Finding Your "Hook:" Enrichments in the String Classroom

Back in 1986, I was preparing to begin my student teaching experience as a rising senior at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. IUP was known as a magnificent music education school and I had taking advantage of every opportunity during my undergraduate years to set myself up for a successful teaching career. Sometime in the spring of '86, the Williamsport High School Orchestra was on tour and played a concert on the IUP campus. I went to the performance and was absolutely blown away with their numbers, musicianship and the exciting nature of the concert. I had never seen a school high school orchestra that was anything like this group. They played with enthusiasm and mastery. And, their conductor, Walter Straiton was really dynamic on stage. He had the kids in the palm of his hand and they were clearly making art. Following the concert I saw the bus loading up to head back to Williamsport. I jumped on to the bus made eye contact with Mr. Straiton and enthusiastically declared, "I really want to work with you and am going to do everything I can to student teach at Williamsport." I jumped off the bus, the doors closed, and the bus pulled out of the parking lot. Later that day I went to the music department chair to see if student teaching at Williamsport might be a possibility. And, after some major wrangling, I was granted permission to do my student teaching experience with Walter Straiton in Williamsport. I believe I was the first student teacher from IUP to ever have that experience. In August of the same year, I received a call from Walt, telling me that he was going to a workshop in Madison Wisconsin on starting strolling strings groups. He told me he had a place for me on the trip and that I should be ready to go one week before my student teaching assignment was to begin. When the time came for the conference, arrangements were made for my family to take me to a meeting spot on Interstate 80 near Clarion PA and he would pick me up at the designated spot. We went to that workshop and I learned so very much. I had never heard of a school strolling strings group before and I was exposed to some of the real greats in the field at that time. The workshop was run by James "Red" McLeod and strolling strings pioneer, Stan Nosal of the Tremper Golden Strings. The Golden Strings were one of the first high school strolling strings group in the United States. Their inspiration came from the well-known Golden Strings that performed in the Flame Room at the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis.  They were founded to provide interested and qualified students with an opportunity to study and perform a variety of lighter music, and to make available an entertainment-type string group that could accept invitations to perform for various civic functions as well as school performances throughout the year. 

During our extended car trip from Pennsylvania to Madison, Walt and I discussed how we would begin a brand new extracurricular strolling strings group at Williamsport High School in the fall while I was student teaching. Through the semester of my student teaching experience, Walt gave me the opportunity to be instrumental in the beginning of this program that would go on to become the Williamsport Millionaire Strolling Strings. I had the opportunity to be part of this pioneering group, develop student and parent buy-in to the idea, demonstrate concepts that would become very important to the organization, and have a ground level experience with starting a new enrichment in an already well-established school program. 

Additionally, throughout the rest of my student teaching experience, I watched with great interest as I saw Walt work with jazz and pop orchestra idioms in addition to the classical music repertoire that was part of the orchestra program. Walt had established himself as a expert musical director of student and professional pop and jazz orchestras over the years. I loved being part of these groups and soaked in every bit of his example. As my relationship with Walt deepened, he encouraged me to consider what kind of enrichment opportunities would be most appropriate for me as I started my career. Certainly, my experience with strolling strings could work. While I really loved the jazz and pop orchestra repertoire, to me that felt very personal to Walt and I wanted to be careful not to simply become a facsimile of Walt Straiton.  I knew in my heart that I needed to find ways to be myself in front of ensembles and developing a program. 

When I began teaching in Palmyra PA the following winter (1987), I knew my first responsibility was to develop a traditional program and stand on the fundamentals of string education. With that said, I always had my eyes open for potential enrichment opportunities to share with my students. The first major opportunity came as part of the Palmyra Authors and Artist Series, a concert and lecture series founded and administered by my colleague Mr. Jim Woland in the Palmyra schools. Jim was bringing interesting eclectic music and theater acts to our small little town east of Hershey. Some of the acts that I remember from my time in the late 80's include Shirley MacLaine, John Hartman, a young Turtle Island String Quartet, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and many others. One of the acts that I thought was absolutely magnificent was the Modern Mandolin Quartet led by virtuoso mandolinist Mike Marshall. This group played classical style quartet repertoire on mandolins and they were absolutely stunning to witness live. Following their performance in Palmyra, Jim asked me if I would like to be part of a residency with the Mandolin Quartet the next year. Obviously I jumped at the chance. We spent the next year planning the week-long residency. They came back to Palmyra and spent a full week with me and my string program the following year and it was a resounding success. 

