The Beast at Daytona

News and Happenings, Personal experience, Teaching /
A few years ago, I made a post expressing pride in the success of many of the students from my first teaching position in a small rural school in southern Indiana. I think I said something about being humbled to have been (maybe) a small part of their success.
Cadillac at Daytona 500 Trump at Daytona
I got a really nice note from one of those students who shared a story about something he learned from me that has influenced his life lessons in management. He is now a Senior VP at General Motors.
He posted pics from celebrating the Cadillac racecar … and also the Cadillac Beast, which took a couple laps. I’m including a video (not from him) that shows the lap. Part is boring, but you can hear crowd noise, see two flyovers and how the racecars lined up behind The Beast (and the SS entourage, of course).
Great publicity.

The Beast at Daytona Read More »

Changing to Gulf of America is expensive

Communication, Respect, Social Media, Social Media /
Pres Trump announcing the name change to Gulf of America while flying over the Gulf.

I just read and responded to a post about the “cost” ($1+B, according to the writer) for changing the name to Gulf of America. This isn’t meant to be a complete argument, but tell me where I’m wrong (or right)…… kindly, please.

* “Gulf of Mexico” first appeared on maps in 1550. The USA didn’t exist.
* Renamed to Gulf of “America”, NOT “of USA”.
* Mexico is considered to be a country in “North America”. So, appropriate and not a slam against another country.
* 67 million people in USA in states touched by the gulf, vs 16 million in Mexico.
* 5 US States touched by the gulf.
I could have lived with “Mexico”, but feel your argument is based solely on WHO made the change. For example(s)…..

MILITARY BASE NAME CHANGES IN 2023

Fort Barfoot, VA (formerly Fort Pickett) was renamed March 24, 2023
Fort Novosel, AL(formerly Fort Rucker) was renamed April 10, 2023.
Fort Gregg-Adams, VA (formerly Fort Lee) was renamed April 27, 2023.
Fort Cavazos, TX (formerly Fort Hood) was renamed May 9, 2023.
Fort Moore, GA (formerly Fort Benning) was renamed May 11, 2023.
Fort Liberty, NC (formerly Fort Bragg) was renamed June 2, 2023.
Fort Johnson, LA (formerly Fort Polk) was renamed June 13, 2023.
Fort Walker, VA (formerly Fort A.P. Hill) was renamed August 28, 2023.

We (taxpayers) pay every time someone moves in/out of the White House or any office in Congress. We pay to duplicate Air Force One, fly triplicate helicopters and duplicate Beasts.

We changed maps, globes and textbooks when the Berlin Wall came down or the U.S.S.R. fell apart.
With this cost-to-change argument, we could never replace a school, update highways, move airports (Indy) or anything of the such.
What say YOU?

Changing to Gulf of America is expensive Read More »

Response to a friend supporting DEI

Respect, Social Media /
Several programs that have come/gone in my lifetime had noble ideas and, at least in theory, attempted to make the world a better place. We needed something like “AFFIRMATIVE ACTION”, but when my white son working toward a PhD in African-American Literature is told by his Ivy League university that he will not be placed until after every non-white person is placed…. that is discrimination in reverse and just as wrong.
My Fire Chief father was told to hire people of color. When he said he hired from those who passed the tests, he was instructed to re-write the tests — twice. He eventually DID hire the first black (who became a life-long friend). He told me about their first interaction after the hire and I wrote about that in my book … perhaps I’ll share that in a different post, because it taught ME a life lesson.
Dad was also ordered to hire the first woman firefighter for his mid-sized city department. His focus was on ensuring that those he sent into burning buildings understood how fire worked and/or could carry an unconscious person out of the building or down the ladder. That is merit-based hiring, right?
Merit-based hiring vs. affirmative action hiring in professional sports is also interesting, but a topic for another day.
“NO “CHILD LEFT BEHIND” sounded great, until the emphasis on standardized testing rewarded teaching to the test…. Before I retired as a hs teacher, to keep my job, get top evaluations and receive pay increases, I had to prove that every student learned something. The way to do that was to give a really difficult starting test, teach to that test and show a better score at the end of the semester. My argument that a concert in front of an audience was proof of learning was unacceptable. So, I would use tests on rhythms and definitions that would show individual scores. A student shouted out in class, “We need to do poorly on this one.” They understood the game. We still did concerts.
Who remembers “CORE-40”? Or “WEIGHTED GRADES”? We lost students from the music programs because an advanced biology class would count more for a GPA, an Academic Honors Diploma or Valedictorian status (which is being done away with in many schools). So many diplomas. A current proposal in this state is to return to one basic diploma with “seals” for extra qualifications.
The core words of DEI are good. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are all good things. My polio-surviving mother got her job without it, however. I would support it until we start hammering that students in elementary schools are either oppressors or oppressed, or that we can’t hire or promote a better qualified white male until we have equaled the numbers.
We should not overreact to every mention of a program, but some kind of adjustment is needed. Not to worry; there will be a new program coming at us.

