Back when I began as a band director, there were a great many things I didn’t know. Some of these took a while for me to learn. Here are some of my tips for young directors. I started out leading the concert, jazz, and marching bands at Winnetonka High School in Missouri in a northern suburb of Kansas City. When someone missed a sharp, I pointed this out. When it happened again I stopped and spoke more forcefully. My approach was to keep pointing something out, but I didn’t teach the student how to play it correctly. Today when I stop, I will explain the problem and also give the solution and not just recite the problem. I still believe in the advice Harry Begian gave me, “If you hear something, stop and fix it,” but I now do it to teach the solution and rarely just to criticize.
Warmups
In my early years as a director I used the old Paul Yoder concert band clinic warmups, but if I taught at a middle or high school today I would focus more on scales, articulations, and rhythmic exercises. I would turn to a chorale at the end of the warmup because these will develop better blend and balance.
Chorales have the advantage of clear harmonies that see what students can hear and know where they fit in. Some bands will use the same two or three chorales all year as a way to give students a frame of reference, but my view is that this will improve the blend and balance only on these chorales. Instead I would use a variety of chorales to expand the musical horizons of the ensemble. I might speed up the tempo of a chorale or add a tenuto or fermata where none is written. I want students to become more elastic and responsive to my baton.
Beyond the Printed Page
As a young teacher I faithfully adhered to the music exactly as it was written. In my experience many directors do this with a group at a state or regional contest. They will simply play what is written on the printed page. The problem with this is that the printed page has only notes and a few crude clues, not musical phrases with nuances and variety. Only a director can add these by applying what they know about the composer, the piece, and the available instrumentation.
Progress, Not Perfection
Today I would not merely seek perfection, but in every rehearsal my goal is to make students feel that they have made progress and were successful. This entails actually praising student progress during the session, not just a perfunctory word at the end. I might comment that the music is still a little rough, but they are making great progress, and I heard some good things. Almost every student wants to please the teacher and do what’s right; nobody comes into a rehearsal wanting to make mistakes. A director has to be able to articulate the baby steps necessary to make some improvement. Playing a musical instrument is a complex physical and mental task. With young students, it helps if they believe that they are getting better.
Be Specific
It is important for directors to understand that most progress is made only by giving specific information. It is unreasonable to state that a rhythm should be played with greater precision. It is far better to ask for a lighter staccato or a longer tenuto. Always explain exactly what you want students to do.
Sightreading
Sightreading is important, but is self-defeating if the music is difficult. A piece that might take weeks of preparation for a concert or anything close to that level is not a good sightreading choice. I recommend choosing music that is two grades lower than the group’s playing level and often just play through it once and put it away. With the wealth of good music out there, it is better to move on to another piece. I might even sightread a piece during a concert after explaining to the audience that students have never seen the music before and this is just a demonstration of what they can do. I would talk through the piece in two or three minutes and start right in. Obviously the music should be something I know students can handle. Indeed this should be the goal of every sightreading experience. Sightreading should be fun and a treat for students, not an experience they dread.
Preparing for Competitions
Remember that no judge can read your mind or your intentions. If an accelerando or a ritardando seems musically appropriate but is not written on the score, go ahead and add it; but be sure to note this on the score the judges have. The rating a judge gives, in my view, is partly an evaluation of the musical product and partly a reflection of decisions the director did or didn’t make. If the changes you make are indicated on the score a judge will know some thought went into the choice. This may not be what the judge would do, but he will know it was not just a whim during this performance. If the part calls for straight mute but I prefer a cup mute, I mark it on the score. Some directors view scores as a Holy Grail, but they are not. Use your judgment and bring the music to life.
Soft Playing
Some young bands play everything at a fortissimo, but even beginners can learn to play softly and follow the director’s lead. I use a larger pattern for loud passages and smaller one for soft sections. A good exercise on a simple warmup piece is to veer between loud, soft, and moderate dynamic levels to train students to watch closely. Use exaggerated motions at first and change dynamics frequently. An unexpected grand pause will catch those who aren’t watching and can be a fun exercise.
