NCSSM Zoom Orchestra: Day 1

Hi friends.

I told you that I would post some thoughts following my first Orchestra class. We had our first meeting last night at 6:15. I was pleased to have about 40 students join me for orchestra rehearsal via Zoom last night. It was so great to see everyone's faces. In this post, I would simply like to outline my plans for orchestra for the rest of the term and provide some associated thoughts.

I began class with a welcome and a brief statement of my thoughts and philosophies regarding the class and ensemble's role for the rest of this school year. I truly believe that the orchestra community is significantly more important than any content I might be delivering or other work that we might do musically and technically. I wanted the students to know that my intention is absolutely not to increase their levels of stress or anxiety in this new online interactive video classroom world that we live in. I want them to understand that our role is to facilitate their participation in the arts and in aid in making them whole people through music. I think that message was well-received and it set up our class in a very good way.

This was the first time that I had been in a zoom meeting with more than 20 people or so. The first thing that I noticed was that in the gallery view, I could only see about half the class (25 per page). I quickly found myself toggling between the two pages of gallery view. We started the class by hearing every student's voice. I wanted them to say hello to me and their classmates and give a brief update on their situation at home. Sadly, the remarks mostly were very thin and centered around class work rather than mental state, positives in their lives, or funny anecdotes. It really wasn't exactly what I had hoped for. (It is an odd ting about my crew at NCSSM.  They are usually hesitant to warm up and trust me and their classmates with candid remarks when prompted in class.  It happens outside of class, but never seems to make its way into my classroom. I wonder if it is me?!) But, at least, every student's voice was heard.

Next, I wanted to make sure that I reviewed our modified syllabus and course expectations. Obviously, we will not have a live concert in May. So, I wanted them to know how I would arrive at a grade at the end of the term. Without too many details, grades will be based primarily on class participation (70%) with a significantly lighter weight on practice time (10%) and musical performance (20%). My ensemble has significant variation of experience and and playing level. So, I differentiate expectations based on there experience and preparation prior to coming to NCSSM. Everyone is welcome in the NCSSM performance ensembles regardless of playing level.

Next, I explained my plan for the rest of the school year. My class meets for 2 hours on Tuesday night, 90 minutes on Wednesday, and 50 minutes on Friday. We have everyone in the room for our Tuesday night rehearsal, but Wednesday and Friday are split into two sections based on academic schedules, and there are multiple students who have special dispensation to work independently in lieu of one of those two shorter rehearsals based on schedule conflicts. In other words, the only time we are all together is Tuesday night. We are in the midst of preparing for a concerto concert which would have featured six of our school's top soloists on a single movement of a concerto. We were scheduled to perform a movement of the Bruch Violin Voncerto, Saint Saens Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Brahms Piano Concerto No 1, Beethoven Piano Concerto No 1, Ponce Guitar Concerto, and Mozart Clarinet Concerto.

Next, I outlined my plans for our Tuesday evening rehearsals. During this time, we will take a deep dive into each of the works that were scheduled to be performe. I will have the soloists talk about technical challenges and practice routines for each of their pieces. There will be one concerto featured each week. (We will start with the Saint Saens next week.) During this time I also plan to lead guided listening of not only the movement we were scheduled to perform, but the entire work. I have also invited each of the soloists to encourage their private teacher to participate in their Zoom session as well. This activity is designed to maintain a focus on our planned repertoire. I feel like it is my responsibility to maintain the direction in which we were moving before we left school. While we only had two weeks of actual rehearsal prior to vacating the school, I still feel like it's important that we hold true to some aspect of our previously established curricular goals.

My challenge has really been how to handle the other two rehearsals during the week. I had a brief, enjoyable phone call with my dear friend and colleague Georgia Economou from Atlanta over the weekend. She suggested that I assign other concertos to the entire class so that everyone would have an opportunity to learn portions or all of a selected concerto movement. I loved the idea! So, I have selected three concertos of varying difficulty for my students to choose from. They will select a concerto and learn it over the course of the rest of the school year. I want everyone to engage in the learning process and do as much as they can, without overwhelming themselves or adding stress to their lives. I have encouraged my more advanced students to tutor their colleagues.  I am hopeful that this will be a positive experience for everybody.

For class today, I want each student to review the concerto options. At the end of their class., They will make a brief video to share their thoughts with me or perhaps a very little bit of sight reading. Videos must be under 3 minutes. I am also asking every student to submit a brief journal entry on their practice through Google forms. This will be my attendance record for the class. So, our Wednesday and Friday classes will be asynchronous independent practice sessions. But, I will be available in a Zoom meeting for anybody who wants to make personal contact with me for instruction, advice, or feedback throughout the class period. This will be the case for every day of class for the rest of the year. I am also setting up Flipgrid opportunities for students to share their successes, struggles, and ideas for practice with each other. I am not sure how this format will work, but I am excited to give it a try.

In retrospect, I would say that the number of students in the Zoom session felt quite unwieldy to me. It lasted about one hour and I could tell by about 45 minutes into the class that students were getting restless. I was also getting tired and overwhelmed.  Obviously, I wont be able to use the entire two hours like I normally would on a Tuesday night. I just don't think that is mentally or physically advantageous for them or for me!

I intend to send a note to students this morning, reminding them of their assignment for today. I will do this each Wednesday and Friday to simply keep everyone moving in the right direction.

So, there you have a quick overview of my Tuesday night rehearsal. I will certainly give updates on our progress with the concerto movements. I don't know if this will work or not. I would put my level of confidence at about 50%. I feel like it's a well-developed plan that might work. I do not have expectations of 100% success. Some students will simply be more comfortable and confident in this independent environment. But, if this provides some direction for my Orchestra students and serves as a bit of motivation to have their hands on their instrument, it will be a success. Also, those who seek assessment from me periodically will most likely have stronger levels of satisfaction, I believe.  In the end, I would be thrilled if particularly the less advanced students had a chance to play and prepare something of value and meaningfully add to their skill set and repertoire.

I would love to hear what you are doing to keep your kids motivated and playing! We are all in this together. When intentions are pure, good things will happen. Let's all care for these kids through music as best as we can.

Peace.

Scott

Repetition of Rehearsal

I love rehearsal.  I love everything about it. 

As a conductor, I feel like my mind is in overdrive from the beginning to the end of every rehearsal.  There is so much to think about in every single minute: rhythm, melody, balance, phrasing, clarity, ensemble, voice, timbre, technique, articulation, and so much more!  Rehearsal is where the real work happens and where real ideas are shared.

I sometimes find that I am a little bit apologetic for simply repeating passages.  I will sometimes say, "Let's do that again, simply to get the reps."  But the fact is, repetition in rehearsal is vital.

The repetition of the rehearsal gives voice to the larger habits and truths of orchestral performance and participation.