When the Mandolin Quartet played Copeland's Hoedown as one of their pieces they would routinely break into a bluegrass jam in the middle section. It was so exciting to me. I had really never been around bluegrass prior to this and I found the speed, rhythm, and groove of the music to be absolutely thrilling. This is when a particular idea came to me. Why not have a summer camp for my string students where we taught them the principles of bluegrass? Might this be the hook that I had been seeking? The following summer, I founded the Palmyra Bluegrass String Camp. I hired local bluegrass and string education professionals to be my staff. The staff included Nev Jackson on banjo, Ken Gehret on fiddle, Henry Koretsky on mandolin. I would serve as the Director and string education liaison. As part of that camp, Jim Woland suggested that we invite a hot young fiddle player to be a guest artist on and give a concert on one of the evenings. That guest artist was none other than Mark O'Connor who had just released the Grammy winning New Nashville Cats album. Mark came one evening and played a stunning solo concert toggling between fiddle, guitar, and mandolin, playing with extreme virtuosity on each instrument. The following day he gave a Q & A session which I really wish I had recorded. It was a stunning camp and a great experience for me and all of the students. I thought that this might be my enrichment hook moving forward. In fact, we held the camp again the following year. But, something kept nagging at me. It wasn't really my music. I was not and I'm still not a bluegrass fiddle player. I liked it, but did it really fit me and my personality? As things worked out, I ended up leaving that school district after the second summer of the camp in the summer of 1992. I believe the camp continued to operate for a few more years after my departure, but it was no longer mine. 

A few years later, mandolinist Mike Marshall introduced me to the world of electric violins. He gifted me my first electric violin and the second that instrument was in my hands, I was hooked. This was the coolest thing I had ever been part of and I was intoxicated by the sound and feel of the instrument. I knew almost immediately I had found something that would separate me from other string teachers in the early 1990s. I quickly dove into all things electric violin and began incorporating the instrument into traditional orchestra performances at my school. Eventually the school purchased a quintet of electric string instruments and we started the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Zeta String Ensemble. I was teaching my students all about the technology, effects processing, the use of MIDI and electric strings, and principles of acoustics through these instruments. We performed traditional string quartet repertoire on the electric instruments and also performed a variety of eclectic styles as part of the ensemble. We had opportunities to perform for Congressmen, at the Kennedy Center, for business leaders, and all around the greater Washington DC area. During this time I began to accept invitations to speak on Electric Instruments in the Traditional String Classroom at state and national music education conferences around the United States. I had definitely found and enrichment for my students that matched my sensibilities as a musician and teacher. And, the innovative topic put me "on the map" of string education in a major way.

So, what can a young teacher learn from this part of my career and story? I think the answer is multifold. First, everything starts with strong fundamentals. It really won't do you any good to have a hook or a major enrichment at your school until you really have a fundamentally sound string program moving forward. Like with everything, fundamentals matter. Secondly, I believe that many teachers try to do a little bit of everything and nothing gets done really well. I would caution against this. Be selective in the enrichments that you prioritize. Some folks are really drawn to improvisation, others to technology, still others too cultural styles. Any of these are great and provide and enrichment to traditional Western classical repertoire. But, one need not spread themselves too thin by doing everything all the time. While the bluegrass camp was a good trial for me, I knew pretty quickly that it wasn't where my head and musical heart truly existed. So, finally, when you find an enrichment that really speaks to you, go for it with abandon. I have learned that my enthusiasm for a musical opportunity typically will translate to students and they will want to be part of it as well.

Today at NCSSM, we have electric strings. We also have a quartet of mandolins.  These enrichments are always available to my students.  Some dive in head first. Others like them in smaller portions.  This weekend, a student who is in my audio production course is experimenting with electric cello direct recording.  Another is using an electric cello in the pit orchestra for The Adams Family Musical. And, we are preparing for a jazz orchestra concert in March.  The enrichment bug has never left me.  I encourage you to keep your eyes open for your "hook" in the string classroom. 

Cliff Cox Reflections

I was saddened recently to learn of the passing of a dear friend and colleague, Mr. Clifford Cox who was my teacher, friend, mentor, and supporter of my work for many many years. I first met Mr. Cox at age 12 when I attended the Edinboro University Summer Music Camp. He was the director of the camp and conductor of one of the orchestras I played in. I found out quickly that he and my father had been fraternity brothers and friends during their undergraduate years at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. As a young violinist, I loved playing under Mr. Cox. He was funny, smart and a wonderful musician. I continued attending Edinboro Music Camps through the rest of my junior high and high school years. Each summer, I would look forward to Mr. Cox's leadership and support when I would attend. 

