June has been busy at Matlock's Piano Service. Finding a home for some pianos, piano moving, shop work, and of course a lot of tuning!! And the best part is visiting with some wonderful people!!! Thank you for the tuning work and the opportunities to serve you.
Educators, do you feel public education has gotten bogged down? Are we spinning our wheels? I do. It’s like we are sitting in the cockpit of a big jet airplane loaded with passengers. We have been trained to fly. We have read the flight manual but we can’t get off the ground. So we invite a guru, an expert in the field. This person gets us pumped up. We want to fly yet we still sit on the runway, excited about flight, very knowledgeable, but still not moving. We keep trying new methods, attending workshops, more meetings, organize rally’s, while all this time it was not a lack of knowledge or motivation that was the problem but we were simply out of fuel. Maybe it's not that we are out of fuel but we have the wrong type of fuel for today's public education engine? Maybe public education needs a hybrid fuel? Fuel for Change The master teaching schedule changes at the last minute, adding a new teaching prep, state testing, accreditation or class size increases dramatically. Change happens fast and often in today's world. Leadership who are trying to deal with these changes using a "top down" approach cannot survive let alone grow in today's fast pace environment. This classic form of school administration dictates, makes policies, and enforces. It is a top down form of management. An example of top down leadership is seen in the shift in leadership style of the ensemble conductor. Gone are the days of the tyrannical conductor wielding the baton, yelling, and intimidating the orchestra into submission. Under the old style of leadership, the orchestra, choir, and band rehearsal was a dictatorship. Successful conductors today lead with vulnerability. You might call the rehearsal an egalitarian learning environment. Egalitarian advocates for equality and is related to the idea of democracy where each member is seen as contributing to the whole. Dr. Rager Moore, former FHSU Choral Director, described it this way, "The choir is set up as a democracy where all parts should be able to contribute equally so that the idea of ensemble is achieved; however, it is clear that it is best ruled by a benevolent despot who controls (overtly or subliminally) every aspect of the organizational and rehearsal process." Interesting use of words. I think benevolent points to the idea of not seeking self-interest but rather thinking and acting with the good of the student's education in mind. Despot points to the director as a guide; the director guides every action and reaction of the ensemble to lead them down the path of success. In a telecast dated, December 4, 1955 and recorded in The Joy of Music, the great conductor Leonard Bernstein commented: But the conductor must not only make his orchestra play; he must make them want to play. He must exalt them, lift them, start their adrenalin pouring, either through cajoling or demanding or raging. But however he does it, he must make the orchestra love the music as he loves it. It is not so much imposing his will on them like a dictator; it is more like projecting his feelings around him so that they reach the last man in the second violin section. And when this happens—when one hundred men share his feelings, exactly, simultaneously, responding as one to each rise and fall of the music, to each point of arrival and departure, to each little inner pulse—then there is a human identity of feeling that has no equal elsewhere. It is the closest thing I know to love itself. On this current love the conductor can communicate at the deepest levels with his players, and ultimately with his audience. He may shout and rant and curse and insult his players at rehearsal—as some of our greatest conductors are famous for doing—but if there is this love, the conductor and his orchestra will remain knit together through it all and function as one. Leadership, school board, superintendent, principals must change their role from "boss" to sharing power, encouraging ideas, building courage in others to step up to new challenges creating a culture comfortable with risk taking and empowering others in the organization to work as a team in total solidarity toward achieving its mission of turning out successful graduates. Team work from the bottom up is fuel for change! Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the Choral Director's Workshop attached to the Oregon Bach Festival. Several sessions were devoted to tweaking one's conducting. Dr. Sharon Paul, of the University of Oregon, led the sessions which consisted of each participant conducting a piece and receiving feedback. In preparation, I felt confident that my conducting technique was solid but was a bit anxious as to what idiosyncrasies had crept in, after all, I had been conducting for over 25 years! Find a Coach The process followed this sequence. The workshop participant would conduct through a piece of their own selecting followed by suggestions from Dr. Paul, followed by trying the feedback out on a section of music, and then discussion on how that worked and felt. I would have never guessed the comment Dr. Paul made about my conducting: "Are you aware that you lean forward toward the choir a lot when you conduct?" I had no idea. This revelation has led to a heightened awareness in my conducting through this past year. Many times I became of aware that was leaning forward