Music Ed Corner
The Nottelmann Blog
Don't see what you're looking for? TELL US WHAT IT IS! You found The Nottelmann Blog, exclusively for music educators! Our blog library now stands at 360 postings! Since you're ALWAYS LEARNING, we're ALWAYS ADDING MORE! NOTE: our posts do not necessarily appear in chronological order, as some are ordered according to the season.Enjoy - Comment - Share
TITLE: Balance – #203, Boonshaft Blog
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 16, 2022
Curated from KHS America’s Boonshaft Blog – by Peter Boonshaft In my previous blog, I wrote about my concern that when ensemble students are told to correct their blend, they almost always just get softer so as to guard against the possibility that it is their sound that is causing the problem. Instead of first checking to make certain the…
MORE
TITLE: Your Budget’s Not Enough? Here’s a 3-Step Plan to Grant Writing
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 11, 2022
Curated from YAMAHA – by Patricia Toben – APPLYING FOR GRANTS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL MUSIC EDUCATORS SHOULD DO. BUT HOW DO YOU GET STARTED? TRY THESE TACTICS THAT WORKED FOR AN IOWA SCHOOL DISTRICT. “Music for all, and all for music” is a goal that all music educators strive for, but unfortunately, access to music in schools isn’t a guarantee. Zip…
MORE
TITLE: Bucket Drumming: An Inexpensive, Durable and Portable Option
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 9, 2022
Curated from Yamaha – by Tyler Swick – ENLIVEN YOUR ELEMENTARY MUSIC CLASSROOM WITH CHEAP AND MOBILE BUCKET DRUMS — YOUR STUDENTS WILL HAVE FUN AND LEARN ABOUT PERCUSSION, MARCHING AND MORE! Bucket drumming is a popular trend among busking musicians performing for tips on crowded streets. In my hometown of Las Vegas, bucket drumming can be heard every few…
MORE
TITLE: Step Up To Yamaha
SOURCE: Nottelmann Music
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 9, 2022
For that up-and-coming woodwind, brass, or strings player, Step Up at Nottelmann’s! Get a $50 to $100 rebate on a quality YAMAHA Step Up. Call 314-631-1486
MORE
TITLE: Delayed Gratification: When Students Get Tired, Teach Them to Rest, Not Quit
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 9, 2022
Curated from YAMAHA – by Jarrett Lipman – Sometimes students don’t like band. Sometimes parents don’t like band. And, as odd as it can seem, I know there are times when I struggle to find joy in the day-to-day business of being a band director. As educators, we go through many highs and lows, and it can feel very lonely…
MORE
TITLE: MBA Podium Masters – Produced for MBA by Nottelmann Music
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: Videos
DATE: November 6, 2022
Ann Goodwin Clark, Co-Historian for Missouri Bandmasters, had the vision to record interviews with Missouri master teachers in music education. Ann reached out to me and asked for my assistance in producing and posting these timeless videos. Below is the current library, with more additions planned for the future. I believe EVERY music educator will benefit from the wisdom brought…
MORE
TITLE: 5 by 5 – NPD Jazz Webinar Series on the Rhythm Section
SOURCE: Nottelmann Music
FORMAT:
DATE: October 31, 2022
A warehouse of tips for you and your students. 5 top musicians present tips on 5 rhythm section instruments. Check out the previews, view the full webinars below. PIANO GUITAR DRUMS BASS LATIN PERCUSSION VIEW THE FULL WEBINARS FOR FREE
MORE
TITLE: Our Featured Webinar – Strong Foundations for Building Young Percussionists – with John Hearnes and David England
SOURCE: Nottelmann Music
FORMAT: Podcast and Video
DATE: October 27, 2022
About this Webinar – f you teach young percussionists, even if you have a long track record of success, this five-part webinar in two videos is for you. Presented by John Hearnes and David England, this is a convenient, online version of their recent presentation at the Midwest Clinic – International Band and Orchestra Conference. Video One – Parts 1 &…
MORE
TITLE: AVOID BURNOUT
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: September 26, 2022
Curated from YAMAHA – By Lisa Fields – Educators, if you’re beginning to question why you devote so much time and energy to your work, you could be experiencing burnout. You became an instrumental educator because you love music and have a passion for sharing your talent with students. When your job inspires you, teaching may not even feel like work. …
MORE
TITLE: KICKSTARTING YOUR JAZZ BAND: How To Get Your Band Swingin’ And Playin’ The Blues
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Video
DATE: July 25, 2022
Curated from Jupiter Winds – with Tonia Mathews – Mrs. Mathews discusses her strategy for starting the year with a middle school or young high school jazz band. The clinic provides best practices for teaching students how to swing while also incorporating the blues progression. Engaging students in a thoughtful pace will motivate your students to improvise and be comfortable…
MORE
TITLE: Studio Recording 101 For the Musician – Concepts To Help Ensure Your Musical Success
SOURCE: Nottelmann Music
FORMAT: Article
DATE: July 19, 2022
Reprinted by permission from Michael Parkinson, DMA – Educational Specialist – Bach Trumpets, Conn-Selmer, Inc. – A Nottelmann Music Clinician – Countless musicians, including me, have dreams of making an outstanding professional recording or becoming studio musicians. Unfortunately many musicians, including me, have often gone into the recording studio with a lack of knowledge or understanding of how to prepare…
