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John Greene

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The Band Whisperer: John Greene

What do you get when you combine 37 years of teaching, thousands of rehearsals, a lifetime of listening, and a healthy appreciation for classic rock? You get John Greene—and one heck of a conversation.

This week on Beyond Artless, we sit down with retired music educator, clinician, adjudicator, arranger, guitarist, and all-around rehearsal junkie John Greene. John shares stories from a career that spans Wisconsin and Minnesota, from his unexpected transition from PE major to music education student (including a memorable two-and-a-half-hour Schoenberg violin recital) to his years working with middle school musicians, jazz ensembles, marching programs, and teachers across the country.

We talk about why high expectations and middle school musicians absolutely can coexist, the power of relationships and trust, why “be more expressive” might be one of the least helpful comments we can give a young musician, and how something as simple as a pencil and a “drill box” can transform a rehearsal.

John also shares what he has learned from a lifetime of mentors, why music teachers need to spend more time choosing music their students can actually be successful with, how to build meaningful relationships with administrators, and why music educators across disciplines need to stop looking at each other as competition and start recognizing that we all need each other.

And because this is Beyond Artless, we eventually abandon all of that wisdom for a rapid-fire trip through 1970s rock: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Terry Kath, Frampton Comes Alive, Fleetwood Mac, Shostakovich, Ives, and the proper use of a popsicle stick in an eight-track player.

It's a conversation full of great stories, practical rehearsal wisdom, and the kind of perspective that makes you want to get back into the band room and try something new on Monday.

Plus: Chris has rocks. You'll have to listen to understand.

Credits:
Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot Lunaire
1. Moondrunk
Curtis Institute of Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8OMOhmfP9I

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WEBVTT
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Hey commuter, are you looking for a podcast that brings you insight and wisdom?
00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:18.160
A podcast that lifts your spirits and makes you belly laugh.
00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:23.359
A podcast that inspires you and gets you ready to tackle another week?
00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:26.719
Well, send us an email and we'd be happy to recommend a few.
00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:29.039
Until then, you're stuck with us.
00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:31.120
This is Beyond Artless.
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:49.920
It's okay.
00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:54.960
So who uh who here has photocopied some music this weekend?
00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:56.399
I have not.
00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:05.760
I will tell you I spanned music and put it on my iPad right here, which has like all of my thousands of scores on it.
00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:14.560
Um I want to tell you that the process to um send over a photocopying request to printing services is very easy.
00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:15.760
Got it?
00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:16.319
Okay.
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Highly illegal and very easy.
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Ah, you people at my face.
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All right.
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Christopher, how are you doing?
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Excellent.
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I I'm great.
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Uh does like the whole start of the school year affect you anymore?
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I mean, your wife, obviously, but um no, not really.
00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:42.480
Uh the first year, I actually hopped on my bike and I rode uh because I I was so distraught.
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It was really hard because I first stayed for you know nearly 30 years.
00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:48.879
Okay, I have a rock.
00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:57.359
Okay, this is my rock friend, and it the rock friend comes with me to to meetings, and I'm excited because now I have another rock.
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I have two rock friends.
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See, this is the happy rock, and this is kind of the sad and confused rock.
00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:02.480
This is a podcast.
00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:05.920
So depending on the kind of meeting, can you describe it?
00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:10.960
Sure, they're they're rocks, and they may or may not have come from Door County.
00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:16.240
It seems to me like maybe Chris has already had an honor band or two already yet this semester.
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:27.360
Um these are two uh white rocks with pencil or pen pen.
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Landscape rocks, too.
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Nothing special.
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Nope.
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It's got like a one's got a smirk and one's got like a half frown with eyebrows.
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Yeah.
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And he's really proud.
00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:37.759
Okay.
00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:39.199
Okay, you can stop now.
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No, not helpful.
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Put it down.
00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:46.080
Chris, um what uh do you have use for the rocks in the meetings?
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Yeah, uh when it gets really stressful, I just take it and I just start doing this.
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Petting the top of the rock.
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Like a thumbing stone.
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It's like a thumbing stone.
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It is, and it really actually relaxes the other people in the in the meeting.
00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:01.759
It's cutting edge.