and would correct it. In Perfect Practice, the authors site the book "Moonwalking with Einstein" by Joshua Foer. Foer describes how many arrive at an "OK Plateau" where one stops improving. In that session in Oregon, I realized I was camped out on the " OK Conducting Plateau." Foer writes "The secret to improving at a skill is to retain some degree of conscious control over it while practicing to force oneself to stay out of autopilot" Feedback is a key ingredient to self-improvement. I was on autopilot. Thank you Dr. Paul for awakening my awareness. Talk less and Do More The music studio and rehearsal are perfect for teaching and practicing feedback. I am adding this to the list of things students learn in choir. A person who seeks out feedback and applies it is a person that will continue to learn and grow throughout their career. Sometimes I refer to this trait as "being coachable." A typical voice lesson or choir rehearsal will follow the feedback loop suggested by Perfect Practice: 1. Practice 2. Feedback 3. Do over (repractice using the feedback) 4. Possibly do this multiple times 5. Reflect. Reflect Last Note where "reflection" happens. Last. The authors point out that reflection/discussion many times is step 3 and that is where it ends -- the student goes home. In the perfect music world, the rehearsal moves from step 2 to 3 quick and without discussion quite naturally. A good rehearsal technician will be adept at short feedback statements followed by immediate practice. A frequent fault of rookie choral directors is explaining too much. They simply talk to much during the rehearsal. The authors point out that feedback practiced correctly can be an empowering tool leading to team building -- musicians call it ensemble: "Practicing using feedback before they’ve had a chance to rationalize it away can produce a demonstrably different result—and make people believe in their own power to shape their world" Authors Summary of Rule #23
Authors Summary of Rule #24 No Excuses
Are you a practice avoid-er? I confess I have used this a time or two back in my college voice lesson days; Dr. Davis and I had some great discussions. Those more in depth discussion sometimes were appropriate and I learned more of the "why" and "workings" of good vocal technique. This information has helped me be a better teacher of voice but sometimes, actually many times, I just needed to practice his suggestion ... again and again. My comments and questions were a ploy of avoidance. Most of the time, what he was asking were difficult changes and I was thinking too much about it, reflecting before practice, and concluding I can't do it. Perfect Practice observes that "participants unintentionally (or otherwise) use reflection and earnest conversation as a way to avoid practice." Guilty as charged. Authors Summary of Rule #23
Two things were imprinted on my brain from childhood. I lived on a farm with my grandparents across the road. When I would leave for a ballgame, school trip, or going out on a date, my grandpa would say, “Remember those little folks are watching you,” and my dad would say, “Son, remember who you are.” They had explained what they meant by these statements early in my life. Dad and grandpa meant them to be an encouragement for me to be a person of responsibility, character, and integrity. Let Go of The Stuff Out of Your Control These are tough times to be in public education. Budgets are in a downward spiral, more and more is being asked of us in and out of the classroom, and change is coming at such a high rate of speed we have little time to prepare for the next moment. Much seems beyond our sphere of influence, so we need to be reminded of what we do have control over. I challenge parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, and law makers to be reminded that our children are watching us. These young people are looking to see if we are authentic when we say that their education is most important. Children can spot a fraud a mile away and know when our talk is not congruent with our actions. We all need to remember that getting results at all cost is not as important as how we treat others, how we do things matters, and pontificating that education is our number one priority means investing in young people – they deserve parents who love them, quality teachers, to be happy and fulfilled, to be safe, and to know that their community and state is there to offer resources and opportunities. Teachers Bring People Together I believe we teachers have a tremendous responsibility. Every time I walk into the class room, my students are watching and learning. They see how I handle stress, how I work, how I treat others, how I deal with mistakes and failures, how I handle success, and how I act when the going gets tough. In times like these, it is important for teachers to remember who they are. We are trained professionals given the noblest task of preparing the minds, hearts, and spirits of those children sitting in front of us. The time is not to withdraw from the task, huddle in a meeting, or build a barricade of protection against our critics. Tension seems to be growing between the key entities, and we need to come together in order to make a positive impact on our educational system. The time to unite parent, teacher, administration, school board, community, and legislator together to provide the best education possible is now. Can we not put aside our egos, our wealth, our success, and petty differences for a greater good? Let’s be leaders for change … let’s help people connect for our children.