During my high school years, Mr. Cox conducted several PMEA honor orchestras in which I performed. By this time, I was closely observing the conductors at these events. I was becoming aware of the characteristics I thought made a great conductor at and teacher at these festivals. In many ways, I wanted to become a conductor because of Mr. Cox. He always had the group right in the palm of his hand. His engaging personality and constant sense of humor made me want to perform while in his groups at my very best. I have often thought that he was the quintessential role model for the job of conducting honors orchestras. And, I decided as a high school senior that one of my primary goals in music education was to become a guest conductor of high school groups. This was largely due to the example of Clifford Cox. 

I went on to attend his Alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania as a music education major focusing on violin. When I got out of school, I realized quickly that my goal of conducting would require more focus and schooling, which I continued to pursue.  I received my first offer to conduct an honors group by my second or third year of teaching. There must have been a small newspaper article published about that little elementary honors festival I conducted. I received a note of congratulations from Cliff on the opportunity and successes of the event. As I went on conduct other district and regional PMEA events in Pennsylvania, Cliff always had an eye on the news and would frequently drop me a note of congratulations. I realized during those years that I had a true supporter and mentor who was interested in my work, my successes, and my accomplishments. I respected him so very much and his attention really gave me they confidence to keep going. 

In the late 1990s, my parents bought a condominium in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I found out that Cliff had a beach home there as well. In the coming years, he and I met for coffee on a number of occasions to talk about music education, conducting, our lives and families, along with many other topics. We began making that transition to friends. 

A few years ago, a large box showed up on my doorstep. When I opened it, I found 20 or 25 amazing books on a variety of musical topics that were gifted to me from Cliff. I called him up and he told me that he was clearing out his office and thought that I would appreciate these various books. I read every one of them from cover to cover and a couple of them are still my favorite books in my library. 

In 2024 I was honored to conduct the Pennsylvania All State Orchestra in Erie and it meant so much to me to hear from him after the event. I had the opportunity to tell him that he had been one of my strongest conducting models. My success and opportunities were a direct result of the example that he provided for me.

Cliff and I exchanged emails as recently as November 2025. I was conducting a regional PMEA honors string orchestra in Pittsburgh and he reached out to wish me well with the event. He asked me what repertoire I was programming and we had a lovely exchange of emails. As always, he was affirming and supportive. I really hope he was proud of the role he had played in my career.

Mr. Clifford Cox will certainly be missed. His wonderful sense of humor, his sharp intellect, and his musical knowledge were a perfect example for me as a young musician. His affirming personality was a perfect support for me over the past 40 years. He example and legacy will certainly live on through my work and the work of others for many, many years to come. 

Fulfillment Model

Here is another post from several years ago. I just didn't want it to get lost. This was probably written around 2005.

Scott

Over the past several years, I have developed a “model” that I offer to students at appropriate times within a school year or program.   The idea is to share with them a concrete model of some of the guiding principles I hold dear, both in and away from the musical world.  After all, most of my students will not be heading off to music school or conservatory, but will soon be making the metamorphosis from adolescence to adulthood.  The college years are such treacherous crossroads with many obstacles along the way, and so it seems fitting that I give my students something they can draw on when the going gets tough or their ideals are called into question. Call it a model for success, a model for fulfillment, or simply a guideline that has worked well for me over the years.  I can’t say that I have held to it unfailingly, but when I sense that I am beginning to stray from its principles, I always do my best to consciously return to them.

The model for me has three basic precepts.  First, be passionate.  Find passion in your work, your music, and your life.  In fact, go beyond passion and find a mission.  Not just a job, not just a hobby, but a mission.  Now, that requires passion.  The people in my life who are successful and fulfilled are filled with passion and have a sense of mission in their work, in their play, and in their relationships.  Secondly, live with integrity. In this world there are people who play by the rules and people who cheat, folks who lie and folks who tell the truth, those who live in the dark and those who live in the light.  At the end of the day, I’d always rather be on the positive side of those statements.  How else could I ever get a good night’s sleep?  Again, this seems to be a solid rule among those whom I count as role models in my life.  Thirdly, maintain balance in your life.  And when the balance is out of sync, take concerted steps to fix it.  It seems to me that there are seasons in our lives when we need to focus more on one particular area.  But, we must also recognize the need to feed all the parts of our selves: our career, family life, musical soul, social life, spiritual life, and physical life.  I am sure there are others.  The trick is taking time to evaluate and act when one area of your life is in need of nourishment.  It is unfortunate that many in our society lose sight of this precept.   Recently, I have found that with three young boys, my family life has required more of a prominent place in my daily activities.  So I have taken action to make that happen.  Have I been totally successful?  Not yet, but I am trying.  I try to be sensitive to all areas of my life when there are so many activities and opportunities competing for my time and energy. 

