The next time you have a student or an entire ensemble continually stumble on one note when playing a run or fast passage, try this. Have them hold that "bad" note. Then have...

I love to tell stories, use metaphors, or make analogies in rehearsals. I've always felt it was a great way to connect with students, to describe an image of something we're...

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...

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...

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...

"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...

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...

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...

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...