The Value of Order

I have been thinking lately about how important it is to have order in our lives.  I believe that I am more productive, more settled, and happier when I feel like my life is orderly.  I enjoy my home more when it is neat and orderly.  Yesterday's clothes left on the floor doesn't feel as good to me as clothing on a hanger.  Knowing what I am going to eat for lunch as I leave for work feels better to me than figuring it out when I am hungry at 12:30 after a morning of classes.  Walking into school with strong lesson plans for the day is better than putting a plan together at the last minute or simply winging it.  I like to plan my daily and weekly schedule carefully.  Somehow all of this orderliness keeps me happy and settled. 

I believe that students need this as well.  For years, I have placed a strong priority on students walking in to an orderly, set up classroom.  I never hand out or collect music in class.  I prepare folders ahead of time, outside of class, and collect music the same way.  I think my students appreciate this.  I feel confident that they appreciate the effort that it takes to be orderly and efficient with class-time.  I also believe in strong classroom routines: introduction, warm up, content and related activity, closure.   These routines set up a safe and predictable learning environment.  

The new school year has begun at NCSSM and orchestra is off to a great start. I have truly enjoyed getting to know all of our new junior string players. Rehearsals have been vibrant and productive right out of the gate.  One thing that has stuck me again this year is the importance of seating in the orchestra and the order that seating facilitates.  Remember that my orchestra changes by just about 50% every year. We are a two-year school and when a class graduates, half of the orchestra departs.  Also, I really don't find out how many students will be in my orchestra or instrumentation until the first day of class. This year I am blessed with incredibly balanced sections: 24 violins, 10 violas, 15 celli, and 2 basses.  I hold auditions very early in the year for my students to introduce themselves to me musically, but for our first few rehearsals, I don't really have a seating order.  We sight-read music and students are permitted to sit anywhere they wish within their section.  This year we had three rehearsals before I could establish a seating chart and sections for the group. While those three rehearsals were fine, I must admit that they never really felt "good."  

By the 2nd week of classes, I had been able to review video auditions and begin to establish some sense of "who is in the room" in my mind.  I created a seating order and assigned violin students into violin I and II sections.  (I should say that I do my best to create "even" sections and rely heavily on assigning some of my top players to leadership positions in the 2nd violin violin section.  I also provide opportunities for some of my less experienced players to test themselves with the sometimes more challenging violin I parts.  And, I always have some students that are simply not ready for the upper positions presented in violin I parts.)   But here is the interesting fact:  once students received their section assignment, seating placement, and stand partner, the ensemble seemed to transform quickly. In fact, immediately. Things were more settled.  Students quickly became comfortable and began to dig into the task at hand in a different way.  It is hard for me to clearly articulate the transformation, but I would simply say that it felt more comfortable.  Every rehearsal since that time has had the same feel.  All I can attribute this to is the confidence that comes with order.  Everyone now knows where they will sit, what part they will play, who their stand partner is, and they are beginning to develop a sense of their role as part of the larger group.

This has been a good reminder for me.  Sometimes I forget the importance of routine and order.  Of course, alternately, sometimes it is good to shake up a routine and order. But, order has to, in fact, be established before it can be "shook up." We crave order as humans.  We respond well to predictability and comfort.  This has been a great reminder for me as we begin the new school year.

I wish you all the best as you begin to establish the order in your classroom and rehearsals to start the new year.

Peace.

Scott

5 Habits of Successful Musicians

Today is the penultimate day of rehearsals for my current group of musicians at Interlochen. Our concert is tomorrow and we are ready to give a great performance.

Yesterday, in rehearsal, I wanted to give the students something very concrete that they could take home  to their school orchestras and individual work as orchestral musicians. In response to some of our conversations this week, I decided to give them 5 concrete recommendations of habits that top level musicians should develop. Make no mistake about it, these habits will not make one a great musician. But, they are part of the expectations of any good musician and strong leader in all musical contexts. Thus, it is better to develop them early and have them in your lexicon as you continue to develop as a musician.  I often encourage my own children "move with purpose" These are my orchestral "move with purpose" encouragements. So, without further ado, here are the 5 vital habits of a successful orchestral musician that I offered to my students yesterday.

1. Always have a pencil at rehearsal. Now, I know that every orchestra director in the world requires their musicians to have a pencil. But, the number of students that I see scrambling during rehearsal to find a writing utensil is unbelievable to me. I told my students yesterday that not only should there be one pencil on every stand, but, there should be one pencil for every person in the room. Every player should have their instrument, music, and a pencil as they go into any practice or rehearsal setting. Passing one pencil between two stands is simply unacceptable. It wastes time and is distracting to the entire ensemble.

I find that writing in music is one of the most important skills that I have developed over the years, both as a violinist and as a conductor. I try in all my rehearsals to tell the students what a musician would write in any given circumstance. And I encourage students to always be thinking about what they might write in a part without my prompting. So, it is vital that each student get in the habit of picking up a pencil every time they pick up their instrument.

2. Arrive at every rehearsal a minimum of 10 minutes early. It is vital that young musicians get in the habit of arriving at rehearsals with plenty of time to settle into the rehearsal space before the downbeat of rehearsal. This allows for time to communicate with stand partners, effectively tune their instrument, warm up a little bit, and simply to mentally settle into the task that is at hand. So frequently, I see musicians running into rehearsal at the last minute and never fully settling into the mental space of the rehearsal. This is certainly not an efficient way to maximize the time that they are spending in rehearsal. And, at the very least, and early arrival shows great respect for colleagues and leaders in the rehearsal setting. I know that I notice it as a conductor and really appreciate and respect those who arrive early.

3. Look at the conductor when you don't really have to. I tell musicians all the time that there are numerous opportunities for making visual contact with a conductor in the context of a piece of music. Of course, one must make visual contact with the conductor during important changes in a piece of music. These include tempo changes, style changes, and important articulations. However, I think it is also important that young musicians understand that it is important to make visual contact with a conductor during the more static passages as well. I encourage students to be cognizant of opportunities such as whole notes, repeated notes, and rests. These are times when an ensemble musician can let the conductor know that they are fully engaged in and on the same page as the other musicians in the room. This visual affirmation also gives the conductor full confidence to maintain the highest expectations of musicianship and expression for the ensemble. Thus, developing the habit of visual contact during static passages, while sometimes overlooked, is of the utmost importance.

