One of the most important aspects of a good warm-up exercise is that it isolates the concept being addressed. So often I hear an ensemble play an exercise that is meant to help...

Though we all know the incredible value of doing warm-up and ensemble development exercises with our ensembles, when I ask teachers why they don’t spend more time doing them, the...

Some years ago, I noticed that I had developed a bad habit on the podium. I was using the word "okay" all the time. It drove me nuts. I'm guessing it drove my students nuts too....

So often, I walk into band rooms and see vast numbers of necks wrenching to see the conductor. Those poor students all trying to get a glimpse of their teacher by slumping,...

My last blog referenced basketball superstar Stephen Curry. And though I have the athletic prowess of a houseplant, watching what this phenomenal player can do is like watching...

I recently heard an interview with basketball legend Stephen Curry. He described his less-than-stellar start as a player, reminding listeners that he had thirteen turnovers in...

I recently stumbled upon a wonderful quote that was so fantastic I can’t stop thinking about it. It simply read, “It doesn't matter if the glass is half-empty or half-full,...

I recently spoke at a start-of-the-new-school-year professional development day for a very large school district. It was the first day back for the teachers. As I surveyed the...

The remarkable Maya Angelou so eloquently stated, "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel." And...