The September 10th visual rehearsal was mentally demanding on the students, because they were trying to conceal their excitement for the upcoming competition, as well as maintain a high level of focus. After the visual rehearsal was over, the students took a 15 minute water break, and had the opportunity to get their focus level reset to play their instruments while simultaneously working on drill. The students were also told to put their marching hats on, so they would get a sense of what it feels like to play and march with the hat on. The students have a type of marching hat called a shako, which is similar in shape to a bucket and has a strap that goes around the neck to secure it on the head. The potential problem for these students is if the strap is not placed in the right spot on the neck, or is too tight, it can cause serious musical issues because it is cutting off the one pathway for the air to get to the instrument.
When I first started warming up the band, they were very sloppy in their playing technique. They were missing attacks and releases all over the place, and through repetition it wasn’t getting any better.
I told the students to take off their hats, because I had a feeling that they were the issue. I was surprised to find out I was wrong; the students, as before during their visual rehearsal, were lacking focus. It wasn’t until about halfway through the warm up when the students kicked up their focus level and started playing well. During the latter half of the warm up, the band was starting to get a really nice blend and balance and I was really quite pleased with their core sound. It then occurred to me when they went on the field and started playing with the drill that I made a big mistake in my methodology. The beautiful blend and balance the band had standing still was gone when they started moving. I learned that I need to have the students play more during the visual rehearsals so that they can get used to listening to each other more on the move. I will now incorporate music in the visual rehearsals and see the results I get.
The following clip is the ideal warm up and overall core sound I want for the Boonville High School Band. This is Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corp's tuning sequence from 2010. Turn up the volume! (be careful though, the end is REALLY loud!)
Tyler Hart!!! What I would recommend to get their focus and get the Kids mentally ready to perform would to give an epic speech/pep talk right before warm up. What I normally do is get the kids in the arch, then give them a pep talk talking about how this is the time when they need to gather all the information that we have taught them and do everything they can to incorporate everything into the show! And do it loudly to get them excited! haha And Then BEGIN!
ReplyDeleteTyler,
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you're learning from the students as well as teaching them which is always a really cool experience. I would suggest that maybe you talk a little more in depth about your expectations for the students and whether or not they met those. Otherwise, ti really looks like you're Advancing Music in America.