00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:02.560
This is new.
00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:09.680
Um, I'm gonna start uh selling these uh if it's not breaking copyright, but I will start selling these.
00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:13.599
So big day today at the Ostranders.
00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:15.439
We gave Ted Teddy the dog a bath.
00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:16.240
Big day.
00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.719
Oh does he fight that or like that?
00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:19.840
Loves it.
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Loves the bath.
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Read interesting.
00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:25.599
Okay, it's the golden in them.
00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:30.000
Warm water, people scratching me, and all that kind of good stuff.
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Loves it.
00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:32.240
Loves it.
00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:33.599
But how about the dog?
00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:34.560
Me too.
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I was just gonna say.
00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:41.680
Um I just want to close the loop on the rocks there, Chris.
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If the rocks ever start talking to you during the meetings, it's time to go on that bike ride again.
00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:46.400
It's time to get out.
00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:48.240
Yeah, that's a good point.
00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:52.560
Yeah, I haven't gotten there yet, but uh it's been a lot of petting in the rocks.
00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:53.840
Um, yeah, that's good.
00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:56.800
Who's uh who's taking a bath at your place, Peter?
00:03:57.120 --> 00:03:57.759
Not me.
00:03:57.919 --> 00:03:58.560
That's for sure.
00:03:58.719 --> 00:03:59.520
Look at that hair.
00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:00.960
Oh my gosh.
00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:06.000
We have had like almost zero rain since June 13th.
00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:06.960
Zero.
00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:07.680
Really?
00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:08.719
At our house.
00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:11.039
Southern Moorhead pours rain.
00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:12.479
North of us pours rain.
00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:20.079
Today, literally all of North Dakota had a cell and it broke apart, skipped our house, and came back together on the other side.
00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:22.399
We were supposed to get inches of rain today.
00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:23.360
Bupkus.
00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:28.720
Like my grass is literally still brown, dry, dead.
00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:38.319
And everybody around here has stopped even using their watering systems because it's just they have like little putting greens around each head, and they it can't keep up.
00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:39.839
It's so dry.
00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:44.240
So, anyway, um, I don't know why I had to bring that up, but it's just exhausting.
00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:45.600
I'm getting bored here.
00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:46.240
Anything else?
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It's good.
00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:48.160
Hey, wait, uh wait a second.
00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:48.959
It's Green Bay.
00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:52.000
Football season is getting dangerously close to starting, Chris.
00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:55.759
What if do you have your finger on the pulse uh in Green Bay?
00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:57.040
What give us the update?
00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:01.600
Uh uh Okay, the update is uh currently at time of recording.
00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:06.560
Uh the Badgers are playing right now in Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.
00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:14.000
And so I just want you to know that people know that I sell seat cushions, the rentals, you know, and they're asking me now.
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:17.040
They're like, Were you are you there tonight selling seat cushions?
00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:21.279
And I'm like, you know, I'm glad that I'm known for this now.
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:22.639
But no, I'm not.
00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:28.079
My uh when you go to sell my organization doesn't go out until it's really cold.
00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.000
Like this is way too warm for us.
00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:30.800
Oh, okay.
00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:31.199
I see.
00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:35.920
Well, speaking of the Packers, we have a uh Packers fan on tonight as a guest.
00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:38.000
Oh, you do.
00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:39.360
Green screen.
00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:40.079
We got a green screen.
00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:40.560
Yes, right.
00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:43.600
Um you're in for real treat.
00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:48.240
Now, here's the secret, and this person won't doesn't know I'm gonna say this, but that's okay.
00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:49.519
They can't stop me.
00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:57.839
Um this person for sure tonight is the smartest and most talented guy on the screen, but often is the most smartest.
00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:01.120
No, no, tonight, but he's just you know, this isn't as little.
00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:09.759
Yeah, but he's usually the smartest and most talented guy in the room, but works really hard to blend in, so you'll never know.
00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:13.439
Reads the room well, builds up the people around him.
00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:18.079
He loves to learn by listening to others talk, he loves to encourage and prop people up.
00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:22.720
He's super humble, unbelievably creative, and has a great sense of humor.
00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:28.079
All of these markers make him better than he should not be on this podcast, like just straight away.
