Texas Bandmasters Association 2010: Miscellaneous Thoughts Day 1

This week, I am in San Antonio for the Texas Bandmasters Association convention. I attended some really good sessions and took a few notes on my iPhone. Without spending a lot of time to expand on these notes right now, I thought I would post them so maybe someone else can benefit from them. After the convention, I’ll sit down later and flesh them out a bit more. Here’s Day 1.

• Raise your level of absurdity. If something doesn’t sound stupid, you won’t address it.
• Come up with a warmup rotation. Same concepts per day of week. Lip flexibility, scales, tone production, articulations, intervals/listening
• Same with journals. Music appreciation, rhythmic dictation, music/rhythm copying, free writing, theory exercises
• All bad behavior is fear-based. Fear creates bad behavior. Cultivate self-respect
• Make binder organization part of the lesson. Manage whatever is turned in or expected. Teach the value of why we expect these things.
• Shut up and teach. Don’t turn a 2-minute bullet point into a 20 minute lecture
• Public speaking from time to time. Introduce yourself in front of the class the first week of school. And provide the opportunity throughout the year.
• Practicing – 1. Students must learn to use the information they have. 2. Teach the value associated with practicing. 3. Play songs/pieces/etudes.
• Posture is the gateway to the breath and uninstructed air.
• Teach posture standing up. “Swan neck” vs. “Turkey neck”
• Every day is posture day!!!
• Your hands should look beautiful // remember band is a fine art
• The air falls out of the body the same way water flows over Niagara Falls
• “Let more air out of the body” not “blow more/faster air”
• Most articulation problems are corner placement problems
• “The process is developmental and must be monitored arduously”