Do I have all of the answers regarding living a successful and fulfilling life?  Certainly not.  It is an ongoing process of introspection and growth.  I do know that this burning question arises in each of us from time to time:  How do I find and maintain success in this career that seems to require so much time, commitment, and energy and still remain fulfilled in all the other areas of my life?  When these questions find their way into my thinking, my mind first goes to the areas of passion, integrity, and balance.  If any one of the three is out of kilter, I take conscious steps to correct the problem. And, with time and effort, success and fulfillment begin to come into greater focus.

​

As musicians and music educators, technicians and artists, community leaders and members, we must continually seek and encourage passion, integrity, and balance, not only for ourselves, but also for those around us.  Look for more “in-depth” thoughts on Developing and Maintaining Passionate Ensembles, Ethics and Leadership in the Music Classroom, and Curricular Musical Balance to come over the next few months.  Until next time, I wish you much success and fulfillment in all of your musical endeavors.

​

​

​

Residencies

This is a reprint from an article I wrote many years ago for the PMEA Journal.  It was pivotal in my young career and provided an early opportunity for me to share some of my ideas with the broader music education community.  I hope you enjoy a small window into my "young" outward thinking mind.

Residencies and Guest Artists as Enrichments to a School Music Ensemble Curriculum

Music teachers know that after a student hears them give the same instructions or advice time and time again, the point may begin to lose its meaning.  Even if Itzak Perlman or Wynton Marsailas were public school teachers, they too would become another familiar face to the students, and their words could become commonplace. One way of breathing life into a program is to host an occasional residency of a professional or semi-professional musician or group or to invite a guest artist to perform with or to conduct an ensemble.  When a student hears a concept they may have been hearing for years from someone new, it often has more of an impact on the student. A resident or guest artist can range from a past graduate of your program that is studying music in college, to a local chamber group, to an artist of national reputation.  A residency can last from one day to a week or more.  This is all secondary to the idea of having a new face in the classroom and exposing the students to different musicians, rehearsal styles and approaches to music. Over the past 20 years, I have been fortunate to have hosted numerous residencies of a variety of scopes and scales.  The guest instructors or “residents” have ranged from performers to composers, nationally recognized names to local musicians, classical musicians to folk musicians, and from two weeks in length to just a day or two.  Over the years, I also have served as the organizing teacher and sponsor as well as the musician and teacher in residence.  So, my perspective on this subject is pretty broad.  This spring, I am preparing to host yet another residency that will be detailed later in this article.

PALMYRA RESIDENCY

Early in my career, I hosted a week-long residency of Windom Hill recording artists, The Modern Mandolin Quartet in the Palmyra, PA, School District.  The tremendously successful residency left the student motivated and anxious to continue their training.  In addition, it served as an exciting and enlightening experience for the four mandolinists who had never been in a public school before. The residency was the idea of Jim Woland, a local arts promoter, and was sponsored by The Authors and Artists Series  that had a home in Palmyra School District for several years.  Woland, director of the series, booked the group to play at the high school and thought a return concert in conjunction with a residency would be a tremendous educational opportunity for the string students in the district.  He then approached me, the district-wide string teacher, to organize the week of interaction with the students. Palmyra School District houses approximately 1,700 students.  It is primarily a bed-room community just east of Hershey, PA.  The string program includes approximately 100 elementary students and 100 secondary students.  The residency exposed the maximum number of students to the guest artists within the week and focused a majority of time on the secondary schools.  The elementary students, however, were included on a more limited basis.

CATALYST TO SUCCESS The week began with a Modern Mandolin Quartet Concert on Saturday evening.  The group played to a full house in the Palmyra High School Auditorium.  The group consisted of four virtuoso mandolinists that play primarily classical quartet music.  The group included:  Mike Marshall and Dana Rath, mandolin; Paul Binkley, mandola; and John Immoltz, mandocello.  Marshall’s reputation spans the world as a top bluegrass mandolinist.  The group, which wrote most of their own arrangements, mystified the audience for two hours and played several encores. The group and organizers met over dinner on Sunday evening to talk through the week.  This gave everyone time to get to know each other before the work began.  It also made the group feel more at ease because they were nervous about teaching.  They planned to work toward a concert on Friday evening after the residency was over featuring the Middle School and High School Orchestras along with the Quartet. The week, which was schedule tightly, included three general elementary school assemblies where the group played for and explained mandolins and chamber music to the students.  They also held a one-hour session with each of the three elementary schools’ string orchestras where the string students received “hands-on” instruction on mandolins, mandolas and mandocellos.  The Quartet participated in five one-hour sessions with the high school orchestra (two sectional and three full rehearsals).  The middle school string orchestra received five hours of rehearsal time as well.  In addition, the group spent about an hour rehearsing the 1st Mvt. of Vivaldi’s A minor Concerto with nine of the top violin students.  (The Quartet played the accompaniment.) The week came to an exciting conclusion at the Friday night concert.  Playing to a crowd of approximately 500, the Quartet began with a half hour set of their own music. Next, all of the students found their seats on stage and the student portion of the concert began.  The groups played everything from Bruce Chases’ Blue Ridge Boogie to Bach’s Brandenburg Concert #3.  The High School Orchestra joined in the Quartet’s arrangement of Copeland’s Hoedown which was highlighted by a blazing bluegrass “jam” in the middle.  Sixth grade student Joe Miller got the thrill of his life when he played Cripple Creek on the banjo with The Quartet backing him up.  Even I got into the act by performing Monti’s Czardas on violin with the group.  The concert concluded with everyone playing Sandra Dackow’s arrangement of Finale from Overture to William Tell by Rossini.