I write this at a time when funding for public education has reached an all-time low, a general lack of respect for what I do grows, and I seriously ponder a question that would have been unthinkable to me twenty years ago, “Who would want to be a teacher”? When I think of the word “vocation,” I think of the religious who take a vow to endure hardship, persecution, and even death for a cause greater than themselves. One decides on a certain occupation because research indicates that the prospects for employment are good, advancement fast, or the salary exceptional. A vocation, on the other hand, is chosen because it is right, honorable, of ultimate importance, or salvific. A job is a reasonable choice. A vocation is something you must do, you are driven to do. I am proud to say that I chose teaching as my vocation. Teachers Cultivate #21 Model The Path My student teacher landed in my classroom the second semester. She saw a well-oiled-machine. The technique time had very littler verbal instruction. I was communicating with hand gestures. To her it seemed almost telepathic. Hand gestures for the primary vowels, tone placement, rules of transfer, and dynamics. All maticulously taught the 1st semmester. Triggers I have learned over time how to develop my choir rehearsal routine so that it works for me and my students. I guess you could say; they know my style. I think it was way back at a Kansas Choral Directors Convention that Henry Leck explained how he created and taught concepts as anchor points. Points that the choir had absolute clarity in understanding and precision in execution. They were starting points for advanced technique and for specialized techniques for specific pieces. Perfect Practice refers to them as triggers. Power of Routine "When you become great at your job, you often make it look easy." A good teacher makes it look easy because of classroom routines. In the choral rehearsal, routines are getting your folders, having a water bottle and pencil, getting in seat before bell rings, being enganged in the warm-up/technique time, marking music, and end of rehearsal routines. Rehearsal Is Where I Have The Most Fun I know that sounds weird. Not long ago, was visiting with one our outstanding saxophone players at HHS.This student has exceptional chops for her age. We were tralking about practicing. And she said, "I love to practice." There is the key to her success. If you are going to be above average, even great, you have to fall in love with practice. Here is a good very short excerpt from an American Choral Director post called Rehearsal Equals Performance. Check it out! Author's Summary:
# 22 Get Ready For Your Close-Up When you model, things happen and sometimes to the point that it was not effective. When you model live, "you can't control the outcome." Fire drills seem to always happen at the wrong time. Homecoming week is filled with interuptions. Sometimes, my choir is Dug. You know Dug, the talking dog, in the movie UP! Dug is listening intensley and suddenly, "Squirrel." There we are, in the rehearsal zone, a spontanious teaching moment and the choir is right there and then "squirrel." Need a laugh, watch Dug, the talking dog. Controling the Message You can't control everything. If I could control the climate in my choir room, the piano would not go out of tune as quickly. The authors suggest that if you want to control the message, the best way is to provide a strong model via video. There are certain concepts that if I have short clip that illustrates exactly what we want it can be very effective. This applies to audio examples as well. I use both video and audio. An example can be played illustrating the tone, the articulation, the diction, the body involvement, the facial expressions, etc. I will often cut and only play the part that focuses on the concept or technique needed. Rewatch/Relisten After I have explained the concept, worked it for clear understanding, played the clip and processed, I then reuse it over and over as a launching pad to the rehearsal. I have found this to be particulary effective early in the rehearsal process to create an "audio" or "visual" trigger. I then give it a break and play it again in the final rehearsal before the performance wtih some added freshness and focus. Every year before the choir sings at graduation, I play a clip from the 2010 graduation video. My choir has come to expect it and if I seem to forget it they remind me. The choir is front and center during the first ten minutes or so of the ceremony and are seen on the video that is made for the graduate, shown on the local TV station, and well, you get the idea. We talk about proper behavior on the risers -- then I show the video of this young man on the risers. He scratches his nose (perhaps it was a pick) a lot, fixes his shirt a lot, looks at the ceilkng a lot, and yawns a lot. Since I showed the video, the choir acts and performs like angels. Author's Summary:
The issues facing public school educators are real, daunting, and complex. Certainly adequate funding for public schools is a huge issue today but naively blaming budget cuts for every ill misses the mark. I feel that lack of funding may be systemic of other issues. We seem to be in the midst of a cultural shift, call it growing pains, as we try to get out of the “ruts” and make fresh paths that will prepare our young people and country to be productive society members that meet the needs of a fast-changing world. By cultural shift, I mean one of those defining moments in history, when you wake up and yell, “HOW DID WE GET TO THIS PLACE?” Shifting Culture #18 SUPERMODELING