MORE
TITLE: Your Teacher Identity
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: July 6, 2022
Curated from The Yamaha Educator Suite – by Don Stinson – I had an identity crisis during my first few years of teaching. I had to wade through the stressors of a new job, getting an ensemble ready for a performance within days of school starting, and trying to balance a personal life. I had an idea of who I…
MORE
TITLE: Give Your Ensemble a Daily Diet of Fundamentals
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: July 1, 2022
Curated from The YAMAHA Educator Suite – by Jarrett Lipman – A musician’s daily diet or daily drill provides all the necessary basics for performing on an instrument successfully. While it’s not a perfect formula, at Claudia Taylor Johnson High School, we stick to our daily drill in the same way that we brush our teeth or get dressed for school…
MORE
TITLE: Top 10 Qualities of an Effective Band or Orchestra Conductor
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 2, 2021
Curated from SBO Magazine – by Harvey Rachlin – We all have had teachers we remember because they had an impact on us in some wonderful way in school. Perhaps it was a music teacher or conductor who nourished our love of music and was partly responsible for our pursuing a career in music. What teacher today (or at any time)…
MORE
TITLE: Twin Posts – EDITOR’S CHOICE – Top Ten Concert Band Pieces You May Have Missed
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: Article
DATE: October 6, 2021
Looking for quality Grade 2 or Grade 3 concert band pieces? Don’t overlook these “Top 10” quality pieces selected by Ray Benton, our Technology and Media Specialist, with 32 years of teaching experience. We’ve combined these two posts into one. All of the entrees feature demonstration recordings. . .
MORE
TITLE: Switching to Horn for the Intermediate Player
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: August 14, 2021
Curated from BandWorld – by Ashton Bowles – Click on the photo or link below to download a horn book for your intermediate players switching over to the horn. In addition to the horn book, students and teachers can access helpful videos via QR codes. This model project was created by 3rd year American Band College candidate, Ashton Bowles. Full…
MORE
TITLE: Managing Student Behaviors
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Podcast
DATE: July 28, 2021
Curated from Smartmusic’s The Music Educator Blog – by Elisa Janson Jones – Today we’re pulling another pre-pandemic recording out from the archives for you to enjoy. With in-person classes imminent, I want to share with you this discussion I had with my dear friend, Lori Schwartz Reichl. You can find Lori’s outstanding resources on managing your music program on…
MORE
TITLE: See Beyond Disabilities and Find Opportunities to Excel
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: June 18, 2021
Curated from the Yamaha Educator Suite – by Cody Newman – Our students are only limited by the constraints we place on them, so let’s all choose opportunity and choose to excel! Here’s my story – On a muggy Texas evening in May 2020 during the height of the pandemic, I sat in the Diffee family’s driveway out in the…
MORE
TITLE: Nottelmann Professional Development Webinars
SOURCE: Nottelmann Music
FORMAT: Videos
DATE: May 3, 2021
Your ONE-TIME registration takes less than a minute. Already registered? Access all of our webinars now. CLICK TO REVIEW THIS VIDEO PREVIEW Welcome music educators! In keeping Nottelmann Music’s 65-year-plus tradition of supporting music educators, we offer these pages to support your everyday teaching. Nottelmann Professional Development is here to instruct and provide you with OPTIONAL professional development credit, absolutely free…
MORE
TITLE: Embouchure Formation Strategies for Classical and Jazz Saxophonists
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: April 27, 2021
Curated from Bandworld – By Dr. Tracy Heavner – Introduction Forming a correct embouchure is one of the most important aspects of playing the saxophone. Without a correct embouchure, a saxophonist’s tone, intonation, response, musical expressiveness and performance enjoyment will be severely hindered. In addition, it is extremely important to establish a correct embouchure in the very beginning stages of development…
MORE
TITLE: Bring Administrators Plans, Not Problems
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: April 1, 2021
Curated from the Yamaha Educator Suite, by Dr. Dave Gerhart – Over the past two months, it feels like I have watched more webinars than I have in the last two years. I am sure that is the case for many of you. There have been many educational and informative webinars that are sharing advocacy resources. These resources are so…
MORE
TITLE: “Where’s the Triangle?” Strategies for managing percussionists and percussion instruments – Parts 1 and 2
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: January 6, 2021
Curated from Bandworld – by Russell G. McCutcheon – Managing the percussion inventory Every conductor has experienced it: rehearsal is progressing smoothly, then the triangle part is missing. “Who is playing the triangle?” “Umm…we didn’t know we needed it.” Or “We can’t find it,” your percussionists reply. There are three keys to solving this dilemma: Students must be able to…
