The subject matter of this week was very similar to that of last week.
The main point that I took away was that every piece of music has an infinite number of teaching concepts contained within it. While this idea has not been lost on me at all, I never really noticed it until now. Just viewing the different interpretations of the pieces that we reviewed was very interesting.
There was a clinic at OMEA that was very helpful for me. It was given by Dan Crain, Brad Hruska, and Ryan Huch. The clinic was incorporating all of the national standards for music into a band curriculum. Again, many of the concepts that the trio covered were not new to me, and most of them I have either done or would consider using in my own classroom.
What I found most interesting was how each teacher chose a different piece of music to play with their band and, furthermore, how they would teach the standards with them. Like this weeks class, I was surprised at how differently I would have chosen literature as well as what I could get out of each piece. This is a fun aspect of teaching instrumental music that I think I can really enjoy.
On this subject, I have been pondering a subject that I hope we will cover, programming music for a concert. I also attended another clinic at OMEA about programming. Instead of answering my questions, it made my questions more in depth and intense. I was surprised by how much I wanted to know about programming. I never really put any thought into picking music for an ensemble. I hope that we can have a lesson, soon, on how to pick a program that suits your band, community, and school.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
MUED 352: Week 9
This week we conversed on score study and selecting repertoire; both of which I do not get to do very often. After my readings I have a few topics which lingered all the way through my reading process. While they cover both subjects of the week, I think that may be more geared to score study.
The first topic: when is score study a hindrance? I have had access to the score of "Molly on the Shore" by Percy Grainger. If you have a kickin' high school band, this is a piece to play. Now, I have had ample time to delve into its intricacies (of which there are many). What I have been noticing is that I have become very critical of the recordings that I own. I do not like this feeling.
None of the recordings are bad, in fact they are very good and I love listening to them. But when I put on my Skull Candy ear phones, I am saddened by all the mistakes that I find. It is at this point where I feel bad that I have studied the score so much. Like, I know what I want to hear, and what I should hear, and when I don't I am let down or put off.
I am hoping that this is because I am noticing what I have studied and am making educated choices. But, when do I put my score down and say, that was a beautiful performance? I feel that since I have such a knowledge of the score that it is taking away from the piece that I love. When should I let go of the music and praise the ensemble for doing a wonderful job? It has been lingering in my mind since the reading. I understand how important it is to know your scores, but at what cost?
My next topic: chances to study score and have access to literature. As a student at Case I have many opportunities to play great literature, but not chose it. I see this as very detrimental to my education. I have been lucky to work with the marching band here at Case, and I have been doing some limited study and choosing, but I feel that it is not enough.
I guess my question is, how can I start to learn to read scores and choose repertoire? I really hope that I do not have to wait until I get a job, because I think that it would overwhelm me very much. So if anyone who reads this has any suggestions, please let me know, I would love the opportunity to sit down and work through some literature.
Third topic: a list of band piece please! So I have been searching, for my own edification, for a compilation of band works that fits certain criteria. I have found some wonderful material like Dr. Ciepluch's publication and an online guide. But, I think there should be something like a database. One that details the specifics of pieces and what they can teach your band.
From my experience, certain composers have strengths at writing for specific instruments and specific styles. Philip Sparke writes very emotional slow movements, and David Gillingham writes very nice percussion works for example. I think it would be wise for some band directors to get together and compile a database of the band literature and what function they best serve. I think that would be very handy.
Lastly: I want to vent about teaching this week. I do not know what I did, or what I did not do, but I felt horrible after my teaching this week. I am proud that I tried, I really am. I am proud that I tried to do so many new things in my lesson. I tried really hard to think of ways in which I could relay my concepts to the students, and how I could scaffold the information to make it more accessable to the students.
Unfortunately I felt like I crashed and burned. I remember a certain point in which I intrinsically gave up because I just did not want to keep beating a horse to death. For a lot of the lesson, I felt like I was being fought; like there was a struggle between some of the students and the material I wanted them to learn. And by the time I wanted to get to the important musical techniques in my piece, I had lost the students.
I guess the lesson was not all lost, I am just very new at this type of teaching. I mean I remember that the students played a phrase well out of context, but had trouble playing it in context. So, I achieved .5 of that goal. The students also played the rhythms in the variation well, so again, another positive. I wish that I did not lose as much control as I did.
Oh well, things to work on. Till next week!
Ian
The first topic: when is score study a hindrance? I have had access to the score of "Molly on the Shore" by Percy Grainger. If you have a kickin' high school band, this is a piece to play. Now, I have had ample time to delve into its intricacies (of which there are many). What I have been noticing is that I have become very critical of the recordings that I own. I do not like this feeling.
None of the recordings are bad, in fact they are very good and I love listening to them. But when I put on my Skull Candy ear phones, I am saddened by all the mistakes that I find. It is at this point where I feel bad that I have studied the score so much. Like, I know what I want to hear, and what I should hear, and when I don't I am let down or put off.
I am hoping that this is because I am noticing what I have studied and am making educated choices. But, when do I put my score down and say, that was a beautiful performance? I feel that since I have such a knowledge of the score that it is taking away from the piece that I love. When should I let go of the music and praise the ensemble for doing a wonderful job? It has been lingering in my mind since the reading. I understand how important it is to know your scores, but at what cost?
My next topic: chances to study score and have access to literature. As a student at Case I have many opportunities to play great literature, but not chose it. I see this as very detrimental to my education. I have been lucky to work with the marching band here at Case, and I have been doing some limited study and choosing, but I feel that it is not enough.