We have all had moments when our modeling for students was less than super and the student performance reflected it. When I model vocally a passage from a piece and tell my students "like this," I better make sure my body alignment, breath, vowels, soft-palate, diction, and body language are what I want. Students are watching it all. Immersion The authors reminded us of how foreign language teachers will sometimes teach the entire class in that langage! It is an immersion into the language. A great technique. I am becoming more aware that as a choral teacher, everything I do when I walk to the podium is on display and is being copied. A choral rehearsal is an immersion experience!!! We are not just teaching content, the notes and rhythms of a piece, but the "how" it is delivered is vital to the final product. The pacing, the conducting gestures, body language, body alignment, breath, tone, phrasing are all being taught at the same tim e. Yes, I will chunk the material and teach in layers but if I teach a phrase without all the elements, very soon the phrase will be socialized and cemented into the right or wrong way we want the final product to sound. Better to take the time on the front in as it will take way too much time on the back end to correct things, and sometimes you run out of time and are past the window to make a change. I am learning that some good feedback questions to ask my choir is not only what they learned but how did you learn it. You Perform The Way You Rehearse I often say, "you perform the way your rehearse." Number 18 says exactly this as the authors say, "people often perform in the big game in the way they have practiced, so monitoring the quality of your modeling is crucial." Author summary:
#19 WALK THIS WAY Especially in my entry level ensembles, I want to create a learning environoment where students at any level can enter freely. I want them to be encouraged to enter. I think one thing that helps is that the students know the learning process -- my learning process. I want them to be free to simply do as they see and hear. "To think less and act more." Then it is my job to monitor, monitor, monitor. If I don't like what I hear, then I need to re-think the way I modeled or check for the understanding of the students. The auhors say, "Learners need to hear that direct replication of the model is a completely legitimate way to approach a technique." You would think that in the choral/music world that a higher value should be placed on originality or creativity. In order to be creative, you have to know the rules first. In our case, you have to have the tools to read pitch and rhythm along with good singing technique. Be My Echo Elementary music teachers often use the phrase, "be my echo." Copying is a leginimate form of learning. I think making students aware of the process is important. It can really free up rehearsal time. I do love that moment in the movie "Young Frankenstein" when Igor says to Dr. Frankenstein, "Walk This Way." Igor monitors and adjusts till the good doctor finaly follows exactly hunched over, limping,and even pretends to use a cane. Author summary:
#20 MODEL SKINNY PARTS The older I get the more difficult it seems to remember every step that I took to learn a certain technique. Many times I have had that "ah-hah" moment, "I forgot to teach a step." Then I stop and go back and reteach the sequence. And sometimes when my choir has difficulty with certain techniques or sections, I have to rewind and chunk the material into smaller parts. The authors call this modeling the "skinny parts." Micro-Modeling One of the first things I do when I am rehearsal planning a new piece of music is deciding what the sequence of micro modeling needs to be. With that in mind, I hit rehearal and continue to monitor and adjust listening to the choir to see if what I hear and see matches what is in my head. Author summary:
Music has always existed in my life. My earliest childhood memories are of the family, my parents and grandparents on both sides, getting out the hymn books and singing hymns, a cappella, in four part harmony. We especially enjoyed a “new hymn” where we could test our sight-reading skills. Later, I would accompany those hymn sings on the piano. The question of “what do you want to do when you grow up” was answered early on with the words, “music teacher.” My Family I was thrilled on my tenth birthday to get a 4’ X 4’ chalkboard with music staff lines already painted on. This went in my room where I spent hours pretending to teach music reading skills. Although my little brother, the only student in my class, did not grow up to be a music teacher, I can assure you he should be able to read music, although he was a bit of a discipline problem in those early private sessions. My parents started me on piano when I was nine, and a new piano was moved into my bedroom. Piano lessons, voice lessons, and private music theory lessons were the norm in my life for many years. The biggest influence in my life was my grandfather who told me, “You are going to college to become a music teacher