The director had been out for a few days, so I ran the rehearsals….and organized this prank. I wish I had zeroed on facial expressions. NOTE: No harm was done. Students exited one door, walked around and came back in another. We lost about 2-3 minutes of rehearsal. I wonder what it looked like on the CCTV monitors in the admin offices.
Pranking the band director Read More »
You know you’re getting older when Read More »
I prepared this list for one of my woodwind students and modified it some to include other instruments. There are links within this article to other articles I’ve written about literature selection, accompanists and the judging scoresheet categories.
The basics. Music, instrument. People have forgotten both.
Solo Part – ORIGINAL for judge. Measures numbered.
Have you paid your accompanist? Customary, usually following performance. More about respect, preparation and appreciation for your accompanist, click here.
BRASS.
Valve oil
WOODWINDS.
Backup reed – in case something happens to yours that day.
Mouthpiece cap – Keep on when moving – protects and looks professional.
PERCUSSION.
Backup sticks/mallets.
Arrive at the school/venue about an hour before your performance time. Find your performance room and then you can go to warm-up. Don’t over-practice. Just review your challenging spots. Your ensemble should run through the piece. Note that these warm-up rooms can be noisy.
Arrive at performance room before your time. You can go in ahead of time (or anytime) and listen to other performers. Most in Group 2 will be h/s. If your accompanist is late because of accompanying someone else, just explain that to the door person or judge.
Have the book opened to your solo when you present it to the judge.
If judge asks questions, answer politely (as you always are).
Sit or stand. Your choice. I prefer standing. Judge may want to see your fingers, so don’t put the music stand directly between you and the judge. Be able to make eye contact with your accompanist.
Do not start until the judge tells you to. He/she may be completing notes on the previous performer. If permission received, play tuning note with piano – last chance to check your reed.
Be prepared to introduce yourself, your school, and your piece (title/composer).
When you finish, especially if there is any applause, a slight bow is appropriate to acknowledge. Applause is the audience saying thank you — a bow is your thanking them for the applause. Recognize your accompanist.
You will not get your music immediately – probably after the performer who follows you. You will not get your scoresheet. Those go to your band director at the end of the day.
The door monitor will write your rating on the wall schedule.
A separate post with addition scoresheet categories ===> HERE.
Intonation. Are you in tune with the piano? With each other (ensemble)? Do you have individual notes that are out of tune? Accuracy to printed pitches.
Tone. Resonance, clarity, control, focus, consistency, warmth.
Rhythm. Accuracy of note values, rest values, duration, pulse, steadiness, correctness of meter.
Technique. Facility, accuracy, articulation, fingerings.
Interpretation/Musicianship. Style, phrasing, tempo, dynamics, emotional involvement.
Performance factors. Choice of literature, appropriate appearance (related to performance), poise, posture, general conduct, mannerisms, facial expressions. Formal dress is not required, but jeans with holes and advertisement t-shirts will not only affect the appearance score, but also — judges can decide much about you before you play your first note. You are “on” from the time you take your performance position until you exit.
Did I forget anything? Let me know so I can improve this post for the next time. And note that rules per state are different… I tried to be generic in that regard.
Solo Contest Checklist Read More »
We had a Marching Band Drill Writer/Visual Tech who would use this instruction when talking about “horns up”. He wasn’t from Boston, but used that type of accent. Here is what he was talking about:
“Wait LONGA” means don’t rush it. Don’t move early. Wait until the last possible moment.
“Move FASA”. Once you move, move fast….like two film windows….. one you’re down, the next you’re up…. with very fast movement.
“Hit HARDA”. Without losing any teeth, stop the movement as if it hit something.
Wait Longa, Move Fasa, Hit Harda Read More »
I was rehearsing one of the concert bands on Pep Band music. One ensemble tended to lose tempo. To reinforce my point, I started them with a metronome — and then stop directing. After some time, I would restart the metronome. I described what they were doing:
“Sounds like a gradual ritard. You’re slowing down.”
No one in the ensemble said anything and I gave it no additional thought.
===================
But then, one of the building admins confronted me about a parent call. The parent was upset because the daughter came home telling him I said they were retarded.
I asked if the Admin had a quote of what I was accused of saying. She pulls out a piece of paper reads;
“Sounds like a casual retard slowing down.”
Admin instructed not to confront the student, but to talk to the band.
===================
One of the agenda items on the board was “music term of the day” and next to it was:
Ritardando
Ritard.
Rit.
I asked the ensemble what those three terms mean.
Numerous correct answers.
Then I asked them to think back to the pep band music rehearsal last Tuesday — and I asked them what the overall group’s problem was (especially) that day…..
[We were slowing down]
Good answer.
Then, I shared the quote I was accused of saying…..
“I didn’t record myself, and I don’t think I said the word casual because that just doesn’t sound like something I would say. But let’s go with that for now. If I used any form of those three terms in the context of last week’s rehearsal, what do you think I was saying?”
[That we were slowing down.]
Good answer.
Now, let me tell you what I absolutely didn’t say — and would NEVER say….. I was NOT calling you retarded.
[Collective eye roll and OMG kinda responses.]
One four-year ensemble member, said….
“You would never say that.”