4. Actually listen to the tuning note.  So frequently, when I arrive in a new orchestral setting, a tuning note is sounded and musicians begin loudly tuning their own instrument without fully listening to the pitch of the tuning note. Years ago, I became aware of some research that indicates that there is a significantly higher rate of memorizing a pitch with a minimum of 5 seconds of listening time. I always encourage my young musicians to listen to a tuning note for 5 seconds before beginning their own tuning process. Additionally, it is so vital that the tuning be done at a piano (quiet) volume level. The vast majority of young students that I encounter tune significantly too loudly. It distorts the pitch of the strings and does not lead to an exceptional sounding ensemble.

5. Prepare your own part outside of rehearsal. I recently saw a post on Facebook that simply said "rehearsal is not for learning your own part, it's for learning everyone else's part." This really resonated with me. It is vital that musicians get in the habit of practicing their ensemble music in the practice room and understanding that rehearsal is for just that: rehearsing. The art of rehearsal and the art of practice are definitely mutually exclusive. All too often, students play in ensembles where the expectation is that they do both simultaneously. This is inefficient at least and rude at best. Nothing drives me more crazy than hearing a student workout a passage while I am in the middle of rehearsal. That is work for another time. Much of this, again, goes to the concept of respect for peers and for leadership. If a young musician really respects those around him for her, he will take the time necessary outside of rehearsal to prepare the passages for performance. I never expect things to be perfect from the beginning. But, I do expect that there is an understanding of the difference between the two activities. Practice involves slow thoughtful repetition. Rehearsal involves broader concepts and developing an understanding of all of the pieces of the puzzle. It is a much more "macro" activity. I simply think it's important that students grow to understand the distinction between practice and rehearsal.

These are my thoughts for today. I hope that you have found them to be interesting and applicable. If you feel that your students might benefit from these from this list, please feel free to share it. I know that I will keep working to develop these habits in my students. I hope that you will as well.

Best wishes for rehearsal rooms full of students with exceptional habits of orchestral musicians!

Peace.

Scott

Chasing That Emotional "High"

In the summer of 1981, I attended a week-long church camp that was simply a blast.  It was called “MAD” Camp and focused all week on music, art, and drama.  It was part of the summer program at Westminster Highlands, a Presbyterian Church Camp facility in Western PA,  where I usually spent a couple of weeks each summer.  My time at Westminster Highlands and the relationships that I established there had a profound impact on my development as a young man in many ways.  I had just finished 10^th grade and was beginning to realize that I had a little something to offer in the area of music and peer leadership.  I wasn’t particularly interested in the visual arts, but I was open to working in drama as well as music.  That summer, we created a musical out of the book, The Singer Trilogy, by Calvin Miller.  We wrote original songs and music to accompany the text and I ended up playing the lead role in the production at the end of camp.  I wrote and performed much of the music as part of that experience. 

It was truly a “mountain-top” experience.  I had never invested so much of myself into a project.  I had never been part of such a close-knit community of artists. I had never been part of such an impassioned performance.  I certainly had never garnered that type of attention from my peers and friends for my talents and accomplishments.  It was intoxicating and I wanted more!!

I remember talking with my Dad on the 3 hour ride home and telling him  all that I had learned and accomplished.  I also expressed concern that things at home could never be as exciting as the past week had been.  Things at home were so mundane.  I didn’t relate to the people in the same way.  How could I ever re-create that experience again?  I will never forget my Dad, response.  First he acknowledged what a great thing I had experienced.  But then he told me that we couldn’t sustain that mountaintop experience all the time.  If we were always on the mountaintop, how can we appreciate it when we get there again?  There have to be peaks and valleys.  He encouraged me to use the experience that I had as motivation to get there again.  And, to use the ideas that I had developed to make the ensembles and communities that I lived with on a daily basis better.   He reminded me that the folks that expect the mountaintop all the time are rarely satisfied.  He encouraged me to keep seeking the mountaintop, but to also embrace every day.  Even the ones that aren’t mountaintop experiences. 

What amazing advice!!  It is advice that I have used over and over again in my lifetime.

I feel like I am constantly chasing that mountaintop experience as a musician all the time too.  I love that “emotional high” that I experience after an amazing performance.  Those goosebumps on your arms or the warmth of an amazing ovation in completely intoxicating.  That knowledge that you just moved the emotions of an audience is what we strive for.  I want it as a conductor.  I want it as a violinist.  I want it as a teacher.  I want it as a student. 

I am keenly aware that much of my work as a conductor is done in the festival setting.  I am fortunate to work with kids at Interlochen summer arts camp in the summer.  We are chasing that mountaintop musical experience with every rehearsal, practice session, and performance.  I am fortunate to conduct numerous local, regional, and all state festivals as part of my work and we are doing the same thing in that setting.  We are looking for that amazing musical experience – not just technically, but emotionally as well.  Even my work at NCSSM is similar to this.  Our time together is limited and then the students go back to something else.  In the two years and limited rehearsal that I get them, I want to bring them together for a mountaintop, special, emotional musical experience.  And I think in some ways they expect that from me.

So, what is it that leads us to that end.  What gets us from the mundane to the extraordinary?  What moves us from “physics” to “metaphysics?” (I love that phrase and concept!!)  I will throw out a couple of thoughts here. I am sure there are more and I would love to hear from you with your ideas.

When I look back to what I wrote at the top of this post about my MAD Camp experience it was the following: personal investment, a close knit community, impassioned performance, positive feedback.  Let’s explore each of these briefly. 

I have written before about the power of community.  I firmly believe that strong communities are the foundation of strong ensembles.  I have been in musical ensembles that weren’t strong communities, but, for me, it always better when they are. We have to want to work together. We have to trust each other.  Form me, smiles and friendship works better than fear and intimidation.  Personal investment is a key as well.  When we give freely and passionately of ourselves, we are more likely to get more in return.  Sometimes it hurts to be fully personally invested, but it is usually (always) worth it.  I find this in relationships.  I find this in my daily work.  I find this in musical ensembles.  I also believe that as a leader, I have to set the tone of personal investment if I want my ensemble members to give in the same way.  It doesn’t seem to work in reverse.  Positive feedback is also key.  There is nothing like an “atta-boy” to keep us going when the going gets tough.  And it will get tough at some point.  (See “personal investment.”)  That “atta-boy” for musicians can be the applause.  But, it can also be the feeling you get when the ensemble really hits that passage in rehearsal.  It can be the relationship between a musician and their stand partner.   It can be the conductor’s comments.  It can be the personal knowledge of a job well done after a long rehearsal.  It comes in many forms.  Finally, an impassioned performance can really be the key to the mountaintop experience for the musician.  That only comes with great rehearsals, a well prepared and in-sync ensemble, and active mental and creative investment and preparation from all involved.    This category is really a sub-category of “personal investment,” isn’t it?

