Boonshaft’s Blog
#208. A Video Might Work Better
I've long suggested that when our students are coming in for the start of rehearsals, we should have music playing by the finest of that type of ensemble for our students to...
#207. Have Them Play Less
Many years ago, I was speaking with a band director who posed a great question to me. He said, "I am so careful to teach correct posture and playing position to my beginners. I...
#206. Disrupt The Usual
Stasis, the notion of things just staying the same, can be comforting. We usually embrace the idea that “what has always happened will happen again.” When going to our favorite...
#205. Make Change Happen
"Never forget that a small group of people can change the world – it's the only thing that ever has." I'm guessing you've heard those wonderful words of Margaret Mead. They are...
#204. A Good Habit
I think we all would be well served to remember that when it comes to helping our students improve, train behaviors, or establish regimens, we can't just break a bad habit, we...
#203. Balance
In my previous blog, I wrote about my concern that when ensemble students are told to correct their blend, they almost always just get softer so as to guard against the...
#202. Blend
Of all the ensemble performance skills we need to teach, blend has to number among the most important. Look at any adjudication form, and there it will be. We can all agree on...
#201. The Genius Casals
The next time you are looking for a good – no, great – book to read, I would wholeheartedly recommend "Casals and the Art of Interpretation" by David Blum. This wonderful book...
#200. Pure Gold
I spend way too much time traveling on airplanes. Much of it is exhausting. Lots of it is frustrating. Often it is debilitating. But last week I had a wonderfully illuminating...