KEYS TO THE SUCCESS OF A RESIDENCY

While Palmyra’s residency featured a group of national reputation, this is not a prerequisite for a successful residency.  The cost of the group in residence can range from several thousand dollars to the price of the resident’s lunch.  The most important element is to promote interaction between the students and the musicians other than their teacher.  This gives students the opportunity to meet new people and this can pay dividends to your program for years to come. There exits, however, several other keys to making your residency successful.  First, your resident must possess strong overall musicianship.  It is not critical that they have teaching experience, (you can fill in the gaps in this area) but, if they don’t play well, the student will not respect them.  Next, your time must be organized carefully.  Maximize the potential of your resident and don’t waste time.  If your resident’s strength is improvising, center the time spent on improvising.  If the strength is group dynamics, center the time around group work.  One should remember that most residents are not sued to the rigors of the average music teacher’s schedule.  Over scheduling can also be a hazard.  Also, make time for sectionals or small groups so the students get to know the resident more personally than they would in an ensemble setting. The success of your residence also hinges on the enthusiasm of your guest.  A resident should be willing to work with all levels of ability.  A resident’s enthusiasm will ignite your students’ enthusiasm and more often than not, the students’ new spark will, in turn, excite the resident.  This can create a perpetual circle of enthusiasm that is quite contagious. It should be noted this connection between resident and student will not happen instantly.  Depending on the age level, it may be fast, or it could take two or three sessions.  Elementary students warm-up to new people quickly.  High School students follow as a close second.  Middle school students may take a bit longer to become comfortable with a new personality. When planning your residency, design the guest’s time with the younger students for motivation.  On the other hand, the time with the older students may serve the dual purpose of motivation and preparation for a performance.  Younger students may find the pressure of a performance after such a short preparation time to be uncomfortable.  Older students, on the other hand, often take a task more seriously when a performance is impending. If you don’t already know your resident personally, take time to do so.  Use your resident’s ideas and personality to your advantage and enjoy the company.  Also, your students will perceive a friendship growing between you and your guest and, in turn, react favorably. Schedule your residency at a time of year when little else is pressing. Palmyra’s residency was in mid-January. It is important to choose a time when there are few other distractions for you or your students because you will all be quite busy.

REPRISE

This spring, I am pleased to have invited Mike Marshall to my current school to reprise our residency success from several years ago.  This year, the North Carolina School of Science and Math received a grant from the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation to host a “Fine Arts Weekend” at our school.  Mike immediately came to mind when faced with the decision of whom to invite.  I contacted him, through his agent, and put the wheels in motion.  This residency will consist of two days of rehearsal with the school’s orchestra and jazz rhythm section, a Saturday night concert that will include a performance of Mike’s first mandolin concerto, some Brazilian jazz tunes with our rhythm section, and some solo work from Marshall, and a Sunday morning “Bluegrass Brunch,” where local bluegrass musicians can come and jam with him in an open and relaxed forum.  All of the events will be free of charge, and the entire community is looking forward to this exciting event.

CONCLUSION

A residency can be an excellent break in the normal routine of a music program.  The resident need not be of national reputation.  A local soloist, college student home on break, or local college professor are al possibilities.  The residency can last from one class period to over a week.  The idea of hearing a new voice give similar suggestions in a different way is the important factor, in addition, exposing your outstanding students to working musicians other than yourself may inspire them to continue in their music education.  Overall, any effort put into organizing a residency will be a catalyst to the success of your program. 

Until next time, I wish you success as you plan your next event designed to motivate and enlighten your students.  It just might be a good time to plan a residency at your school!