Without the repetition of rehearsal, we would miss so much.  There are so many habits of orchestral performance that arise as a result of the repetition of rehearsal.  For, it is only in rehearsal that we truly learn what the other voices in the ensemble are doing.  In rehearsal we learn the vision of the conductor and the gesticulations that he or she will utilize to remind us of that vision during performance.  Through the repetition, the music becomes more than just notes.  It becomes phrases, ideas, pictures.  The repetition of rehearsal is the rigor that leads ultimately to the more natural, fluid creation of art.  The repetition permits the musician to graduate from the micro-picture of notes and rhythms to the macro-picture of the composition.  The repetition of rehearsal liberates the individual musicians from their personal rigor and allows them to get closer to the communal utopia of true ensemble performance.

My next rehearsal is Tuesday night. Can't wait.

Peace.

Scott

Baseball and Orchestra

Yesterday, I had a great time watching 2 of my sons have a baseball coaching session.  While in Michigan, we connected with a former pro ballplayer and he offered to give the guys some hitting lessons and general coaching. We spent a couple of hours out at a local baseball diamond and the kids were given some great lesson on hitting stance and theory. 

As I watched, taking copious mental notes, I couldn’t help but to think how many similarities there are between playing a string instrument and hitting a baseball.   Coach walked the boys through all of the angles and theories of a good set up.  I do that with my orchestras.  He emphasized the importance of always returning to the fundamentals.  I do that with my orchestras.  He emphasized the importance of balance at all times.  I emphasized that with my orchestra.  The list goes on.  I will give a few examples here and I will probably add to this as time goes on. 

I will also mention that I have always been a little careful about using too many sports analogies and metaphors in the orchestra.  They resonate with some students and just don’t with others.  But, in the end, there are too many similarities to ignore.  We can find parallels in practice theory, performance under pressure theory (see previous post, Choke) ,  theories surrounding habits and attitude,  theory of set up and tone production, teamwork and communication, among others.  I realize that I am very open to these analogies and that others may be less interested in sports, so I try to be measured in when and how I use these ideas. 

Fundamentals

Let’s begin with fundamentals.  Ballplayers must continually go back to basics when dealing with hitting and batting.  When little quirks show up in a swing or throwing motion, coaches break down the motion and the player “starts over” in creating that repeatable motion.  This happens in golf a great deal too.  We have to be willing to do this in the world of music as well.  How many times do you hear of a musician re-learning a bow hold or breaking down their vibrato to a very basic level?  I heard it said many years ago that the most important violin lesson that you ever have is your first one.  Isn’t it true that good intonation, vibrato, shifting, tone quality, and bow technique all grow from a good set up in the way one holds the instrument?  As a conductor, I (we) must be willing to go back to the fundamentals with even the most advanced student group.  Like the Coach did with my boys, we must know those fundamentals and be able to assess playing technique and articulate expectations clearly and accurately.

Balance and Set-up

Let’s now look at a good set up.  For a hitter in baseball, balance is everything.  Coach suggested that the hitter’s stance must be wide enough that weight is evenly distributed to BOTH feet and that the hitter is firmly anchored to the ground in a balanced fashion.  (My kids’ stances were way to close together and weight was on the back foot or shifting.) Coach stressed that with a balanced, rooted position, they could not be “pushed over” or moved against their will.  Now, for string players, I think there are a couple of points to make.  First, I think that many violinists and violists have a balanced set up when standing (playing solo repertoire.  But, I am an orchestra conductor and the vast majority of my work with musicians is in the seated position.  It is in the seated position that the idea of a balanced, rooted set up goes out the window.  All too often, the player sits back in the chair, with their back against the chair-back and proceeds to play.  This simply is not balanced or rooted in any way.  The upper string player must have two feed rooted to the floor and almost be “standing” while in the seated position.  They must to be able to move in any direction with their feet as the anchor to the set up.  I would suggest, also, that the feed must be wide enough apart to promote seated balance.  For cellists, that width is pre-prescribed by the width of the cello.  For violins and violas, however, it is a bit more nebulous.  I believe that their left foot should be in front of the chair and their right foot should be behind the front right leg of the chair, creating a 45 degree angle between the player’s shoulders and the front of the chair.  In other words, it on the front, right corner of the chair, with the shoulders turned gently to the right and feet spread apart firmly on the floor.  In this set-up, the player is free to move, look in all directions, breathe in to and out of passages and, essentially stand in a seated position. 

 

The Power Triangle and Geometry in Set-up

When Coach was looking at my kids’ batting stances, he gave them a series of angles to pay attention to.  The Power Triangle is a 60^o angle that the forearms create when setting up.  The bat then creates a 45^o angle with the ground as it lies on the shoulder.  This power triangle stays intact throughout much of the swing and it allows the hitter to generate maximum power on contact with the ball.  This, to me, is very similar to a violin set up where, at the middle of the bow, the bow, strings, upper arm, and forearm form a square.  Each angle is 90^o and the student can look in the mirror to really create this beautiful set up.  Then, as the bow moves toward the tip, the angles all must change in order to keep a 90^o relationship between the bow and strings.  The upper arm moves forward at this point, all in an effort to maintain the 90^o string to bow angle.  Similarly, as the bow moves to the frog, the upper arm also moves forward changing these relative angles.  The key here is to understand those mechanics, identify them quickly, and to articulate the fundamentals in an effort to correct inconsistencies.  If these angles are intact, the player can generate maximum tone, beautiful sound, and appropriate bow techniques.  It all comes back to the fundamentals!

Compact Motion

I was struck in the hitting lesson by the compact nature of the hitting motion when executed correctly.  The power triangle and subsequent contact with the ball keep the hitters motion very succinct and quick.  This reminded me of one of my childhood lessons on a Mozart concerto.  I had just finished a big Romantic piece (possibly Adoration by Borowski) where I used every inch of the bow and really learned to generate a big, romantic sound.  In beginning the Mozart, my teacher stressed that now everything had to be “shrunk” to a much more compact motion.  The tone had to be generated in a much smaller area of the bow and the energy was much more compact.  This lesson comes to mind in almost every orchestral situation that I encounter.  Young musicians must be reminded that lots of bow is not always the answer.  Sometimes the energy comes from very little bow.  And the placement of the bow (upper, middle, lower) is absolutely key to accurate and clean ensemble playing.

Controlled Violence

I know.  That is an odd subtitle for an article on playing in an orchestra.  This is actually related to the previous paragraph.  The baseball hitter must learn to put a great deal of compact, controlled force into the point of contact of the swing.  It really comes from the core of the body and has much less to do with arm strength than it does with lower body and the core.  Similarly, there are times in the literature when the bow must meet the string with controlled aggression.  In reality, if the bow is moving quickly, a great deal of controlled force can be used at the point of contact.  This can provide necessary articulation and even excitement when used in the correct way, in appropriate passages.  I find that so often students don’t really believe me when I ask for this type of bow stroke or commitment to a passage.  It all comes back to control and understanding the physics of tone production.  Fundamentals truly come into play at every step.  I find that in rehearsal, I have to work to convince many students that I really mean what I am saying about this controlled energy. 

