Bandmasters Review - December 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • December 2019 21 Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of observing, judging, and mentoring many enthusiastic younger teachers who are always inquiring how to take their consistently “superior” middle school program into the stratosphere of “exemplary” programs. Their desire for growth is genuine and their ultimate goal is to cultivate a program that can provide their students with life-altering performances such as at The Midwest Clinic or TMEA convention. Most band directors have lofty goals, but many of us often only operate year to year. While the curricular approach you take with fundamentals and literature choices are a big part of achieving those goals, the true success of your program lies first in howit is structured: staffing, scheduling, beginner classes, instrumentation, etc. Rarely are we given the ideal set-up of all of these things. We have to fight for them by constantly and consistently educating students, parents, teachers, and administrators with a long-term plan in mind. Developing positive relationships with these stakeholders is the key to success. Play the “Long Game” Band Every Day Though we would think this is a given, having Band class every day from 5th, 6th, or 7th grade onward isessentialtothegrowthofyourprogram. Learning to play an instrument is a “muscle memory” activity and requires daily repetition to improve. Band class every day is especially critical in lower income socioeconomic situations where parental support and the student’s home life is less than ideal for reinforcement and retention. To make this a reality, learn more about your master schedule and work with your principal/counselors. Ask to be in the meetings and give them 2-3 solutions you can live with (for now). First priority for band every day should be your top performing band and your beginner classes. If you don’t currently have band every day, some possible alternatives are: add an “optional” 2nd band class, add before and/or afterschool rehearsals on off days, use practice records/learning logs to monitor daily practice, require audio/ video submissions of full fundamental exercises/warm-up until it’s a habit, use quick on the spot chair tests to start each day to make sure they are practicing between days. Then keep politely pestering your administration until you get band every day…don’t give up! Like-Instrument Beginners Many programs in Texas take this for granted, but creating a schedule that has like-instrument beginner classes is crucial to starting your students off with as few fundamental deficits as possible. The drastic variety of embouchures, bore sizes, hand positions, air usage, fingerings, etc. among the instruments require different approaches and pacing. If you don’t currently have like-instrument beginner classes, I would prioritize at least a three-way WW / Brass / Percussion split first. Then work each year with your administration to split out 1-2 more classes until you have an ideal set-up with nine separate classes: Flute, Clarinet, Double Reed, Sax, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Low Brass, Percussion. Prioritize Double Reeds for splitting first! You cannot expect to play Grade IV’s with your top band in three years without quality double reeds. Know that flute is VERY fundamentally different from the rest of WWs and should be the next class separated. Horn should also be separated before the other brass. If you can’t separate percussion, prioritize mallet playing and supplement snare in sectionals. Utilize your entire cluster staff to make this happen if necessary (but be willing to help them too!) If you’re a high school director and you’ve read this far, congratulations! Taking time each day to send your assistant directors to make this happen will reap benefits in your marching band years down the road. If you can’t get an ideal beginner schedule, supplement with before or after school sectionals, in- class master classes, lessons, summer band week to jump-start, etc. Again, I urge you to utilize HS staff to split these classes so they can start on their native instruments. Ability-based Performing Bands A big part of pushing students after their beginner year is creating an Having a Long Term Vision of How to Structure Your Program ( Part 1 ) Nathaniel Neugent Part 2 will appear in the next issue of Bandmasters Review.

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