Response to a friend supporting DEI Read More »

Be a Gold digger.

Assistant Directing, College Prep, High Schools, Music Performance, News and Happenings, Solo Prep, Teaching, Teaching Music /

Solo/Ensemble season is here. Vocal is local and starts tomorrow. Instrumental for local musicians starts next Saturday. If you get District GOLD, you qualify for STATE.

Every participant is a winner. What other activity (maybe shooting free throws in a ball game) requires someone to stand in front of a person with the job of (usually) finding their every mistake?

Be GOLD diggers.

Be a Gold digger. Read More »

Solo Judges Sheet from 53 years ago – The Story

Leave a Comment / High Schools, Music Performance, Personal experience, Solo Prep, Storytelling, Teaching, Teaching Music /

Allow me to share the story behind the performance and the rating from this 53-yr old piece of falling-apart paper.


Throughout high school, Robert Roden was my clarinet teacher. I was the first chair clarinet at Holmes HS in Covington, KY. He also taught the first chair clarinet student from Simon Kenton (where he was Band Director) and at Campbell County HS. We were all in the same grade and had been competing with each other throughout high school when it came to District and All State ensembles.

For Solo Contest senior year HE GAVE ALL THREE OF US THE SAME SOLO!

It was a crazy difficult Theme and Variations on “Au Clair de la Lune”.

It created quite a stir as it became a bragging rights contest between the three bands.

When the schedule came out, I was third to go.

Pressure.

The first girl went – got a “I” (Superior) Rating. The room was fairly full with mostly students from her school.

More pressure.

The second girl went – got a “I” (Superior) Rating. Again, the room was fairly full.

Pressure cooker.

When I went, there were students from all three schools who couldn’t even all get into the room.

The piece is structured with a theme, piano interlude, variation, interlude, variation, etc.

The judge was Earl Thomas, clarinet professor at Eastern Kentucky University. He knew me well as I had studied with him four summers at the Stephen Collins Foster Music Camp at EKU.

As I am ready to begin, Thomas says,

Mr. Gardner, I don’t think I have ever heard this piece performed at the high school level and this is the third time I am hearing it today.

(I explain we three had the same teacher).

Well sir, since I have already heard this piece twice, can we just cut out the piano interludes? Just play each section, pause, and go on to the next.

For those who know me, I hope you would agree that my biggest strength is technique while my biggest challenges are endurance (and nerves). I could play fast, but I really needed those breaks. GONE.

I got so worried about losing the interlude breaks that I forgot to get nervous about performing….. I always wondered if, knowing me, he did that on purpose just to see how I’d respond.

At the end of my performance, HE STOOD UP FOR ME …. and then gave me the highest rating of the three. Yay!

