Dr. Fansler Visits RIHS

So today was a treat for me and some of the kids who really enjoy playing in HS band. We had a guest conductor, Dr. Mike Fansler from Western Illinois University. It was like going back in time, yet I feel so much wiser. I want to go back and redo a lot from my time in undergrad.


He was one of my college band directors and my academic advisor. So many of the things I've learned have came from this great conductor, educator, and musician. However, I didn't sound quite like that in college. I fought him on some stupid thing and didn't practice enough. I should just send him an email that says, "you were right about everything. I'm sorry. KF" Would've, could've, should've doesn't get us very far does it? It really makes me excited about the next steps in my life.

This is the first time I've seen him conduct in three years and nice to see some things I do(and some things I should be doing) I want to get to that level of artistry, but I realize the same people I knew years ago might not understand that about me. Oh well I guess I've grown up a bit. Maybe that's the real reason professors tell us to teach for a few years before getting our Master's, to grow up.

It disappoints me that the band still wasn't all that quiet. Sure they were much better than when I was on the podium or when my colleague is, but it still just had an undercurrent of bad attitude. I feel like that's poisoning me. It's just expected and I can't get my mind around that. The kids tell me I don't fit in and I don't think that's bad. I wish some of them would break the mold too. They deserve it, Fansler commented on how there were some great things in rehearsal. He's right I feel bad that those kids and the greatness they have is stifled. It's not "cool."

I've been around the country a bit over the last few months and I'm starting to wonder where life will take me. Lots of opportunities are out there. The brave go get them wherever they may be. Just look at Dr. Fansler's bio. Virginia, New York, Tennessee, Illinois. He went and got what he wanted. I hope I have the courage to do the same. My future students will benefit from it, whomever they may be.

Thanks Dr. Fansler. You are right and I can't wait to get out there and try my best to create my own story and successes.

.

IMEA Conference: Day 2 Clinic 1

After a long afternoon in the 408, dubbed the "tech" room. I heard the Libertyville Wind Ensemble last night it was amazing. More on all that later...

"Help for Your Young Horn Players" Clinicians: Rachel Maxwell and Meghan Fulton
It's 8AM and I'm very excited to be in my first clinic of day 2, this one is "Help for your Horn Players" by clinicians Rachel Maxwell and Meghan Fulton from Oswego. They brought their JH 6-8 horns(there's at least 16 of them) They sounded great during their warm up. This will be a good one!

Talking about right hand position, put masking tape in the bell to help them fix hand position. Great way to help them get good intonation from the start. I like that one. I have a handout on this so I won't type it word for word, but the tricks will go right here. No need to type needlessly right?

I didn't know this tip either, when playing stopped horn always play on the F side, no trigger. Want the kids to have better accuracy? Stay on them breathing through the corners. Get them mirrors and "free buzz" to make sure both lips are buzzing.  Good for all Brass players put the shank of the mouthpiece to teach the openness needed to play with a more beautiful tone. I'll be using this. To set before we play try this: Play pitch, off face, play pitch...do this ten times to create that sense of attack. "Slow motion" playing I wonder how my kids would adapt to that...is subdivision an issue with this? They also use the B.E.R.P. a lot I remember having one as trumpet player, but I didn't care for it. Might worth checking out. Another way to do that is leadpipe buzzing, I had heard of that one.

When teaching tonguing put your tongue on top teeth and try blow, you have to move it. Help them understand tonguing in that way. "Toh" to "Doh" syllables for horns. This seems to me to promote that open throat. She also uses the older kids as teachers, I mean 8th graders helping 6th graders! I love having my students work that way. When empyting spit turn to the right...

Starting kids on double horn makes sense, but if they start on a single F that's ok. Switch them to double as soon as they overblowing it and have an octave range. Note to self: Check out the packet on tuning individual slides. Where to place horn in the ensemble, that I can use! I'm always moving my horn section around. I've been validated, by this teacher(she says horns in front of saxes!!) Help them both: saxes learn to blend, horns get help hearing their pitches. You know I'd forgotten about Fansler's "Horn Shields" maybe I'll construct some for my bands.

I'm glad these ladies have their email addresses listed. Maybe I can recruit for the tech side. They must be cool they wore t-shirts to the clinic that says "French Horn Hero" with flames and such. Time to shut my computer and find out where I'm off to next!

A SIP Day Question

Today we had a half day with students and then meetings all afternoon. I pose a simple question...

Why is it that when students write us a note or say something nice we feel like we matter, but when a student is hurtful we're not supposed to let it bother us because it's "meaningless"?

Just a thought as I watched the video clip that our principal showed us today during our meeting to help to inspire good teaching.

Today's Rehearsals Brought to You by

Today's Rehearsals were Brought to You by The Flip!!

I have been playing with a borrowed "tech toy" and I'm loving it. I have borrowed a "flip" video camera and even though it's white and pink, I find that I'm always finding a way to get it out and use it!

Most recently it recorded some rehearsal time earlier today at SIMS. I'm not really happy with the sound quality, but I don't think there's much out there that could beat the portability and ease of use for this device. If you've got something better let me know.

This video is a run-through "Christmas Proclamation" during 7/8 band rehearsal this afternoon. I try give the students at least one straight run-through per day so they have something to really play on during the (sometimes) tedious rehearsals during that last period of the school day. It's getting there, and lucky for us we still have 19 days until the concert!

This last video is just what happened when I turned the flip on for a bit of 6th grade rehearsal first this morning. This lovely band is what I see first hour MWF. They're a great group of kids and they're learning so much so fast.

I see a lot of great applications for video as a classroom tool. How are others using this type of technology to help students and themselves? Comments welcome as I am still collecting data for my presentation in January.