00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:40.319
This guest uh had a career of teaching around Wisconsin and Minnesota and spent the majority of his time teaching in the 196th school district.
00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:42.319
Uh knows Phil?
00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:49.680
Kind of knows Chris uh from Humble Musical Beginnings and Adams Friendship and starting college as a PE major.
00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:54.959
He holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point in Minnesota State University.
00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:02.639
Um we have to ask him about um when he switched to be a music major in his undergrad.
00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:08.079
He was right at the time that there was a Schoenberg and Ives music festival, and you gotta hear this story.
00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:09.279
It's hilarious.
00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:10.160
Okay, anyway.
00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:14.240
Um he was the 2013 music educator of the year for Minnesota.
00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:24.319
Also a Packers fan, as we mentioned, he's taught for 37 years and is now happily enjoying time as a passionate, nearly daily golfer and a guitarist in his retirement.
00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:29.519
He's lauded for his work with concert bands, jazz bands, marching arts.
00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:36.319
He's been awarded numerous honors at jazz festivals, appeared at MMEA multiple times, served as the jazz chair for MMEA.
00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:36.959
I think I know.
00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:39.680
He's a middle school level director for the Minnesota Youth Jazz.
00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:42.480
I know about the reason for the green screen.
00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:44.240
It is a green screen.
00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:46.399
There is a member of the green screen.
00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:48.720
There is a reason it's a green screen.
00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:52.240
Active arranger for culture band, jazz band, marching band, percussion, chamber groups.
00:07:52.399 --> 00:08:00.639
His role as adjudicator, he adjudges over 25 events a year and goes 14 states plus Canada international adjudicator.
00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:09.279
Serves in leadership roles as a judge administrator for the Mint American Competing Band Directors Association and the Minnesota Percussion Association.
00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:10.319
Hot shot.
00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:10.639
Phil.
00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:11.680
Definitely a hot shot.
00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:12.399
Hotshot.
00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:15.120
Our guest tonight is Is this John Green?
00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:16.399
It's John Green.
00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:17.360
Good job, Phil.
00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:21.120
Look at this.
00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:23.040
How'd you figure it out?
00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:24.800
So what was it that tipped you off?
00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:28.319
I mean the smartest guy in the room, not Phil.
00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:38.480
You were reading this like list of you know uh honors and recently we retired and uh and I I just put it all I put it together.
00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:39.200
I don't know why.
00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:40.399
Like I I don't know why.
00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:44.080
Well, you spend a lot of time with the Middle Eclair Jazz Festival every year, I'm assuming, yes?
00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:46.720
I think, yeah, John, we we meet up there typically, don't we?
00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:47.440
Oh yeah.
00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:50.559
I've I've been going there since 1976.
00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:51.120
Yeah.
00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:58.000
In some fashion, as a participant or as a judge or as just a spectator.
00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:00.240
Anyway, John Green, welcome to the show.
00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:01.919
We're really glad to have you here.
00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:04.159
Um John, this is fantastic.
00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:04.639
Welcome.
00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:05.440
Thank you for doing this.
00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:06.000
Thank you.
00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:09.360
John, you gotta start with a story about your humble beginnings.
00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.159
So John said to me, Oh my gosh, I just wasn't ready.
00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:15.679
Like the first time I saw Marimba was when I got to college, right?
00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:16.000
Yeah.
00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:18.480
So you gotta tell them this story because it's just hilarious.
00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:20.559
All of us music geeks will think it's all.
00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:26.720
Well, I had I was one of those kids in high school who did everything, and band was just one of the things.
00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:28.000
I knew I wanted to be a teacher.
00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:31.440
So I so I went to Stevens Point because it was the closest college.
00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:33.039
That's why I went there.
00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:39.120
And um I started as a Fayette major, and while I was a Fayette major, I was in percussion ensemble.
00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:50.000
I was the third drummer in the third jazz ensemble because that was the first time I ever was in a jazz ensemble, because we didn't have one, and I was in a concert band.
00:09:50.480 --> 00:10:00.399
And uh anyway, uh so I switched over, started taking lessons to a music major, and I had to start going to recitals.
00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:10.799
And the first recital I went to that wasn't our actual Wednesday recital was part of our Schoenberg Eyes Festival that week.
