#75. Overwhelming versus Manageable?

#75. Overwhelming versus Manageable?

One of the hardest aspects of being a teacher is remembering the difficulty of first learning something that now comes so easily to us. Something that we probably found so difficult when we first learned it. Breaking down a technique we have mastered, a skill we do...
#74. In Honor Of Greatness

#74. In Honor Of Greatness

On October 28, 2018 the world lost a great treasure with the passing of Richard Gill, Australia’s world-renowned conductor, teacher, and advocate for music education. But that description of this remarkable human being doesn’t even scratch the surface of who he was or...
#73. The First Time

#73. The First Time

Before your next rehearsal, write this wonderful old saying on the board: “Why is it that there is never enough time to do things right the first time…but always enough time to do them over.” Ask your students to think about those words, really think about them,...
#72. Irrigation

#72. Irrigation

On those days that I become frustrated, and heaven knows they come as sure as kids who will forget to bring their instruments, or that a fire drill will happen during the last dress rehearsal for a concert, I often sit quietly and read these words of C. S. Lewis: “The...
#71. Biography

#71. Biography

The word biography is often defined as an account of someone’s life written by someone else. For us as teachers, our biography, in great measure, will be written by those we teach. Our students – each of them – will contribute to that imaginary tome, that...