Solo Judges Sheet from 53 years ago – The Story Read More »

3 Scholarship Strategies That Worked for Me and Mine

1 Comment / College Prep, High Schools, Parenting, Repost, Teaching /

By John Gardner

Dollar SignIt used to be that “March Madness” meant more than just basketball. The school would emphasize the mostly local scholarships that would be awarded and presented on “Achievement Night” toward the end of the school year. There is still a push in mid-spring, but the last I knew, the local Guidance Department now organizes scholarships by application due date and there is clearly a newer emphasis on working at the scholarship process throughout the (mostly) senior year.

As a high school teacher, I encouraged students to go after all the scholarships available and too often hear responses like…

As a high school teacher, too often I hear variations of…..

“Everybody applies for that one.”“I don’t have the highest grades,
so what’s the point?”“I’ll fill it out,
but I’m not going to spend
a lot of time on it.”

The PURPOSE of this post is to ENCOURAGE students (and parents) to implement 3 strategies as you go through “scholarship season”.

STRATEGY #1: Work harder and smarter. COMPETE to BEAT the competition.

My son was applying for a “Fellowship” at an Ivey League Grad School, where he completed his PhD. A fellowship is similar to a ‘scholarship’ with generally bigger dollars. A fellowship is usually more like funding for a job. It would pay for a semester of teaching two Penn classes and a semester of research for his dissertation.

“The fellowship’s description clearly favored someone with 1 yr less experience than me. Knowing that, all things being equal, the fellowship would go to someone else, I determined to make sure things were not equal.

I devoted an entire week toward preparing my application. I knew few would spend that much time or commit that level of energy. Apparently it worked as they went outside their target group to pick me.”

Halfway through his undergrad experience, he won a $32,000 scholarship for college expenses, including travel to potential grad schools.

Compete confidently.

STRATEGY #2: FILL OUT EVERY SCHOLARSHIP THAT DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDE YOU

In high school, he won a scholarship from the local ABWA (Women’s Association), whose literature said they give “preference” to a girl, but did not exclude guys. Also a $4000 from a Catholic organization even though he is not Catholic.

“I read the criteria for every scholarship.
If not specifically excluded, I applied.

There was a time during Spring Semester of high school senior year that our living room had numerous ‘stacks’ representing different scholarships. His attitude that scholarship season was that it was his ‘part-time job’ and he intended to make more money doing that than he would have made at a fast food restaurant job. He did.

Make scholarships worth your time and effort.

STRATEGY #3: SEARCH them out and TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY

There is money out there. Part of the battle is finding it. Your high school Guidance Department probably has a listing.

Scholarship providers are looking for LOTS of things, and grades are not always at the top of the list. They want achievers. Extracurricular involvement and community service indicate that you are a responsible person. Good reference letters from teachers are valuable. Hopefully you have cultivated and earned strong teacher advocates. Sometimes financial need is a factor. Memorial scholarships often focus on students pursuing particular majors.

Read about
How to get Good Reference Letters

Demographics can matter. There have been at least three people from our local high school accepted to a particular top-tier university in recent years. This school tends to attract students from wealthy east coast boarding schools — and from overseas…..but in trying to change that reputation/perception, some local students benefited. For example, they wanted to increase the percentage of white, public school mid-westerners in their “community”. Sometimes engineering schools want more girls while education departments may want more guys. As you write essays and complete applications, focus on and market your strengths. You are, after all, asking for someone to “buy you”. Why should they?

Going after scholarships can feel like the ice skater learning how to do the quad. They fall down and get hurt a lot before you see them nail it on TV. Go for the good scholarships. Go for all you can. Go hard. And don’t give up.

3 Scholarship Strategies That Worked for Me and Mine Read More »

Personal Philosophy / Rationale Statement for Teaching

Leave a Comment / Classroom Teacher, Personal experience, Teaching Music /

My decision to become a band director came during the Morehead State University Band Clinic during my 7th grade year. I purchased my first baton at the clinic. I was primarily influenced by three of my teachers.

James Copenhaver (Dr. Copenhaver, 34-yr Director of Bands at the University of South Carolina) was my beginning teacher during my first year (and his first year of teaching) and high school band director for two years. I wanted to be just like him. He pulled me aside Freshman year and said something like….

