In 2021, there were over 100 quality articles, videos, and podcasts published at The Nottelmann Blog. With SO many quality and diverse posts to choose from, here are our picks based on quality, topic, and popularity. We highly recommend that you view and share each one.
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) wouldn’t want to foster the intellectual and creative development of his or her students and inspire them to go on to lofty professional careers?
As a school band or orchestra leader you are in a position to cultivate appreciation and love of music among your student musicians and even have the potential to make a big difference in their lives. Students come to band or orchestra to have a stimulating and enjoyable musical experience. As the director you have the responsibility to help make that happen. I might even say that the wholly dedicated and expedient conductor gives more than 100 percent and tries to make the musical experience even better than what the students expected.
So what qualities make for an effective school band or orchestra leader? There can be many, but here are ten:
![HOW DO I GET STARTED WITH CHROMEBOOKS IN MUSIC EDUCATION? [FREE GUIDE]](https://nottelmannmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/How-do-I-get-started-with-Chromebooks-FG-600.png)
So, you’ve discovered that your school has decided to roll out Chromebooks to students. How can they be used in your music classroom? What exactly can you do on a Chromebook anyway?
Chromebooks are laptops that are a little…well…different.
They are inexpensive to purchase, they are fast and are designed to be used primarily while connected to the internet.
“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 they provided the instrument, their job was essentially over and the rest is up to the student. My experience has also shown again and again that parents who go beyond “footing the bill” can make the difference between success and failure.
I’ve heard it said that teaching middle school puts one at the front of the line for sainthood. We’ve all had days on which we have earned that status. I have been teaching middle school choir for seven years, and in that time I have witnessed the full spectrum of adolescent behavior; from the sweet to the disrespectful, from the silly to the hyper-focused, and sometimes just chaotic madness. Classroom management is more of an art than a science; it requires flexibility, reflection, and attention to detail. MORE…
Surely I jest! Actually, no. There are a whole host of reasons to familiarize yourself with these instruments — even if you never play them.
Perhaps the biggest one is simply that they’ve introduced tens of millions of American schoolchildren to music. You probably remember tooting one yourself.
These simple flutes are inexpensive, easy to clean, portable, and nearly indestructible. They fit small hands and make playing scales intuitive. They’re often described as pre-band instruments. The idea is that kids start on an instrument that’s as fun and approachable as a toy in grade school and then graduate to concert instruments as they mature. It’s no surprise we view these cheap flutes as the perfect means to start youngsters in their musical education. 80 years of experience proves it’s so. MORE…
My friend and fellow educator Amy Burns – an elementary music teacher in New Jersey – frequently starts a workshop by saying “We’re going to cover a lot of things here today. Please think of this as a dessert buffet: if you try to eat EVERYTHING, you’re going to get sick. Just take one or two ideas!”.
I was thinking of her while I wrote this guide. It covers a wide range of ideas, including MORE…
Curated from BandWorld, by Phyllis Louke –
Rhythm is fundamental to creating the feeling for any genre of music. It is therefore vital that the rhythm section create the appropriate rhythmic feel and style of swing.
In a traditional jazz ensemble setting with piano, bass, guitar, and drums, the goal of each player is to collectively establish a good swing foundation for the rest of the ensemble. This foundation is also referred to as a groove. Following are tips to help your rhythm section – both as individuals and as a group – to produce a successful, compelling swing feel.
![HOW DO I GET STARTED WITH INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS IN THE MUSIC CLASSROOM? [FREE GUIDE]](https://nottelmannmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/How-do-I-get-started-with-IWBs_600.png)
At its heart, an interactive whiteboard (IWB) is simply a fancy presentation tool.
Great things:
Negatives: MORE…
In 2012, Fayetteville (Arkansas) High School became a completely new school, and director of bands Barry Harper received the band room of his dreams.
After a four-year renovation project, the formerly 10ththrough 12th grade school expanded to make room for the incoming 9th grade class. In the process, Harper advocated to enlarge his small rehearsal space. MORE…
This important article is from Nottelmann Music clinician Joe Pappas. Music Educators, do you include these key considerations when you select music for your concert band?
The success of your program, performance, or rating at a festival or contest can be a result of selecting the right music. There are several factors to consider when making the selection. These factors are listed below. MORE…
Since the early 2000’s, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of clarinets in high and middle school bands. How this has occurred and the possible solutions to this problem is the focus of this essay.
What has caused this dearth of clarinetists? There are several factors that, combined, have been related to the numbers decline. MORE…