MORE
TITLE: “Where’s the Triangle?” Strategies for managing percussionists and percussion instruments – Part 3
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: January 6, 2021
Curated from Bandworld – Setting up the percussion section Every conductor has experienced it: rehearsal is progressing smoothly, then the triangle part is missing. “Who is playing the triangle?” “Umm…we didn’t know we needed it.” Or “We can’t find it,” your percussionists reply. There are three keys to solving this dilemma: Students must be able to quickly and easily locate…
MORE
TITLE: “Developing Musicians or Directing the Band?” 6 Survival Tactics for the Middle School Band Director
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 24, 2020
Curated from Bandworld – by Benjamin Davis – “Traps” in the Daily Life of a Middle School Band Director You may be familiar with the adage, “He couldn’t see the forest for the trees.” If we were to reverse the wording of that expression, we have an accurate description of what happens to many middle school band directors. Middle school…
MORE
TITLE: Clarinet Tone Production
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: November 16, 2020
Curated from Band Directors Talk Shop – Advice about clarinet embouchure in the clarinet pedagogy literature is fairly consistent no matter where one looks. Keep the chin flat and pointed, corners of the mouth to the center, touch the reed with the tip of the tongue, angle of the instrument between 30 and 45 degrees. If everyone does this, why…
MORE
TITLE: Expanding the Flute’s Dynamic Range
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: October 1, 2020
Curated from Band Directors Talk Shop – by Erin Kendall Murphy – Does your flute section play at a mezzo forte dynamic most of the time? Are you constantly asking them to play out more or play much less for balance in your ensemble? Are your flutists only able to play loud in the high register and soft in the low register?…
MORE
TITLE: 5 Tips for Getting Started with Technology Integration in Music
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: September 24, 2020
Curated from Midnight Music – by Katherine Miller and Alison Capelle There is a difference between seeing the possibilities of integrating technology into your classroom and actually doing it! Many innovators and early adopters of technology integration can make the task seem daunting. We were early technology adopters, however we would not consider ourselves technology experts! The reason we have…
MORE
TITLE: Understanding and Developing Range for the Young Horn Player
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: September 21, 2020
Curated from Band Directors Talk Shop – by Jonas Thoms – Beginning band books for generations have implied that the horn is a difficult instrument to incorporate into an ensemble. They may not have explicitly made a statement to that effect but most of these resources have more pages for horn than the other instruments because there are “for horns…
MORE
TITLE: Five Tips for New Band Parents: Helping Your Child Practice
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: September 8, 2020
Curated from D’Addario – By Andrea Harrell – Parents of beginning band students often ask me how they can help their kids with practicing their new instrument. While many parents don’t hesitate to step in and help their kids with subjects like math or English, I have spoken to many parents who feel uncomfortable stepping in to help their kids…
MORE
TITLE: Make It Stick: Implement Rehearsal Routines
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: January 3, 2020
Curated from MAfME – by Lori Schwartz Reichl – “The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” ~ Mike Murdock The first fourteen years of my teaching career occurred during the time of my life when I was not a mother. However, during these childless years, I treated the students in my care as though they were my…
MORE
TITLE: Six Important Parent Tips for the Young Musician – by Ray Benton
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: Article
DATE: December 16, 2019
“Going beyond simply footing the bill can make the difference between the student just getting by and being amazing.” So your child is playing a musical instrument. You’ve invested hard-earned dollars into the project, so is your job over? As a band director with over 32 years of experience, I can say many of our parents first believed that, once…
MORE
TITLE: Your Relationship With Students – Part 1, The Successful Music Teacher Series
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: Podcast Plus
DATE: October 24, 2019
This is our first podcast in our Successful Music Teacher Series, designed to provide you with tips and ideas to help you to be successful in teaching music to kids. This is an exclusive production of Nottelmann Music, a full-service School Music company located in St. Louis. Our Podcast PLUS postings contain optional video graphics. Listen on your computer, phone,…
MORE
TITLE: International Drum Rudiments
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article with Audio Recording
DATE: November 13, 2018