We went on to talk about what should have happened….. That if/when I said something that an individual thought was offensive, out of line, or even unclear — that this individual should come and talk to ME first.
[Collective yes nods.]
And that if your parent needs to call someone, who do you think they should call FIRST?
Good answer.
Then…we went on into rehearsal. I responded to the Admin the results of our conversation. Admin calls the father to explain Italian music terms.
The parent apologized, the daughter spent the next four years maturing as a productive ensemble member, and as far as I could tell, a respectable supporter.
Casual Retard – or Gradual Ritard Read More »
by John Gardner
This graphic illustrates a scenario we all face, individually, in business, in school as well as in music ensembles. Most of us, at least once, have been to the edge, looked down, looked across and pondered the possibilities. It is easy to say you want to get better, but how do you make that leap to the other side?
Many are satisfied with the way things are, represented by this marching band member attitude:
I am okay where I am. I am not last chair, I can play my part reasonably well, I can pass the playing test. I see those people on the other side…..so much pressure, so much work, and for what? Band is a good social group. It is a good place to find a date, to make friends, to feel connected. I enjoy the bus rides, the longer the better. The band parent provided food at competitions is good and I like the freedom during the down time to hang with my friends and watch some other bands.
You are, after all, standing on solid ground. It is safe where you are. You KNOW where you are and are in your comfort zone. You look over the edge and see danger. You could fall, you could fail. You could get hurt.
You hear the musician who plays the more difficult solo or watch the marching band put on a crowd cheering performance. You see the elation at the award ceremony and YOU WANT THAT.
In “The Return of the Jedi”, as Luke Skywalker finally stands before his ultimate enemy, the Emperor says to the young Jedi who is viewing and considering his weapon,
You want this, don’t you?
If you stand on the edge, look down and take a step, you will fall. The gap is wider than that and will require a running start LEAP.
Olympians don’t just show up at the games. Basketball players spend hours behind the scenes practicing boring free throws and doing exhausting repetitive fundamentals up and down the floor. The ice skater doesn’t decide at the start of the performance that a quad would be a good idea.
There is no short cut to success. You must be willing to pay the price.
The ice skater going for the quad is literally a “leap of faith”. There is never a guarantee of success, but repetitive practice, falling down, getting hurt, figuring out what went wrong and working harder to get better…..are necessary ingredients to establish confidence and competence to make the jump. A phrase I have used in rehearsals,
Like the ice skater who misses the quad, missing notes (steps, sets) in performance can hurt.
A good cartoon by Tone Deaf Comics illustrates part of this idea.
No more standing at the edge. No more looking down. No more considering the consequences of failure. Back up, focus on the other side, set your mind and then RUN hard at the edge. When the Israelites were crossing the river Jordan, the waters did not part until the priests feet touched the water, the point at which they demonstrated both faith and commitment (Joshua 3:14).
Once you commit to go, you have to “go all out”. Know where you’re going, practice and prepare, commit and go.
5 Considerations to Making a leap of Faith Read More »
Last Christmas, we purchased an Epson Eco-Tank printer and I ordered extra ink from LD Products. I’ve worked with LD for years and have always had good products and, when necessary, good customer service.
1) Assume Nothing, and 2) Check your order when it is received.
Assume Nothing, and always Check Your Order Read More »
2 days of jury duty in the books. With 6 felonies and one habitual offender conviction, this one out-of-town drug thug who made the mistake of bringing his stuff to our town, will be off our streets for the next several decades.
Kudos to the observant patrol officer who pulled him over before he reached his destination. He was significantly and specifically trained, prepared and a well-spoken witness and, along with the detective who did a deep-dive on a device and the state police lab technician who tested everything — wow.
The prosecutor organized it all for us. What a case. I hope I don’t have to pass a quiz on drug jargon.
I was also impressed with the judge (husband is the sheriff), pleasant and soft-spoken but totally in control, including communicating well with the jury — and spending time with us after the case to express thanks and answer questions.
The bailiff was helpful with my mobility challenges.
There was a surprise (and very short) second trial. The jury was surprised as we were told to bring our jury notebooks with us back into the courtroom as we were delivering the verdict. Once the verdict was pronounced, the judge informed us that, we couldn’t be told in advance, but now must make a determination whether the defendant is a habitual offender. That didn’t take long.
Hopefully, by the next time I’m called for jury duty, the county will ensure ADA compliance in its courthouse, as it took steps to get into the jury box and even into the two restrooms I used on the 3rd floor. I may be contacting some county politicians.
ps…. some of the excuses used to be excused from duty:
No, I don’t like the police. I’ve been in trouble with them before.
No, I won’t consider circumstantial evidence.
I know a hopelessly addicted addict.
My medication makes things go blurry and also makes my hearing come and go.
‘Maybe’ I can consider circumstantial evidence. ‘Maybe’ I don’t have a problem with the police. ‘Maybe’ I can presume innocence.
Of those who stayed, I was not the oldest. At least one was missing work w/o pay, others who will pay more in child care for the day than they will get from jury pay….
It is not worth the pay, is inconvenient and all that….but if you get called, say YES. You’ll learn a lot.
2 days of Jury Duty Read More »