00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:27.440
Um and I went to a solo unaccompanied violin recital of the music of Schoenberg, and I was crawling out of my skin because this kid from Adam's friendship was not ready for what that was gonna do.
00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:37.600
And I marched into my advisor's office the next day after two and a half grueling hours, and I said, I can't be a music major if this is what I have to do.
00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:39.919
I cannot listen to this stuff.
00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:44.320
Two and a half hours of unaccompanied Schoenberg violin.
00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:45.279
Can you imagine?
00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:49.600
Not good, not good.
00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:56.960
And we were playing Schoenberg in um uh in band, we're playing the variations uh in orchestra.
00:10:57.039 --> 00:11:08.159
We were doing the 4th of July, and I was a cymbal player, and I couldn't follow the orchestra director for anything, trying to be two marching bands playing the cymbals converging upon each other, you know.
00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:12.960
So, and many people were struggling, so I thought I think I was okay.
00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:14.799
I love it, I love it.
00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:17.519
Uh, well, John, thanks for being here.
00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:22.240
And uh I know we brought this up, and in fact, you're even an adjudicator at the Eau Claire Jazz Festival now, too.
00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:23.840
So I wanted to start off.
00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:35.440
Um, I mean, how many days last year do you think you were in somebody's band room, either clinicking them in their school or acting as an adjudicator at a festival?
00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:37.440
Like how many days last year do you think?
00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:38.639
Oh, I don't know.
00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.840
Maybe 30.
00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:43.919
So um some have called you the band whisperer.
00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:55.600
Um tell me why you think that is and what a band director could learn from somebody who spends so much time listening to so many different groups.
00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:00.480
Well, when I when I work with bands, I I first of all try to find out what they're doing well.
00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:19.279
And even if it's just a smidgen of doing something well, especially if it's artistic or if it's expressive or musical, and I hop on that right away, just trying to encourage them to do more of that kind of thing and take those risks um with with their kids and and trust their kids to be able to do that stuff.
00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:28.080
And then the comments I make, um, I'm not there to clean anyone when I go like help a band prepare for MMEA or anything like that.
00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:32.480
Um, yeah, with my drum core background, believe me, I know how to clean.
00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:39.120
I mean, that's what you learn, but I don't get a lot of I don't get a lot of uh gratification from cleaning.
00:12:39.440 --> 00:13:03.679
So I try to give the say things to them that maybe wouldn't be obvious, and things that they can work on that are just a little bit more sometimes they're understated things, sometimes they're you know artistic things, but just get them thinking that little little bit that way, all the time, affirming that they have the skills to do this, because I I believe they do.
00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:13.759
And I don't care if it's high school, I don't care if it's middle school, you gotta believe the kids can play musically at any level if you're giving them music that they can achieve.
00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:14.879
I love it.
00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:15.919
Yeah, that's cool.
00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:17.039
Yeah, John.
00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:25.679
I I uh know you through Bernie Powers and Mark Davison, and I mean, because you have a long history.
00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:38.080
Uh Macbeth, you know, I mean, uh has gone through a ton of transformation, and I think the marching arts alone has gone through a ton of stuff over the last like 30 years.
00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:38.639
Oh, yeah.
00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:43.840
Um what do you see uh through your perspective?
00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:50.399
What have you seen uh as far as that transformation, both good and maybe even some concerning things?
00:13:50.720 --> 00:14:01.840
Well, I you know, when I started in the whole thing, I was a rare breed because I got out of drum core and I graduated from college about the same time I aged out of drum core.
00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:09.759
And let me tell you, you could count on one hand how many people there were with music degrees that marched snare drum in a drum corps.
00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:12.720
That was very, very unusual.
00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:18.639
And um, but that gave me a huge advantage in terms of what I could bring to my to my job.
00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:22.559
And what I saw at the beginning, there were definite camps.
00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:35.759
There was like drumcor's bad camp, where band people, we do band a certain way, and um the drum corps people will say that the band don't know doesn't know how to do it right, and it's just a clash of egos.
00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:45.440
And I was this person that lived in both worlds, and really I enjoyed my college marching band experience a lot, and I the same with my drumcore experience.