Music Stands Move
It seems simple, but some students ignore the fact that music stands can be raised or lowered. They just sit down and play. If the stand is too low, they can’t see the director without looking up. The right level is where they can read the music and follow the baton with their peripheral vision.
Programming
Let a student introduce each piece at concerts. I view program planning much like a meal. I often start off with something light to get the audience’s palates awake, move on to the main course, and end up with something pleasing for dessert. I always include one piece just for me, one piece for the students, and one or more I know the audience will love. I want everyone at a concert to be eager for the next one.
Put Students on The Podium
Whenever you put a student on the podium, realize that this can be almost a religious experience. My high school director, Wally Swanson, let students conduct regularly, and I always raised my hand to volunteer. When my chance came, it was one of the coolest things I had ever done and became one of the reasons I wanted to become a band director. I didn’t know what I was doing, but it was wonderful.
Respect Fermatas
When a note has a fermata, that means note value plus fermata. A fermata does not negate the length of the note. If a piece ends with a whole note and a fermata, then we have to play full duration of the whole note and then put a fermata on top of it. Many groups play three of four beats and then stop.
Wide-Ranging Dynamics
Dynamic markings should be thought of as ranges and not levels. Mezzo forte is not a dynamic level, it’s a range. It’s the range of space between mezzo piano and forte. That means there is space for gradation in there. Students should increase and decrease the volume within that range as opposed to thinking it has a static level.
The Science of Fortepiano
A fortepiano is not one dynamic marking, it’s two dynamic markings. A fortepiano means that we have to create a good sound at forte and then immediately get down to piano. It does not indicate that we make an explosion and try to cram the note into a soft sound. If you watch a timpanist play a fortepiano roll, he uses one stroke to hit the timpani and get it resonating and then begins a soft roll.
Counting Rhythms
The best counting system I ever came across was called Studies in Time Division; Harry Begian helped write it with Larry Teal. It’s out of print now, but it was a great counting system. This system is based on addition, which is easier to teach than division. Students would start by tapping sixteenth notes at a slow tempo. When they were comfortable playing 1-e-&-a, 2-e-&-a we would change to eighth notes and then quarter notes. It makes students hold notes for the full duration and sustain the air. Students who learn to count this way have a good understanding of note length and can do an amazing job of counting.
Never Say But
Craig Kirchhoff was scheduled to work with the band as we were getting ready for the Midwest. There was an exposed piccolo part in the piece we were playing. She was a wonderful player but was having difficulty with the part. I was extremely impatient with her, and my negative comments made the situation worse. Compliments are negated by the word but: “Rebecca, you’re a good player, but you can’t play that part.”
When Craig came in she didn’t play any better. He asked, “What’s your name?” She said, “Rebecca.” He said, “Rebecca, that is a beautiful piccolo sound that you have, and as soon as you get comfortable with those notes it’s going to be glorious.” He used the word and instead of but. When talking to students, don’t follow an opening of “Saxophones, you did a really great job with the notes,” with “but we need more dynamic contrast;” instead, say, “Saxophones, you did a really great job with the notes, and when we get more dynamic contrast from you it’s going to be fantastic.”
Praise with Specifics, Criticize with Platitudes
Jim Middleton was a master at using the word good. When we played for him in methods classes, if someone played poorly he would say “good,” or “okay.” If the next students did a good job, he would say, “That was very nice, I really liked your articulation.” Then he’d look at the next student and say, “That was very good dynamic contrast.” If the next student didn’t play well he’d say “good,” and go on. I always used to think, “Why didn’t he say something nice to me?” Now I realize that his faint praise was his form of criticism. No one got angry, and we did get his message.
These are some of my quick tips for whatever they are worth. In all likelihood you will be able to compile your own list in 20 years.