Before wrapping up this post, I would like to offer up a few thoughts about the nuts and bolts of the “impassioned performance” idea here.  What does this entail from a technical and musical perspective?  I have been thinking about this and I believe the key is that notion of a well prepared and in-sync ensemble.  Orchestrally, each musician must have a common concept of the priorities, direction, and goals of each note, phrase, section, and piece.  So, as conductors, we have to be heading in that direction in every minute of every rehearsal.  We should be striving for that idea of unification and common notion within and between sections.  This is a bit tough to articulate, but here goes.  We are seeking precision that is driven by the goal of a passionate performance and, ultimately, an emotional response.  My friend Eugene Friesen says that once you have done the rigor, you are free to emote and express.  That makes sense to me.  Rigor leads to freedom, which leads to that “emotional high.”  We should be seeking precision in rhythm and rhythmic concepts, intonation and tonal concepts, phrasing and musical concepts, a common vision of dynamic variation within the piece, tone quality and concepts in color, and finally conceptual precision and common vision.

On another note, it is also vital that we remind students in the midst of a mountain top performance that it is their responsibility to take that experience back home to their daily lives. They must bring their newfound enthusiasm and passion back to the daily routine so that it might be infused with new energy for the folks that don't have the same opportunities. We really need to stress the "Pay It Forward" concept to our top students who get awesome opportunities. Take the elements of that mountain top experience back home with you and share it.

So, there are some of my thoughts on seeking that “emotional high.”  As I look back over that post, I just finished a great rehearsal on the work Aspire: A Dream Fulfilled, by Bob Phillips.  It occurs to me that I am definitely seeking that “high” with this work.  We are working on all of those concepts outlined in the previous couple of paragraphs.  I want that mountaintop experience for myself and my students on this one.  It is in reach.   I will let you know how it goes.

Peace.

Scott

               

The RUSHING Epidemic

Is it me or does every darned group of young string musicians rush tempo like crazy?  I know this: it is driving me crazy.  I have definitely noticed in recent years that young string musicians at virtually every level rush tempo and particularly cut off the ends of phrases.  In recent weeks, I have been trying to ascertain the reasons for this epidemic in rushing and to devise methods for correcting the problem as well and tools for ensembles to get back on track when it happens.

Let me be clear here.  This happens in young groups and older groups.  It happens with kids that are not very experienced and with very experienced kids.  So, in this post, I will try to identify the problem and offer some solutions.  

I have had several conversations with colleagues regarding this lately and I am thinking that I am particularly tuned into this because I so often play in a rock or pop setting with the steady undulation of a drum set as part of the ensemble.  I often tell my orchestras that I sort of always hear a drum set accompanying the orchestra when I conduct.  I think that many conductors do this - we hear the "inner rhythm of the piece at all times in the front of our mind.  In other words, if the most common subdivision of the work is 16th notes, that subdivision of the time is always going through or head.  It should be going through the instrumentalists mind as well.  Playing with so many rock and jazz ensembles over the years has made this a natural thing for me.  It is almost like playing with a metronome in many ways.  In fact, just last week, ICO performed Take the A Train in a concert with  a drummer and the rushing really was non-existent.  But, the piece before and after it DID have a tendency to rush.  The inner rhythm wasn't being beat into their ears and then the rushing came back.  To me, this concept is critical to the concept of functional musicianship.  And, it an element of musicianship that is lacking in, I am guessing based on my experience, the majority of high school and younger musicians of all ability and experience levels.

I often stop an ensemble that I am working with and say, "Are you going to conduct me, or am I going to conduct you?"  I can't tell you the number of times I have watched ensembles perform where the conductor essentially gives up and follows the kids.  I often notice young and old teacher/conductors clipping off the 4th beat of a measure in 4/4 time by as much as a 16th note value or even more!  

Those of you that know me, know that I try to have a system for correcting pedagogical problems.  The system  must have the following criteria.  It  should be sequential, have a system of appropriate nomenclature, and must include harmonic underpinning or other related functional viability.  so, later in this post, I will offer a system for correcting the rushing epidemic.

The Problem

OK, so exactly what is the problem?  Well, it is a combination of factors.  

1. Musicians need to listen to and look for the inner rhythm.

My dear friend, Jung Ho Pak has taught me that musicians need to know who is the teacher and who is the student.  And, no, the conductor is not always the teacher.  In an ensemble setting, some voice is always the rhythmic teachers.  That is the voice that is playing the inner rhythm or smallest subdivision of the pulse. The "students" or other musicians must key in on that subdivision with their listening and visual skills. (The beauty of string playing is that we can usually see the pulse or subdivision as well.)  If the violins are the "teacher" then the other sections need to play the role of student and hear/see the subdivision.  As soon as they clip off the end of a longer note value, all rhythmic heck breaks loose!!  Encourage your students to know who has the inner rhythm at all times.  If no section has the inner rhythm, then everyone needs to audiate it (in other words, think it) and that is the time that the conductor is the "teacher."  The important information will come from the stick.  Conductor/teachers: it is precisely at that moment that the pressure is on you to not clip off the end of the measure because you are afraid someone will beat you to pulse.  That is what rehearsal is for!  I always say that trust is a 2 way street.  Instrumentalists have to trust the conductor, but the conductor also has to trust the instrumentalist.  As soon as they realize that they are conducting, you have lost the battle!!

2. If the inner rhythm isn't audible, musicians must audiate the inner rhythm.

Everyone needs to do this; the conductor, the violins, the violas, the celli, and basses.  Every member of the ensemble must audiate inner rhythm.  I believe that in rehearsal, it is the conductor's job to teach the musicians how and when to do this.  Remember, if it is audible, everyone needs to listen for it and permit the  voice with that rhythm to play every note in its entirety.  No exceptions.  If it isn't audible, everyone needs to be thinking it.

3. Ensemble musicians must look for the downbeat and know exactly what/where the downbeat is.

In addition to thinking or audiating the inner rhythm, the orchestra members have to know when and where to look.  How often have you noticed folks arriving at the downbeat at the top of your downward motion as a conductor, rather than at the ictus?  It happens all the time.  So, we, as teachers, need to clearly explain and reinforce this concept at every step in the process.  Don't give up.  the downbeat is not at the top of the downward motion, it is at the bottom.  The VERY bottom.  The also brings up another related point:  be sure that you are giving clear visual information.   If your downbeat is unclear, it isn't fair to ask them to be able to interpret it.  And, if you are conducting subdivisions or backbeats, no one will ever know your intentions.  

