A Reflection On Version One Of My Ten Minute, Eighth Grade General Music Lesson On Louis Armstrong

When planning for my "mock" ten minute, eighth grade general music lesson on Louis Armstrong, there were countless ideas, thoughts, factors and questions, which crossed my mind. Louis Armstrong is arguably the first "giant" or "titan" of the jazz world, considering that there are currently no known recordings of Buddy Bolden, a man whom many consider to be the first tried-and-true "jazz musician". I think that frequently, the passion that an enthusiastic music educator possesses for his or her art form can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, students absolutely need to feed off of this positive energy, particularly when we find ourselves in an educational climate ripe with standardized testing, curriculum overhaul, teacher burnout and widespread frustration at all levels. It is an honor to be able to "specialize" in something that you are deeply committed to, whereas many general education classroom teachers have settled for a subject, either because it is an area of need or, if they are at the elementary level, they are forced to throw their proverbial hat into the ring of each "core subject" respectively. As a music educator I have the utmost honor of being able to focus on what sincerely matters the most to me, day in and day out. However, because I have such a deep love for music, particularly jazz, I think I frequently forget that most people whom I come into contact with are not on this exact wavelength. Regardless of the age group in question, students need to be given a taste of someone like Louis Armstrong in bits and pieces. The full pie is not meant to be dealt out all at once, but rather in small slices, so that it ultimately is that much more enjoyable, boasts a longer shelf life and proves to be as rewarding and engaging as possible. There is so much to say about the genius of Louis Armstrong and yet as the saying goes, "Less is more". Professor Schneider made an excellent point by reminding our class that we need to focus on only one or two objectives that we wish to accomplish in the course of our individual ten minute lessons. The point of any form of instruction should always be clear to the students participating in said class, especially when you consider that if your class doesn't understand the message you are trying to communicate, chances are observers who may be evaluating you will not follow either. I love the picture below, because despite being known as a clown and perpetual joker, Louis Armstrong was a consummate professional and an incredibly deep and profound human being. 

As I started my lesson off, having the class take part in a "call and response" or "echoing" exercise with the song "When the Saints Go Marching In", I found myself wondering if I should proceed with the Prezi that I had created on the life, music and career of "Satchmo". I wanted to begin by engaging my classmates, which I felt quite successful at during the aforementioned activity. From there, I fell back on the Prezi, because I felt that having a variety of materials was necessary to sustain interest in the topic at hand. Once again, I have to remind myself that not everyone, particularly not eighth grade students in 2015, will be as taken with Louis Armstrong as I am. Truth be told, I am not the best at incorporating the wide expanse of technology currently available, into the classroom environment. This aspect of my teaching is something that I undoubtedly strive to get better at, which is why I was thrilled to read Dr. Scott Watson's book Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity, along with absorbing Professor Schneider's expertise in this area. I figured that I would try my best at compiling at Power Point Presentation or Prezi, considering that I had recently utilized the latter for an assignment in my "Educating the Exceptional Learner" class at the University of Bridgeport, with rather positive results. While Professor Schneider and several of my classmates complimented me on my use of technology, along with incorporating audio clips of Louis Armstrong performing "When the Saints Go Marching In", "West End Blues" and "Hello, Dolly!", I think that the general consensus was that I should have continued along the path of vocal, improvisational and performance/participatory activities, which I began on at the beginning of my lesson. The possibilities in this regard are endless, but I plan to come up with a concrete sketch of how to proceed, through incorporating improvisation, phrasing, harmony, arranging, vocal techniques, scat-singing and perhaps "gag effects". I would love to have each student come up with his or her own interpretation of the melody to a song such as "St. James Infirmary", which Louis Armstrong recorded countless times over the course of his career. The class could sing this song as a round and continue the theme of "call and response", by having one student improvise over the first four measures of either the chord progression or simply the melodic line, followed by an answer from the next student in the circle, etc. The following clip showcases Louis Armstrong and the All-Stars, live in Berlin, Germany in 1965 and features Eddie Shu on clarinet, Tyree Glenn on trombone, Billy Kyle on piano, Arvell Shaw on bass and Danny Barcelona on drums. Even at the age of nearly 65, Louis Armstrong never ceased to epitomize finesse, innovation and polish. 

One observation of each student who presented his respective lesson earlier this evening is that there was a tendency to cram as much in as possible, consequently talking far more than necessary and frequently at a frenzied pace. Finding the right moments to insert a bit of dialogue is a constant balancing act, because referring back to Peter Loel Boonshaft, even though as teachers, we don't want to talk too much, there are certainly moments that require discourse between students and teacher(s). Professor Schneider also makes a critical statement concerning the need for student directed learning. Regardless of the content area in question, the present educational climate emphasizes the notion of a learner taking more responsibility and ownership for his or her education, learning and understanding of material. As with any idea, there are certainly aspects of this concept that need to be examined more closely, but by and large I concur with the notion that a student should develop the intrinsic motivation to be the pilot of his or her own vessel. I look forward to the challenge of building on my initial lesson plan and re-presenting three weeks from now, when the final exam in Music in the Secondary School rolls around. I am excited to read comments and receive feedback from my colleagues at large!

Where Will The Money To Run A Successful Band, Orchestra, Chorus Or Jazz Ensemble Come From?

