Student Teaching Day 13

My Day

Today the Advanced Jazz Band was preparing for their performance at the state music conference this week so they were on stage doing sound checks.  They put on a concert for the school that anyone could come and watch.  I really like the way the lead tenor player plays his solos.  He is very aware of what is going on around him and he has good flow and shape to his solos.  I also conducted the Wind Ensemble through the piece Nimbus 2000 and that was a blast!  They did really well and I hope they had a lot of fun because I sure did.  Next I worked with the Symphonic Band on the piece Kentucky 1800.  I felt I did good with this piece because I really prepared my score well so I knew who should be playing what and when.  At the end of they day I played along with some mallet players in percussion ensemble.  

Student Teaching Day 12

My Day

Today I observed the orchestra rehearsal; I always enjoy learning more about string instruments.  I conducted the concert band through a piece and today my conducting was not very good.  I really need to practice conducting everyday to work on my consistency.  I conducting the wind ensemble and it went good. 

Instrument techniques

Brass

-I need to become best friends with my brass methods book and look and memorize EVERYTHING! 

-Intonation tendencies with partials

-Low brass get chin off chest because of bad tone

General Instruction

Orchestra

-Important at the beginning of class on Mondays to take an interest in students’ lives/weekends to develop good rapport

-Make sure students know how to mark music (accidentals)

-“String slap:” low strings vibrate on notes and hits the board….not good.

Band

-Break down transposing, how to find minor scale by starting on 6^th scale degree of major with the same key signature

-With beginning brass take the time (especially with warm ups and scale) to check correct pitches

-Students should be able to know (of a piece) the key, key change, time signature, for, etc.

-As a director know style with grace notes whether they are before or on the beat

-Define to your students what a “pick up note” is

-Have everybody play except the melody to hear/teach phrasing in harmony

-Dynamic of performance from audience perspective

-Harmony/drone notes to phrase follow melody

Conducting

            -Ictus! Be consistent.

            -Make style changes obvious

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

Analogies!

                  -Melt one note into another or into a rest like “Butter on a hot skillet.”

Videos & Pictures

Here is a video of parts of my rehearsal with the Wind Ensemble.  My apologies for the poor sound quality, I am speaking to them in between playing, and if you click on the video you will be able to open it in youtube full screen to see the writing.

Student Teaching Day 11

My Day

Today I observed the Advanced Jazz Band and stood in with the trumpets and rhythm section.  I really like how the trumpet players were taking ownership for their parts as a section.  They were helping each other and not just concerned about their own part; they saw the big picture.  I taught the Jazz Band through The Goodness Box and I thought rehearsal went good for the most part.  I definitely got the end of the piece cleaned.  Right now I think my biggest weakness while working with the jazz band is really being able to example and sing the style they need to play in.  I need to become more comfortable with jazz vocalizing.  I sat in and played with the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic bands, and helped with the percussion ensemble at the end of the day. 

Instrument techniques

General Instruction

Jazz

-When tuning or after tuning have section (ex. Trumpets) playing split evenly in 4ths or 5ths to hear and tune to the harmonic interval.

-“Bop it,” means to just play the front of each note in the rhythm throughout the piece short to gain rhythmic accuracy

-Use the phrase “Crisp shorts,” for rhythm and style

-Have band or section class their releases in the music

-Know the difference between ballad accents, hard jazz accents, swing, etc.

-To stop rushing have band focus on lengthening long notes, also isolate the rhythm section, then layer on top. 

-Drummer needs to count off in style

-This following picture is showing jazz section balance and concert band balance within a section.

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

“Conducting the Rampart Wind Ensemble is like driving a Ferrari”

Student Teaching Day 10

My Day

Today I observed the orchestra, I conducted and taught a piece with the Concert Band and was observed by my supervisor, I set in and played my clarinet and bass clarinet with the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, and helped out with the Beginning Guitar class. 

Instrument techniques

General Instruction

Orchestra

            -Know vocabulary! Example: Detacha, Martole (spelling?)

-During the rehearsal of a piece, stop and give a pitch center to the string players so they have a reference point and aren’t just guessing

-The students are asked to write their warm-ups on a piece of staff paper, rather than looking off a book.  This way they actually learn what they are writing out and understand how it is formed.  This can be varied with different scales, rhythms, and meter.

-Have the students play after the metronome is turned on and clicks 4 or 8 times, rather then the director having to count every time.  This is precise (sound). 

-When teaching scales in thirds, isolate the turn around

-Break down 6/8 time all the way to sixteenth notes so the students understand.

Band

-Today during my band rehearsal I tried to focus on controlling my conducting more, digging into some of the brass sections, and stepping off the podium so that I could rely on my ears more than my eyes. 

-Don’t use hard vocalizes for concert band, (no dit, use dah, but short instead)

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

            -Thought this was funny...

