In this episode of Music on Purpose, Steve Pride joins me to talk about what it takes to have longevity in a major orchestra such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Steve has been 2nd trumpet in the CSO for 39 years, since 1980. Listen to him discuss his thought process for success in this industry.
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The deadline is always looming. As soon as one is reached another is waiting. One concert then another, one recital then another.
Would you educate any differently if there were no deadlines?
By “The Deadline” I mean concerts, contests, recitals. Performances are beneficial to the overall educational curriculum when used for a purpose, but why is there a specific formula for these performances? In the band program we start with a Christmas concert, usually as soon as marching band season is finished. We use after school rehearsals in some situations because the marching season extends into November. We then prepare a winter concert, district festival, spring concert, pep band and sometimes another special event at the end of the year. It seems there is not much thought to this model, but the way it’s been done for many years. “The parents expect it, the community expects it,” some would say. There is certainly benefit to the young musician getting multiple performance opportunities, but because we go from one deadline to the next so quickly, do the students miss out on gaining TRUE understanding in all areas of music?
I am a firm believer that at least 90% of students that sit in class and seem disinterested are actually lost. They missed out on information along the way, and over time it compounds. Each little deficiency is like a snowball rolling down a hill and eventually turns into low confidence and self esteem which finally turns into dislike.
If “The Deadline” didn’t exist would your education look different?
When the deadline is approaching education becomes about the deadline. Usually extra rehearsals are scheduled. There seems to never be enough time to get the piece sounding as good we would like. It becomes more about us and less about the students. Student deficiency is pushed to the back and the deadline becomes the most important thing. Each deadline creates more small deficiencies because there are so many things educators cannot get to. Why so many deadlines?
Lets STOP for a second, before we schedule more concerts, look at the students in front of us and ask “What do these students need?” “What do my students have trouble with and what do they not understand?” Design each year differently depending on exactly what the student needs in order to be the highest level musician possible. Is it 4-6 weeks of just rhythm? Is it inviting professionals in to work with every instrument and not rehearsing the entire band for 2 months? Is it performing for each other in class and listening to professional ensembles? Is it providing varying opportunities for your students so the large ensemble becomes less of the norm? Is it less deadlines?
I am sure it is different for each program or studio. If you experience students that are disinterested, ask them what they are having difficulty with. Ask them what they may have missed along the way. What can you do to foster the enjoyment they experienced as young musicians once again? It may be zero concerts for a year and then slowly adding them back each year. Provide the student performance opportunities, but at times when they are 100% ready for them. It can look different every year.
Would your teaching look different without the deadline?
On this 20th episode I interview Brad Rogers who is the Band Director at Oldham County High School. He has been a music educator for 40 years and talks about secrets to longevity in this profession, his philosophy of teaching and discusses some recent changes to the KMEA format for marching arts. You will certainly pick up some excellent advice for your journey to success in music education.
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Chamber music has been like the kid table at holiday get togethers. It gets pushed to the side, only gets set up at certain times of the year and is not quite as important.
It is time for a New Approach to Chamber Music
The model in the band program has always been to put together random small groups of kids that can read quickly and give them a few weeks to prepare something for solo and ensemble festival in the winter/spring. A piece that has been hiding in the files since the 1950’s is given to the ensemble to prepare for a quick 30 second rating. If there is a chamber concert in the spring, the larger chamber groups will once again continue to be conducted. A piece or two is rehearsed for a few months for the one chamber concert. The large ensemble continues to be the MAIN focus.
The New Approach to Chamber Music moves the kids to the grown up table. Its inclusion in the curriculum of music education is vital. Its consistent inclusion builds the skills necessary for a healthy musician. It begins in September and runs until May. This New Approach removes the conductor no matter the size of the chamber group. The rating festival and concert become secondary to the “real world” lessons learned. Fresh repertoire picked with love and thought and a new piece for every rehearsal. A folder full of music available for any performance at the drop of a hat. Placing the responsibility all on the student to be in charge of their own success or failure. Bringing passionate professionals with chamber music experience in to foster the growth and passion.
The New Approach to Chamber Music heightens all the senses. Young musicians learn to enjoy performing with each other and form relationships through the beauty of music. The varying experience each day brings a freshness and vitality to daily curriculum. The students feel important and involved. They feel cared about and nurtured. They learn responsibility and accountability. Chamber ensembles and the large ensemble play equal roles. The large ensemble musicianship and creativity come to life because of chamber ensemble inclusion. Young musicians hold a deeper love and understanding of music. The band grows.
Let’s move the kids to the grown-up table. Try the New Approach to Chamber Music
We are two weeks away from the KMEA All-State Band/Orchestra auditions so I wanted to record these excerpts and provide some insight that may help in your last minute preparation. Both excerpts are advanced musically, technically and offer many chances to separate yourself into the top tier if performed with a professional level of execution. Below are the recordings and a few things to keep in mind in each excerpt.
Charlier #8 Intervalles (Les Quartes)
You must showcase a high level of musicianship and beauty of sound to succeed at the highest level in this etude. Charlier is known for providing opportunities for advanced musicianship through difficult technical passages. He is a genius at providing a vehicle that combines advanced technical passages with expressive qualities giving the student the rare opportunity to work on both simultaneously.