In many ways, growing up in the Simsbury, Connecticut Public School System was a rather ideal situation to find myself in. Simsbury is an upper-middle class town of just over 23,000 citizens, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, nestled in the heart of Connecticut's Farmington Valley region, which derives it name from the presence of the Farmington River. This section of Connecticut routinely competes with Fairfield County as home to some of the state's top school districts and most desirable towns to reside in. Simsbury is often at the top of the rankings in standardized testing scores across all ages and academic levels. The school system was recently selected as one the National Association of Music Merchants' (NAMM) 2015 Best Communities for Music Education Districts, along with neighboring Avon and Canton respectively. I had the privilege of starting my public school music experience on the violin as a fourth grader at Squadron Line School. Although I didn't take very well to this instrument, the fact that students were encouraged to take a chance by learning to play an orchestral instrument at the young age of either nine or ten is rather incredible. Over the past ten to fifteen years, the Suzuki Method has become a primary component of the elementary orchestral curriculum in Simsbury. However, during my own forays with the violin, Essential Elements was our "Bible" or "Gospel" of sorts. From what I can recall, Squadron Line School had a sizable amount of reserve instruments on hand, in case a student was unable to rent one of his or her own. The school district provided parents with information on several rent-to-own programs, including two through area music stores and a third, which the school system itself ran. A handful of my peers came from families that opted to rent through the district, but the majority of students utilized one of the two area music stores who partnered with the Simsbury Public School System. Although some of the instruments owned by the school had been around the block over "x" amount of years, the district appeared to do a respectable job of maintaining the caliber and quality of product, which was being dished out to students on a yearly basis. I recollect several of my band directors acquiring new instruments on a cycle, ranging from three to five years, depending on the needs that existed and the funds available at that time. Throughout my entire time as a student in the Simsbury Public School System, there was always a "Friends for Music Association", staffed by parents of current and former Simsbury students, who worked directly with teachers, administration and the town to showcase the sights and sounds of music in the schools and throughout the community. There was an annual town-wide festival, rotating each year between band, orchestra and chorus. This event almost always took place at Simsbury High School, which for an elementary or middle school student was an extremely prestigious honor, considering that this institution represented the culmination of each and every child's educational experience in Simsbury. You had the chance to mingle with future colleagues, instructors and typically a guest artist from an area organization, such as the University of Hartford's Hartt School or the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. I believe that performance and networking opportunities of this nature become motivators for students of any age, because they are able to reap the fruits of their labors, not only through the aforementioned outlets, but by seeing the evolutionary process that is learning a musical instrument and embracing this art form. The image below embodies this concept, as Luke Rosenberg leads elementary school singers at Westport, Connecticut's annual town-wide choral festival, held in the Staples High School auditorium on April 9, 2014. Over 400 students from across the district participated in this event. 

My contention is that the only way for milestones of this nature to continue, is if teachers, students, parents, administrators and communities work together to support band, orchestra, chorus and jazz programs throughout their local public schools. The towns that I have mentioned thus far are all considered to be on the affluent end of the spectrum, but despite this categorization, the reality is that in the early 2000's, Simsbury dropped its strings program for one year, citing budgetary concerns. Dominick Fiore, a teacher in the district, worked in tandem with the Friends for Music Association and area music store owner Jim Martocchio, in an effort to persuade the school system of the paramount importance of this facet of its music program. Thankfully, through tireless negotiating, Simsbury decided to reinstate strings the following year. I was particularly shocked when I learned of these developments, because throughout my time as a student in the school system's music department, I had never had the slightest inkling that corners needed to be cut, in order to sustain financial stability. If this type of perilous situation can unfold in a community with so-called "wealth", imagine what is happening in urban and rural areas throughout Connecticut and around the United States. Resources have to be pooled between all factions who have a claim to stake in the development, maintenance and hopeful success of any public school music program. With the unveiling of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, music was forced to take a distant backseat in many public schools across the country. According to Arts Education Policy Review (2010), "Since 2007, almost 71% of schools have reduced instruction time in subjects such as history, arts, language, and music to provide more time and resources to mathematics and English." (Grey, 8-15) To me, the sad irony here is that the No Child Left Behind Act considers "the arts" to be a core academic subject, in the same category as language arts and mathematics. The legislation itself does not define the term in question, but I think it is safe to say that music would have to be considered an "art form". Parents and school officials have been led to believe that music is not nearly as important or relevant in the quest to bridge the ever-elusive "achievement gap". If a student is not making benchmarks in language arts and mathematics, our solution is to place that child in a second set of language arts and mathematics classes. After all, common sense would dictate that this is the sure fire solution to the child's academic woes, right? I don't know about all of you out in the ether, but I personally am sickened by this truly sad state of affairs. The video clip below features Berklee College of Music President Roger H. Brown discussing the dire need for music education within any public school setting. The message that he conveys certainly speaks for itself. 

When considering the amount of money that is allocated to school systems on a yearly basis for "budgetary requirements", as a music educator in the making, I wonder just how expensive it is to maintain a program at any of the various educational levels throughout public schools. Earlier in this posting, I cited the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), and during the course of research that I conducted on funding for public school music education programs, I came upon an article entitled It Turns Out Funding Music Education Costs Less Than Everyone Thought, written on August 30, 2012 by Suzi Parker of TakePart. Parker brings to light a study by Mark L. Fermanich of the Center for Education Policy Analysis in the University of Colorado at Denver's School of Public Affairs, in conjunction with NAMM, which indicates that the annual cost of running a comprehensive K-12 music program is only around $187 per student. Fermanich studied a school district with more than 70,000 students during the 2009-2010 academic year. This system houses urban, rural and suburban schools, with 25% minority students and 25% of students eligible for Title I funds. The total budget for the district was $853 million with $13.9 million set aside solely for music education. These numbers are absolutely astonishing, because need I ask the obvious question, "Can you imagine what could be done with $13.9 million dollars?" The article does not indicate what type of parental resources or fundraising the music department engages in, but it does go on to say that as students age, the cost of funding their music education on a year-to-year basis decreases. By the time a child reaches the end of middle school and enters high school, music has become an elective and as such, in many districts the numbers dwindle significantly. Although it might be considered controversial to take the stance that music makes a student "smarter", evidence continues to show that schools with a music program boast lower absenteeism, lower dropout rates and higher graduation numbers. 

In order to generate any type of parental support or fundraising ability, students, teaching colleagues, administrators and the community at large need to believe in your program. I think that it is of the utmost importance for a music educator at any level to hit the ground running from the first day that he or she sets foot on the job. Set the tone of how committed you are to the school community as a whole. Let each and every person see the passion that you have for your art form, in tandem with a continually developing craft of teaching. When students begin to believe in the message that you stand behind, the effects will be far reaching, impacting the world well beyond the walls of your classroom. If a parent catches a glimpse of the positive influence that music and you as an educator are having on his or her child, they will be able to testify first hand to the importance of a thriving music program in the school environment. There is an old saying that goes like this, "Build it and they will come." When you begin to establish credibility, not only will students and parents stand behind you, but any communication with the board of education and district officials will become significantly easier. You will have tangible documentation of why your program is important to the learning process and consequently can refer your superiors to the benefits that the school system and community as a whole will reap as a result of its presence. The video clip below documents an interview that the National Association for Music Education (NAfME/MENC) conducted with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis on February 7, 2014 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. Wynton remains a controversial figure in music as we progress through 2015 and beyond, but he speaks a great deal of truth to power during this interview. Kudos to you, Wynton!

