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During the school year, directors observe the musical progress of their students. The director starts to see a picture of how great the band sounds. The long winter months brings images of students preparing for upcoming solo and ensemble…
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Perhaps you've been thinking of starting a jazz band, but are not sure how to do it or even if it's worthwhile. Jazz bands can accommodate students with diverse levels of skill, and they provide the only popular medium in which…
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In discussing music advocacy we often look at the "big picture," that is, how we communicate and what we say about music and music education. In moving from the "macro" to the "micro", it's easy to miss a step in building our advocacy…
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For band directors, meeting the requirements of the second National Standard- performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music- seems to be a given. However, a closer look at the breakdown of required…
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The first standard states that students should be capable of "singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music". This includes singing accurately and with good breath control throughout the vocal range, singing a varied…
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Jazz musicians have kept improvisation alive and well over the past century. Any good jazz history book will tell you how jazz began in New Orleans in humble beginnings and gradually branched out to encompass the world.
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Many directors and administrators have asked why they should consider a lease/purchase program for acquiring new band instruments. The traditional answer is that, while staying within a reasonable budget, the school has the opportunity to…
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In many of the school-band rehearsals I attend, I see a real disconnect between the percussion players and the rest of the band. It is true that there are bands in which the members of the percussion section are focused and really feel a…
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There are many ways we give others insights into how we view ourselves. For example, many e-mail programs allow users to create a personalized signature that appears after the text. Some use the signature to provide information such as…
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Unfortunately today, many music educators are not necessarily trained or familiar with how to utilize the plethora of the incredible teaching materials since the 1960's when college jazz degrees first became prominent and since the 1970's…
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