If I had a dollar for every time I instructed an ensemble “to listen” in a rehearsal, I would be writing this blog on my private island in the Caribbean. Sadly, most of those times were the equivalent of asking the extremely bald band director writing this to grow hair. A great concept, but not the least bit helpful. However, by simply adding specifics of what to listen for to those instructions, everything changes. Now they have something to guide their listening. Something like: “Trumpets and alto saxes, listen to each other, because you have the same part.” “Bells, listen to the flutes. You are playing the first note of each measure of their melodic line.” “Trombones, can you hear the tubas? If not, you may be playing too loudly.” Any help at all is better than my silly request just to “listen.” Maybe I could have broken that habit earlier if I had simply trained my students to yell “listen to what?” when I said it!
Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
KHS America
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