Another item of interest that I came across when compiling information to use in conjunction with the prompt for this blog post is a report released by the New York City Department of Education in February. The document that I am referring to is known as ARTS in Schools Report: 2013-2014 and is extremely eye-opening in terms of what is and is not going on artistically in New York City Public Schools. Many will argue that New York City is an exception to the rule, because of the incredibly diverse, unique and rich cultural environment that exists across all five boroughs. However, I would like to emphasize that the "melting pot" atmosphere of New York City is a macrocosm of the problems present in arts programs throughout the United States. Students in New York City are surrounded by artistic tradition and heritage, needing to only hop a subway train, catch a bus, take a cab or walk to some of the most incredible museums, exhibitions, clubs, theaters and cultural institutions that the world has to offer. Be that as it may, the statistics are incredibly deceiving and upon digging a bit deeper in the report, one quickly realizes that not only are students losing access to music education as they get older, but they are also seeing certified music instructors replaced by "experts" from organizations throughout the city. If I were a New York City public school music educator, I would be completely in favor of partnerships between the New York City Public School System and numerous entities in the community, but I think that it is very important to differentiate between a teacher and a museum curator, club owner or "visiting artist". As I have discussed in previous posts, it is quite rare that a gifted performer is an equally gifted teacher. The two pursuits have some overlap, but are also vastly separated in many respects. Cutting back on certified arts educators in favor of community outreach is a big mistake. When we think of the size of the New York City Public School System and the budgetary requirements, which must be met for operations to continue unimpeded, it is important to remember that even if the finances necessary to sustain a burgeoning music program are present, one must carefully examine how they are being allocated. The New York City Department of Education's report would have the reader believe that the current state of arts in the Big Apple's schools is alive and well, but how much truth is there to that statement? Below is a promotional photo from a new partnership "Amp Up NYC", between Berklee College of Music, Little Kids Rock and the New York City Public School System, aiming to bring more investment back into the city's music education programs. 

At this present moment, my feeling is that in order for a public school music program at any level to be successful, there needs to be a pooling of resources among teacher, students, parents, administrators, district officials and outside organizations. There are many organizations such as the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, the Grammy Foundation, NAMM and NAfME, which offer an array of financial support for excelling and in-need music programs alike. It would behoove any music educator to do as much research as possible on the budgetary circumstances of your particular district, followed by a comparison to area districts and school systems with a similar demographic profile throughout your state and geographic region. Financial support is a constant topic on the minds of music educators everywhere, but it is important to do your homework. Opportunities are out there for the taking. Time to roll up your sleeves and continue the good fight that artists have taken up since the beginning of time.  

The Ever-Evolving Role Of Technology In Music Education

I must admit that technology as a whole is a topic that I have extremely mixed feelings towards. As one could say about almost anything in life, there are undoubtedly positives and negatives to this subject. The prevalence of more sophisticated computers and the internet in public schools had just begun to pick up steam when I was entering the second half of elementary school. I vividly recall visits to the library during fourth and fifth grade, when the librarian would access the internet via America Online (AOL), which along with Netscape, was one of the only games in town when it came to web browsers. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox and Google Chrome were not even a twinkle in the eye of consumers worldwide. There was only one connection speed available to the general public: dial-up. While some of the readers of this blog might not have a concept of the aforementioned term, I am sure that many of us clearly remember the process of hearing a dial-tone, as one would when picking up a conventional telephone, followed by the applicable access number being automatically dialed, a brief pause and then that ever familiar hiss as our individual modem attempted to connect/log-on to the internet. This could be a painstakingly slow procedure, meaning that "surfing and/or browsing the net" might be even slower still. One absolutely had to have patience to survive in this pre-high-speed/broadband/cable environment, because depending on how much "traffic" permeated the digital world at any one time, it might take as long as ten or fifteen minutes just to load one web page. We whine, moan and groan in 2015 if it takes our browser beyond five seconds to complete a task. How would the children of this current generation have tolerated the internet in its infancy of the 1990's? Can't you just feel the nostalgia when watching and listening to the clip below? What fond memories of all the time spent instant messaging friends, family and acquaintances to find out if spaghetti-straps would be allowed at the seventh grade dance, when the next family reunion was scheduled to take place and how many pages of To Kill A Mockingbird Mrs. Martorelli expected your English class to read for the following day. 

My own experiences in the public school music curriculum did not feature much, if any technology. Would I have learned more from the presence of iPads, SMART boards, classroom computers, frequent use of an iTunes library, access to You Tube videos and the incorporation of digital audio workstations a la Garage Band, Band-In-A-Box or Pro Tools? Had any number of these technological tools been present, my musical education would have been different to say the very least, but not necessarily "better" or "more informative". There is a large part of me that looks fondly upon having to take part in the quest for knowledge. I feel that the journey to find that which I seek is where much of the true learning takes place. A primary danger or drawback of the technology currently available to the general public is that it has the potential to breed laziness and complacency. The intricacies of a library's card catalog and the Dewey Decimal System governing it have become an after thought for a twenty-first century populace. I can simply "Google" any question that I might have and find thousands of webpages dedicated to my inquiry. However, the ease of creating a blog, wiki or website has thrown a glaring wildcard into the field of research and actions of study. The average internet user must be that much smarter, savvier and more discerning when deciding what information is valid versus that which is patently false. Has the boom in technology made our society, "Better, stronger and faster," as proclaimed in several hip-hop songs of the 1990's and 2000's? Is it possible that we find ourselves in a precarious position, where we are so dependent on technological devices that we risk losing a major component of our humanity? Below is a picture of Albert Einstein, a man who clearly held a strong opinion on the application of technology in the modern world. Will his dire prediction come true or has it already?