These are just some initial thoughts on this topic today.  I am sure that I will develop these more in coming weeks and months.  But, it was all on my mind today and I wanted to get a bit into writing.  I welcome your thoughts, reactions, and responses.  For now, I would encourage us all to have the patience and commitment to always return to the fundamentals.  Our student musicians will always be the better for it.

Peace.

Scott

Transcend

 

I have been thinking a great deal lately about the meaning of the word transcend.  I have a colleague that started me thinking about it this summer. He challenged me to find ways to lead young musicians to transcendent performances.   How do we, as musicians, achieve a musical experience that is transcendent.  And, what does it transcend?  It is, in my opinion, much deeper that playing the correct notes and rhythms.  But, how do we get there?

Think about it.  We have all experienced music that we feel is transcendent.  As listeners, we have all been swept up in that wave of emotion on which great music can carry us.  As musicians, we know it when we are in the midst of it. We feel it.  I sometimes say it is where physics becomes metaphysics.  We get chills.  We feel like we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.    A transcendent performance is always the goal.

I met my new orchestra students at NCSSM for the first time today.  I told them that this concept of transcendence is on my mind during this season of a new academic year.  Here is something that I do know.  I looked into the faces of a group of young musicians that are ready to go wherever I lead them.  So, my job is clear.  I need to lead them to a transcendent experience.   I am thinking that this experience must be musically transcendent, personally, transcendent, academically transcendent, and perhaps emotionally transcendent.  The goal is set.

Now we go to work.  We begin the journey together.  We will get there together.  It will take some time.  it will take some trust.  But, trust me, I know we will get there.  I can't wait!

Peace.
Scott

Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year!

To the 2011-2012 NCSSM Orchestra:

Welcome to Orchestra at NCSSM. This is a fantastic community of musicians and scholars and I know that you will have a great time as part of this performing ensemble.

Here are all of the performance dates that you may need for the upcoming school year.
Please share this URL with you family and friends back home. I use my blog for sharing a variety of ideas and concepts that may not make it into our regular class time. I hope that you will get in the habit of checking it regularly.

Best wishes for a magnificent academic year!!

S Laird

NCSSM Orchestra Dates to Remember:

• Family Day Musical Performances September 10, 2011

• Alienor Harpsichord Event (Fine Arts Series) October 2, 2011 (End of Extended Weekend)

• Gwyneth Walker Residency – Mallarme Chamber Players

o Masterclass with NCSSM Strings, October 20-23


• Fall Orchestra and Chorale Pops Concert, October 30, 2011 2:00 PM


NC Honors Orchestra, Nov. 11-14


• Concerto Concert Auditions, November 28-29, after school ETC 140

• Nutcracker Dance Performance (Dance ensemble and Orchestra) Friday, December 9, 2011, 7:00

• Masterworks Concert, featuring NCSSM Orchestra and Chorale with Blacknall Church Choir
Feb 3, 4
o February 3, NCSSM, 7:00 PM
o February 4, 7:00 PM, Blacknall Church

• Student Art Exhibit, Opening: February 3, 6:00 – 7:00 PM
o Exhibit runs Feb 4-March 4
o Potential collaboration with Student Life (New World?)

• Winter Musical February 10-12, 2012
o 7:00 Show on Friday and Saturday
o 3:00 Show on Sunday

• Eastern Regional Orchestra, Feb 24-26, Concert: Feb 26, 3:00, NCSSM Host


• NCSSM Annual Concerto Concert, May 11, 2012, 7:00 pm

• NCSSM Chamber Music Recital – May 25, 2012, 9:00PM


FYI:
Feb 20-28: Mini-term
April 6-15 Spring Break/Easter
April 21: Prom
May 19-21 Extended Weekend
May 26-28 Exams and Memorial Day weekend (everywhere but NCSSM…)
June 2: Commencement

Fantastic Kids, Hot Weather! (Practice and Perspiration)

Today, a couple of words about my first two days of rehearsal at Interlochen:

 

First, I have really enjoyed getting to know my students and starting up with rehearsals. My orchestra is filled with serious string students that come into rehearsal ready to work each day. We have already "dug in" to a great deal of the literature that I have programmed for the first concert next week and I am really pleased with the level of musicianship and dedication to excellence that is apparent in the rehearsals. I know that it will be a rewarding musical experience for both me and the students. I can feel the community developing before my eyes and ears in only two rehearsals. Very exciting!

 

With that being said, the big story here, and across the United States, has been the incredibly hot weather. Each day that that I have been here has been hotter than the previous. Today was in the high 90's and the heat index has been well above 100 degrees. While my rehearsal space is absolutely beautiful, with a full view of Green Lake, it is unbelievably hot. Sure, we have the fans going and the windows all open. But, ultimately, as Cramer said so eloquently on the Seinfeld show so many years ago, "It's like a sauna in there!"

 

For those of you that know me, I sweat. There. I said it so you didn't have to. I sweat a lot. I sweat when I work out. I sweat when I am at work. I sweat when I am at home. Simply put, I pretty much sweat all the time. Well, in those 3-hour rehearsals in 100 degree heat, I am a soaking mess. At the first rehearsal on Tuesday, I had sweat through my nice light-blue oxford shirt (part of the traditional Interlochen uniform) in about the first 10 minutes of rehearsal. The kids had to wonder if I was going to be OK! It was really embarrassing. I could have literally wrung out my shirt and filled a small drinking glass with sweat following the rehearsal. I was riding my bike home after rehearsal and another faculty member, who I did not know, asked me if I had been in the lake! That evening, my wife and I went out to sporting goods store to buy some of those "dry-fit" golf shirts that keep the moisture away from your body and don't show the moisture nearly as much. It took some searching, but we actually found the "Interlochen Blue" (Pretty close to Carolina Blue) on a clearance rack for about $14.00 per shirt. We quickly bought all three that were left in my size!

 

Today, rehearsal was just as hot, but I was certainly dressed more appropriately for the temps. Amazingly, the kids hung in there for the entire rehearsal and gave it all they had. I am really impressed with them! And, I wasn't quite as much of a conversation piece as I had been the previous day. Tomorrow is supposed to be similar to today and the heat seems to be sticking around for a few days. Possibly right through the weekend and into next week. No worries though. I am really happy. This place is really special. The heat doesn't really bother me that much. It is so great to be in this arts community and rubbing elbows with teachers and students that are soaking up the environment for all it is worth in every second of every day. A little bit of perspiration can't put a damper on that!

 

I wish you all some good feelings in the midst of a good sweat this summer. For my friends in DC and NC, it is coming your way!