someday.” Thanks to his urging, I would be the first in many generations in my family to earn a college degree. My Hero My hero was my elementary music teacher, Mrs. Tattum. She came to our classroom every other day for the best 30 minutes of each day. Let me give you an example. It was a beautiful spring day during my fifth grade year, and everyone was dreaming of going outside for recess while I was anticipating music class. The class was especially unruly that day, so much so that Mrs. Tattum had to issue the ultimatum, “If you don’t stop talking, you will stay in during recess to draw treble clefs.” Then she said, “Does anyone want to stay and draw treble clefs?” My hand immediately shot up. Mrs. Tattum was livid. Recess came. She brought me the first theory worksheet, and I finished it in record time. I asked for another, but Mrs. Tattum could see I was enjoying myself too much so she quickly dismissed me. My elementary music teacher was a huge influence in my life as she exposed me to so many genres of music, so many great composers, and provided opportunities for me to go and hear a live professional symphony orchestra, a concert band, and a choir. Through music and her special interest in me, she changed my life forever. My Dream At the end of my seventh grade year, my family moved to a farm in an area that had a high school with no music program. However, my dream of going to college to study music remained, and my parents were committed to drive me to piano and voice lessons throughout high school, but there was always something missing from my life. I Can you imagine life without music? Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” I believe that music is the language of the human spirit, common to all, that cultivates intellect, expresses the inexpressible, tells the story of humanity, feeds our spirits, and reminds us that there is something larger than our individual self. Music changes lives! I say often, “I don’t just teach music, I teach life.” My Profession I am proud to be part of a profession whose presence and mission is so vital to all cultures. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing my students grow into fine young men and women empowered and shaped through music to be better parents, professionals, community members, employees, and leaders. One of the most important jobs I have as a music educator is to select quality choral literature that influences, educates, and shapes lives in powerful ways. The ultimate high for me is when my students choose music education as a career because I lived the impact they are about to experience. I am thankful my family shared the joy of music-making with me. I am thankful I had a dedicated elementary music teacher, who inspired me with music. Yes, I am thankful for my unique high school experience, where music was absent because now I understand the value of music and the many music educators who work tirelessly to ensure that all students experience and are shaped by this great art form. I am proud to be a music educator.
I enjoyed my summer morning tremendously. It was a well-kept 1980 Baldwin R, which tuned up nicely. But what made it so special were the conversations with Jacob. This is Jacob's practice piano. A former Full Chord Press student of mine, a gradutate from TMP only a few weeks, and headed to KU in the fall to major in music education. He has prepared himself in voice, violin, and piano. I know he is going to make a fantastic teacher and will have a postivie influence on many young people!! I am very proud. Jacob explained that when he pressed the sostenuto pedal E6 would play E6 and F6 at the same time. So, I took the piano action out and realigned the E6 hammer by moving the E6 flange to the left a bit. After tweeking that a bit, taking the action in and out and testing the note, looking at the mating of the hammer to the string, the piano was ready for tuning or was it? I told Jacob the piano was pretty dirty and while we had the action out, if he was willing to help, we would clean it together. This is what made the tuning so special. Jacob was so very inquisitive about the workings of the piano. Sharing in the learning process with students is most enjoyable to me. That is what motivates me as a teacher. The best times are outside the classroom - like this experience. Not planned. No homework. No grades. Just a student, passionate about music, and curious about the instrument he had played on for years. With the piano back together I proceeded to tune the piano. Jacob continued to work on cleaning the plate and he didn't seem to mind the banging underneath the lid as I tuned...I hope his ears survived. The piano was only a few cents flat. I still did a pitch raise and did a second pass to fine tune. Very pleased witht het tuning. This Baldwin has such a rich tone!! I always look forward to tuning it. I tuned the piano to the Bremmer Equal Beating Victorian Temperment III (EBVT-III). I really like this temperment (I tune all my school pianos to this temperment) for its pure 5ths and flavor.. It just sounds so right! Click this link for a nice explanation of the Bremmer EVBT-III. An added plus was the nice view of the Kansas landscape from the piano bench (the picture to the right). It was so nice to have Jacob around. I couldn't resist asking him to take the Baldwin R for a test run. |