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Learning Through Teaching
Learning through teaching others is an honored tradition. For example, teaching marching fundamentals to younger students is a great way ... -
Becoming a Portfolio Musician
Being a portfolio musician is a concept that every music student should dive into. When graduation day arrives, it is ... -
Metronome Tricks
One of my earliest teachers in drum corps told us at a winter camp, “If you’re not using a metronome, ... -
Emoting Expressions
No matter what type of marching season you’re dealing with—indoor vs. outdoor or in-person vs. virtual—facial expressions are an indispensable ... -
Continue to Create
I’m a workaholic. I love making music and being on the road, teaching, writing books, composing, engineering, giving clinics, and ... -
What’s Next?
“The West Wing” is one of my favorite TV dramas. The show features the lives of staffers in the White ... -
In the Best Light
Microphones, cameras, and ring lights—can you imagine a year ago that these items could all be important purchases for auditions, ... -
Not Just the Flick of the Wrist
When I was a performer, we never really talked about wrist strength and flexibility, so I never realized their importance ... -
The Patience and Persistence Principle
You may recall from my Nov/Dec 2019 Sectionals column that I suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, making me paralyzed on my ... -
Being Very Good at Two Things
In the past, being great at one single thing in music was enough to have a career. For many economic ... -
Making the Most of WGI 2021
We’ve been dealt a tough hand in 2020 and now face another altered indoor marching season for 2021. Although easy ... -
Perks of Non-Competition
The 2021 winter guard season will be very different for those who are coordinating a team. Many circuits are adding ... -
Online Music Lessons
When the pandemic arrived in March 2020, many music students switched to online private lessons, and many still continue to ... -
Being Great
When students decide on their college majors, they are making one of the most important decisions in their lives. If ... -
Career Options in Percussion
Many young musicians in high school think about turning their musical passions into their livelihoods. Consider the following choices for ... -
Make the Best of a Weird Season
Here we are, still in the midst of a pandemic that is impacting every aspect of our lives, including marching ... -
In It Together
A common, shared experience is unique. We are all going through a difficult time—a global pandemic—together yet separately. What experiences ... -
Practicing During a Pandemic
I recently received an email from a high school brass player saying that she has been practicing “a bit aimlessly ... -
Technology for Music Comp
Many current high school or college-aged students are beginning to take an interest in writing music, whether for film, the ... -
A Different Type of Season
The time since I wrote my last column has felt incredibly long. In spite of that, the uncertainty hasn’t changed. ... -
Quarantunes
You gotta stay home. Camps are closed. Concerts are canceled. Vacations are now staycations. I’m sure with the demands for ... -
Active Listening
Now is the time for young musicians to become active listeners and dive into various worlds of music that they ... -
What Now?
The effects of the global pandemic have drastically changed how we operate in our daily lives. Without ensemble rehearsals or ... -
Strong and Accountable
As I write this column, staff and students are in a holding pattern, trying to figure out how to move ... -
A Positive Culture
In January I visited Prairie View A&M University as a guest artist for the school’s Flute Festival, and my experience ... -
Your Own Draft Day
Many similarities exist in the habits and traits of professional musicians and professional athletes. Draft day for athletes or securing ... -
What’s in Your Mallet Bag?
It happens in almost every rehearsal; conductors and band directors request different sounds, colors, and timbres on our vast array ... -
Injury Prevention
Those of us who have been spinning for any extended amount of time have accumulated our fair share of injuries. ... -
Clean Your Sax!
OK, let me start by saying that maybe I am not the very best about cleaning my instrument. I do ... -
Supporting Cast
Every great movie has its main characters and also has a supporting cast that helps the stars shine. Just like ...