If you want to be a band director, you’re going to have to go to college. Your family may not be able to afford that…so I suggest you use your four years in high school to make yourself good enough that by the time you graduate, colleges will want to pay you to come.

They did.

Robert Roden taught me how to play clarinet during my high school years. I never heard him play (heart condition), but he had a good way of describing what I should do to play well. At my band director’s urging, he allowed me to “audition” for a spot in his studio. After hearing me, he made me a deal…

“You play well. I can help you get better. But you can’t afford me. As it turns out, I have a bad heart and can’t do yard work or heavy lifting. So, if you would be willing to cut my grass or shovel my snow, or do any other jobs around my house as needed, then I will provide you clarinet lessons until the day you show up here unprepared. Do we have a deal?”

Yes. And he kept his word. Senior year I received a “I+” (not a legal ranking) at solo festival, was 1st chair in All-State, 1st chair in an Honor Band (top spot in the top band out of six at the clinic), 1st chair at two summer music camps, and 1st chair in the United States Collegiate Wind Band that toured Europe and the U.S.S.R.

Tragically, he died in a fire at a dinner club where he was playing. He got out of the building, but went back in to get his music. My father was an off-duty Fire Chief on the scene.

The third person was my college clarinet professor. He was a terrible human, hated teaching girls, hated teaching clarinet (wanted to be orchestra director)…..but set his standards high and used fear, intimidation, and humiliation to force improvement. At least he taught me how to prepare.

My musical career from 5th grade through college was about performance and competition. My first teaching assignment was a small rural school (I had gone to a large inner-city high school) was a shocking experience for me. When I would encourage a parent to provide for private instruction, I was told that I was the teacher. When recommending a step-up instrument, I was asked what was wrong with the one they bought. Since there were limited resources, I refocused on the concept of teaching students how to achieve success. In 2005, when I had an opportunity to meet with a group of former students, not a single one had gone into music as a vocation, but all had children in band because of the positive experience they had. I felt reinforced. Because of the way the bar had been set for me, I set the bar high there, expected them to reach it – and most did. As a group, they achieved much success, reaching 4th in state in two of my four years with over 20% of the high school in the ensemble.  

Now, back in education after two decades away (which means I’ve missed all the current training over that time), I describe myself as the old guy with youthful enthusiasm. I would have to label myself a social efficiency-ist, which I realize sets me in confrontation with a lot of current teaching and training. I’ll try to keep an open mind.

Here are some statements I put in a brochure I send to parents of potential private instruction students. I call them my Gardner-isms:

Good Grades Do Pay – and I can prove it.

Colleges Pay for those who Play – well!

It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose — until you lose.

If the notes are on the paper, it is your job to play ALL of them.

If you’re going to play it, you might as well play it right.

The view from 1st chair is much better.

Private Lessons can be like paying for college — one week at a time.

Be prepared: Make sure your parents are getting their money’s worth.

Santa isn’t the only one who knows whether you’ve been bad (no practice) or good.

You can’t sight read in your lesson and get away with it. I’m better than that.

Like the ice skater who misses the quad, missing notes in public can hurt.

Anybody can be mediocre.  Not you. Not with me. Don’t even think about it.

You can practice hard now and have fun at performance, or you can have fun now…

Do you really want to pay me to tell you it was good — if it wasn’t?

Personal Philosophy / Rationale Statement for Teaching Read More »

Earning and receiving a great reference letter

1 Comment / College Prep, High Schools, Job Search, Teaching Music /

referencesBy John Gardner (retired July 2020)

As a teacher, I was often asked to be a reference on a job application or to write a recommendation letter for students applying for scholarships, jobs, and/or colleges. I received a nice thank you from a former exchange student who had just re-used the letter I wrote for her as she was applying for graduate studies toward her doctorate at a university in Germany. Because I find myself answering the same questions or asking for the same information whenever students need this help, I’m going to organize them here and then refer students to this post when they want my letter-writing help.