In his textbook Using Technology To Unlock Musical Creativity, Dr. Scott Watson, a veteran music educator who has taught for over twenty-five years in the Parkland, Pennsylvania School District, as well as at Villanova, Cairn (formerly Philadelphia Biblical) and Central Connecticut State Universities respectively, takes a productive, uplifting and engaging look at the many creative possibilities that exist when the ambitious teacher decides to incorporate technology into the music classroom. One of the first items of interest that Watson brings to the reader's attention is a device designed and marketed by Korg, which they call the Kaossilator "Dynamic Phrase Synthesizer". This handheld object "...levels the playing field between students with and without traditional musical (instrumental or vocal) training." (Watson, 59) The synthesizer gives students the ability "...to improvise and record gestures on a touch pad, which are translated into patterns of various scales and timbres depending on a number of intuitive variables. Each new pattern can be layered on top of previous patterns for complex textures." (Watson, 59) Ideas conceived via the Kaossilator are recorded through the audio output jacks. Dr. Watson goes on to make a very important point when he says that, "Because the Kaossilator calls on such radically different paradigms of sound organization, it is hard to know whether to call it an instrument or music production hardware. One thing is certain: Creative technology tools such as this prompt students to create in new and interesting ways." (Watson, 59) Technological innovations can contribute to our world in fascinating and breathtaking ways, but in my opinion, it is of the utmost importance that we always recognize the possibilities of the human mind. Someone, somewhere had to invent the Kaossilator, Garage Band, Band-In-A-Box, Pro Tools and any of the other electronic resources a music educator might choose to call upon within the confines of his or her classroom. Artificial intelligence, robots or machinery, regardless of what terminology you might use for these entities, a human being conceived them. The human mind is at the forefront of creativity, innovation and artistic expression. A synthetic manifestation will never surpass the potential of humanity. It is our students who will discover increasingly sophisticated, unique and clever ways to incorporate technology into their musical arsenal. Barbara Freedman, Electronic Music and Audio Engineering Instructor at Greenwich High School in Greenwich, Connecticut, uses the Kaossilator to bring music students of all ability levels and backgrounds together in creation and performance. When researching Ms. Freedman a bit further, I discovered that among her extensive list of accomplishments and credentials, she is frequently associated with her motto, "Teach music. The technology will follow." Her summation perfectly encompasses an important part of my own philosophy on music education. This video features the ensemble "Total Kaoss", a group assembled by Freedman, consisting of the following unconventional instrumentation: Korg Kaossilators, miniKPs, iPhones and the Alesis SR-16. 

As an aspiring music educator in 2015, I think that it will be important for me to continue to learn as much as I can about various technological devices, programs, digital audio workstations and resources. During my final two years at Simsbury High School, I spent half of the day at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. Through friends and teachers, I discovered the expansive realm of electronic music, particularly as documented by Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Stereolab and the band Radiohead. I was fascinated by the diverse textures and often other-worldly sonic palettes of these artists, because truth be told, I had never given much thought to how one might make music without the use of conventional western instruments or the voice. As an undergraduate at The Hartt School, I began teaching saxophone, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone and baritone horn lessons at Martocchio Music in Simsbury, Connecticut. A colleague of mine, Tom Crean, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator specializing in so-called "electronic and computer music" broadened my horizons even further to include avant-garde, electronic and neo-classical artists such as Alvin Lucier, Milton Babbitt and John Cage. This secondary education completely opened me up to the possibilities of what "music" could be. In his textbook Using Technology To Unlock Musical Creativity, Dr. Scott Watson cites Robert Sternberg and Wendy Williams's book How to Develop Student Creativity, which posits, "We all have assumptions....Creative people question those assumptions and eventually lead others to do the same." (Sternberg and Williams, 11) Watson goes on to comment that, "The more broad our answer to the question 'What is music?' the more open are we to experiences with electronic sounds, sound-scape/collage-type compositions, aleatoric elements, graphically notated scores that use symbols rather than notes on a staff, and other unconventional musical formats." (Watson, 60) Dr. Watson emphasizes how important it is to expose our students to a wide variety of thought-provoking examples, through listening, examination/analysis and discussion/reflection. He especially recommends the use of electronic art music, minimalism and serial music. I could not agree more with Watson's assertion, for the average student in today's educational environment frequently has no concrete opinion on what music is or isn't. If a music educator is passionate about material that he or she presents to a class filled with students of any age, academic level or ability, chances are these pupils will eventually become mildly curious about the information or content therein. The You Tube clip below is the title track of Alvin Lucier's 1969 album "I Am Sitting In A Room", which is arguably his most famous work. The song at hand evolves over forty-five plus minutes through continual looping and re-recording by Lucier himself. His goal was for the resonant frequencies to reinforce themselves. 

The ultimate conclusion that I have come to is that while technological advancements are inevitable, they need to be kept in perspective and utilized in a responsible manner. When this happens, then the end results are inspiring, captivating and often defining over successive generations. Music educators and students alike should be fully aware of and reasonably proficient in the use of several electronic resources, which should change depending on the class in question and the specifics of any given curriculum. Just as technology will continue to evolve and improve, so will the human condition. There will always be a demand for technological advancements and the conveniences that they bring, but I honestly believe that in order for this to happen at its highest levels of efficiency, the best and brightest from all corners of the globe will need to make themselves known. 

A Resounding "Hooray," For Alfie Kohn's "The Trouble with Rubrics"!