Put your own creativity in the music when performing this excerpt. It is simply not enough to perform just the notes on the page. When listening to my recording, you will notice a slight ritardando with a taper in measure 8, and a slightly different style in measure 13. Charlier uses a symbol for a slight pause in measure 8 that each performer should showcase. Also, do not be afraid to go for the high C in the last measure with confidence and a firm marcato tongue. If you miss the note it is ok, but go down trying with confidence.
Lastly, play the correct articulations!
J.L. Small etude #25
There are not as many opportunities in this etude to showcase musicality, so, if you want to stand out in the crowd find ways to incorporate musicality under the technique.
A mastery of articulation in all ranges and opportunities to showcase advanced flexibility in measures 3,7 and again at the end of the etude must be demonstrated. If you are having difficulty with consistency of articulation, go back to scales or the Arban book and work on being able to play long strings of articulation exercises demonstrating consistency on every note. The only time in this etude where the articulation differs is when certain eighth notes are accented (measure 23-26).
One section where I added my own touch of musicality is measures 29-32. Be careful to showcase the difference between forte and piano in measure 5. You will also notice that I took slight pauses in measure 12 and and after measure 26. It is very difficult to find a breath in this etude so crafting logical places for musical breathing makes perfect sense. This would be the preferred option instead of attempting to take fast breaths and cutting off notes or phrases.
Lastly, HAVE FUN!
Dr. Andy Putnam joins me on this podcast to discuss ways to improve the overall band program and gives excellent information for consistent growth and success. Dr. Putnam is the Director of Bands at Eastern Kentucky University and is a huge advocate for the marching arts and the Drum Corp activity. He is a wealth of experience and knowledge and the insight on this podcast is invaluable.
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When you talk to music educators there are many different thoughts on how to teach a resonant release to students. For example, “Just stop the air,” or “breathe in.” When you talk to professional players however, they all say the same things.
The release of a note must be sent to the audience.
I thought I would take the questions to a few professional musicians who are performing or have performed at the highest professional level. First is Philip Collins, who performed as Principal Trumpet with the Cincinnati Symphony for 35 years. This was his response:
“The note has to ring out into the hall whether the note tapers or stops abruptly. Picture a violin bow longer than needed. It continues to move after the note stops. Let the notes flow and sail out beautifully into the audience.”
The second response is from Stephen Campbell, who performs with the West Virginia Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony and the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. This was his response:
“You have to send the note into the hall! Take the note to your audience.”
The third response is from Sean Vore, who is a member of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. His response was:
“A great ending to a note resonates in the space you are playing in, even if you are in a practice room. No tongue or throat cut-off, just experiment with the end of the fuel supply and let it resonate.”
There is a common thread of “sailing” or “sending” the note to the audience and letting it resonate. The more professionals I perform with and the more high level groups I perform with it seems a common practice and thought to “push” or “sail” the note to the audience so the audience can feel the resonance of the note. By simply stopping a note we lose the “sail” or “send.” The emotional connection of the music is what it is all about.
There must be a high level thought process when releasing a note just the same as when you begin a note. The mind must visualize what the air is doing and how it is meeting the listener to create the emotional experience. Like flying a paper airplane with a relaxed “flying” motion, the air must be set into motion with the same intentional purpose.
It is extremely important to not fill the mind with analytical thoughts but instead to visualize what the air’s purpose is in fulfilling the musical connection. There should never be a thought to do something to the end of the note “just because that is what I have always been taught.” Simply, the note should continue in motion, and the resonance of the note should continue into the hall until we begin the next note. Let the listener connect with the resonance.
Air is constantly in motion.
On this episode of Music on Purpose I was thankful and humbled to have Retired Director of Bands from Carmel High School and Composer & Arranger for Hal Leonard Richard Saucedo. Richard talks about what it takes to put together an award winning marching band show. Carmel High School has won Bands of America Grand National Finals multiple times including this past 2017 season. Richard also discusses things you can do in your arrangements to help your ensembles be successful this fall.
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Think about this for a moment. If there are 10 groups at a competition and 3 of them place in the top three, that means that 70% of the groups are not in the top tier. This seems logical, right? What about the 70% who have not made it to the top? Generally these groups stay in the 70% for a long time and sometimes never break through. Is there a deficiency in the educational thought process?
There are many ways of teaching the fundamentals of playing, but only a small percentage have made it to the top of the top of the professional world. So, in order for us as educators to help our students and organizations make it to the top 30%, we have to teach and implement what the next level professionals are doing. So many times the educators that are part of the 70% love to give advice but generally never want it from those that are in the 30%. Ask the top tier people what they did to break through! All of them will tell you they got advice from the ones who are doing it at the highest level.
We as teachers can many times feel like we have the newest, greatest way of teaching something and we have the most perfect way of getting our students to do something, however, if we stop and think for a moment, are we really delivering information that is going to take this student or group of students to the top.
I think we would all agree the the majority of everything is mediocre or average at best, so shouldn’t we be thinking more minority?
There is good information and teachers mean well, but good is completely different than exceptional. These are a few thoughts to begin to teach next level.
Seek to be part of the 30%.
Is your information relevant and meaningful or recycled and meaningless. Lets get into the minority of success and teach next level material. Lets dig deeper!
Charles Decker taught at Tennessee Technological University for 35 years. He has performed in thousands of concerts and toured with the United States Army Field Band. In this episode, he talks about how to train young students to be professionals when they graduate college. He discusses what it takes to be a successful musician and educator. His passion for music education and for training students to be great people is evident in the thought and care of his philosophies over the years. He mentions the Inner Game of Tennis as a book that was influential in his preparation for a high level performance career.
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