How do you EARN a good letter and when do you START?

When sophomores and juniors interested in auditioning for Drum Major asked, “When are auditions?” My response was normally, “Your audition started freshman year.”

Similarly, a good reference doesn’t happen just because you ask or need one…. it happens because you have earned it during your years of association with, in this case, a teacher.

Few teachers or coaches get to know a student as well as a band director because it is often a 4+ year participation class — and especially marching band involves much more interaction than in a typical academic class. Students should realize and appreciate the value of such a letter — and work all four years to develop a stellar reputation the teacher will be happy to brag on.

Hire MeWhat makes a good letter?

I usually structure my letter to focus on multiple areas:

  1. Band experience. Which ensembles, what years, any additional responsibilities – i.e. section leader, drum major, etc.
  2. Qualification. Especially for scholarship letters, I like to emphasize genuine need and why I think meeting that need is a good investment for the scholarship provider.
  3. School experience. Grades, other extracurricular activities, honor rolls, awards, achievements.
  4. Community experience, especially volunteerism. Camps, counseling experiences, etc. Jobs.
  5. College/Career goal. What will you major in or what do you plan to do after graduation?
  6. Reputation. I like to reference the quality of friend choices, the wisdom of decision-making, and generally, the types of comments peers and teachers might make.

What YOU should provide the letter-writer.

  • Resume. Resumes typically contain much of the information needed for a good letter. If you don’t have a resume, use the above list and organize information. If not an official resume, at least a list of activities, honors, awards, jobs, volunteer work, and after-graduation plans.
  • Stamped, Addressed Envelope with sufficient postage. Although I often do provide a copy to the student, the customary approach is to provide everything to the letter writer who then can put the letter in the envelope, seal it and drop it in the mail. OR… links to the online application and an email to which to send a copy to the student. Don’t use your school email, which may expire after you graduate.
  • Additional Paperwork completed. Often there is an accompanying application or information sheet to go with the letter and it is both inconvenient and inconsiderate of you to expect ME to take that additional time. Fill in your addresses, names, and numbers. If I see that it will take extra time, I tend to procrastinate on the project.
  • TIME! The worst was a student approaching me after school about writing a letter requiring a same day postmark! C’mon…. If you want a comprehensive letter, give me time to do it. I will typically write a letter within a couple of days — but give me a week, please.

I love writing letters to help achievers because when I was where they are — there were people who went to bat for me and this is my way of returning that favor by passing it on….. Teachers don’t expect a lot in return, but a smile and a thank you can go a long way.

SUGGESTIONS for getting ADDITIONAL letters and help!  If a teacher has taken the time to organize and write a professional letter on YOUR behalf, consider a short, hand-written THANK YOU to the teacher. Guess who gets the better letters cranked out faster the next time?

Thanks for reading.

 

Earning and receiving a great reference letter Read More »

10+ Gump-ism-style Advice Lines for Bands, Students and Parents

Leave a Comment / College Prep, High Schools, How May I Serve YOU?, Music Performance, Teaching Music, Types of education /

forrestgumpIn the spirit of Forrest Gump who put out Gump-isms like, “Life is like a box of chocolates…..You never know what you’re gonna get”, I offer the following sayings that sometime happen in band rehearsals and private studio lessons.

“Good Grades Do Pay.”

We all hear about college paying for good athletes, but they will also pay for good intellectuals. Pick up a brochure from just about any college and you’ll find a place in there where they list things like 1) Average SAT/ACT score or 2) National Merit Scholars.

If your SAT/ACT score is higher than the college’s average, then they WANT YOU because you will raise their average. To many schools, both the average SAT/ACT scores and the number of National Merit Scholars they have represent “bragging rights”. But instead of accidentally stumbling into success, strategically plan for it, and then systematically execute your plan.

The first major test is one often ignored, the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test). Sophomores and Juniors can take the PSAT, which gives colleges some early information they can use to recruit. The PSAT is also the NMSQT (National Merit Scholar Qualifying test). Colleges will pay for National Merit Scholars. They brag about how may NM Scholars they have in their community. This is a test worth practicing and preparing for. Treat your preparation as a part-time job.

