician?
A true musician hears before doing.
A true musician loves ideas better than systems.
A true musician feels before analyzing.
A true musician discovers patterns everywhere.
A true musician connects anything to anything else.
A true musician enjoys the feeling of sound and
the sounds of feeling.
A true musician plays through silences.
A true musician can find pulse in a single tone.
A true musician listens to lilt, accent, vowels and
consonants and not just words.
A true musician listens to the still inner voice.
From the book “What to LISTEN for in the WORLD”
by Bruce Adolphe