Scott D. Laird Instructor of Music North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Durham, NC

Educational Specialist D’Addario Bowed Strings

It's Not What You Do. It's What You Do Next.

Back in October, my Orchestra at NCSSM was scheduled to perform Haydn's Symphony 104 (London) in our first official concert of the 2025-2026 academic year. Preparations for this concert had been really smooth. The strings had embraced the challenge of the classical style and technical roadblocks. The wind section had been diligent in matching the style of the string section throughout rehearsals. I was excited to perform this Symphony as part of an open house at our school where we would be in front of a large group of prospective students. 

We had a 2-hour rehearsal on Tuesday of the week before the performance. We would also have 2 hours on Thursday night. Then, we would give the concert Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. In those rehearsals, we had wind section for only 30 to 45 minutes. Our Tuesday rehearsal started off great. We rehearsed the two string pieces that we  used as an opener and closer with the Symphony sandwiched between. We opened with Acadian Solstice by my friend Perry Holbrook. Then, as a sort of encore, we will performed Tchaikovsky's February: Carnival arranged by Steven Brook 

The review of the string pieces went great at the beginning of rehearsal and then we began our run through of the Symphony; first with strings, and then with the wind section later in rehearsal. As we began running the Symphony, it was apparent to me that our two biggest hurdles moving into the concert would be maintaining a steady tempo and continuing to focus on bow placement, particularly on the moving eighth note passages. As always, students must focus on moving towards the lower half of the bow at all times when performing Haydn, Mozart, and their contemporaries. I have always believed that if the bow placement is accurate and uniform, the style really speaks. This had been a major topic of conversation and rehearsal focus over the past 8 weeks or so. 

Working with the strings alone went well enough, with a few reminders here and there. The winds arrived just about the time we were ready to start the fourth movement. So, I thought it would be appropriate to begin with that movement and then go back to the beginning and run as much of the piece we could in the remaining time of rehearsal. 

After some work, a couple of odd things happened that threw me off my game. First, by the end of an evening rehearsal from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., my students always start to lose their concentration a bit towards the end. So, that is a given and I must admit that I was getting tired as well. Then a couple of little things happened. One student pulled out their phone to glance at it and I lightly reprimanded him.

Not a big deal.  

A couple of other students were talking during an important set of instructions and I needed to say a word to them.  

Again, not really a big issue. 

Then, a violinist told me they were not feeling well and needed to leave rehearsal. 

"Okay, go take care of yourself." 

Next another leader in the class broke an E string. Okay I can deal with this. 

I try to keep going. All of this is while I'm still conducting. Next, a student moved seats in the middle of a movement and I was very caught off guard and asked them to move back to their own seat. I am sure that my tone of voice was somewhat harsh. But, I really had no idea what was going on. And, at this point, I was just trying to get to the end of rehearsal. 

There were so many moving parts in a very compressed amount of time. We finished the movement, I said a few words of encouragement at the end of class, dismissed the students, and was ready to move on. 

Immediately after class there were easily 8 to 10 students who needed to see me about individual concerns or questions. I dealt with each of them and was ready to start packing up my stuff for the night. This point it became apparent to me that that student who had switched chairs was very upset. I had unwittingly struck a nerve with my admonition for moving seats. I felt horrible and immediately apologized for upsetting them. They told me that they were simply moving to help the person in front of them turn pages since they had lost their stand partner and he had lost a stand partner as well in the midst of the sickness and broken E string. They were trying to do the right thing in the situation.  Of course, I did not know that while we were playing the piece and I was certainly not expecting players to move from seat to seat at that moment. 

Obviously I apologized for my somewhat harsh reaction and tried to make things right with the student. But, I was still thinking about it the following morning. Which brings me to my thought this morning:

Sometimes we just know that we could have done things better. 

I know that I could have done things better that night. The next day was a little bit rough because it was really on my mind. I am thinking quite a bit about the quote from Charles Swindoll that basically says life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. That night, my reaction in the last 20 minutes of rehearsal probably should have been quite different. But, it was concert week and whether I want to admit it or not, I had some anxieties about the performance. I always want our performances to go well, more for the students than for me. But, I am sure there's some ego involved as well. I really wish I could have the last 20 or 30 minutes of rehearsal that night back and do it over. 

I have strong recollections of an orchestra I was part of back in the 1980s. I am certain that the conductor of that orchestra got flustered on many occasions for reasons that probably were overblown in his own mind. But that feeling that we are losing control from the podium is so palpable. 

I wonder if any of you have experienced that before. It doesn't happen to me very often after 40 years in the profession. But it certainly did that night. So many things happened in a very short period of time that I just snapped. 