 

Peace,

 

Scott

Learning How Not To Choke

Anyone who reads my blog with any regularity knows that when I travel, I usually have some remarks about or as a result of the books that I read while flying. Today is no different as I just completed a two-leg trip to Kansas City for the Annual National Conference of the American String Teachers Association. My reading material for today was a great little book entitled, "Choke" by Sian Beilock. It is a really interesting read that discusses "what the secrets of the brain reveal about getting it right when you have to." In the book, she discusses performance and the act of "choking" on the athletic field, the classroom, testing environment, the concert hall, and other everyday situations. But, obviously, I was hoping to pick up some ideas surrounding musical performance specifically both for me and for my students. In reality, I found exactly what I was hoping for and found some great tips and information that should be very timely and applicable for my students, not only in the musical area, but in the classroom as well.

I have definitely noticed that I can't always predict when my nerves will get the best of me in a performance. But, I have seen a trend in recent years of being more nervous for performances that are local and in situations where I REALLY want to do well or inspire the folks that are in the audience. If I don't know the audience, I am much less likely to get nervous and "choke." Just last weekend, I was playing at a funeral for the father of a musician for whom I have tremendous professional and personal respect. In one of the pieces I was playing, which incidentally wasn't that difficult, I managed to "gack" a note in a tricky little shift not so much because it was difficult, but because I was telling myself NOT to mess it up. I had, in fact, choked. I messed up something that I have done perfectly a thousand times in the midst of a pressure filled situation. I messed up when it mattered most. I choked. Haven't we all choked at one point or another? We have all fumbled over words when asking someone out for the first time, missed the easy ground ball, squeaked on the clarinet solo in band, bombed a test, or some other variation the theme. It is a universal problem. But, some folks are more likely to choke than others. What causes the choke? How can we avoid or overcome the choke?

The book is based on a great deal of research and is very well-written. I found several sections of the book to be applicable to my life as a musician and public speaker and will certainly use many of the techniques that Beilock recommends for avoiding the "choke."

Having said that, the section that I found most interesting was on the topic of worrying. Beilock explains that when we allow worrisome thoughts to flood our brain, they take up so much of our working memory (our ability to work with information- regardless of what that information is, or, our general-capacity horsepower) resources, that our performance in any task can suffer tremendously. I guess that is not really a big surprise. But, check this out: even when the pressure filled situation subsides, it takes a while for our working memory resources to get back to normal.

Worries can really crush us. I know that I often will wake up in the middle of the night with an onslaught of worries. Thoughts of tasks that are undone at work, concerns about my children, projects that I am working, upcoming trips and presentations, and a variety of other things can cause me a tremendous amount of worry. I have always wondered how I could combat this.

Beilock gives a number of suggestions to combat worrying and I won't list them all here. For that you will need to buy the book. However, the one suggestion that she gives really resonated with me: write about your worries. She explains that taking the time to write about your worries gives your brain the opportunity to confront the worrisome situations and the act of written disclosure serves to lessen worrisome thoughts. I find this fascinating and intend to apply this to my own life and situation. I have often gotten up in the middle of the night to make lists or to write down the tasks that I am worrying about, but I have never written about the worries themselves.

For musicians, athletes, and academics, there is a great deal of highly applicable information in this book. I recommend it highly. For me students, this is a really thought-provoking book. I believe that it has relevance to your lives as musicians and as scholars. I hope that you will take some time to consider some of the suggestions on choke avoidance.

For now, perform with confidence and I hope that you don't choke!!

Peace.

Scott

The Orchestra Experience

A few things happened this week in and around my orchestra class at NCSSM that started me thinking about why orchestra is important to students and what they get out of participation in my class and other orchestra classes around the country. For me, it is important to constantly identify why we are doing what we do. Because, if we don't know way we are doing it, how could the students possibly know why they are doing it. As I pondered this thought over the past 48 hours or so, I came up with 4 primary reasons for participation in orchestra (or any musical ensemble for that matter) and thought that I would share them with you. I might add that for some students, all of these come in to play. For other students, there may be one of these reasons that really stands out as their primary motivator. That is fine. What is important is that we all understand that they are the motivation for participation.

Content

The most obvious motivator for taking any class in school is to acquire the content. That is, to get the information that is covered in class. In orchestra, this includes playing technique, standard accepted practice and styles based on the style of music, date of the composition, and composer, ensemble and rehearsal techniques, and a bit of music history and background on the works being performed. This is really the most obvious stuff. And, many that haven't participated in an orchestra in a high school or college may think that this is the whole experience. After all, it is what we do in orchestra. We learn music with the expectation of performing it for the public at some point.

Experience

Anyone who has participated in a high school music ensemble knows that the experience itself is one of the great motivators. For many,(in fact the vast majority), the high school ensemble experience is the last time they will participated in this kind of activity and probably the highest level of performing they will experience. Yes, some go on to play or sing in college and beyond, but many more do not. I can't tell you how many of my students have come back to me after many years out of high school and reflected on the amazing experiences that had as musicians and members of a team in their performing ensembles. These memories last a lifetime and the experience is priceless. In many cases, the experience far outweighs the actual notes, rhythms, and techniques that are learned. There are many times that I, as a teacher, need to be reminded of this. The relationships and friendships that are developed in a musical ensemble often times last a lifetime. Many of my closest friends, to this day, were people that I played with in my high school band. We went on trips together, went to football games on the busses, stayed after school for rehearsals, and became very close in the process. My wife's closest high school relationships today are also with former fellow band members. I am sure that many of you have had the same experience.

I know that in my school, some would say that their participation is an opportunity to think about something other than their regular academics. Others would say that it is "relaxing." To me, this is also part of the experience. It is an opportunity to exercise a different academic muscle. When we make music, our brains work in different ways than they do when we write a paper or do a math problem. For many this is an important variation in their academic life that allows them to change pace for that period of rehearsal or practice. I know that I am very much motivated by this part of the experience.

There is another important to the experience component of participation. It is the "aesthetic experience." I was recently reminded of this by a former student when he told me the following: "For me, the music itself was more the motivation. Not just the notes on the page, or the sound coming out of my own instrument, but the full sound of the orchestra, of everyone playing together. Being immersed in the music is one of those sensations that is hard to describe. There is a sense of communication between the players, between the conductor and the orchestra, and even the audience." This was an important reminder for me that the aesthetic experience is a strong motivator for many students. It is certainly a motivator for me. There has been much debate in music education circles in recent years regarding music advocacy on the relationship between aesthetics-centered and extrinsically-centered music programs. I have always believed that there is room for both. My student's words have, yet again, reminded me of the huge importance that the aesthetic experience of the ensemble plays for our students.

Opportunity

With participation comes opportunity. In most states, one must be a member of their school orchestra in order to audition for All County, All Region, All State and other honors ensembles. These opportunities for experiences are invaluable to the advances music student and for many of them; this is the prime motivator to hang in there with their colleagues that don't play at their same level of expertise. There are other opportunities as well. At NCSSM, we have an annual concerto concert that features our top soloists. I have often thought how much I would have enjoyed that opportunity as a high school student. This is a huge event and the students that participate as soloists and ensemble members really benefit from the experience. There is also the opportunity for leadership woven into the orchestral experience. Students that show a propensity for leadership are given principle chairs and the opportunity to influence the performance of works and to lead their peers. Many of the leadership opportunities that I had as a high-school music student certainly shaped my life in profound ways and motivated me to remain part of that group.