4. Students need to practice with a metronome more often and in a variety of ways.

Metronomes don't lie.  Use them for fast practice.  Use them for slow practice.  Have the click on all pulses.  Have the click on 1 and 3.  Have the click on 2 and 4. Have it click an eighth note inner rhythm.  Have it click a 16th note inner rhythm. Have it click on only the first beat of the measure. Have the click on only the fourth beat of the measure. Have the click on only the second beat of the measure.  Encourage students  to challenge themselves with the metronome.  It is a magnificent tool for establishing consistent rhythm.

5. Ensemble musicians need tools for combating this in a performance setting.  

Give your orchestra tips for correcting the problem when it starts.  Not if it starts, because it will happen at some point.  I always tell my ensembles that when a problem occurs, that is the time to lift up your eyes to the "teacher."  Not always the conductor! Also, moments of static activity are always the time to look up: repeated eighth notes, whole notes, repeated ostinato passages, etc.  Students need to lift up their eyes much more than they are inclined.  Give them spots and ideas for this. and, you must look at them as well.  Remember, if you aren't giving them important information, they will stop looking.  Trust is a two way street.

6. Conductors must be dogmatic about all of this.  They can't give up!!

I think you know what I mean.  Think about it: if we give up on anything, it will end up being wrong.  How often do we need to remind students about left hand position?  (It never stops.)  How often do we need to remind students about proper bow hold? (It never stops.)  It is the same with inner rhythm.  It is a daily process.  They key is giving good tools for combating the problem.  Simply telling students "don't rush," and "watch the conductor" is not enough.

The Solution: A System

So, as I stated earlier, I believe in crating a system for combating the problem.  For me, this always involves getting the students' faces out of the music.  Approach the problem by eliminating various factors that lead to the problem.  So, I would start with scales.  Create an exercise or etude where one section or even one student has the inner rhythm that the others must listen to in order to play the scale in time.  Bounce that role around the orchestra. The voice with the inner rhythm is the "teacher."  Then give the "teacher role" to the conductor.  Create rhythmic patterns that involve a sustained note at the end. (Perhaps 4 eight notes and a half note on each step of the scale.)   Don't let anyone clip off that last bit of the half note as they ascend and descent the scale.  

I am also a strong advocate of "bumping" the pulse lightly in the left hand for violin and violists and in the head for cello and bassists.  Simply showing that pulse, much like in chamber music is a great orchestral technique at certain points in the repertoire.  it is a skill that can be developed outside of the music-reading.  Do this will scales on whole notes.  Have the 2nd violins conduct with the bump while the others watch them.  This goes a long way toward getting their faces out of the music. 

Then, take these concepts into the repertoire.  Ask students to identify who is the teacher and who is the student at any given time.  They won't know at first.   they are too busy trying to figure out their own part.  But, eventually, they will begin to think this way.  It is so invigorating when an ensemble begins to internalize this concept.  It is also amazing when they have tools for correcting the problem in performance and they actually do it.  I have had this happen a couple of times this summer in performances already and was elated at the student response.

In the end, all of this comes down to aural and visual awareness in the ensemble.  It is much more than right notes and rhythms.  It is about  communication.  Build a system in your ensemble for strong visual and aural communication.  Don't avoid it.  Provide tools for your students to succeed in the difficult task of rhythmic stability in all facets of performance.

I hope that this provides you some food for thought with your ensemble or performing situation and I certainly welcome your ideas and reactions.  I would love to hear from you.  All my best and may you experience steady rhythm!!

Peace.

Scott

Good = Good: The Challenges of Programming for Scholastic Orchestra

I have been thinking a great deal lately about repertoire and programming for young orchestra and the challenges this task represents for music directors and all of those who have to decide on the type of repertoire students will endeavor over the period of a concert cycle.  A variety of factors go into this decision and the big one, from my perspective, is making decisions regarding the difficulty of the repertoire.  There are really several sides to the decision.

One school of thought is to program repertoire that is easily within the technical capabilities of the ensemble, with a plan to focus more meaningfully on ensemble-building, musicianship, intonation, and performance practice.  This philosophy also opens the door to more advanced students in the ensemble looking down on the repertoire and students, perhaps, claiming they are "bored" with the repertoire.  That being said, I am always ready to challenge those students with advanced musical ideas and concepts.  

Another would be to program music above the heads of the students from a technical perspective with the thought that the students will be challenged throughout the rehearsal process, and thus, motivated to practice and improve as musicians.  The pitfall here is the rehearsal process can be overwhelmed with the act of "chasing notes."  The conductor may never get to the heart of the music-making process and ensemble building so many of us truly enjoy and value. Another possible by-product is a less than satisfying performance.

Those of us who have lived in the Music Performance Adjudication culture understand over-programming is the kiss of death from a grading standpoint.  We have learned it is always a wise decision to go with repertoire that is a little easier so that the judges will hear rock solid intonation, exceptional technique, and well-shaped phrases.  A "superior" rating on a grade III program is more impressive than an "excellent" rating on a grade IV.  

I have been known to utter the phrase, "Hard isn't necessarily good.  Good is always good." to my students over the years.  I think many students (and teachers) fall into the trap of thinking performing a hard piece of music is a worthy goal.  I would submit that simply performing a piece, if the quality is not there, is not a very lofty goal.  As a conductor, I am much more interested in the musical impact a piece has on the audience.  I am convinced that audiences are rarely impressed with the difficulty of a piece, particularly if it is not performed in a aesthetically satisfying way.

So, at this point in this essay, you are probably thinking, "Well, I know where he sits between programming harder music verses easier music for his ensembles." And, in truth, you would be correct for the most part,  But, in recent days, I have been rethinking the degree to which I hold that belief.  Last summer, I had a wonderful conversation with a colleague who teaches applied violin at a major university.  She expressed some concern that another conductor/colleague had programmed music that was too easy for the ensemble they were conducting and that those students weren't being properly technically challenged for the amount of rehearsal time they were given.  She told me stories of her childhood at summer camps where she played music which was way over her head from a technical perspective and it motivated her to work even harder to learn the notes and rhythms, eventually propelling her to Julliard, and a successful career as a violinist.  I must admit, her stories reminded me of similar experiences I had as a student.  I participated in the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Orchestra beginning at age 15 and I know that many of the pieces I participated in were way above my technical capabilities, especially in the early years.  We certainly grow with these challenges.