I'm reminded of another important phrase that sticks in my head. My youngest son played a lot of baseball from Little League all the way through college. He had a travel ball coach that used to always remind the players that it's not what you do it's what you do next. And that's how I felt the day after the rehearsal. I can't get that rehearsal back. So all I have is what is next. That is, how I approached rehearsal the following night. Did I approach it with the joy and lightness that I usually try to promote in my rehearsals? Or, did I approach it with a sense of anxiety and stress. Certainly, the plan was the former. Obviously, it was my responsibility to say a word about it at the beginning of rehearsal and then move us right into the mindset that I want to have very quickly on Thursday.

In the end, the Thursday rehearsal came and went in the best fashion.  It was light, musical, and full of smiles and anticipation of the upcoming concert.  The Saturday performance was a huge success and everyone walked away with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction of a job well done. The audience was standing room only and the ovation following the performance was raucous. 

In the end, this was a good reminder that I can always still grow and be reflective.  If this has ever happened to you, do not despair.  

And, always remember, "Its not what you do. It's what you do next."

Peace.

University of Michigan String Educators Workshop June 26-28, 2025

I am thrilled to be joining the faculty of the University of Michigan String Teachers Workshop again this summer.  This year, my responsibilities will include teaching the beginning and intermediate violin and viola pedagogy classes along with some general sessions.  My general session topics include my sessions on Computational Thinking, the Habit Loop, and Finding and Maintaining Fulfillment in your career in string education.  

The University of Michigan String Educators Workshop, led by Dr. Michael Hopkins, is designed to meet the needs of the variety of educators who are responsible for teaching strings.  The workshop contains two tracks in the morning to address participants’ varied experience with teaching strings. Participants come together in the afternoon for special topics sessions and to explore new music for strings.

The Experienced Track is for string principals and experienced orchestra teachers who want to continue to develop their secondary instrument, rehearsal and conducting skills, and expand their knowledge of string repertoire and pedagogy.  The String Immersion (SI) Track is for those with a band or choral background and others with little background in strings that find themselves assigned to teach orchestra. 

This year the teaching faculty includes:

Michael Hopkins

Chair of Music Education and Professor of Music, University of Michigan

Workshop Teaching Focuses: Double Bass, String Pedagogy, Repertoire, Program Development

Kristen Pellegrino

Professor of Music Education, University of Texas at San Antonio

Workshop Teaching Focuses: String Immersion Class for Band & Choir Directors, Teaching Artistry

Scott Laird

Fine Arts Chair / Instructor of Music, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

Workshop Teaching Focuses: Violin, Eclectic Styles, Rehearsal Techniques

Andrea Yun

Cellist, Detroit Opera / Teacher Trainer, Suzuki Association of the Americas

Workshop Teaching Focuses: Cello Technique & Curriculum, String Pedagogy, Teaching & Communication Strategies

Remembering Jim Kjelland

I am realizing that I have written several in-memoriam posts on my blog over the past couple of years. I guess this is the reality of a teaching career that spans almost 40 years. The people who influence us so strongly can't be there forever. But, we can hold their memory and their influence close to our hearts. In my case, I find a great deal of solace in being able to articulate my thoughts through this blog format. It provides some sort of true closure for me and a way to say thanks that is somehow ongoing.

I was saddened to learn recently that Jim Kjelland, a dear friend and mentor, had passed away. Jim had a pivotal role in my early teaching career and in my way of thinking about pedagogy. I have always counted him among the strongest influences on my trajectory as a string educator. 

Some of you will recognize Jim's name as one of the co-authors of Strictly Strings, the string method series he co-authored with Jacquelyn Dillon and John O'Reilly. First published in 1992, the Strictly Strings series enjoyed a great deal of success when it was published and continues to be used today by programs across the United States.

For me, Jim was much more than a noted pedagogue and author. He was truly a friend, mentor, and advisor. I first met Jim in 1988 when I attended a summer string pedagogy workshop at Central Connecticut State University. This two-week intensive workshop was co-taught by Jim, Marvin Rabin, and Dorothy Straub. 

Prior to attending that workshop, I was very familiar with Marvin Rabin and Dorothy Straub’s reputations and work. Marvin Rabin had conducted several honor orchestras that I was familiar with over the years. I had read his articles and seen his photo in ASTA and MENC publications. I honestly can't swear that he hadn't conducted me at some point in my high school career. He also co-taught, along with Red Mcleod, a wonderful workshop in the fall of 1986, that focused on strolling strings. I attended that workshop with my student teaching mentor, Walter Straiton, and learned so much in a very short period of time. Dorothy had been the host of the All Eastern Division MENC (now NAfME) Orchestra in Boston, in which I participated as a high school senior in 1983. Incidentally, William LaRue Jones was the conductor of that orchestra and he continues to be a dear friend and mentor to this day. I remember how impressed I was with her throughout that event. She was so good at public speaking and so organized. I remember thinking that it was the most organized event I had ever attended. Over the years, she served as President of both MENC and ASTA. I was so excited to work with each of them through this workshop and was quite curious about what Jim Kjelland would bring to the table working along side these pillars of string education.