An important, free resource curated from PAS.org – complete with individual audio recordings of the 40 Percussive Arts Society International Drum Rudiments. Download the free PDF copy or read the notated rudiments below. The list consists of the traditional 26 rudiments along with a number of drum corps, orchestral, European, and contemporary drum rudiments. This listing was an outgrowth of…
MORE
TITLE: Canva video tools: a quick-start guide for teachers
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: ARTICLE VIDEO
DATE: August 3, 2022
Curated from Midnight Music – by Katherine Miller – There are always tremendous posts at Katie Wardrobe’s Midnight Music. Here’s one from one of her subscribers on how to take this wonderful tool for creating images and videos and use it for the classroom. This is a guest post by one of our teacher-authors, Katherine Miller. Canva isn’t just for…
MORE
TITLE: Everything Band Episode 183- a Visit with Conn-Selmer Clinician Frank Troyka
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Podcast
DATE: July 28, 2022
Curated from Everything Band – Let the words of Frank Troyka encourage and inspire you. Frank, a longtime band director in Richardson, Texas and now serves as an adjunct instructor at SMU, educational consultant for Conn-Selmer, and director of education for System Blue. GO TO ORIGINAL POST
MORE
TITLE: How to Establish Classroom Routines and Why
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: July 27, 2022
Curated from JW Pepper’s CUED IN – Picture a successful band, orchestra, or choir rehearsal. Students have their instruments and music at the ready and are focused on the conductor. They respond quickly to instructions and are prepared for each cue. When it’s time to go to their next class, they put materials away in designated areas, keeping the space…
MORE
TITLE: Case Study: Strategic Storage and Scheduling Solutions
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: July 26, 2022
Curated from The YAMAHA Educator Suite – by Christine Ngeo Katzman – Every music program has the challenge of logistics regarding storage and scheduling. Here’s how one program met that challenge. When Vincent Vicchiariello began his transition to Director of Bands at Nutley High School in New Jersey in 2018, the program boomed. “We had our biggest [group] of 95 students in our marching…
MORE
TITLE: Case Study: Grassroots Funding Through Social Media and Contests
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: May 13, 2022
Curated from The Yamaha Educator Suite – by Christine Ngeo Katzman – When Heather Taylor became the band director at Lakeshore Elementary School in Rochester, New York, in 2018, she had an $80 annual budget. “That’s literally less than $1 a kid,” says Taylor who teaches about 140 students in 4th and 5th grades out of 420 students overall in grades 3…
MORE
TITLE: Your Four-Tool Recruitment Bundle
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: ARTICLE VIDEO
DATE: March 10, 2022
Time to recruit that new crop of beginners? Depending on your school’s time setup, it could be now, it could be in a few weeks, it could be in a few months. No matter when that is, NOW is the time to make plans. These FOUR posts found at the Nottelmann Blog, linked below, can greatly improve your chances of…
MORE
TITLE: Video Review – Recording Your Students with the Affordable Samson CO2 Mic Pair and Zoom Q8 Video Handy Recorder
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: Video
DATE: March 3, 2022
If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, here’s a quality option for recording your large ensembles, small ensembles, or soloists – band, jazz band, choir, or orchestra. This demo was created by JW Pepper, but the mics are also available at Nottelmann Music. Email RAY for our current low price and availability.
MORE
TITLE: Build a Culture of Excellence
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: Article
DATE: March 3, 2022
Curated from the YAMAHA Educator Suite – by Jarrett Lipman – MUSIC EDUCATORS MUST CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS MOVE FROM THINKING THEY COULD BE GREAT TO KNOWING THEY COULD. Students who believe in their ability to perform at a high level are more likely to achieve remarkable things. When students see results as a performer, they develop trust in their instructors….
MORE
TITLE: Ten Strategies to Improve Intonation in the Instrumental Ensemble
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Article
DATE: March 3, 2022
Curated from The Alfred Blog – by David Pope – “Bad intonation is unforgiveable.” This quote was shared with me by a mentor when I was an undergraduate student over 20 years ago, and it has remained an integral part of my teaching philosophy. In every situation, no matter if I was teaching a traditional school ensemble or an all-state…
MORE
TITLE: Video – 10 Types of BAND DIRECTORS! Do you know all 10 of these guys?
SOURCE: Ray Benton
FORMAT: Video
DATE: February 15, 2022
Do you know all 10 of these guys?
MORE
TITLE: Directing Band Podcast Episode 11: What every middle school band student should know
SOURCE: Curated
FORMAT: Podcast
DATE: February 15, 2022
Curated from Directing Band – Here’s what one Georgia band director expects of his incoming middle school students. The state standards may differ from yours, but the concepts can apply. Episode 11 is an episode based on a listener request. In this episode, Josh describes what he ideally wants every student to know when they enter the high school…
MORE