Contribution

The final motivator that I will highlight here is the opportunity for contribution. It is my firm belief that student must understand that they are making a contribution to a community when they are participating in orchestra. Participation isn't all about what you get from the experience. It is also about what you contribute. And, every member of a musical ensemble contributes something. The most advanced players contribute musical leadership and example. The intermediate players contribute musically as critical mass, but also find many other modes of contributions, from humor, to dedication, optimism, challenge, and other examples of success. Finally, the weaker players in any group contribute musically as much as anyone, for a musical ensemble is only as strong as its weakest players. So these musicians must be willing to go the extra mile and prepare the literature in the best way that they can, with a strong motivation to make the ensemble better. These folks are often the true examples of contribution to an ensemble. I do not believe in entitlement for the strongest players in an ensemble. We all must give our best contribution in order to make an ensemble truly excellent.

It bears mentioning that musical ensembles also contribute to the greater school community. They provide music for special occasions and this is a vital role of musical organizations. My orchestra performs for our annual convocation and commencement, dinners, events, awards ceremonies, and other community gatherings. We send quartets out to other community events such as celebrations and receptions as well. Bands play for football games. Pep bands provide music for basketball games. Music students often play or sing the national anthem for other sporting events. We provide a pit orchestra for the annual musical. These are all examples of contribution. Students must be encourages to use their skills and talents for the betterment and enhancement of the community experience. We, as musicians, get this opportunity all time. We as music teachers must weave this perspective into all that we teach.

 

So, these are my thoughts on what students are gaining from participation in my class. I am sure that I have missed a few. I hope that this provides you with some food for thought as you ponder your motivators for the things that you do or teach. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Peace.

Scott

November was busy!

Hi all -
I just realized that I went through the entire month of November without posting anything here on my blog. I guess that it is a testament to how busy things can get at certain points in the school year. Throughout the month of November we had the NCMEA Annual In-service Conference and Honors Orchestra, I played bass with the NC Honors Chorus, guest conducted the New Hanover, NC 8th grade All County Orchestra, hosted a number of fine arts events at NCSSM, ended our first term and had a week of exams at NCSSM, and enjoyed 5 days of vacation over Thanksgiving. This week, NCSSM is holding auditions for our annual Concerto Concert and we are gearing up for the onslaught of upcoming holiday gigs.

In the midst of all of this craziness, it is easy to forget the things that are really important in our lives. Ultimately as music educators, we are teaching kids. Even with all of our activities, we need to keep reminding ourselves that it is the people that matter in the long run. Let's all strive to lift each other up as we navigate our busy schedules. Let's lift each other up. Smile at someone today. Take a minute to affirm a friend or acquaintances good work. I will try to as well.

Peace.
Scott

It is always better to do it right

I had an experience yesterday that I want to share with my music educator friends out there.

Let me start by saying that it has been a fantastic start to the school year in my orchestra. My ensemble is a nice mix of seasoned seniors and talented juniors that are figuring out the NCSSM way of doing things. Most of my students are super-busy and have really made a big commitment to participate in orchestra. We are a busy community. We are primarily busy academically. Our students all take a rigorous schedule of science, math, and humanities courses and have very high expectations of themselves. A good way to describe it would be to take your top 5% of your students and put them together with about 600 more of them. That would be us.

Over the past term, we have been preparing for our October 31 concert, among other things. One of our planned pieces for the concert was to do the Carl Simpson adaptation of Pictures at an Exhibition. We were to do it with our Wind Ensemble and Orchestra combined. As many terms go, we could have used a bit more rehearsal and sort of came down to the wire on this one. Things were a bit ragged at our penultimate rehearsal and we decided to have one last extra rehearsal on Friday after school.

At this point, it is important to mention that there is plenty of other material for the program tomorrow. The orchestra has several numbers that they will do, along with a couple of accompaniment pieces to do with our Chorus. The Wind Ensemble has several pieces as well and will also welcome a local community group to their concert as a guest. All other pieces are very well prepared and will go really well.

Friday after school, after a long day of finishing up classes for the term, prepping for exams, and a variety of other details to finish, everyone showed up after school for our last rehearsal on Pictures. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Everyone was into it. They were on task, prepared to work, and very focused. There was only one problem. We were still under-prepared. These fine young musicians and scholars just needed some more time on this difficult and mature piece of music to fully pull it off in a concert setting. We were certainly getting closer, but we just were not there yet.

Decision time. As I sat and weighed our options, it occurred to me that we could go one of two ways. We could play the piece with a bit of an apology to our audience. "We really wanted to tackle this piece." Or, "It really is a hard piece, so please excuse the wrong notes." Or, we would do what I consider the right thing and hold off on the piece until it is fully prepared. So often, I hear orchestras perform music that is only partially prepared. Or, music that is simply too hard for the ensemble. It never really makes sense to me. Why try to play something that is not fully achievable?

So, as I sat, trying to decide what to do, I knew there was only one solid and appropriate decision; table the piece until our next concert. I touched base with our Wind Ensemble director and he agreed. As I told the kids, I could almost see and feel a collective sigh of relief. They knew it too. Their standards were and are the same as mine. If we can't do it to our standards, let's hold off and do it right later. I told them how much we respected them and never wanted to put them in a position of embarrassment. I thanked them for such a dedicated and focused rehearsal. Rehearsal ended. Everyone headed off to dinner. As my colleague that leads our Wind Ensemble and I talked it over, we knew we had done the right thing. We respect the musicians under our baton too much to put them in an awkward position. We fully agreed. Decision made. Suddenly I felt a real "peace" about the decision.

We will still give a concert tomorrow. It will be fantastic. Every piece will be fully prepared and musically fulfilling for the audience AND the musicians. After all, isn't that our role - to teach solid musicianship and decision-making skills. I feel like we did a good thing yesterday.

For you young teachers out there, I encourage you to give this a bit of thought. I can't tell you how many orchestra festivals that I have adjudicated where an orchestra played a piece that was either under-prepared or simply too hard for the ensemble. I really don't know what could possibly be accomplished by this. In fact, some of my more seasoned colleagues could probably benefit from hearing this too, come to think of it. I am reminded of a festival that I adjudicated a few years ago, where a long-time string educator who really knows their stuff, simply butchered a well known piece. All in the name of, I imagine, "at least we can say that we did it." I can't imagine that it was worth it.

We will do "Pictures." Probably in February. And, it will be something that all in the orchestra can be proud of. I promise. I can't wait for the concert tomorrow.

Peace.
Scott

A Bit of Friday Fun!

