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Bands in South America
In July I was the invited U.S. guest at the Festival y Concurso Internacional de Flauta, an international festival and ... -
Get Your Musical House in Order
Whether you are well into marching season or beginning your concert season, the new academic year gives you the opportunity ... -
Practicing Anytime and Anywhere Without Instruments
Ever want to practice when you don’t have access to an instrument? Here are some ways to make the most ... -
Social Media Pros and Cons
Social media has changed the way that performers, instructors, and fans interact throughout the marching seasons and beyond. Sharing via ... -
Mastering the Saxophone’s High Notes
Playing the saxophone’s high notes—from high C to high F (or F#)—can be challenging, but you can bring them more ... -
How to be a Coachable Musician
My son just finished his sophomore year in high school and is looking to play baseball in college. All of ... -
Learning to Play Better Under Pressure
“I could play this at home!” “I had it last night!” Ever said something like that in a lesson or ... -
Summer to Fall—Preparing for Guard
While summer is drum corps season for part of the guard world, it’s the closest thing to an off-season for ... -
All in the Case
Back in the third grade when it was time to select a band instrument to play, my classmates were busy ... -
Mouthpiece Matchmaking
Choosing and playing a mouthpiece ultimately is a personal decision. What works for others might not work for you; what ... -
Learning New Music? Slice It Up
Have you ever been given a new piece of music and struggled to learn it in a timely manner? One ... -
What’s Next?
Now that the school year and indoor season are over, what’s next? If you’re a graduating senior, or it’s your ... -
From Marching to Concert
Flutists face specific challenges balancing marching band with concert band as the style and approach are completely different. Here are ... -
Trumpet Talk 101
Young trumpet players: Let’s talk shop! No matter how long you have been playing, it’s important to develop a solid ... -
Writing for Winter Percussion
Over the last decade working with Homestead Percussion in Cupertino, California, director and music arranger Dave Sankus and I have ... -
Practicing at Home
Instructors expect guard members to put in time conditioning, stretching, and practicing different parts of their show outside of regular ... -
Preparing for College Juries
At the end of each semester or year, college music majors are likely required to perform “juries.” In juries, students ... -
Practicing in the Age of Technology
Being a musician in the information age presents us with many opportunities. We can look up, order, and download sheet ... -
All in the Approach
Want to be successful at playing your instrument? It starts with how you approach it. The “approach” to a drum ... -
Just Keep Breathing
Breath is a key aspect of successful movement, and movement affects every caption score in winter guard competition. Fuel Your ... -
The International Clarinet Association, a Treasure Chest of Opportunities
I love when I discover something new … at least new for me. I got a call to perform the ... -
Three-Part Diet in Playing Music
Hello, readers of Halftime Magazine. I’m excited to share with you my experiences playing chamber music and teaching music. In ... -
Looking Professional for Your Indoor Drumline Performance
We’re only a month or two away from early season winter percussion performances! Here are a few tips to help ... -
Manage Inner Monologue and Mindset in Color Guard
As a performer, it’s impossible to go too long without developing an inner voice that tells you when something was ... -
Learning New Music
Beginning the new marching season is an exciting time with drill to learn and music to master. Learning new music ... -
Band in Japan
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit in with the Hamamatsu (Japan) Commercial High School band. It was eye opening. ... -
The Evolution of Drumline
For this issue’s column, I’m presenting a smorgasbord of awesome observations that show the continued evolution of our great sport. ... -
Perfect Practice
When I first began my love affair with the color guard activity, I thought that the words “practice” and “rehearsal” ... -
Get Ready To Record
So, you want to record a project. What’s the “Where, When, and How” of it? I have 10 solo CDs ... -
Who Built Your Instrument?
I recently had the opportunity to travel to China and Japan to visit the factories where Yamaha manufacturers its musical ...