I was discussing this idea with one of my Humanities Department colleagues today and she reminded me of the phrase, "No Pain, No Gain."  And, frankly, I agree to with the "no pain, no gain" philosophy to some degree.  Back when I was deeply into power weightlifting in the 1980's, we would often remind each other of this precept.  Not pain as in injury, but pain as in struggle.  We all have to struggle to improve.  We had to feel the bump up from one weight to the next.  After a few days of struggle, that weight would not seem so "painful."  Artists must struggle to ultimately communicate.  Struggle is good.  Struggle is essential.  For, only through struggle do we truly grow.  I can remember struggling with violin repertoire over  the years.  I am sure that I am better for it.

So, how does this fit with the idea of programming repertoire for a scholastic orchestra.  Is the struggle my responsibility as conductor.  Or, can I find and reveal the struggle to my students in repertoire that is more readily within their technical capabilities.  Or perhaps, programming requires a bit of both.  

For many years, I have felt that the bulk of the technical stretching should come in the private lesson studio.  The orchestra, I have felt, is for musical and ensemble stretching.  Those of you that know my conducting and rehearsal style, know that I am passionate about building great ensembles.  Students must learn what to listen for, how to think within an ensemble, how to move in an ensemble, how to lead from any chair, how to communicate with each other, the conductor, and the audience, how to refine intonation, and how to shape phrases.  These are always my priorities in rehearsal.  And, chasing notes, just takes away from my opportunity to share my perspective on these important ideas with  the students.  But now, I am softening on this position.  Sometimes, we just have to provide a technical challenge.  

The key to success, I believe, is to also provide tools for succeeding in this struggle.  We must provide practical solutions to technical problems and proper motivation to spend the time that it takes to overcome these difficulties.  We must have a plan.  We must have a system.  For more on my thoughts on systems, see my post from 1/24/15. I don't believe that it is a good idea to simply throw difficult repertoire at a student and not provide tools for mastery.  That is just a bad idea.  I am reminded of the old commercial that featured a 2 year old child looking at a plate with a whole steamed lobster.  The child simply had a look that said, "What am I supposed to do with this?!"  A technical challenge with under prepared students is like the child with the lobster.  We must provide them with the tools to crack that technical shell.  If we can't provide those tools, we shouldn't put the lobster in front of them.  

So, how do we make solid repertoire decisions that challenge students both technically and musically?  How do we select repertoire that encourages the best practices in ensemble playing and musicianship?  I think the answer lies in variety. Young music students must experience the value of the "perfect" performance. They need to experience the thrill of the "push/pull" that creates tension and release in great ensemble music without the fear of wrong notes and sloppy licks.  They need to experience that perfectly tuned chord; the exhilaration of  steady, accurate tempo with clean, accurate runs.  Similarly, motivated music students must have a sense of what they are striving for.  How will they know the goal if they can't see the horizon.  We can certainly provide both.  But it is a constant struggle and we will never be perfect in the endeavor.  All we can do is continue to evaluate and reevaluate the repertoire we select and be willing to admit when we make a mistake.  After all, from the audience perspective, good is good.  Hard isn't necessarily good.  

I promise, I will keep trying.

Peace.

Scott

Friday Top Ten (Top 20?)

 

Tom Ten Things I Will Miss About Interlochen

10. My Orchestra – in 3 short weeks, we have built a fine ensemble and community of young musicians. We have made some marvelous music and had a good time doing it. It is fun to be work hard and to be good!

9. My new community of musical colleagues – David, Lalene, Len, Rodney, Jim, Betty Ann, Liza, Jung Ho, Jarod, Jacey, Kelcey, and others. You have all made my time at Interlochen so rich. I have so much respect for each of you and look forward to continuing our relationship!

8. Sharing a one room cabin with my family - We have grown closer as a result of the proximity, without a doubt.

7. Coffee in the morning outside on the bench with Barbra – It is really nice to sit outside in the quiet of the morning and enjoy a cup of coffee!

6. Biking the roads of Northern Michigan every morning – I have really enjoyed the terrain, the wide berms, and the beautiful country-side every morning. What a great way to start a day.

5. A different lake at every turn- They are everywhere and they are all beautiful.

4. Picnics and "Nukem" Ball with my family in the evenings - Sunsets, games with the kids, picnic dinners, laughter, boats…

3. Ping Pong – Great fun with my boys and it doesn't cost a cent! Totally beats $40.00 for miniature golf.

2. Working in an environment where everyone is there for the arts first (ie: orchestra rules!) – I love teaching at NCSSM, but it is really a pleasure and nice change of pace to be in this all arts environment.

1.5 Concerts every night – It is so cool to go to exceptional music performances literally every day. And, such a broad spectrum: Jazz, classical, band, large ensembles, chamber music, solo performances, professionals, high school students, middle school students

1. My Interlochen routine – Wake up, 25 mile bike ride, check e-mail, lunch, rehearsal, dinner, attend a concert, home. Simple. Wonderful.

 

Top Ten Things I Can't Wait to Get Back To in North Carolina

10. Comfortable chairs in my living room – I just want a comfortable place to sit at the end of the day.

9. My own bed – A good night sleep is definitely not overrated!

8. My community of musicians and artists – (Phillip, Dave, Adam, Kathy, Evan, Willie, Craig, Betsy, Debbie, and others) I am so blessed to be around musicians and music educators that I respect so very much on a daily basis.

7. Places to go in my home to be alone – My wife calls my music studio my "spousal avoidance center." But, you know, sometimes a little space is a good thing.

6. Biking the roads and trails of Carolina – I love the terrain, the single tracks, my choice of bikes, clean biking gear, my bike shop, Duke Forest, the hills. You get the picture.

5. Fresh ground coffee in the morning with Barbra – That Cuisinart self-grinding coffee pot is always a highlight of getting home.

4. ESPN on the TV - Sorry. I am that shallow.

3. A quiet air conditioner (temperature controlled rooms) – I have really grown to appreciate quiet central air conditioning, having lived with fans and a super noisy in-window unit for the past three weeks.

2. My students at NCSSM - Best in the world: focused, smart, motivated, character and achievement oriented people.

1. My regular routine – I just have a great life. It has been fun to be away. I can't wait to be home.

 

 

Peace.

Scott

Concert Day!

It is Wednesday, July 27, 2011 and I have my first concert performance today at Interlochen Summer Music Camp with the Intermediate Concert Orchestra. It has been a great 9 days of teaching and rehearsing and I can truly say that my ensemble is ready for their performance. We finally had a rehearsal in the hall yesterday and it really changed the way that the musicians and I heard the ensemble.