Welcome to the 2010-2011 School Year

Hi all!
Today's post is specifically for the 2010-2011 NCSSM Orchestra, but I would encourage all to read on. There may me a thought or two here for others of you in education, music, or other fields as well.

We are at the beginning of a new school year. Today is the first day of class for the NCSSM Orchestra. The room will be filled with anticipation. We will all meet each other for the first time, find out what instruments everyone plays, learn where each other are from, and find out what to expect from the 2010-2011 orchestra experience. The excitement will be palpable!

By the time my students read this, the first meeting will have occurred and hopefully most that is true. So, now what? Sit back and wait for the next rehearsal? After all, that will be our first "playing day;" the day that we actually unpack instruments and make music for the first time.

Rather than simply waiting, I want you all to consider the upcoming year for a bit. I want you to think about your expectations for the year in orchestra. I want you to think about your contributions to the upcoming year in orchestra. What will you give to the ensemble and the experience? What will you take away from the experience?

I grabbed this idea from one of my favorite books, The Art of Possibility, by Ben and Rosamund Zander. The chapter entitled "Giving an A" outlines the notion that grades in a course often say so little about the work that has actually been done by a student. That, in fact, grades simply compare one student to another and that competition can put a strain on the classroom community and often consigns students to a more solitary academic journey. The Zanders, rather, write instead about focusing energy on "chipping away the stone and getting rid of whatever is in the way of the student's developing skills, mastery, and self expression." The real question to be asked is, "What are YOU going to bring to the table to receive that A?"

So for my class, here is your assignment. I want you to think about how you are going to feel at the end of this school year in the most idealistic of terms. I want each of you, in the next week, to write me a letter. I want it to be dated May, 2011. I want you to begin the letter with the words, "Dear Mr. Laird, I had a great year in orchestra because ..." Don't use phrases like "I hope," I wish" or "I intend." Rather, I am interested in the person that you have become, the musician that you have become, the attitude that you have developed, the feelings that you felt, and what you have done to become the person you wished to be. Fall passionately in love with the person you are describing in the letter.

For those of you that are not my students, I encourage you to write the same letter to yourself. After all, you ultimately will be the one giving yourself the grade for the upcoming year. Think about who you want to be at the end of the school year. What are your expectations of yourself? What are the mountains that you want to climb? What personal goals will you achieve and how will you feel about your successes and failures in the upcoming year.

I recently heard a really cool statistic. This is from The Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC as adapted from their document, Goal Setting: A Motivational Technique that Works

. It is as follows: If you set a goal, there is a 6-8% chance that you will achieve that goal. If you set a goal AND write it down, it jumps to a 25% chance that you will achieve it. If you set a goal, write it down, and share it with a friend, there is a 55%-60% chance that you will achieve it. Finally if you do all of the previous things and ask a friend to hold you accountable, there is an 80% chance that you will achieve that goal. This is remarkable, isn't it?

Through this assignment, you will accomplish the 25% range. Maybe you could share it with some friends and increase that percentage.

For today, I want you think creatively and passionately. Let your hopes and expectations for the coming year at NCSSM or wherever you are flow freely. Write it down in a letter to me. My bet is that you will exceed your expectations and dreams. I have seen it happen before. I know it will happen again.

Best wishes to all of you for a successful 2010-2011 school year!
Peace.
Scott

Honesty

For those of you that check out my blog regularly, you know that I have written about honest musical performances. As a listener, you can just feel it. It takes an honest and trusting person to truly give an honest musical performance. Take a minute to check this one out. This is just such a sincere performance of Bruch's Kol Nidrei.
Enjoy.
Scott

NCSSM Concerto Concert, May 2010

Hi all.
Many of you know that the annual NCSSM Concerto Concert was held about 2 weeks ago at our school. I am so proud of the orchestra and all of the soloists. I'd love to share the performances with you. So, over the next week or so, I will post each of the 5 soloists here on my blog. If you would like to check out all of the soloists at one time, they can be found on the NCSSM Fine Arts Youtube Channel.

The first is Oboist, Suna Li. this is Movement 1 of the Vaughn Williams Oboe Concerto. It is a beautiful piece and Suna does a great job with it, as do the strings!

Inspiring the “Net Generation” Music Student with Instructional Technologies

Greetings to all!
This weekend, I am at the NC Music Educators Association Honors Orchestra Festival and Teacher In-service Conference. It is a busy weekend for me as I am chaperoning 7 students from NCSSM that are in the All State Honors Orchestra, presenting a session on Inspiring "Net Generation" Music Students with Instructional Technologies (with my friend and colleague, Phillip Riggs), accompanying the NC Honors Chorus on violin for a Telemann piece, giving a session on electric violin technology, and attending some of the conference as well.

Right now, I am sitting in the Stevens Center concert hall in Winston Salem, enjoying an evening rehearsal of the Honors Orchestra. I love this space and the kids sound wonderful. My friend, Dr. James Anderson from Appalachian State University is the conductor and he is getting the most out of the students. I love his work.

Today, Phillip Riggs and I presented our session on Net Gen Students. We encouraged our audience to think about their role as a teacher in a new way. We encouraged them to look for ways to more efficiently deliver content to their students through the use of instructional technologies. For instance, in my piano and guitar class, I am delivering guitar and piano lessons via my Moodle site on video. Students can access the lessons any time of day or night. The key to this being successful is the ultimate interaction with you, the instructor. Instructors must hold students accountable, provide assessment, tutoring, mentoring, facilitate good learning, help to motivate, and encourage just as we always have. We just need to think about how we might deliver the content of our courses in the most efficient manner possible.

For my orchestra, I provide video lessons on vibrato, upper positions, scale fingerings, bow hold, shifting, and a variety of other techniques. for my piano and guitar courses, I provide lessons on individual instruments, theory lessons, links to theory sites, and other content delivery tools. My class is no longer teacher-centric. It is student-centric. In my Music history class, I provide links to tremendous performances on Youtube, links to great biographies of composers, interactive quizzes, homework assignments, assessments, and more.

Today, if you are a teacher, I challenge you to consider what percentage of your class is spend delivering content - facts. That is the area that I believe we must be more efficient. Even this blog is an expression of the concept. this is where I lay out my more abstract thoughts for my students. I could take time in my class to explain this, but there is no need. Yes - even this blog, my thoughts, is/are content. So I choose to deliver it efficiently.

Consider how you might implement this, too. In small ways. No need to jump in headfirst. Just consider one way that you might deliver your content in a more efficient way. It just might save you some time and inspire one of your "Net Generation" students in a new way.

Peace.
Scott

Movement 2 of the Chadwick Serenade, NCSSM Orchestra

Here is the 2nd Movement of the Chadwick Serenade for Strings. This perfomance was October 31, 2009 at NCSSM. Enjoy!