How much money can you make at minimum wage?

The other test(s) worth studying and preparing for are the SAT, the ACT and the SAT II’s (specific subject tests required by some schools).

“Colleges Pay for those who Play – WELL!”

Don’t ignore the ARTS corner of the Triangle-A (Athletics, Academics, Arts). I remember a conversation I had with son #1 as we sat in the driveway of his trumpet teacher’s house and I was writing that check for an hour-long lesson:

“I am paying for your college education one week at a time.
By the time you get to college,
you need to be good enough
that colleges will pay for you.”

I did not pay for MY college education. As one of five children raised in a single parent household by a polio survivor mother, I knew there was no way my family could send me to college. I knew that the only way I would get to college was for a college to pay for me to come. I wasn’t going to qualify academically and was completely non-Athletic. But by 8th grade, I realized I could play the clarinet pretty well – and set off on a track to make that my way in to college. Some of the things I did related to that:

* When my friends were out cruising, I was practicing.
(Not much choice as I didn’t have a car.)

* When my friends were going to the movies, I was practicing.
(Not much choice as I didn’t have spending money.)

* I took clarinet lessons all through high school.

* I participated in Summer Music Camps. I spent three 4-week sessions at the Stephen Foster Music Camp at Eastern Kentucky University and two summers at the 2-week Summer Camp at Morehead State University. Colleges offer camps and clinics to recruit: to get to know prospects and to give them an opportunity to fall in love with the college. In those cases, I got to study for short times with the clarinet professors at both universities. When it came time to select a college, both of those were recruiting me because they already knew me. And, of course, having intense rehearsals and master classes all day for the summer makes one a much better musician.

* I auditioned for specialty and clinic bands. Northern Kentucky had a “Select Band” which rehearsed for 1-2 days and gave a concert. I also participated all 4 years in the Kentucky All-State Band. There was the Morehead State University Band Clinic.
* I participated in several ensembles and played a solo every year at Solo/Ensemble Festival. I received 1-II, 14-I’s and 1-I+. Both my sons surpassed that, with Son #2 achieving over 42 Gold Medal ratings in District and State in instrumental and vocal.

Son #1 did not pay for his college education. Do you notice anything similar about our paths and strategies?

* Trumpet Lessons starting in 7th grade.
* Honor Band
* Solo/Ensemble Festival – three trips to State
* Music Camp – (KY) twice
* Music Camp – (IN)
* Jazz Camp – (TN)
* Youth Symphony
* All-State Band
* Summer Substitute with the Philharmonic Orchestra
* Everything Band in high school, including Marching (2yrs), Concert, Jazz, Varsity Brass (Show Choir Backup), Musicals.

In fact, there were some semesters when he would register for classes that the school would give HIM a check. That was because each year:

– $2500 each year from the Presidential Scholarship (National Merit Finalist)
– $2000 each year from the University to completely cover in-state-tuition
– $5000 from the Honors Program (ACT score, National Honor Society) to completely cover out of state tuition
– $3500 from the Music Department to completely cover housing
– $1000 from the Trumpet Studio
======
$14,000 … at a time when the total cost at TTU (Tennessee Tech) was about $10,500/yr.

He also received local scholarships. I recall that for one of those scholarships he called the person in charge because he missed the “postmark date” and wanted to see if he could drive it to her home (local). Her response was, “Please do, honey ….. your application will be the only one we have.” See scholarship -ism below.

Son #2 went to a Top Tier school for a state school price. That university’s current tuition is over $61,000/yr. He had the grades but not the money. An Admissions counselor made me a promise (which they kept),

“If we decide we want him,
we will get him here.”