In his passionate and informed article The Trouble with Rubrics, Alfie Kohn deconstructs the myth that these tools of assessment are an effective way to evaluate the progress and abilities of our students as it relates to their overall knowledge on a specific topic within any given subject. Kohn brings up a series of points, which it would behoove all educators, regardless of content area to take into consideration. He relates a quote from an article championing the use of rubrics, "... [they] make assessing student work quick and efficient, and they help teachers to justify to parents and others the grades that they assign to students," which brought out red flags the moment that he read it. This is a particularly important point, because as teachers our objective should most certainly not be to rush through a student's work, in an attempt to just dole out a grade that doesn't even correlate to the content, ingenuity, effort, creativity and/or mastery that may or may not be present in the item at hand. When one decides to become a teacher, there are distinct responsibilities that go along with this profession. One of the most time consuming is the daily process of grading, be it by hand or electronically. By this point, anyone reading my blog should gather that the music classroom is a learning environment all its own. Be that as it may, any grading that I take on will be done thoughtfully and with equal attention given to each student. A teacher needs to be willing to take the opportunity to reflect on a student's output in meaningful ways that ultimately benefit the learner and motivate him or her to reach even greater heights in the next assignment, performance, lesson, quiz, test or presentation. The current generation of "helicopter parents" who have to know every last tiny detail about their child's existence have definitely added to the pressures that teachers are feeling to create this simple, short and sweet justification for their grading practices. The second half of the quote included above portrays rubrics as a means to explain away a number or letter grade when parents or administrators come calling. Mrs. Jones would like to know why Michael received a B- on his midterm oral presentation. All that Michael's teacher has to do is point to the rubric, which was handed out prior to work commencing on the aforementioned assignment, ensuring that students would know exactly what was expected of them and how to earn that A+! As Alfie Kohn goes on to say in his essay, "Look at all these 3's, Mrs. Grommet! How could I have given Zach anything but a B?" That type of discourse is not only meaningless, but quite troubling for the future of education as a whole. In the article, Kohn cites a woman named Maja Wilson, a Professor at the University of Maine and a former Michigan public school teacher who wrote a book entitled Rethinking Rubrics in Writing Assessment. Wilson discusses how backwards the idea of using a rubric to judge someone's writing truly is, because of the fact that it breeds uniformity and shuns the creative voice. She is interviewed in the video clip featured below, discussing her book and the ideas behind it. Everything that she outlines is built upon within The Trouble with Rubrics.

If each teacher is being told to praise the exact same characteristics, traits and qualities then not only will every educator have an eerily identical and watered down vision and philosophy, but students across the board will put forth the same end results year after year. In my opinion, this creates a homogenized and dumbed down society where mediocrity is the acceptable norm. Students and people in general should not be put into a box. This mentality will continue to curtail the endless possibilities of the individual and leave the United States as we know it with nothing but mindless robots, serving as cogs in the massive wheel of the machine that is the establishment. Alfie Kohn quotes a sixth grader, who when talking about the misguided marriage between writing and rubrics said, "The whole time I’m writing, I’m not thinking about what I’m saying or how I’m saying it.  I’m worried about what grade the teacher will give me, even if she’s handed out a rubric.  I’m more focused on being correct than on being honest in my writing.” This is heartbreaking for someone such as myself, who is planning to teach a subject where creativity, individuality and the original perspective of the self is everything. I agree completely with the feelings expressed in The Trouble with Rubrics and can recall my own mother, in the last several years of her own teaching career, commenting on how troubling it was that students in this day and age have become so dependent upon rubrics for every conceivable assignment. The proliferation of these so-called "assessment tools" is a recent occurrence, because when I graduated from high school in 2004, I can say with absolute assurance that we were not provided with a rubric for much of anything thrown our way. I believe that is the way that it should be, particularly when taking into account the element of perspective. As a musician I know that my interpretation of a selection will not be identical to that of my colleague sitting next to me in the saxophone section of a big band. The beauty of this quandary is that we are able to put our voices together to come up with something completely unique and authentic, which draws upon facets from each of us. Rubrics are the complete antithesis of this notion and serve to put another label on top of students, many of whom already have three and four others that have unceremoniously been bestowed upon them.

When it comes to the incorporation of a rubric into the music classroom, I think that the only purpose it serves is as an incredibly small portion of a student's overall grade. There is so much more that goes into assigning a letter/number marking to a musician in a band, orchestra, jazz or choral setting. In my own experiences, these components include preparation, performance, comportment, attendance and effort. One of the many compelling aspects of music education is that a student may not take to the art form immediately and yet one day, the light bulb will turn on and suddenly the darkness lifts and everything begins to make sense and just "click". How can you compare Ethan, the top trumpeter in your wind ensemble, who has been taking private lessons since the fourth grade, to Rosemarie, a freshman who decided this past summer that she wanted to take up the flute? The "learning curve" in music and any artistic discipline for that matter should not be quantified. If a student must be judged on his or her ability to perform an eight bar section of Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever, because the district mandates this, consider that this is such a microscopic viewing of what each student is musically capable of. Regular informal assessment, through both singing and playing, allow the teacher to evaluate a child's participation, attitude, understanding and connection to the music being studied at any given time. This can be done in sectionals, small group settings, individually or however a director sees fit to structure the performance environment. Referencing Peter Loel Boonshaft once more, I concur that the majority of one's work in a musical environment takes place during rehearsals. A director hopes that the concert is a culmination of the hard work that students have put in over the course of any given time frame, and yet he or she knows that this is frequently not a true marker of what has been learned and the current standing of each member of the ensemble in question. It is with this statement that I look at rubrics with much skepticism. I know that I will be expected to make use of them along the way, but I don't plan to place a great deal of weight or value behind them. Can they serve a purpose? If kept within their rightful place as an extremely vague measure of one's ability to complete a menial task, then the answer is yes. Unfortunately, the current educational climate seems to have wrongfully placed them on a pedestal as the cure all to our continual struggle to justify our individual grading methods. Sir Ken Robinson gives us some interesting food for thought in the clip provided below. Feedback is welcomed and appreciated!

 

Music Educators Should Be Experts In Both Jazz And American Folk Music!