Throughout the course of the workshop, we had sessions with each of these instructors. I have written before about Marvin Rabin’s teaching of the Bornoff Finger Pattern concept and cyclic exercises. Dorothy was much more the traditionalist. She walked us through various method books (String Builder and others) and pedagogical string repertoire. I remember playing Percy Fletcher's Folk Tune and Fiddle Dance for the first time at that workshop. It became an instant staple of my conducting repertoire. I think of her every time I conduct that piece. She essentially provided the overview of string education in the public schools up to that point. 

Jim approached his teaching from a completely different perspective. I remember very early in the workshop, Jim speaking about the “gestalt approach” of string pedagogy. The idea is that the sum of string technique and skills is greater than its parts. I vividly remember him saying the most important lesson any student ever has is their first lesson and that each lesson builds on all that has been taught previously. I remember a diagram of a brick wall drawn on the chalkboard. Each of the bricks was a different technical skill: left hand setup, bow hold, bow arm, intonation, rhythmic development, dynamics, and the list goes on. As bricks were added to the diagram, higher in the wall one might find concepts such as vibrato, musicality, phrasing, tonal nuance, tone, and others. Jim also taught sessions on orchestral bowings. Many of the ideas presented at the workshop went on to become part of his well-known book on orchestral bowings published in 2003. 

In addition to the classes he taught, Jim was always available for a conversation. Jim and I spent many evenings at that workshop talking until the wee hours of the night. Everybody else would fade out around 10:00 or 11:00 PM, and he and I would continue the conversation well past midnight. Jim and I really hit it off. I loved picking his brain and he seemed to really enjoy offering the benefit of his experience to me as a young teacher who was just sopping up knowledge as fast as I could. I will remember one particular conversation about teaching vibrato. This conversation has stayed with me my entire career. To set up this conversation, you need to know that Jim was originally a trombone player. He picked up strings later in life and had to learn all of the fundamental and advanced string techniques as an adult student. This, Jim believed, was a great advantage to him as a string educator. He remembered the struggle and was able to really decompose these difficult techniques into smaller more manageable parts. Jim knew that I was a pretty good violinist and was coming at string education from a different perspective than he. I had been playing the violin for as long as I could remember and in all honesty many advanced techniques came quite easily to me. In our conversation, I remember mentioning that I was able to do vibrato almost immediately when it was introduced to me by my teacher. It just seemed very natural and it didn't take a lot of work for me to develop a very nice left hand vibrato. Jim cautioned me that this could be a disadvantage as a string teacher. He encouraged me to really think about how I could break every advanced technique into smaller more manageable parts so that I could articulate these techniques to my students. He told me that I had a real uphill climb since things had come relatively easily to me as a student. I really took that advice to heart. I have probably thought about that conversation a thousand times over the years. That late night conversation has probably influenced me as a teacher and pedagogue more than almost any other conversation I have ever had. I owe Jim a great deal of gratitude for keeping it real with me in those early years of my career. Those late night hangs were really pivotal for me. They also were a great example of the fact that relationships are what really matter in the teaching profession. Jim took time for me. He listened to me and offered his advice freely. He made me feel like my ideas were important. 

Jim and I remained friends over the years. We would frequently take time to have a conversation or a cup of coffee at whichever conference we landed at at the same time. 

Many years later, when I was serving as president of the North Carolina Music Education Association Orchestra chair, I invited Jim to conduct the NCMEA Honors Orchestra in the fall of 2005. We had so much fun that weekend, sharing many meals, car rides, and late night conversations just like the old times. I was so happy to introduce the teachers and students of North Carolina to Jim's unique approach to conducting and music education. He was a huge hit!

I ran into Jim at a Midwest clinic a few years later, and I think that's the last time I saw him in person. I was so pleased in recent years to know that my friend Jen Bassett also had a close personal relationship with Jim. We sent him a selfie and I think he was truly pleased to see that we had become friends.

Jim had an incredible amount of influence on the string education profession in his lifetime. He was a thoughtful pedagogue, a committed teacher mentor, and an unwavering friend. I will really miss him and will continue to think of him often in so many ways. Thank you, Jim, for all you did for me.