Student Teaching Day 9

My Day

Today I observed the Advance Jazz Band rehearse during their preparation for the state music convention.  They are to the point where they know the music and are working on musicality.  In this group, as well as all of the others, I try to vary my position from sitting in front of the group to get a general sound, standing next to different sections, and sitting in and playing with different instruments.  In the Jazz Band today I really tried to hang out in the rhythm section and follow the drum set part and bass and piano parts and comps.  I feel like I am getting better at hearing balance in the Jazz Band after sitting in front of the whole group and with individual sections during sectionals.  The Wind Ensemble rehearsal went really well today when I warmed the group up and rehearsed a piece.  I need to improve on tuning into specific section’s balance and pitch. 

 

Instrument techniques

Trombone

-If you see an f# or Bnat it is difficult for the trombones and that part will definitely need work.

Percussion

-Percussion technique with dynamics contrast

Trumpet

            -“Mute” means straight mute if unspecified

General Instruction

Jazz Band

-When vamping sections brass can put their part in a comfortable range to save chops

-When drummers are trading solos, change timbre of sound by using drums, high hat, cow bell, etc.

-When a certain piece has a certain “sound” or style make sure the students know and can differentiate

-To help with dynamics and style show through conducting what it should look like, then students play the sound to match the look

-Pay attention to drummers to keep the tempo locked in

-4 measures, 1 breath.  Talk phrasing in jazz music.

-play drums with parts (segments) to where they line up with the wind players (weird) entrances

-Bosa Nova, lay back don’t rush the +’s

Band

-Have students locate intervals in piece (example, find tri tones through Fortress by Frank Techeli)

 

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

"Touch your shoulders and play it straight."

Conducting

            -Drop arms

            -Breath to prep

            -Balance: pay more attention to inner parts of a section, or 3rd players

            -On fermatas prep the next beat more clearly

            -In order to better hear what is going on in a section, don't look at the score so much or even             step away off podium

            -After rehearsal reflect immediately

            -"Subdivision" break down and explain how to subdivide

            -Vocal cue, be exact

            -Set goals, reflect on self

    

 

Student Teaching Day 8

My Day

-Today was Orchestra, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and Guitar Class.  There was also a jazz band rehearsal after school because the top Jazz Band is preparing to play at a state music convention.  Today was my first time conducting and teaching the Concert Band and I really had a lot of fun.  This group is mostly freshman and I really got into the nitty gritty of the piece.  I really like how my mentor teacher hops in while I'm teaching and demonstrates an extension to what I am doing; it really helps me learn and respond quickly!

Instrument techniques
-Pay attention to saxes jaws on tonguing, jaw shouldn’t move

General Instruction

-Orchestra

            -Have students write out scales, check, peer check, play, sync bowing

-Band

            -Triplets: feel in 4/4 Tri-pl-et, in 6/8 1-la-le

-Sound: think brick, not sneaking in or sneaking out, think group effort in keeping the “balloon of sound” a float, can’t all breath at the same time.

            -Breathing exercises:

                        -check posture, sit up, feet in floor

                        -“The Horror”

            -Counting/clapping with metronome

                        -students understand how parts fit in

            -Rehearsal of piece: work backwards

            -breath marks by the composer are not optional

            -talks to concert band about passion and commitment, sets 
             mentality early

-Scale for warm up, chromatic, slow quarter notes, triplets staccato and slurred, first in the low octave then in the middle octave

-Intonation tendencies, know individual pitch in general, during crescendos and decrescendos, and as the whole group sound

-Guitar

-teaching multiple notes together, teach and say notes, tab, read the page/music

-Conducting

            -Keep even beats

            -drop elbows

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

-High school students are perverted...don't even go there.

Student Teaching Day 7

My Day

-Today was Orchestra, Concert Band, and guitar class.  Today was my first experience playing a guitar and I really enjoyed it.  I picked up the basics pretty quick, because I was also teaching them.  I really like to sit in with the students during concert band and play, because it helps me see a different angle of teaching and learning.

Instrument techniques

General Instruction

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

Student Teaching Day 6

My Day

-Today was Jazz band, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, as well as a percussion class. 

Instrument techniques

General Instruction

-General

            -Eastman Counting System (Texas)

                        -1 te ta te…

-Jazz Band

            -Rather than counting off every time, give 8 clicks on the metronome

            -tonguing: “tuh” not “tut” 

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

Student Teaching Day 5

My Day

-Today was Jazz band, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, as well as a percussion class. 

