#207. Have Them Play Less

#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 constantly remind them of its importance, chastise them when it’s wrong, and...
#206. Disrupt The Usual

#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 restaurant, we can count on the dish we love being the same every time we order it. And in...
#205. Make Change Happen

#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 so powerful and profound. And now, according to management...
#204. A Good Habit

#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 must replace it with a good habit. That certainly seems obvious, but all too often I...
#203. Balance

#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 possibility that it is their sound that is causing the problem. Instead of first checking to make...