Once the reader learns that my background consists of a Bachelor's of Music in Jazz Studies from the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford's Hartt School, along with a stint at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (a performing arts magnet high school known for the jazz end of its music department), he or she may feel that I have an unfair bias towards this particular musical genre. Putting my own feelings aside, jazz is America's true art form. This improvisational entity is our gift to the world of music. The meeting of western classical music, sounds of Africa, the pseudo-European culture of New Orleans, Louisiana's French Creoles, earthy, heartfelt emotions of both the blues and spirituals, along with the harrowing struggles and triumphs of slaves all across this side of the Atlantic Ocean made for the perfect storm that subsequently evolved into the Sunday happenings at Congo Square, later giving birth to what was first called "jass" and later jazz. It is particularly doubtful that this "worlds colliding" scenario could have happened anywhere else and at any alternate time in modern history. The pianist whom you see in the picture below is none other than Count Basie, one of the iconic figures of the big band/swing era and leader of a truly remarkable orchestra, which is still in existence today and currently touring!

From the very beginnings of our public school music education, we are taught about three legends of western classical music: Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. These gentleman are undoubtedly some of the most prolific musicians and composers that this world will ever see. Their contributions to the development of music as a whole are endless and I think that it is safe to say the history of the discipline would look markedly different, were it not for the innovations of this triumvirate. Be that as it may, why should public school music education be primarily focused on events that transpired outside of the United States? If we are adamant that every child be able to recognize "Ode to Joy" then why aren't we insistent that they also correctly identify "Take The 'A' Train" or "Summertime"? Western classical music is placed on a pedestal in the typical K-12 music curriculum and it is a rarity that students hear the names Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington or Miles Davis, let alone more obscure legends of jazz, beyond either the elementary school general music classroom or jazz band. The artistic achievements of Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Horace Silver and their ilk are no less significant or impassioned than those of their counterparts in the classical realm. Jazz is a reflection of the cultural and social revolutions that took place throughout the twentieth century in America. The personal sacrifices made by many of our predecessors that ultimately led to the circumstances by which jazz was created are monumental and compelling. In the words of pianist Hotep Idris Galeta (Cecil Barnard), "There are bodies at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for this music." Not only do our students need to be familiar with jazz in all of its many forms, but music educators have an absolute obligation to carry on the rich traditions of the colorful culture and language that is jazz. Incorporating a substantial amount of jazz into the discussion and instruction of any music classroom, regardless of specific focus or age group only serves to enliven and deepen a child's musical horizon. Despite the revision of our National Standards for Music Education in 2014, the idea of creation through improvisation is one that will most assuredly remain a constant as we move forward in the twenty-first century and beyond. The freedom and constant evolution of jazz make this musical genre the perfect environment for a student to embrace his or her creative inclinations, subsequently experiencing the true   joys of invention and heartfelt expression. The video clip that you see below features well-known San Francisco Bay Area artists such as John Handy and Elena Pinderhughes reciting a speech entitled "On The Importance Of Jazz" that was given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the opening of the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival. The thoughts and feelings presented in this monologue epitomize the essence of the music and its universal message to humanity.

When the topic of jazz becomes part of any music education conversation, invariably American folk music should simultaneously share the podium. One might make the statement that jazz is America's folk music, which can be embellished upon to further offer that jazz is one of America's many forms of so-called "folk music". According to dictionary.com, the term "folk music" refers to, "music, usually of simple character and anonymous authorship, handed down among the common people by oral tradition." A secondary definition says, "music by known composers that has become part of the folk tradition of a country or region." American folk and/or roots music is another integral part of the fabric of our nation's history. The lyrics of songs that make up the repertoire of this style chronicle the birth of the United States and its subsequent developments throughout the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries respectively. At this moment in modern history it is of the utmost importance that our students be immersed in the folk and roots music of those who came before them. It is only through a thorough study of one's ancestors that the present-day traveler will comprehend the road that he or she walks upon. There is an old saying that those who do not learn from the lessons history has to teach are doomed to repeat the same events. Music educators in 2015 should be fully prepared to incorporate the American Songbook and its many prominent composers into the curriculum of any band, orchestra, chorus, jazz ensemble, music technology, music theory, music history or general music class that they teach. Inevitably each instructor will choose to focus on a slightly different set of composers, but with that being said an initial list of figures to consider would include Stephen Foster, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein II, Cole Porter, Bob Dylan, John Denver, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, James Weldon Johnson and Huddie Ledbetter. Volumes one and two of Get America Singing…Again! provide ample resources for the music educator at any level to begin assembling a repertory list for students to become familiar with. Selections such as Amazing Grace, America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee), America the Beautiful, Danny Boy, God Bless America, Havah Nagilah, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, Home on the Range, I've Been Working on the Railroad and Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child are featured in volume one. Volume two builds upon the previous collection, adding Auld Lang Syne, Camptown Races, (Oh My Darling) Clementine, The Erie Canal, Follow the Drinkin' Gourd, I Got Rhythm, Kum Ba Yah, My Favorite Things and numerous other tunes that both student and teacher alike should count as part of the material available for performance in class and elsewhere. The two aforementioned songbooks were  compiled by MENC (Music Educators National Conference), now known as NAfME (the National Association for Music Education) in an effort to bring people of all walks of life back together again, through the simple pleasures of song. One of the most appealing factors of this collection is the exemplification of America's diverse cultural makeup. This country is a land of immigrants and consequently its musical heritage is quite vast. Songs of Africa, the Holy Land, Ireland, Scotland, Mexico, France, Spain, Wales, Britain and every corner of the globe have become part of the "folk" canon of the United States. I haven't even begun to touch upon the many rhythm and blues artists who draw upon material that should be considered part of the aforementioned musical genre. Leaving that component of the conversation for another day, I will close by saying that if we lose jazz and folk music in America, then we very well are choosing to forget where the country that we call home came from. It is my unwavering opinion that this would be a grave mistake, which might never be reversed once carried out. Below is the first extract from an in-depth documentary on the history of American folk music, which I would encourage everyone to watch in full. This clip chronicles the legend of John Lomax's discovery of Huddie Ledbetter, the early days of the protest movement as spearheaded by Woody Guthrie and the political positions of the "left" as articulated by Pete Seeger. Enjoy!

