Last evening, I received an email from a student who is in a course I am teaching. The student explained that he was telling his mother about his new classes and professors. When...

One of the best ways I know to recharge my teaching and ignite my spirit is to read a good book. The Power of Positive Students by Dr. William Mitchell is a book that will surely...

Over the years, when it comes to convincing students to do something – whatever it is – I’ve had the feeling that if they hear it from another student, it happens far more often...

For as long as I can remember I’ve tried to figure out what makes remarkable performers and conductors, well, remarkable. I don’t mean just good. I mean the greatest of the...

I can’t count the number of times I have posed a question to a student using the words “any” or “all,” only to receive a blank, worried, unknowing stare back. Queries like,...

What’s the difference between a teacher and just about everyone else? Well, I could write for hours and never really answer that question, but it might just be best summed up by...

Let’s say you are teaching a new rhythm to your students. You have them perform it. It goes pretty well. In an effort to get it even “cleaner” you have them repeat it. It gets...

I recently saw an adorable poster that caught my eye. It showed a very large dog standing next to a very small dog. Both had obviously been standing in mud about six inches deep....

Wouldn’t it be great if every mistake our ensemble made was as noticeable as a unison being played as a minor second?! Those obvious mistakes we can pick out and remediate almost...