With the continued growth of NJMEA's Concert Band Festival, the debate of what constitutes a high-level performance seems to be on the rise in the state. While this is certainly not a new argument, the topic might benefit from continued…
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The tangible result of the instruction in the music classroom is the concert performance. In the preparation of music for a performance, we often overlook the details involved in the logistics to make the concert happen. To make sure your…
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Obviously, there is really not a single correct tempo for a given work or section even though composers do provide pretty specific guidelines, either metronome markings or subjective descriptions. However, these indications can sometimes be…
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Our nation has undergone vast changes during the past sixty years, and so too has the concert band music written during those years. The repertory from the mid-1950s to today reflects the social and political customs of each decade. As the…
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Band conductors need to constantly look for music that is artistically interesting and of educational value. I have written about this in some detail in the past and would urge readers to consult previous issues of Tempo if interested.
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When practicing, it is important to be warmed up. When you are warm, just like any athlete, your muscles and reflexes are ready to go, you are loose and agile, under control, ready for anything that any piece of music or any band…
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Playing in tune is a skill. It must be taught, developed, and polished as our students mature as musicians. Too often, particularly in young bands, good pitch is either left to chance or is so director and tuner centric that students are…
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Burnout is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Like fire, motivation gets stronger and burns hotter, or diminishes and burns out. There is no constant state. On any particular day, enthusiasm for work is increasing or decreasing, but it does…
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In between curriculum development, running after-school groups, department management, and individual student considerations, music teachers and department leads are increasingly needed to fill in the blanks where funds are missing from…
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