Just Solve the Equation Once

Hi all. Today, I want to share some thoughts about playing in an ensemble. Specifically, playing in an orchestra. I think that this also goes to the art of teaching students to play in an orchestra. I have been thinking a fair amount lately about my students and their approach to orchestra. Actually, I don't think that this is limited to my orchestra. In fact, I am pretty sure that this concept applies to most, if not all, student groups. I have noticed it at every level of high school player - from the average school orchestra, to the all-state level.

Yesterday, I was running an orchestra rehearsal and was giving fingerings to the violin section for a particularly challenging section. As we came to a similar section, I asked the kids if anyone had marked in their fingerings. Out of 19 first violinists, only 1 stand (2 players) had done this. And it compelled me to say that we should only have to figure out an equation 1 time. Once we have "figured out" the correct way to finger a passage, we don't want to have to figure it out again. We simply want to act - to play. Unfortunately, if a musician doesn't write specific notes in their part and they walk away for the piece for a day or more, they will have to figure out the passage again.

It is a lot like multiplication. When we are learning to multiply, we may have to figure out an equation. 6 * 5 = 30. We all know this now. But, when we first learn to do this equation, we probably have to do the addition: 6+6+6+6+6=30. After a while, though, we just know it. 6 * 5 = 30. Fingering on a string instrument is like this in many ways. When students first learn to play in 3rd position, they will probably have to put numerous fingerings and notes in their music. After a period of time, they learn the "language" of 3rd position and the notes are no longer necessary.

In more difficult literature, it is necessary to put well-placed fingerings and notes into a part when the music is too difficult to simply "read" each time it is played or practiced. For that reason, students are encouraged to have a pencil in class and to write in their parts. Oddly, though, this is not a natural thing for my students to do. They wait for me to tell them specifically what to write. This simply is not good enough. Musicians must be constantly solving the equations that are in the music and taking notes on their thoughts in order to be effective participants and members of the ensemble.

As a teacher, I have noticed that my students really want to gain the insights that I offer during class. They are fine musicians and extremely bright students. They are enthusiastic and receptive to my instruction virtually every minute of every class. I'll bet your students are similar. (I know that lots of teachers don't enjoy that same attention, but that is my experience at NCSSM.) So, what is the roadblock to effectively solving the equation just once? I think it is two-fold.

First, we need to encourage or even force our students to be musicians. They need to be scientists in science class. Be mathematicians in math class. Be writers in English class. You get the point. It is not enough to be a music student in an orchestra. You have to be a musician. You have to think like a musician, feel like a musician, listen like a musician, count like a musician, BE a musician. Too often, I think that we expect our students to be music students, not musicians. But, how do we get them to do this?

We have to teach them how a musician thinks. We have to teach them HOW a musician counts, how a musician listens, how a musician moves, how a musician feels. I think that too often, we get so caught up in the facts ("make that C sharp higher, hold your bow this way, etc.) that we forget to teach the thought process. Sometimes, we also (and I am guilty of this) we deal with the emotional aspect of the music much too early in the process of learning a piece. Ultimately, before we have effectively taught them how to think the piece. Really, I am concerned that it happens in many, if not all classes. This came up in rehearsal recently when we were doing a passage that called for triplets against a duple eighth note figure. I asked the kids what they should be thinking as they approach the passage. No one could answer. They kind of knew how to play it, but no one knew what to think. So, we spent some time on the thought process and the passage cleaned up really nicely. Following the discussion, I asked the kids what they had written in their part. No one had written anything. We had just broken down again. For once we moved away from that passage and came back to it, no one (or at least not many) would have retained that information. They would have to solve the "equation" of that passage again. That is not how an orchestral musician works. We only want to solve the problem one time.

I really wonder how much instructional time in the American education system is lost to re-solving equations. Or maybe the question could be more accurately asked, "How much time could we save in the American educational system if we taught students to solve equayions only once across all disciplines?"

I had an interesting conversation with my good friend and Drama Instructor at my school about this topic. He expressed a similar frustration with students that take minimal notes during the blocking of a scene. They have to re-solve the equation of blocking at the next rehearsal, and the next, and the next. Thus, never getting to the real business of acting. I have a hunch that every teacher could find a similar scenario.

So, my goal for this year is to teach my students how to THINK like a musician. I want them to only solve problems one time. Once it is solved, let's move on to the next problem. Or, better yet, lets solve the equations and move on to the business of moving people with music. The reality is that we have to solve the equations first. We just don't need to solve them over and over.

That is where my head is today. I am sure there will be more on this topic as we move forward.

Peace.
Scott

What are YOU going to do?

The second week of school is almost over and it has certainly been a fantastic start to the school-year. My classes and students are wonderful and I am really pleased with the prospects for the academic year. My Classical Piano and guitar classes and full and the students are right into the swing of things. My Music History class is a bit smaller than usual (10 students), but they are really into it and are offering thoughtful preparation and responses to the music that is discussed. My orchestra is as big as it has ever been at NCSSM (55 strings) and is already producing a wonderful sound.

Early in the year, I like to really challenge the orchestra members to consider why they are participating in the ensemble and to reevaluate their commitment to their art and their instrument.

At NCSSM, many students are driven by grades. The students are high achievers and have spent a lifetime working to get A's in class. Orchestra is a little different animal. Of course, I have a very clear set of course expectations and grading policy which I outline for the students on the first day of class. Everyone understands the expectations and the vast majority of the students earn A's in Orchestra. I suspect that this is the case in most public school and university orchestras as well. The students want to be there, they want to receive an A, so they fulfill the requirements.

But, for an arts class, that seems a bit hollow to me. It has bothered me for years, to be honest. Don't we really want our arts students to be invested at a much deeper level that simply meeting the baseline expectations that are outlined in a grading policy?

This notion was driven home for me a few years ago while reading "The Art of Possibility" by Ben and Rosamund Zander. (If you haven't read it, I recommend it highly. I'll try to remember to write another post that covers more of the ideas in the book at a later time.) In one chapter, Zander outlines an exercise where he asks students to write him a letter detailing what they intend to do for their A, as well as what they intend to invest and hope to gain from the course. It is a marvelous and inspiring chapter and I decided to adopt a modified version of his idea in my class. I still have the course expectations, but ask the students to take it one step further and to write me a letter about their self-expectations for the course, explaining in more detail what they plan to invest, techniques they hope to develop, ideas they hope to gain, and experiences they hope to have.

This has turned out to be a wonderful activity in my class. Many students write deeply personal letters to me, detailing their reasons for playing their instrument, struggles they have had, anxieties that they ahve regarding orchestra, and unbelievable expectations that they have for themselves and their colleagues. I get to know my students in a much different way by doing this activity and it provides me incredible insight into the individuals in the ensemble. (Let me also be totally honest and say that not every students gets it. Some provide a very basic letter that doesn't really get into these details and seems more like an assignment than a heartfelt letter to me. But, this is the minority.)

