Programming Strategically
Programming is perhaps the biggest determining factor for motivation. Regardless of the structure you've created, and regardless of your teaching skill, picking the wrong music can easily undercut all chances you have of being successful. If the music is too difficult, students will be frustrated on a daily basis, causing them to either stop trying or, worse, become discipline problems. If the music is under programmed, similar problems could occur.
There are several important factors to consider when programming, and I'd like to save most of them for a separate blog. But for now, let's look at one: are you programming for contest, or a home performance?
Make contest the time where you plan to utilize the technical skills and knowledge they already poses, while stretching their ensemble and musical skills. At least 4-5 weeks out from contest they should be playing the notes and rhythms precisely with at least a decent sense of balance and intonation and hopefully at least attempting the dynamics. The last month should be about attaining as much mastery as possible over balance, intonation, style, and musical nuance.
Push their knowledge and technical skills when preparing for a home concert. If you want the band to develop in a new key, do it here. New time signatures or more complex rhythms, or new levels of virtuosity, do it here. Once you've pushed them there, you can exploit those new strengths and develop them further in the next round of contests.
In either case, you're still going to push them. Just in different areas. And of course, picking one of these routes doesn't excuse you from pushing them in the other areas. We have to always push them and reinforce in all areas.
High Profile Performances
Search out opportunities to do something special with the band. This past year I took over a program that couldn't compete for invitationals, so what else was out there?
How about premium performance venues? By this I mean collegiate and professional performance halls. Many of them will cost more, although Peak Festivals offer some of the Dallas venues at a very low price.
Despite the cost, it's worth it. This past year I went through Director's Choice Tour and Travel, and their company Choice Music Events to take the band to the Meyerson Symphony Center. Although this really is just another festival but at a "premium location", I sure didn't bill it that way to the students. I reminded them constantly that the Meyerson is rated as one of the top ten symphony orchestra halls in the world, and that the judges there expected us to be top knotch. We went to an early UIL contest (where thankfully we pulled off a 1st Division), so this was especially helpful. Instead of shutting down, they continued to let me push them and reach new heights! You can also argue the educational value of performing in such a great acoustical space, but the added motivation was enough to make it worth it for me.
But higher level performances can of course be motivating as well. Back in October I submitted a letter of intent to perform at the UIL State Wind Ensemble Festival, not even knowing whether or not we could meet the requirement of a 1st Division in Concert Contest. But we did, and my letter was early enough to grant us a spot. While advancing to that event isn't as prestigious of advancing to State Marching Contest, it was still a big deal for the band. It was the first UIL State event they had performed in as a band. It was great for the program as far as the student body, admin, faculty, and community were concerned, but it was obviously beneficial for the students. That extra month of motivation and willingness to let me push them really paid off. The festival provided a strong sense of accomplishment, not to mention the great listening experience and a clinic with one of the nation's best wind band conductors.
Given my experience this past year, I'm convinced there are high profile performance opportunities for just about any level of band. And if you've taken the prior steps we've discussed in the series, they can be successful at these events, which will fuel them even further down the road of musical excellence.
Conclusion - Little Details
There is obviously no silver bullet when it comes to all of this. There are surely many details and additional ideas or factors that I've left off the list. In fact, if any come to mind I hope you will share them in the comment section. But if you can plan and carry out the several tactics discussed in this series, both small and large, both short term and long term, then I have no doubt you will see significant progress. And again, if you have mastered these and are achieving higher level motivation, please share your tips!
I hope this has been interesting and helpful. Thank you for reading, and until next time, take care! And get some rest - Summer is here!
Musically yours,
Mr. Cooper
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