band
Music is Truly Food for the Soul Pat Pollock, WMEA State Chair, Band
As the leaves in the Northwoods begin to change color, it reminds me that a new school year is upon us. We all look in anticipation of what the new year will bring and how our bands will prog-
ress musically. I enjoy watching the enthusiastic look of an upperclassman’s face as he wonders what musical literature will be studied this year and the anxious look of an underclassman wondering how she will successfully meet the challenges that lie ahead. I look forward to providing pieces that will stretch the talent of the upperclassmen and nurture the growing abilities of the underclassman. Yet be- yond the specific techniques I want my students to learn, I’m also thinking about how to provide students the experience of allowing music to touch their emotions, their souls.
Educators are life-long learners; however, we must remember that we are life-long educators. Many of us spend our day working with young musicians only to finish our day working with older musi- cians in community groups. Why do we do this? Because sharing music is that important! Wading through the numerous
Practical Pointers
sample CDs and the musical content possi- bilities I will be introducing to my groups for my upcoming 25th
year of teaching, I
recall my first experience when organiz- ing an alumni pep band. Thinking that a few band alums home on college break would participate, I was surprised when approached by a student asking me for a pep band folder for her grandfather! The age of the band spanned over 40 years. The look on the faces of the students and crowd was priceless. That experience as an educator really opened my eyes to just how music reaches far beyond the band room. It’s amazing to me how human nature thrives when our inner passion has been touched. The performance of music fills that need.
In an educational world where test scores measure our worth as teachers, it’s impor- tant to remember the true sense of why we stand on the podium. Music is truly food for the soul. Although feelings cannot be measured by a standardized test, the facial expressions of students after their musical souls have been touched is an experience that will last them a lifetime. We can have a debate about which piece may reach the musical souls of students, but one of my favorite pieces, also a favorite among stu- dents over the years, is Bach’s “My Jesus, Oh What Anguish,” arranged for band by Alfred Reed. The technical simplic-
“…the facial expressions of students after their musical souls have been touched is an experience that will last them a lifetime.”
ity of the manuscript allows the students the freedom for musical expression. Al- though, trendy, high-energy compositions have their place, let’s not forget about the masterful pieces that have stood the test of time. As you consider music selections for the year, try rediscovering a band classic. Your students will thank you for it.
As music instructors, we are aware of many of the benefits that music instruction provides for our youth. Yet in order to continue bringing this “soul food” to our students, we have to be able to show how our programs will develop the educational priorities that are valued right now. Here are a few talking points to use as we com- pete for ever-vanishing funds:
~ Lynn Seidl
I subscribe to a magazine called Making Music. Their motto is “Better Living Through Recreational Music.” Many of the articles are geared to the adult instrumentalist, but as a choral musician, I find that many of the articles are general in nature and have information for all kinds of musicians. Their web site is
www.MakingMusicMag.com and one of the most interesting aspects of the site is their listing for camps for adult musicians. There are camps listed by geographical region and the wide range of offerings is remarkable.
26 September 2011
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