In the classroom - Legacy Mindset: As we enter the final stretch of the school year, it always brings a mix of emotions.  While an exciting time, it can be challenging for all to remain focused and consistently engaged.  I’ve learned to address the challenges head-on.  In rehearsal tomorrow, I’ll briefly touch on the negative things I see annually (lower levels of consistent focus, immature behavior, apathy, and distant stares instead of active pencils), but we’ll spend more time discussing the exciting opportunity on the horizon.  

Worse before it gets better - regardless of your approach to accountability, be ready for it to get worse before it gets better.  The concert preparation cycle runs from macro to micro, then back to macro.  In the micro phase, I always get the impression we’re getting worse.  Regardless of the strength of my ensemble, when we start digging deep for individual achievement, it sounds worse.  I have to remind myself: Don’t panic; keep pushing.  As students start to truly master their parts, as only individual accountability will ‘inspire’ them to do, I find that it ‘magically’ comes back into focus.  This confidence in their individual parts allows significantly more bandwidth for kids to zoom out and focus their energy on creating, shaping, and emoting the musical line - that’s where the joy is!  Whatever you do, just keep swimming! 

In the classroom - use all the ingredients in every rehearsal: I’m early in the concert cycle and have to remind myself that the most effective preparation strategy includes using all the ingredients in every rehearsal.  Too often, I find myself wholly focused on notes, rhythms, and intonation with complete disregard for balance, blend, and line.  “Getting the notes and rhythms right” so we can “add the dynamics later,” is the musical equivalent of insisting we cook the water, flour, and eggs “just right” before we add the sugar, salt, and vanilla.  I’ve found that identifying line or setting balance priorities while learning the ‘basics’ of a piece often accelerates the pace (and joy) of learning.  

Behind the scenes - the data doesn’t lie:  The data actually can and will lie if you aren’t systematic in how you look at it.  However,

In the classroom:  This is the time of year when I have to be especially intentional about balancing my desire to check everything off my rehearsal to-do list with the need to make meaningful progress. There’s so much material that it’s easy to equate completion with success and to feel stressed when every box isn’t checked. In reality, the work only matters if we’re making meaningful progress and helping performers understand how to carry that improvement into their individual practice.

To be clear, I’m not advocating against planning. My most effective rehearsals are always

In the classroom - I NEED YOU TO…: A world-class educator completely shifted my paradigm on engaging and correcting student behavior.  Her challenge: stop saying “I need you to…” in rehearsal.  In reality, my needs are irrelevant to the majority of my students, and yet, I frequently catch myself telling a student what I need.  Want more buy-in and engagement in rehearsal?  Find a way to reframe rehearsal expectations and musical improvements that remind

In the classroom: We have a concert Tuesday night, and it isn’t going to be pretty. 😛The kids are doing great, but we’re going in too many different directions - musical pit, solos, chamber ensembles, large group lit, not to mention losing four rehearsal days to the ice storm in North Texas.  I’d like to blame it on the ice, but truth be told