It is sad to see high school students who are pretty good in their local band go off to top-ranked music schools to face rejection because they settled for mediocrity in high school – because they could. Some of the students I teach at the university come in as music majors never having studied privately. It is really hard to make it at the college level without specialty instruction in high school. There is only so much that can be done in the large ensemble for which there is a “free” teacher. Assuming there is some talent/ability involved, you can almost look at the concept as a “Pay Now vs Pay Later”.

You can INVEST in your training and experiences throughout high school and go for the music scholarships in college, or PAY the sticker price.

“It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose — until you lose.”

I used to have a poster in front of my band room showing a rifle girl, her head down as she was dragging her rifle behind her…..featuring that quote.

“If the notes are on the paper, it is your job to play ALL of them.”

This was my response to a student who asked,  “How much of it do we have to play?” I often tell students that it is my job as a director to help mold and blend the sound, and to correct errors…… not to teach notes. Learning the notes is the student’s job.

“If you’re going to play it, you might as well play it right.”

Why hurt the ensemble and waste valuable rehearsal time when it doesn’t take that much more effort to do it right the first time?

“The view from 1st chair is much better.”

“Private Lessons can be like paying for college — one week at a time.”

“Be prepared: Make sure your parents are getting their money’s worth.”

I have had students come to clarinet/sax lessons without their music, ….. and one, without his instrument. One college music major lesson started (and ended) like this:

Student: I don’t know how to tell you this, but I just didn’t have time to practice this week.

Me: This is your 3rd week in a row with excuses. This is your major instrument. This is your major. This is just as important as that English, Math or Psychology assignment. This affects your grade too. I heard you sight-read this music last week when it was supposed to be practiced to performance-grade. I don’t need to hear you sight-read it again. You take this time and practice. I’ll see you next week.

When I was paying for lessons, I wanted my money’s worth. And I tell my students to give their parents their money’s worth, i.e. don’t waste my time or their money.

“Santa isn’t the only one who knows whether you’ve been bad (no practice) or good.”

If you engage in systematic study, your teacher/coach will get to know you well enough to know when you’ve practiced for your lesson.  Make sure your parents are getting their money’s worth.

“You can’t sight read in your lesson and get away with it. I’m better than that.”

“Like the ice skater who misses the quad, missing notes in public can hurt.”

Mistakes are going to happen. They just are. When you watch ice skating on TV, even at the world championship or Olympic level, there are mistakes. What I often explain in private lessons is that they probably hit that jump a high percentage of times in practice. Performance rarely goes better than practice. If you aren’t doing it in practice, what do you think will happen in performance?

“Anybody can be mediocre.  Not you. Not with me. Don’t even think about it.”

Mediocre means average. Anybody can be average. When talking about the lukewarm (mediocre) church, Jesus said he would prefer that it had been hot or cold, but because it was lukewarm, he would spit it out of His mouth. The Star Wars Jedi Knight Yoda says, “Do, or do not, there is no TRY”. 

“You can practice hard now and have fun at performance, or you can have fun now…”

High school life is so much about social life and relationships. The tendency is to bring that into the rehearsal. You can take it easy now, but then be disappointed with the results — or you can work hard, pay the price and enjoy the rewards and satisfaction of demonstrated excellence.

“Do you really want me to tell you it was good — if it wasn’t?”

Students usually know if it was good or bad. There is that balance between encouragement and improvement. When that balance is achieved, improvement happens. After a tough run of a marching band show, as we were ending the rehearsal, which we usually tried to do on a ‘high note’, after another staff member gave a critique, I asked the students; “Do you want the sugar-coated version, or do you want it straight?” They wanted it straight – which enabled us to end on a ‘good note’.

“Fix it — or I will find you!”

I’m decent with those “hearing eyes” and “seeing ears”, i.e. knowing whether what you’re hearing from the ensemble is what you are looking at in the score. There would be times I would hear something, stop the ensemble, look at the score — and then in the general direction the mistake came from. They know I could find them, and sometimes, by the time I would look up, there would already be a student with his/her hand up confessing, “It was me.”

10+ Gump-ism-style Advice Lines for Bands, Students and Parents Read More »