Music educators are often left to their own devices for professional development. Many districts don’t have the resources for special arts-centered PD, and general education seminar content sometimes doesn’t apply to arts classrooms. That leaves music education conferences, which are great. But for those who need or want more regular help, ideas, or inspiration, try... Continue Reading →
Starting Fresh: Prioritizing What Matters in the Upcoming School Year
The start of a new school year means different things to different teachers. For some it’s a fresh start, full of possibilities. For others, it’s a rebuilding time after a downturn in the program. And for others, well, they’re still crying on the patio begging summer not to end. No matter your current emotional state,... Continue Reading →
Memorable years, formative years: Why do boys stop singing in their teens?
Guest post by Martin Ashley, editor-in-chief of the research journal of the Association of British Choral Directors Originally published by Oxford University Press in the OUP Blog: Academic Insights for the Thinking World Fifty-five years ago, a fourteen-year-old boy spent a week in the mountains of Snowdonia, staying at a youth hostel called Bryn Dinas.... Continue Reading →
Percussion Preservation: Basic Care & Maintenance
Music rooms sometimes contain tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of percussion equipment. Maintenance can feel overwhelming, but it’s worth it to protect your school’s investment! The good news: basic care can be outsourced to students. At the end of each semester, your section leader and players can oversee most of these tasks. First, dust... Continue Reading →
Arranging for Young Jazz Bands: Getting Started
Finding suitable arrangements for your beginning or young jazz ensemble can be tough, and many directors turn to writing their own arrangements. To help get you started, we’ve turned to Roy Phillippe, an expert arranger of jazz classics for young bands. ROY'S PROCESS If the music is new or unfamiliar to me, I study the... Continue Reading →
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