Instrument techniques

General Instruction

-Jazz

            -Mix group up

-In a soli sax section the tenor sax should be the predominate voice, not the lead alto

-Help with jazz singing/articulations/style: Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble by Mike Steinel, Standard of Excellence Advanced Jazz Ensemble by Dean Sorenson and Bruce Pearson

-Band

            -Interval work (Remington exercise)

                        -unison = 1

-don’t breath between (brass directed) big breath and last through last note/interval

            -Be in tone to tune (good sound)

-Bb scale quarters then eighths, arpeggios, first just keys, then keys and air, then actually play

-tonguing: use tongue barely, interrupt tongue, don’t move a lot

 

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

Student Teaching Day 4

My Day

-Today I observed the orchestra rehearsal, and I was surprised to see how much of my band knowledge transferred easily over to orchestra!  We had a brass class because the concert band was split into two groups.  This was a lot of fun for me as a woodwind player, to really be immersed to understand how the brass players play.  I worked with the Wind Ensemble next.  This was my first time conducting the Wind Ensemble, which is the top band, and it was incredible!  I conducted through An American Elegy by Frank Ticheli and it was one of the best moments of my life.  The students played beautifully and I loved the rush of it.  Teaching and conducting a band is exactly where I am supposed to be!

Instrument techniques

-Brass

            -Warm up: lip slurs, air first, relax, yawn, open throat

            -A lot of buzzing

            -Trombone tonguing: Light tongue, slur

-Technique: sit up, valves up and down, 1 right way (not at an angle because it will damage the vertical valve)

-“Don’t hold your baritone in the taco positions.”

General Instruction

-Band

-Tuning: if your wrong, STOP-FIX-START, don’t bend around or continue to play wrong

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

-“Don’t hold your baritone in the taco positions.”

            -The students totally get this analogy! 

Student Teaching Day 3

My Day
Today was the first day that the students were at school.  I went to a drug free assembly with them, and then observed all of the music classes for the day which included: Advanced Jazz Band, Beginning Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensemble.  In between classes and after school I looked through scores so that I could get some ideas of pieces I would like to conduct with the bands. 

Instrument techniques
-Brass players should be careful not to close or clench their teeth because it really hurts the tone they produce. 

General Instruction
-During jazz band the director was teaching staccato articulation and the way he described this was to "dit" the note.  He had the students say it and play it, and this idea of "dit" seemed to worked better than anything I have seen.
-When teaching improvisation to the jazz band students, the director said he uses the analogy of talking.  Just like a person has many words they can choose from to form a sentence, the jazz players have many sounds/rhythms/motives they can choose from to form their musical sentence. 
-During the band class the students were playing an Italian piece and to communicate and direct the style the teacher cheesed it up with Italianish analogies; the kids ate it up and it worked!

Quotes and Other Random Happenings
-I really like that in the music library the concert band pieces are organized by names of scores and the scores only.  This saves a lot of room and makes it easy to flip through all the literature. 

Student Teaching Day 2

My Day
Today I attending meetings with the high school and middle school band directors in the school district.  This was good to get to know everybody and talk about common problems and good things going on across the district.  I knew that band directors had to hold multiple roles, secretary, treasure, etc, but seeing it in action was a whole other thing.  Listening to these band directors plan and budget for a long period of time-they really have their hands full!  I try to spend my time in these meetings just doing a lot of listening and not talking, because then I really learn was they are doing. 

Instrument techniques
-I am going to start bringing my guitar to the beginning guitar class so I can learn how to play it and teach it better.  I am going to be using the book "Guitar Methods 1" by Aaron Stang.

General Instruction
NA

Quotes and Other Random Happenings
NA

Student Teaching Day 1

My Day

Today I went to a day of meetings with my supervising teacher and some of the other band directors in the area.  We had a speaker at the beginning of the day that I really liked by the name of Dr. Rick DuFour.  The discussion was about education collaboration and assessment...awesome lecture!  I spent the rest of the day visiting and learning tons of useful information from a handful of band directors, and then attended the all city band rehearsal in the evening which was a great experience to see so many students come together from all over the city to play and build relationships.  I observed many of the directors running sectionals and definitely learned a lot!

Instrument techniques

-When the student is playing a triangle, have them hold it with their thumb and finger and don't let     them interrupt or dampen the sound. 

-The students were working on trumpet buzzing.  I really liked how the director had the students buzz an entire section of a piece to get a better sound and feel.  There is a new book about buzzing called "Buzzing Basics," by James Thompson.

General Instruction

-I saw something interesting during a sectional; the director asked the students to mark a measure but one student wasn't paying attention so he didn't know what measure to mark.  As a director a solution to this would be to make sure you say the actual measure number, not just "that measure."  I think that saying an actual number will get the students' attention, just a thought.

-To achieve good releases on notes, have the students consciously take a breath on the following rest.  This worked so well!

-Tell students to go home and listen to all of their band pieces on youtube, and multiple versions too.

-The 3 levels of listening, 1) Self, 2) Section, 3) Full Ensemble.  The students seemed to really latch onto this and started to listen more, even during their rests.

Quotes and Other Random Happenings

- "Sizzle for clarity." While explaining the why of sizzling parts before playing.

-Band directors chew gum in tempo!