In our recent survey, we asked Band Directors Talk Shop readers to share a tip for organizing your physical, digital or mental environment. With many responses to the survey, we came up with this list of your answers. Thanks so much to all of our readers who took time to fill out the survey. Keep an ... Read More about Tips for Organizing Your Physical, Digital, and Mental Environment
Articles
You Are What You LISTEN To!
One of the most powerful tools available to every musician does not come in an instrument case. It is imagination. Before we play a note, we hear it internally. Composer Bruce Adolphe calls this ability the mind's ear: our capacity to imagine, remember, and audiate music without the aid of an ... Read More about You Are What You LISTEN To!
My Very First Full Band Songs (Accompanied Unison Band Songs with 3, 4, 5, and 6 Note Range)
We are so excited about our new "My Very First Full Band Songs" Series! Unison band music with fun accompaniment tracks! This series is being created for very early beginners. We have in mind programs that see their beginners only a couple times a week or start with younger students and need to ... Read More about My Very First Full Band Songs (Accompanied Unison Band Songs with 3, 4, 5, and 6 Note Range)
A Rudiment Activity Your Percussionists Will Love!
On my very last day of teaching lessons before my retirement, I came up with a fun, high energy rudiment activity that my 4th and 5th grade percussionists loved. (I only wish I had thought of it sooner so I could have used it more!) I set up enough drum pads in a circle for all percussionists ... Read More about A Rudiment Activity Your Percussionists Will Love!
Low Brass Scale Warm-up and Scale Memorization
I have used these exercises for over 50 years during my teaching career with great success. They are designed for players from high school through university and beyond. These exercises are not designed for large ensemble rehearsals (though they work well with brass sectionals), but for individual ... Read More about Low Brass Scale Warm-up and Scale Memorization
Building Musical Independence Through Small Ensemble Work
One of the challenges I have found in teaching band is giving students opportunities to actually make musical choices. In most of the repertoire we perform, many of those decisions have already been made. Dynamics, articulations, tempo, and style are printed on the page, and as the conductor, I make ... Read More about Building Musical Independence Through Small Ensemble Work