Introductory Clarinet Lesson: Reflection

After taking several days to mull over the outcome of the first five minutes of my introductory clarinet lesson as part of an assignment for Music in the Secondary School at the University of Bridgeport, I have reached a number of conclusions. When creating my lesson plan, using the School of Education's template, I wanted to incorporate a number of objectives and/or learning outcomes. I knew that at the very least, I could ensure that a student would have a general idea of how to put together his or her clarinet after a mere five minutes of an introductory lesson. However, there were many things that I found myself taking into consideration, such as how much time to spend explaining the various parts of the instrument, whether or not to start the student out with the clarinet, as opposed to using myself as a guinea pig for the student to observe and what to use as a hook from the moment the student and I became acquainted. When thinking back to my own first experiences with both the violin and saxophone, I am reminded of how homogenized the environment was. The instructor that I worked with from fourth through sixth grades was someone who I grew quite fond of. This individual had a great deal of knowledge to impart and was committed to his craft. With that being said, he was not always the most inspirational figure. Particularly in this day and age, when students are dependent upon technology, both in school and during daily life, teachers across the content areas have to work twice as hard to captivate, thrill and spur the curiosity of your average student. The musicians that you are seeing in the image below are from Paraguay and built their own instruments out of recycled materials. Now that's what I call dedication and unwavering desire to engage in one's art form!

When comparing and contrasting the observations that I made of introductory trumpet, flute and clarinet lessons taught by my colleagues in Music in the Secondary School to those of my own aforementioned instruction, I am struck by how nervous we all were. I think that each of us had a very clear picture in his mind of what needed to be accomplished, and despite the many similarities from lesson to lesson, we all took on a slightly different method of teaching. Originally, I wanted to have a clip of Benny Goodman's "Air Mail Special" playing in the background when the student entered the room. I felt this would generate a very appropriate, open, creative and fun atmosphere in which to begin working with the student in question. Since Professor Schneider moved from one lesson to another consecutively, there wasn't time and or proper logistics for having him leave the room and re-enter as a typical student would upon walking into the music room of a school from another class setting. Below you will find an absolutely phenomenal rendition of Benny Goodman, James Mundy and Charlie Christian's "Air Mail Special". This version was recorded March 13, 1941 and features Benny Goodman on clarinet, Charlie Christian on guitar, Cootie Williams on trumpet, Georgie Auld on saxophone, Johnny Guarnieri on piano, Artie Bernstein on bass and Dave Tough on drums.

I tried to exude as much confidence as possible when sitting down with Professor Schneider, who was doing his best to play the part of a rambunctious sixth grader with little to no previous musical experience. I think that I demonstrated sincerity in conveying my excitement at the fictitious student's decision to pick up the beautiful instrument we know as the clarinet. I like that Professor Schneider made it a point to challenge each of us by making comments along the lines of, "I don't listen to music," "My Mom is making me play this instrument" and "I've never heard of such and such artist." He also chose to "fool around" as a typical sixth grade boy, aged 11 or 12 might be apt to do. I assumed that the background of one's average beginning clarinet student would dictate that said child had probably heard little to no music, which prominently featured the instrument in question. Knowing that we only had five minutes with which to work, I opted to only play around forty seconds of an alternate recording of "Air Mail Special" featuring Benny Goodman. After this I pulled out Accent on Achievement: Clarinet, Book 1, a method book that provides particularly helpful visuals of each band and orchestra instrument that it services, along with photographs of proper posture and embouchure for the student to refer to. I know that not every learner is of the visual variety, but to me having several points of reference is helpful to any student, regardless of his or her preferred learning style. I regret not bringing my own clarinet, as one of my colleagues chose to do, because despite the need to ensure that a beginning student is not going to drop his or her instrument, I think that allowing the student to get up close and personal with the clarinet, trumpet, flute, etc. from the beginning is important.

I did quite a bit of talking, not unlike my peers, when explaining the different parts of the clarinet to Professor Schneider, ranging from the reed to the lowest section or bell of the instrument. Frequently, there is a grey area between the role of a professional musician and that of an educator. It is not often that the two go hand in hand, mainly because some of the greatest performers have the most difficult time explaining how it is that they do what they do. As musicians, we all have a great deal of information at our fingertips, but it becomes challenging for us to revert back to what it is like standing in the shoes of a brand new beginner. I could have accomplished the same task of teaching Professor Schneider how to put the instrument together, without belaboring the technical terminology of each individual part. Inadvertently, I managed to keep Professor Schneider's antics at bay, by instructing him to place the reed into his mouth, holding it there for a brief period of time to ensure ample moisture, which equals consistent vibration, also known as producing a sound. I regret not having sufficient time for Professor Schneider to begin forming an embouchure on the clarinet, subsequently developing the ability to make a sound. I was briefly able to show him proper hand positioning, but I felt extremely rushed and sensed that I was trying to cram a bit too much material into such a short window of time. The surprising paradigm shift was how slowly versus quickly five minutes elapsed, depending on whether one was sitting in the audience or taking the role of teacher.

The element of an audience observing my "mini-lesson" did boost my anxiety a bit, but when I further examine this "x-factor", I realize that invariably a teacher will always have an audience when working with a full class or small group. Individualized instruction in a public school setting is bound to be constantly absorbed, hopefully even by those students who might not be directly involved at a given moment, but benefit nonetheless. As previously noted, there are several things that I would change about this initial effort, but I also genuinely feel that for a first go around, the results were not completely deplorable. I look forward to learning from the mistakes or hiccups of this experience and growing as the semester and my future career progress.

 

 

What Constitutes A "Good Musician": A Response To Creating Musical Flexibility Through the Ensemble By Brant Schneider

In his article Creating Musical Flexibility Through the Ensemble, Brant Schneider of Seymour, Connecticut's Seymour High School explores the core skills, which he believes every developing musician should possess. Schneider's list consists of musical discipline, technique, theory and composition, all topics that I firmly believe should be covered in the context of any band, orchestra, choral or jazz curriculum. The article introduces these concepts by way of a discussion on the expansion of your performing organization's repertoire. Schneider poses the question, "How can we create an ensemble whose members think for themselves and compose music?"