 

If I am honest, the rehearsal in the hall didn't start out the way I had hoped. I thought that we would run the program, hit some spots, and run the program again. As it turned out, I think the ensemble was a bit overwhelmed by the room, the anxiety of the first performance, and 5 or 6 of their instructors out in the hall, watching the rehearsal, taking notes for me. All of those factors, put together with the general fatigue that they are starting to feel led to a sup-par start. The kids were missing entrances, phasing tempo, missing bowings, and generally freaking out. I have to admit, I was surprised and a bit upset. As a result, I scrapped the "run-through" and just rehearsed. This proved to be much more productive and we were able to "right the ship" and salvage the rehearsal.

 

For my string educator friends that read this, I want you to know what we are playing and the things that we are focusing on. This is a middle-school group with musicians whose experience and ability ranges from quite high (my concertmaster is working on the Lalo Concerto and many of the students are quite accomplished soloists) to students with very little experience in a serious ensemble with attention to watching, tempo changes, uniform bowing style, etc. I tried to program varied repertoire with lots of opportunities for expression and musicianship. We will start with the Latham Suite for String Orchestra, by Theron Kirk. In the March movement, we focus on "breathing" into beginning of phrases, short sixteenth notes on the hooked bowing, dynamic sustained notes, and energy in general. The Elegy 2^nd movement is an opportunity to really emphasize the importance of watching the conductor and huge changes in style within a movement (ranging from very sustained and sad to "incalzando" or "with fire.") I really stretch and tug the tempo in this one. It takes a huge amount of maturity and patience from each player. The final movement, Finale, is a syncopated dance that requires attention to rhythm and articulation from start to finish. Our second piece is Vivaldi's Concerto in G Major, arranged by my friend, Tom LaJoie. The kids will perform this work without a conductor and the focus has been on terraced dynamics, intonation, and moving with the music, leading from any and every chair. Next, we will do Percy Fletcher's Folk Tune and Fiddle Dance. This old string orchestra standard is one of my favorites. The Folk Tune is an opportunity to teach tempo, key, and meter changes within a movement. We have worked on phrasing, dynamics, watching, and many other ensemble techniques in this one. The Fiddle Dance is reminiscent of Copland's Hoe Down and is simply a blast to perform. Dynamics and drive are paramount in this movement. We will finish with Nanigo, by my friend Tom Sharp. It is cool tune based on West African rhythms. We will be adding a 7-piece authentic African drum section for this one. I will also be joining the group on my 5-string NS Design CR violin, soloing over the last section of the piece. This work starts out "piano" and builds throughout, ending with a huge fortissimo. This is great for teaching a tricky 2 against 3 rhythmic pattern in the context of a really fun work.

 

We have a short rehearsal this afternoon and a warm-up on stage right before the performance. I am rally psyched for the entire day. I know that it will be great fun. I am so proud of this ensemble. I often say that an ensemble has to do the rigor first. But, when that is accomplished, they then can release any stress and simply play from the heart. This group has done the rigor. I hope that they can play today with joy and expression without losing their attention to detail. I believe that is the key for this group of young musicians today. I know that I will enjoy the ride today, with the knowledge that we have prepared well.

 

I'll let you know tomorrow how it went!

 

Peace.

Scott

Orchestras and Adjudicated Festivals

Hi all.
I know it has been a while since my last post. It has been pretty busy here at NCSSM and my family life has been filled with a variety of spring sports leagues. It has not been uncommon for my wife and me to take 3 kids to 3 different sporting events or practices in one evening this spring. So, I apologize for my recent silence.

Today, I want to just give a few thoughts about school orchestras and adjudicated festivals. I recently served as an adjudicator for the North Carolina Eastern Regional Music Performance Adjudication Festival. It was such a pleasure and honor to observe my North Carolina colleagues with their kids. I know so many of them from NCMEA meetings and other events. It is always great to see master-teachers interacting with their daily students.

My role in this festival was to judge in the sight-reading room. This is hard duty as a judge. I heard around 40 orchestras sight-reading one of 4 different pieces, depending on their performance level. Believe me, there is only so much that one can say about a grade 1 or 2 piece that is being played for the first time by a group of nervous middle schoolers. The plan for me as a judge is always to find lots of positive things to say to the group and affirm the work that they have done. Then, I try to isolate on area where they can improve. I try to offer constructive suggestions for a more musical performance, stronger technique, or a more cohesive ensemble.

Following this adjudication festival, I had a couple of overriding thoughts. The first is a technique issue. It is now, quite common for orchestras to "shadow-bow" before sight-reading a piece. This is when the student holds the bow and moves it to the rhythm without touching the strings, simulating playing the piece. In and of itself, it is a great idea. But, I noticed that lots of students did REALLY odd things with their bow hold and I can't believe that this has a positive impact on their bow hold in the long run. As I make my way in to a variety of teaching situations throughout the area, one constant that I have noticed is an inconsistency of functional bow holds. (For a primer in teaching or establishing a good bow hold, follow this link.) My suggestion here is to simply not hold the bow during the "shadow bow" portion of the sight reading experience. Have the kids put the bow on the music stand and do the exercise exactly the same way. I don't even know if this is necessary for the violins and violas, but it definitely is for the celli and basses. I would have everyone put the bow down. The students can still focus on the kinesthetic experience of bowing and the associated rhythms. Instructors can still see the rhythmic motion of the bow arms. And, the potential bad habits of bow hold can be avoided.

The other over-riding thought that I have involves listening. Now, I know that it seems like a silly thing to say that listening is an important part of performance and sight-reading. But, in two complete days of adjudicating sight-reading, I only heard a handful of instructors remind their musicians to listen. Furthermore, it was very easy for me to identify the ensembles that had practiced the art of listening in the ensemble. We, as instructors, can get fixated on the nuts and bolts of notes and rhythms and simply forget to teach listening. I believe that many ensemble intonation problems are not so much a function of individual playing and technique issues, but are more a function of listening issues. We must know how to listen across the ensemble and build a chord from the bass, up. That, of course, also accentuates the importance of the role of the bass and cello section. I recently had the pleasure of working with our Physics Department at NCSSM on a unit on Sound and Frequency and, believe me, the physics doesn't lie. The fundamental tone has to be in tune (bass) and the 2nd harmonic does, too (cello). If they are out, the orchestra doesn't have a prayer of creating a beautiful sound. And, the upper strings must listen and adjust to the others around them in order to create that special string sound that we all know and love.

So, there are a few thoughts. I hope someone out there finds them to be helpful. I certainly welcome your thoughts and remarks on the issues of shadow bowing and listening across the orchestra.

It was definitely ah honor to work with all of you at the Eastern Regional Music Performance Adjudication.