00:14:45.679 --> 00:15:08.080
And what I've seen happen is is these worlds have all converged, and now they're they really commingle so so well, and I don't I don't hear people badmouth like march college marching bands hardly at all anymore, or drum chords, right?
00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:12.799
And I gotta believe people may be kind of getting it, you know.
00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:14.720
We all need each other.
00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:17.200
We all need each other in the arts.
00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:22.799
We don't want to be turning on each other and putting down our and letting our egos take over and stuff like that.
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:27.679
We need each other because together we're more powerful, we have a greater impact.
00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:32.000
Um, and the kids who do both, they're gonna they're gonna really benefit from it all.
00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.679
And they're gonna be those people that are gonna be advocating the same way.
00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.639
I love that.
00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.960
That's extremely well said.
00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:49.440
I I I don't know if Peter mentioned it in the introduction, I probably should have, but John, I mean, you made you had a career uh working with a young instrumentalist, middle school kids, you know.
00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:55.600
Um, but I know that you're a very capable high school band director, and you offer you could offer plenty to college groups.
00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:57.279
I mean, you're a great musician.
00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:04.799
It doesn't really matter, but uh somewhere along the lines, the middle school age bracket it must have become your thing.
00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:08.159
Did was there a specific time where that happened or not really?
00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:10.159
It was a little by accident.
00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:21.039
I was at Rosemont High School in 1996 in the spring, and I was a band coordinator and I was helping do interviews for this new middle school in Apple Valley called Falcon Ridge.
00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:22.960
It was going to open up that fall.
00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:35.360
And um at time at the time we were you know having some challenges at home because our our daughter had was a sixth grader or fifth grader, and she was just diagnosed with autism.
00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:45.679
And our our home life was really challenging because of that, especially mornings and going to school and just all that.
00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:50.240
And I was kind of feeling guilty about being a high school band director.
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:56.320
And so at the interview I told the principal, I said, Hey, you know, I think I'd like to teach at Falcon Ridge.
00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:58.960
And he said, You got a week to decide.
00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:07.599
And I unbe unbeknownst to anyone, and the surprise of the world, I I left Rosemont High School and it worked out.
00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:08.880
That's great.
00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:14.480
I mean, okay, so let's talk about those young musicians.
00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:22.480
What are some myths about young musicians and middle school musicians that we should dissolve and get rid of as band directors?
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:26.559
Um, you can't have high expectations is a myth myth.
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:33.759
You can have high expectations, they just have to be the expectations that are suited for where that group is at.
00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:34.480
That's all.
00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:37.680
You can't there is no middle school palette.
00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:43.359
You have to know you know your kids and know what they're capable of.
00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:47.680
Um at Falcon Ridge, we tried to offer something for everyone.
00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:56.960
We had things that, you know, you kind of get known for the things that are out and about and sound really well and do are successful.
00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:02.799
But I mean, we had remediation programs for kids who needed more time.
00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:08.240
My mornings before school oftentimes were with kids that were struggling.
00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:16.480
Um, and you know, we we just tried to reach everyone and have groups for every different kind of kid.
00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:21.119
Uh and our number one goal in middle school was to try to keep them in band.
00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:22.720
Yeah, that's right.
00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.400
Just keep them there longer.
00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:49.359
Um I think the reason, no, this is just me projecting, but I think the reason you're the band whisperer and why you were so successful with those younger musicians is it's pretty easy to tell you care about them, and you also have this way to like wiggle your way into their minds and their hearts and build that trust and relationship with them, and then they can kind of hear what you're saying.
00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:56.400
Um is there it's all about connections, it's all about connections, it really is.
00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:07.359
And when I have a kid that's that is just not into it, won't bring their horn up in time, whatever, won't has trouble getting to class on times, I make it a point to to make connection with that kid.
00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:21.920
I meet them at the door, I talk to them, I find out what else is going on in their life, and I don't even talk about the band stuff that want them to do better until I think that that trust is there and I've got some stuff in the bank, and it's sincere, you know.
00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:28.799
I mean, we all care about the kids, and I know the product is going to be so gratifying for them.
00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:35.440
And sometimes those kids, you see them three years later or something in high school, they're some of the best members there are.
00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:36.400
Oh my god.
00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:36.880
Yeah.