 

My teaching career to this point has consisted of adjunct assignments within The Hartt School's Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford, as well as holding the position of Woodwind and Brass Specialist/Jazz Ensemble Director at Martocchio Music in Simsbury, Connecticut. One of the most important lessons that I have learned is that the teacher must build a rapport with each and every student, by building off of what is already in place. The beauty of any teacher's work is that no class or student will be a carbon copy of any other. I find this to be particularly true in the musical universe. We all have different tastes and preferences, likes and dislikes. Brant Schneider uses the American Songbook Standard "Over the Rainbow" as an example of a piece that our students should know, inside and out. I agree wholeheartedly with this contention, but I think that if we expect our students, the majority of whom were born in the very last years of the twentieth century or thereafter, to be receptive to material that they have no cultural or historical connection to, we need to work just as hard to demonstrate that we have a keen awareness of "their music". Through a study of this nature, the instructor will be able to illustrate the parallels and distinct lineage that exists from a band or artist such as the Beatles to Oasis, Public Enemy to Drake and Madonna to Lady Gaga. Teachers across the content areas struggle with how to convey the importance of their given subject to students. If there is no buy-in, then the most well-meaning teacher's efforts will be all for naught. However, when students understand the intrinsic value of studying their predecessors, then the possibilities for growth and development are endless. The article Who Says Old School's Not Cool? by Jason King succinctly articulates the need to know one's history when attempting to bridge the generation gap in this digital age.

 

Teacher and students alike need to have mutual respect for one another. The chances for success increase dramatically when this unspoken creed has been established. If a student has the knowledge that we as educators are in their corner and genuinely want to see where they are coming from, then they will follow our lead, wherever it may take them. In this learner-driven culture, each of Brant Schneider's core skills are subsequently within reach and become both teacher's and student's for the taking. Musical discipline is a rightfully ambitious goal, because it places ownership on our students to become complete musicians. In an ideal world, the principal of a school, CEO of a Fortune 500 company and captain of a luxury ocean liner would each have a concrete understanding of the responsibilities and duties undertaken by his or her subordinates. A position of authority should dictate the ability to step into any position within an organization, regardless of specifics. This epitomizes what it means to truly be a contributing member of a performance-based ensemble. As a saxophonist, I should have an understanding of not only what goes on within my individual part and section, but across every other area of the given group. This means knowing the repertoire by memory, having the ability to transpose, understanding the limitations of each instrument and identifying the role that each part serves within a composition/arrangement. Charlie Parker's music might not have been conducive to the trombone, but that certainly didn't stop trombonist J.J. Johnson from throwing his hat into the proverbial bebop ring. Dig this clip from 1958 of Charlie Parker's "Buzzy" featuring Howard McGhee on Trumpet, Sonny Stitt on Alto Saxophone, J.J. Johnson on Trombone, Walter Bishop, Jr. on Piano, Tommy Potter on Bass and Kenny Clarke on Drums. I have a feeling that if you passed a flute part to J.J., he would have no trouble whatsoever in finding his way.

 

 

Schneider's article continues by outlining the merit and gains of technique, theory and composition respectively. All students need to know their specific instrument up and down, backwards and forwards, left and right. This most certainly includes "getting around" and holding one's own at any tempo, in any key and no matter what time signature a selection may be in. When looking at any of the iconic figures of music history, one thing that becomes evident is that without sufficient technical proficiency on their respective instruments, creative expression and artistic achievement would have been markedly lessened. Even the most naturally gifted improvisers need to have the utmost control over their axe of choice, because otherwise they will not execute over 50% of what they are hearing in their heads. Reading mastery and ear training are extensions of technical proficiency, offering the student ever increasing and diversified performance opportunities. If a musician can read well, he or she is guaranteed to book work. Adding aural recognition to one's arsenal opens up the vast world of improvisation, as you are able to play what it is that you are hearing. When we factor in theoretical knowledge, the ante is upped ever higher. It is wonderful to have so-called "good ears", just as a solid grasp of Western Harmony and Theory propel the aspiring musician further forward. Be that as it may, the "complete musician" will not have one without the other. I might have the most finely tuned ears this side of the Mississippi, but if my foothold in theory is not strong, then sooner or later, I will wind up in a situation where I don't know how to properly apply an idea that I am hearing in context. On the other hand, if my working knowledge of theory on paper is not connected to a concise aural awareness, then it won't matter. Once again I will not know how to apply the information contextually and in real-time. Brant Schneider makes an excellent point by reminding the enthusiastic music educator that students should constantly be given opportunities to compose for both small group and large ensemble interpretations. The incentive of a major symphony selecting a work to be performed during its summer series, serves as sure fire motivation to generate output of the highest caliber. This is not to say that students would find less inspiration by composing for their peers, but why not have them shoot for the stars? The sooner that they begin to compose, the more receptive to and engaged in the process they become. Dr. Steven G. Laitz is a Professor of Music Theory at The Eastman School in Rochester, New York and he recently came out with a comprehensive approach to teaching music theory, entitled The Complete Musician, which he chronicles in the following video clip. While there are many means to combine the teachings of theory and composition, this text appears to be a particularly interesting method to consider pedagogically.

 

 

Creating Musical Flexibility Through the Ensemble concludes with a thorough outline of one possible plan for implementing the execution of Schneider's core skills in action. The suggestions at hand are particularly helpful for any director and offer room for modification, depending on the specific challenges and unique needs of any program. The format can be tailored to accommodate all environments. When it comes to thinking of how a music educator can quantify a "good musician", I think that the formula will change from director to director. There will be those who look only at skill, while others will factor in commitment, preparation, attitude, enthusiasm and a host of other character traits. As several of my colleagues at the University of Bridgeport have stated, any person has the potential to develop into a musician. My biggest desire as an aspiring music educator is to see students have a sense of respect and reverence for the art form. When this can be said to be the case, the student is bound to recognize all that factors into being a musician. A good musician has a sense of work ethic, understanding that practice is a lifelong endeavor. He or she has the ability to interact with peers and perform as a contributing member of an ensemble, not merely an individual.

 

 

The list of qualities that a good musician should have could go on indefinitely, and as such I have attempted to begin at the beginning. Look for additions to be made in the coming weeks and please feel free to offer your thoughts and suggestions. Peace be unto all who take up the journey!