I guess my question is, how can I start to learn to read scores and choose repertoire? I really hope that I do not have to wait until I get a job, because I think that it would overwhelm me very much. So if anyone who reads this has any suggestions, please let me know, I would love the opportunity to sit down and work through some literature.
Third topic: a list of band piece please! So I have been searching, for my own edification, for a compilation of band works that fits certain criteria. I have found some wonderful material like Dr. Ciepluch's publication and an online guide. But, I think there should be something like a database. One that details the specifics of pieces and what they can teach your band.
From my experience, certain composers have strengths at writing for specific instruments and specific styles. Philip Sparke writes very emotional slow movements, and David Gillingham writes very nice percussion works for example. I think it would be wise for some band directors to get together and compile a database of the band literature and what function they best serve. I think that would be very handy.
Lastly: I want to vent about teaching this week. I do not know what I did, or what I did not do, but I felt horrible after my teaching this week. I am proud that I tried, I really am. I am proud that I tried to do so many new things in my lesson. I tried really hard to think of ways in which I could relay my concepts to the students, and how I could scaffold the information to make it more accessable to the students.
Unfortunately I felt like I crashed and burned. I remember a certain point in which I intrinsically gave up because I just did not want to keep beating a horse to death. For a lot of the lesson, I felt like I was being fought; like there was a struggle between some of the students and the material I wanted them to learn. And by the time I wanted to get to the important musical techniques in my piece, I had lost the students.
I guess the lesson was not all lost, I am just very new at this type of teaching. I mean I remember that the students played a phrase well out of context, but had trouble playing it in context. So, I achieved .5 of that goal. The students also played the rhythms in the variation well, so again, another positive. I wish that I did not lose as much control as I did.
Oh well, things to work on. Till next week!
Ian
Friday, March 4, 2011
MUED 352: Week 8
I GOT TO TEACH!
It really is hard not to focus on anything else at the moment. There are so many things that I wish to tell everyone about my experience teaching trumpet, and yet I am speechless. I guess this is because I am so happy that I got to teach, I got to lead a classroom of students, I got a taste of what my future job could be. I am so excited.
There is no feeling, for me, greater than watching children learn. Watching the students play and absorb the information that I was giving them was truly enjoyable. What is most amazing to me is the dichotomy of feeling that you can have right before teaching, during teaching, and after teaching.
Before I was in the front of the class, I was so nervous; running through every possibility of what could go wrong, what I would do if a student fainted, what I would do if I fainted. And then when it was my turn to teach, I was fine. I knew what my job was and I knew how I was going to accomplish it. In fact during my lesson I started walking around more because I was letting off energy rather than actually listening to the students. Although that is not the best thing to emit, I think it did more positive than negative.
After I taught I was all smiles, I was on a cloud that didn't even have a number, I was just so happy that I was able to teach again. So to review, at first I'm wondering what to do if I lose consciousness and I end with wanting to keep on teaching. Wow!
I am saddened by one fact, however. I know that these students only have a few chances to learn from me. So my question is, how can I make each of my lessons meaningful? I am saddened because I feel that my lessons are but a tiny chunk in an otherwise vast musical world. I know that what I teach has to be powerful enough and meaningful enough for it to stick in the minds of the students. Even though they are not my students, I am treating them like they are. And knowing that I have a limited time with them, I am going to really miss them when I have to go.
What was best about teaching the trumpets was the self realization that I am in the right profession. I loved every second that I was in front of those kids, and I didn't want it to end. I was just so happy to actually realize that I am one of the lucky few who have found their passion and have a chance to use that passion every day of my life. For me, there is nothing more amazing than that.
It has been a good week!
It really is hard not to focus on anything else at the moment. There are so many things that I wish to tell everyone about my experience teaching trumpet, and yet I am speechless. I guess this is because I am so happy that I got to teach, I got to lead a classroom of students, I got a taste of what my future job could be. I am so excited.
There is no feeling, for me, greater than watching children learn. Watching the students play and absorb the information that I was giving them was truly enjoyable. What is most amazing to me is the dichotomy of feeling that you can have right before teaching, during teaching, and after teaching.
Before I was in the front of the class, I was so nervous; running through every possibility of what could go wrong, what I would do if a student fainted, what I would do if I fainted. And then when it was my turn to teach, I was fine. I knew what my job was and I knew how I was going to accomplish it. In fact during my lesson I started walking around more because I was letting off energy rather than actually listening to the students. Although that is not the best thing to emit, I think it did more positive than negative.
After I taught I was all smiles, I was on a cloud that didn't even have a number, I was just so happy that I was able to teach again. So to review, at first I'm wondering what to do if I lose consciousness and I end with wanting to keep on teaching. Wow!
I am saddened by one fact, however. I know that these students only have a few chances to learn from me. So my question is, how can I make each of my lessons meaningful? I am saddened because I feel that my lessons are but a tiny chunk in an otherwise vast musical world. I know that what I teach has to be powerful enough and meaningful enough for it to stick in the minds of the students. Even though they are not my students, I am treating them like they are. And knowing that I have a limited time with them, I am going to really miss them when I have to go.
What was best about teaching the trumpets was the self realization that I am in the right profession. I loved every second that I was in front of those kids, and I didn't want it to end. I was just so happy to actually realize that I am one of the lucky few who have found their passion and have a chance to use that passion every day of my life. For me, there is nothing more amazing than that.
It has been a good week!
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