Midwest Clinic Thoughts - Jacquelyn Dillon-Krass

Hi all.

I want to give you a little insight into a bit of the history of the field of string education today. On Tuesday late afternoon at the Midwest Clinic, there was a very special session entitled "A Conversation with Jacquelyn Dillon-Krass." Jacquelyn Dillon has had a profound influence on my career and teaching and it was really wonderful to witness this celebration of a career that has spanned over 50 years. She is professor of String Education at Wichita State University and has had tremendous success in public school teaching, university level teaching and teacher training, the music industry, and association leadership.

I first became aware of Jackie when my Secondary Methods of Music Education Professor, Dr. John Keuhn at Indiana University of PA, handed me a text book entitled "How to Design and Teach a Successful String and Orchestra Program," by Jacquelyn Dillon. I read the book with interest and gained so much direction from it. Shortly afterward, as a beginning teacher in 1988, I attended a session at the MENC Eastern Division Conference in Philadelphia where Jackie was presiding. Following the session, I stayed around for a few minutes hoping to have an opportunity to speak with her. When we met, I took the opportunity to ask her, "How does someone like me (a first year teacher) get to be someone like you? (a noted authority in her field)" Jackie thought for a few minutes and said, "Scott, it is really just one word - write. Take every opportunity to be published and share your ideas with the profession. There are folks out there that are interested." That one word - write - really changed my professional life. Within a few weeks I had submitted an article to be published in the PMEA Journal and have tried to share my ideas on strings, pedagogy, and music every day since then. Her one word made the difference for me.

I have had the opportunity on several occasions to thank her for that advise and Jackie Dillon has helped me in several other ways since that time. She is a caring teacher and a knowledgeable pedagogue. Moreover, she will share her ideas with you in hopes of making you, your students and younger teachers, better at what we do.

Jackie shared many of the concepts that she holds dear yesterday and I want to share a few of them with you. They are wonderful guides for any string teacher. But many of them are simply important guides for students and professionals in any field.

1. Write and share what you know. Don't keep it to yourself.

2. Everybody gets better. Just try. We learn from trial and error. Encourage others to try, too. They learn from trial and error, as well. (Referring to learning and teaching beginning strings - but applicable everywhere!)

3. There is no perfect method book. Great teachers make method books great. Not vice-versa.

4. Every great teacher needs a bag of tricks. You only get that bag filled up by watching and learning from others. Go to educational sessions. Go to conferences. Seek out mentors.  Learn from those that are willing to share!

5. Music MUST be expressive. Right notes and rhythms only mean something if the music is going somewhere.

6. Make your music you own. Don't just play what is on the page. Express beyond the markings.

7. EVERY student CAN play in tune. Don't settle for less. (Generally - every student can succeed. don't settle for less.)

8. The accomplishment that she is most proud of is her students. (Me, too.) She said - "You know, we need our students. My students are my best friends. There are times that we prop them up and help them. And, there are times that we need them to prop us us. They do and they will. Don't forget that."

9. How do you find good kids for the orchestra? Go find kids for the orchestra. Numbers matter. Get a bunch of kids and they WILL be good!


As I read back over these comments, I am even more struck by how universal these ideas are and can be. May be one of these ideas will strike you today. I hope so.

I have been blessed by my relationship with Jacquelyn Dillon-Krass and I hope that maybe in some small way, you will be, too.

Peace.
Scott

Trip to D'Addario in Farmingdale

Hey everyone!
I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been swamped with the organizational details of my Charity Bike Ride for the National MS Society, "Tour de Teacher" in Durham, NC. The event was a huge success and I will post more info about that event in the days to come.

Today, however, I want to tell you a bit about my recent trip to the D'Addario factory and headquarters in Farmingdale, NY. I headed up there with three goals for the trip: film a bunch of video content for the D'Addario website, take photos for a new set of classroom posters, and serve as guest speaker for the Nassau County Music Educators beginning of year dinner.

We definitely accomplished all of our goals while there. We managed to film a ton of educational videos on both bowed electric string instruments and effects processing and more traditional violin pedagogy that should be helpful to students and teachers, alike. We also got a great start of the photos for these posters. One will be focusing on bow hold and bowing terms and the other will be a fun look at the "Geometry of playing the violin." Finally, the dinner was a wonderful event and it was a pleasure to meet the good folks that are teaching music in Nassau County , Long Island. I was particularly please to meet Martha Boonshaft, wife of Hoffstra Music Professor, noted speaker in the field of Music Ed., and friend, Peter Boonshaft. I think my remarks were well-received and it was a real pleasure to be there.

All of that being said, the part of my trip that will probably remain with me the longest had nothing to do with any of my goals for going. My friend and host, Rob Polan, gave me an extensive tour of the facility and it was really enlightening. First of all, I was struck by the sheer number of employees at D'Addario. Sure, there were business offices like any office building. But it was the folks on the manufacturing line that really struck me. In a down economy, this group was moving fast. They were clearly happy and motivated, pleased to be working for a wonderful employer that cares about quality, efficiency, and the employees. I was struck by the level of artisanship of the ladies that were "silking" the violin strings. (Yes - it is done by hand, folks!) I was struck by the skill and speed of the people running the string winding machines, sometimes creating 3 strings simultaneously. The engineering and efficiency of the plant is simply stunning. (For my students that are considering engineering as a career, this should be a required tour. It was fantastic to see these machines that are made, right there in the plant, to suit the specific needs of the individual products. It was simply stunning from start to finish. I was struck by the number of people that were working, the volume of strings being produced, the high tech engineering that went into the production, and the general spirit of the workforce. Very cool. It made me totally proud to be associated with the D'Addario Company and I appreciate them in an entirely new way today. I have always been proud to be associated with the strings. Now, I am equally proud to be associated with the business model from top to bottom.

One thing that Rob pointed out during the tour is that D'Addario is always looking to be more efficient and has recently adopted a model called "Lean Manufacturing." The idea is that you carefully explore the efficiency of movement on the floor of the manufacturing facility and place workers and machines in the optimum environment for efficient work-flow. I couldn't help but to think that the education community has to do a bit of that, too. We really need to rethink the way that we are delivering information to our students. Are we really using our class-time efficiently? Is the old classroom model still the best classroom model for education as we move further into the 21st century. I truly believe that we must increase of efficiency of content delivery in our classroom. Which, brings me around to one of my original goals for the trip: video content for the web. D'Addario's goal is to provide video content on their website that will make string education more efficient. Students can go to the web to get solid string instruction and content. Then, when they go to school, the teacher can focus on the students individual needs. The teacher becomes the tutor, mentoring the students, rather than repeating content that can be efficiently delivered on the web. Will video content ever replace the teacher? Certainly not. But, when effectively used, teachers can focus on the true task at hand, the individual needs of the student, not repeated content delivery. For more information on this concept, I recommend that you check out an enlightening book about efficiency of content delivery in the 21st century entitled "Disrupting Class," by Clayton Christensen.