I have been receiving and reading these letters this week and it has been and incredible experience. As you probably know, if you have been reading my blog, I believe in community first. Strong communities make strong orchestras. It has been clear to me in reading the letters this year, that my message is getting through to my students. I am hearing this in many ways from many of my students. I would like to share an excerpt of one such letter with you. It moved me tremendously and I don't believe that I could say it any better.


Dear Mr. Laird,

It’s hard for me to articulate exactly what my expectations are for orchestra at NCSSM this year. I could say that I expect dedicated classmates who care about our ensemble and our community, but I couldn’t really imagine a more committed and hard-working group of musicians than the ones we have at NCSSM. I realize that the orchestra as a whole will exceed any expectations I might have. So, as the year begins, I have found it more appropriate to address certain expectations I have for myself, in the hope that I may live up to the standards of musicianship and community set by both you and my fellow orchestra members.


1. I expect myself to love playing in the orchestra. Though I am far from being an advanced player, I have been blessed with the opportunity to play in some amazing orchestras. More than anything, playing in the Eastern Regional Orchestra, my Youth Orchestra at home, and the NCSSM Orchestra has shown me what a joy it is to create music with good musicians. I have neither the talent nor the ambition to be a soloist, but I have found that there is nothing better than making beautiful music with a group of my peers and being a part of something so much bigger than myself. To truly love and appreciate this, though, a few things are required of me:

One, I have to practice. I remember realizing something so simple yet so profound last year: I enjoy orchestra rehearsal when I have practiced the music, and I hate it when I have not. To truly love playing in an ensemble, I have to feel like a contributing member. When I am stumbling through passages as a result of not practicing, I cannot take pleasure in rehearsing.

Two, I have to be focused and play musically. I must have good posture, pay attention to dynamics, and watch the conductor. I must actively count. I must listen to the ensemble as a whole. Simply playing notes will get boring all too quickly. To love playing, I have to be truly engaged in the music and in the sound being produced by the group.

2. I expect myself to love my fellow orchestra members. This year, I have the responsibility to help create the community that you were talking about on the first day of class. I expect myself to be an encourager, a listening ear, and a friend to the rest of the orchestra. I expect myself to love much and love well. I will have wasted my time in orchestra this year if I play every note correctly but fail to love the people around me.

I am looking forward to a great year in orchestra!


This is my hope for all of my students and yours!
Peace.
Scott

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

I have been thinking a great deal lately about how I want to frame the upcoming year in the NCSSM Orchestra. As you can see from my last post, in the 2008-2009 school year, I had a wonderful book and concept to work with and I referred back to it all year. I have been mulling this over a great deal lately and tonight I found my framework for the year. I am getting a bit tired tonight,so I will expand on this more tomorrow but, I will begin to set it up tonight.

Many of you know that I have been working my way through Daniel Barenboim's latest book, Music Quickens Time. It is heady read and I have really been taking my time with it. I have re-read most chapters before moving on to the next and have been trying to take some time to think about the concepts presented before just moving on to the next chapter. Tonight, I found my framework for the year in orchestra in Chapter 4 of this thought-provoking book.

Tonight, I will give you these three concepts: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. We will be looking at these ideas as they relate to the musical endeavors of the orchestra and as they relate to the community of the orchestra. I encourage you to think about these three ideas and their relationships. Can EQUALITY exist without LIBERTY? Can FRATERNITY exist without EQUALITY? How can music demonstrate this? How can an orchestral community find meaning in this? I spend a great deal of time thinking of the orchestra as a community and, really, isn't a community a fraternity. If so, can the community of the orchestra exist without Liberty and Equality? And don't liberty and equality ultimately lead to Fraternity or the community of the orchestra? How does all of this apply to the music... to the literature?

Liberty identifies the condition in which an individual (musical line) has the right to act according to his or her own will. Classical liberal conceptions of liberty relate to the freedom of the individual from outside compulsion or coercion.

Equality is a state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group (or musical lines and ideas) have the same status in a certain respect.

A fraternity (Latin frater : "brother") is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. I often refer to the orchestra as a community. Fraternity works just as well.

I believe that there is much for use to explore here. More to come on this later.

These (and other ideas from the book) will become our framework for the year. Should be fun!

Peace.
Scott

Better and Orchestra

The following is a reprint of my post from August 20, 2008. Since that time, the book, Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, by Atul Gawande, was selected to be the summer reading for the NCSSM Community. For my students, this may be a good time to revisit some of my ideas and for the new members of the NCSSM Orchestra community, this will be an interesting way to get the year started. Enjoy!


Today was the first day of class for the 2008-2009 NCSSM Orchestra. It is a great group of students that all seem eager to get started. I love the first day. It is filled with anticipation of the work that is ahead of us and the great fun of meeting each other for the first time. One might think that I, as the conductor would talk about the literature that we are going to play, our rehearsal and seating procedures, and various other "orchestra" topics. But, no. Today, I went philosophical on them right from the beginning.


Back in February, I spoke to a group of orchestra teachers at a conference in Albuquerque. Following my session, one of the attendees came up and enthusiastically recommended that I read the book, Better, A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, by Atul Gawande. I read the book this summer and loved many of the concepts that were presented. Since I teach at the NC School of Science and Math and many of my students will find themselves in the medical field following graduation, I thought that starting the year in orchestra with a book by a surgeon about medicine might surprise inspire them.

At the end of the book, Gawande offers 5 suggestions for making a worthy difference. I decided to challenge my students with his suggestions. They are:
1. Ask an unscripted question
2. Don't complain
3. Count something
4. Write something
5. Change

Let me say a few words about each of these as they apply to my student and the NCSSM Orchestra.

1. Ask an unscripted question. Think about everything that you do in orchestra. Ask the question that others haven't thought of. Don't just sit back and let the information come to you. But, instead, be proactive in your thought Be unique in your thought. Be inquisitive in all that you do. Ask the unscripted questions every day.

2. Don't complain. Instead, work to make things better. Nobody wants to hear me complain. And, nobody wants to hear you complain. Instead, work to change the tide. Work to make things better.


3. Count something. Be a scientist in all that you do. Don't let opportunities to find trend pass you by. If today you missed 5 of the c naturals in a passage, tomorrow only miss 4. Count something.

4. Write something. Back in 1988, noted string educator Jacqueline Dillon told me that the way to have impact in the field of string education boiled down to one word. Write. Share your ideas. Write something that is creative. Start a blog? Just write something! Her advise to me has carried me in many ways to this point in my career. I really do believe she was right. Gawande must know the same thing. I want my students to know it, too.

5. Change. Be willing to try new things. Try new music, new styles, new practice methods. Just be willing to change. Be the first one to change, too. Don't be the skeptic. Be the front runner. if it doesn't work, it isn't the end of the world. Just be willing to change and look for opportunities to change.

So, there you go. That, in a nutshell, was the first day of class for the 2008-2009 NCSSM Orchestra. I think they get it. Do you?

Peace.