#220. “It’s A Hard Life”

#220. “It’s A Hard Life”

Many years ago, the legendary W. Francis McBeth wrote an article entitled, “It’s A Hard Life” that sticks (pun intended, as you’ll see!) with me every time I rehearse an ensemble. The essence of this article was his opinion that all too often...
#219. Absolutely Brilliant!

#219. Absolutely Brilliant!

This past summer, I had the wonderful privilege of serving as a clinician for a wind conducting symposium with my dear friend, Dr. Robert Halseth. Bob’s extraordinary abilities as a conductor and teacher are only matched by his kindness, sincerity, and spirit....
Ideas for Better Ensemble Warm-Ups

Ideas for Better Ensemble Warm-Ups

Though working on pieces in a rehearsal can be extraordinarily beneficial, time spent doing warm-up and ensemble development exercises at the beginning and scattered throughout a rehearsal can be equally – if not more –  rewarding.  Here are a few ideas to help make...
#218. Winnie-the-Pooh Knew!

#218. Winnie-the-Pooh Knew!

As I reflect on so many facets of being a music teacher, I am often reminded of the marvelous words of A. A. Milne, who had Winnie-the-Pooh state so profoundly, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” How lucky, indeed. On so...
#217. Information Fatigue

#217. Information Fatigue

When one is bombarded with too much information all at once, it causes what is known as “Information Fatigue.” The result of this condition is a sense of apathy, indifference, disinterest, stress, and mental exhaustion. Basically, we “tune out”...