For now, thanks to all of the good folks at D'Addario for making me feel so at home for the past 2 days.

I am sure there will be much more to come on this topic.

Peace.
Scott

Orchestral Seating Arrangements

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from an old friend with a question about orchestral seating arrangements. I wrote a rather extensive response and thought that some of you may be interested in my thoughts. So, I have copied it below. I welcome your comments.
Peace.
Scott

Hey Scott! I hope that you are enjoying your summer. I have a question and I thought that maybe you'd have some good input. Can you shed some light on the various orchestra string arrangements? I've been having long discussions about it and I would like some more input. What I mean by that is I see the following set ups and I would like your input.

1st-2nd-Vla-Cello

1st-2nd-Cello-Vla

1st-Cello-Vla-2nd

Thanks

I have actually tried all of these. I think they can all be effective in various settings.

The following is from the Wikipedia Entry on String Orchestra Seating:
The most common seating arrangement is with first violins, second violins, violas and cellos clockwise around the conductor, with basses behind the cellos on the right.[2] In the 19th century it was standard[3] to have the first and second violins on opposite sides (violin I, cello, viola, violin II), rendering obvious the crossing of their parts in, for example, the opening of the finale to Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony.

If space or numbers are limited, cellos and basses can be put in the middle, violins and violas on the left (thus facing the audience) and winds to the right; this is the usual arrangement in orchestra pits.[4] The seating may also be specified by the composer, as in Béla Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta which uses antiphonal string sections, one on each side of the stage.

I have reverted to the traditional 1st-2nd-Vla-Cello at this point in my conducting life - most because I have a set of gestures that seem to be most effective with that set up.

Having 2nds on the left outside seems to bring them into a more prominent role, but the downside is that they are sort-of set up for their sound to go backwards into the stage. It is good, however to get the fundamentals that are being played by cello/bass into the middle of the orchestra. Everyone seems to tune differently/better with them in there.

The other set up - with the violas on the outside/left grows from a string quartet set-up. Same deal though - the viola sounds tend to get swallowed up, in my opinion. It is hard enough to get their sound out there. I would only use this if I was doing string quartet literature with a string ensemble - like a Mozart Divertimento or something.

It is funny - because I was working at a camp this summer where another conductor was using the set up with the 2nds on the left and I felt the ensemble was really lacking between the 1sts and 2nds. Anyway, I sort of revisited the arrangement issue and, again, decided that the traditional arrangement works best for me.

I don't like switching around, especially when conducting difficult literature, because I throw cues to the wrong place. Also, if I used one of the other set-ups in my orchestra and then go to guest conduct with a traditional arrangement, it is easy to get confused and I just don't like that. I want my gestures to be accurate and predictable from the first rehearsal.

I hope this helps.
Take care!!
Scott

Arlington Echo String Camp

This week, I am conducting at the Arlington Echo String Camp in Anne Arundel County, MD. It is a fantastic camp that is run by the Anne Arundel Co. Schools. The kids are string players that range in age from 6th grade through high school. There are so many cool things about this camp that I hardly know where to start.

Let's start here. One of the coolest features of the camp is that the string teachers from the AA schools are the primary teachers and counselors at the camp. They live with the kids all week. they stay in the cabins, eat with the kids, play with the kids, make music with the kids, and fully participate in the entire experience. What a wonderful mentoring opportunity it is for these students. I don't think I had any experienc e like that with my teachers as a kid. Here anther thing: they are all happy to be there. The teachers, that is. there is such a genuine enthusiasm for music, kids, and community that is demonstrated every day, by every teacher, counselor, and staff member.
You may ask yourself, "How does this happen?" The answer is simple. Community. The answer is also complex. Leadership, environment, attitude, love, caring, selflessness, support, commitment. Of course, I am forgetting many others.

I am out of time for now, but I am really enjoying myself and happy to be here. This is really a great camp and I am pleased to be part of it.

Rehearsals are going great and it will be a fantastic concert on Friday. It has been a great week.

Peace.
Scott

Coda Joule Carbon Fiber Bow

Today, I want to say a few words about the new Coda Joule Bow.

I have been playing carbon fiber bows for the past 10 years or so. Initially, I was using them primarily with electric violins and had also used them off and on with my acoustic violin. I have used them for a variety of styles including classical, rock, jazz, bluegrass, and others.

I just picked up the new Coda Joule about 3 months ago and I must say, it is really fantastic! This bow has all kinds of guts for the big stuff that I play and all of the subtlety and nuance that is required for my classical playing. I have used it extensively with my electric and acoustic instruments on a variety of performances and rehearsals and have been uniformly impressed with it. It gets a a huge tone and is totally consistent from frog to tip.

Prior to getting the Joule, I had been known to use a viola bow from time to time with my electrics and on fiddle improv gigs. I just really liked the power and tone that it provided. Now that I have the Joule, that is totally off the table. The Joule meets that need completely.

I think that students often sacrifice getting a better bow in order to afford a little more of a violin when stepping up in instruments. The Joule is priced under $700.00 and could fit into a violin step up outfit very nicely. Trust me, it plays a lot better than $700.00! And, it will never limit your bowing capabilities. So, if you get a chance, give a Coda Joule a try. You be amazed at the playing experience.

Beethoven Symphony No. 5

Tonight, my orchestra was rehearsing Symphony No. 5, by Beethoven. What a gas! I love conducting Beethoven. I really can't think of anything better. His passion and fire are evident every time I jump into his music as a player, listener, or conductor. I am privileged to participate in it.

I just love it when a student group begins to feel the emotion of a work. That happened tonight. The moment was near the end of the 1st movement when the strings play a unison half note, tied to an eighth and then three separate eighths. This pattern repeats several times. We spent a few minutes going over the correct bow placement and bow-lifting routine and then put it together. I explained that the tied eighth really sounds like a rest. It was fantastic to see their reaction when they heard it really work. And, you could see it in the faces of the wind section as well. They knew it, too! For the rest of rehearsal, they just got it. I'd like to take some credit for it, but I can't. It is the magic of Beethoven, the power and passion of Beethoven.

This performance can't come soon enough. I just can't wait.

I had a busy day today and am glad it ended with this!

Peace.
Scott