Bandmasters Review - December 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • December 2019 22 environment where your best players push the others to play at their level. To me, ability-based bands with mixed grade levels after the beginner year help make this a reality even sooner. We all know that by the end of the beginner year, your classes have self-separated into the practicers and non-practicers. Grouping those students that practice more often and the right way will push them to make each other better. Plus you can set requirements/expectations for membership from the start based on their placement. We utilize a contract so they know what they are getting into from the start. Then each year, you can add an additional requirement such as sectionals, extra performances, summer band attendance to the top group…and then add it to your 2nd band in 1-3 years later. Placement in Bands should be determined by a comprehensive audition in April/May. We do an All-Region- style audition with scales, two short etudes, and sight- reading. Expectations for 7th and 8th graders are similar except for ranges (especially Brass). Therefore 7th graders are scored on a curve so they can compete with 8th graders. We’re looking for students that can catch up to our best 8th graders eventually and push them. Their contract is due before the audition so the parents and students know what we expect of them. We utilize the same performance rubric throughout the year and encourage/coach them, so how students place is not a surprise to them or their parents. If you can’t get mixed grades in performing bands at first, get creative to make this happen as much as possible: before or after school sectionals with both grades, set-up classes by section and meet full band before school, use “zero hour”, summer band week to jump-start, etc. Then again, prioritize and lobby your administration to make this part of your daily schedule this for your top band first, then add it to your 2nd band a couple years later once it’s well established. Staffing to Split Performing Bands To tackle Grade IV literature by the spring, 7th and 8th graders (assuming 6th graders are beginners) need to continue to develop their individual skills. Tonal maturity, range extension (2+ octaves for Brass, 3+ octaves for WWs), faster articulation (including multiple tonguing), dynamic extremes (let your brass PLAY OUT), and a wider variety of keys/styles/rhythms/time signatures all need to be pushed. Splitting your classes as often as possible into WW/Brass/ Perc is critical to continue this development. Again, if you don’t have an assistant, utilize your entire cluster’s staff to make this happen (even partially—M/W/F for example— and be willing to help them as well). Prioritize splitting in your top performance band first and then work toward the 2nd band. Split for your fundamentals/warm-up early in the year. Then once you’re satisfied with the direction their tone/fundamentals are headed, combine for fundamentals and split to teach harder music separately as you approach each concert. A once-a- week sectional isn’t enough. Obviously facilities factor into this, so educate your administration to secure a second room at the same time. Be willing to change your master schedule to make this possible. Utilize a cafeteria stage, a choir room during their conference, portables, etc. Engaging Stakeholders Prioritize implementation of these goals based off your current situation. Getting what you want is a matter of convincing stakeholders it is absolutely necessary for the success of your program. Just like with your students, you must first build positive relationships with the adults in the room to get what you need. You must get to know them first and what drives them. If the only conversation you have with principals and counselors is “Hey, remember I needed this,” the less likely they will be to want to help you. Be a team player and be willing to say “YES” to things that won’t affect your long-term goals…pick your battles wisely. Also, don’t wait and ask for things at the end of the year. If you want the master schedule changed or an extra classroom (for instance), meet with your principal and/or fine arts director in the fall semester to plant the seed and ask to be included in such decisions. Tell them up front you are not asking for a “yes”, just for them to consider it. Present data to support your request: chair tests, pass-offs, District/Region results, Solo & Ensemble medals, UIL, etc. Administrators understand data as a justification for making changes. Find Having a Long Term Vision of How to Structure Your Program ( Part 1 )