by Peter Boonshaft | Dec 17, 2019 | Boonshaft's Blog
I was walking down the sidewalk toward the main doors of a school the other day on my way to do a clinic with their bands. Just a few feet before the doors I noticed words written in what was once – long ago – wet cement. I was mesmerized. I stood there motionless,...
by Peter Boonshaft | Dec 10, 2019 | Boonshaft's Blog
I know the advice I am about to offer will garner great dissent. But I simply have to share it nonetheless. I am not trying to trample on tradition, but rather offer what I think is sound advice for young (actually any age!) clarinetists. By using a neck strap to hold...
by Peter Boonshaft | Dec 2, 2019 | Boonshaft's Blog
The older I get, the more I realize the power of, and absolute necessity for our words to be actionable. I can’t begin to count the number of times I have stood in front of an ensemble and instructed them to “listen.” I can hear me saying it now, “Let’s start at...
by Peter Boonshaft | Nov 19, 2019 | Boonshaft's Blog
When it comes to the essence of education, I often reflect on the wisdom of the Dalai Lama XIV: “When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But, if you listen, you may learn something new.” Have truer words ever been spoken? Peter Loel Boonshaft,...
by Peter Boonshaft | Nov 12, 2019 | Boonshaft's Blog
Teachers are an amazing lot. Equal parts talent, perseverance, patience, wisdom, drive, passion, stamina, empathy, and about 200 other attributes. But we also all encounter frustration. The amount of that frustration can be tiny or enormous, and the...