Category: Why Band?
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GENRE vs. STYLE
Articulation Defines the Style There seems to be quite a disparity of the definition and differentiation of these two terms. Searching on the internet, some have specific differences between the two terms and others say they are basically the same. The Cambridge Dictionary has several definitions of the word genre: Noun: style, especially in the arts, that involves a particular set of characteristics:…
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Rhythm Before Notes
Teach Beginning Instrumental Students the Physical Feeling of Tempo, Beat and Rhythm FIRST As the beginning of the next school year approaches you are probably planning for your music classes including your beginning band or orchestra classes. Checking enrollment numbers, instrumentation, method book orders and the condition of your rehearsal facility (hoping the summer cleaning and…
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Cure the Blues of Teaching the Blues
A Warm Up that gets your students Swingin’ and Jammin’ When I began teaching back in the “stone age” most of my students had been in high school. My responsibilities as Associate Director of Bands were multi-faceted: Marching Band, three Concert Bands, two Jazz Bands (both outside of school hours), two/three sections of Music Theory,…
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You Make A Difference
The Long Term Influence of an Educator As a retired music educator it recently was brought to my attention that often, while you are totally involved in your career, you often don’t realize the long term impact you might have on your students. As a band director there is a constant, never ending “to do”…
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A Trend for the Evolution of Music Scholarship Signing Ceremony
A Trend for the Evolution of Music Scholarship Signing Ceremony The student body has filled the gymnasium or auditorium. The local press and media are in attendance.
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Rhythm And Beginning Band: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Recently I was talking with a fellow retired band director who had started teaching again on a part-time basis. We covered all kinds of aspects of starting young students on band instruments, but this discussion could apply to strings as well. During our discussion of various aspects of the beginning instrumental music process we covered…
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Parent Guidelines for Selecting a Used Band Instrument
So have you decided to search for a used band instrument for your beginning band student? O.K. Let’s go over some things to look for and cost vs quality. NAME BRAND As you begin your search for a used beginning instrument, check with the local music instructor for the brands they recommend. There are a…
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Selecting A Beginning Band Instrument
New? Used? How do I know? Recently I was contacted by a former student’s mother asking advice on selecting a beginning band instrument. At first I was shocked that the former student had a child that was entering middle school and ready to start in band. WOW, that made me feel old. Secondly it brought…
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Thoughts on Concert Programing or All You Need to Know about Planning Your Concert
As a young band director, one of my many challenges was how to program for concerts. Being in a small Midwestern high school with a strong and dominant jazz program, planning the concert band concerts was more difficult than I had anticipated. First of all, the concert band instrumentation was far from balanced. With the…
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Five Strong Reasons Music Education Works For Our Students
Five Strong Reasons Music Education Works For Our Students Recently I read a very interesting article detailing the importance of school band programs and their positive effect on the overall student academic achievement and social development. Even though this article is focused on band programs, the information can be applied to any school arts program.…
Tim Baldwin Music 