00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:54.319
I mean, we had a kid, I remember in seventh, it was a seventh grader who really had a tough time attending, wanted to switch to percussion, and uh he had trouble sitting in his chair, and I didn't think percussion was the best thing for him because he couldn't sit in the chair with his horn.
00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:57.519
Well, we let him switch in eighth grade.
00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:04.960
Long story short, he went to UMass, majored in percussion performance and composition.
00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:08.079
He marched snare with Carolina Crown.
00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:12.799
He's a DCI judge, and he makes his living writing music for video games.
00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:14.640
I love that.
00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:16.720
I mean, you just never know.
00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:17.680
You never know.
00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:24.559
I mean, yeah, you don't even know in high school or college what our lives are going to be like later, well, let alone 12.
00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:28.240
Um, John, tell me about some of your other students you're the most proud of.
00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:34.079
Who are some students that you've had in the past that are super successful and whatever they are that you're really proud of?
00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:35.519
That's really hard.
00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:37.839
I mean, because there's so many of them.
00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:44.960
Um most of our kids, at like most places, you know, they didn't go into music.
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:57.039
Um because they were they had lots of different gifts and lots of different and so much support from their parents and so much support from each other's and stuff like that.
00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:03.839
So, you know, I I have kids who are college music directors.
00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:09.839
I have uh uh former piano player who leads the Lawrence Jazz ensemble.
00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:15.839
I mean, uh heart surgeons, uh you name it.
00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:30.319
Um it's uh we had a young man who uh was a heart surgeon, and his father was our superintendent, and we were at the O'Claire Jazz Festival, and uh John Fattis, I don't know if you remember that.
00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:33.440
Were you there then when John Fattus was the uh clinician?
00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:35.519
Before the time, but maybe Chris.
00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:37.519
Into the fattisphere, yeah.
00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:47.519
Well, anyway, we're at the big thing in Gatner, the big clinic, and and this young man's got his hand up, and he says, Oh, I'm going, oh no, what's he gonna do?
00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:54.720
He was a seventh grader, he played, he was a really, really good player, but he was just a little guy and hadn't gone through his changes to make him stronger.
00:21:54.880 --> 00:22:01.920
But anyway, he raises that his question and he asks the question that you ask at Trumpet workshop.
00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:03.759
And he said, Mr.
00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:06.400
Fattis, how high can you play?
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:09.599
And the place erupted.
00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:12.960
And John was so masterful.
00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:15.839
He said, He said, I'm not sure.
00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:17.440
How high can you play?
00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:20.240
And the kid said, Well, I can play a D.
00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:22.480
Well, get up here and show us.
00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:25.920
And the guy, the kid's like four foot nothing.
00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.720
And he squeaks out something.
00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:34.240
And the place went crazy, you know, because this little kid did what he did.
00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:39.200
And his dad, the superintendent of 196, was there.
00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:48.400
And I tell you, that did more for support of instrumental music in 196 than anything I can think of.
00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:50.319
Nice work, John Fattis.
00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:51.039
Nice work.
00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:52.160
Right?
00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:53.839
That's a great story.
00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:56.319
I love your stories.
00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.680
Love your stories.
00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:02.240
Let's talk about since it's the beginning of the year for so many folks.
00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:11.279
What is a strategy or something that you recall, just something you love doing at the beginning of every year?
00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:16.000
Um, I love training my band how to rehearse effectively.
00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.599
And it was a training, and we went through kind of a training.
00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:26.160
And I had some sayings, like one of my sayings was, don't be that kid, when they would do knucklehead stuff.
00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:29.039
And they would they all knew what that meant meant.
00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:33.359
And we talked, um, but we had a lot of laughs in my band.
00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:36.160
But when I bring my arms up, they their horns always came up.
00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:41.039
And when we ended a tune, they left their horns up until my horns came, my hands came down.
00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:44.000
And I didn't have to get mean about it at all.
00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:48.079
If their horns didn't come up, I would just say, Hey, let's try that again.
00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:49.440
Maybe six times.
00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.400
Hey, let's try it.
00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:55.920
And then the kids would say, Hey, he means you, you know, and just trying to get them to commute.
00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:01.039
And then, and I would say things like, you know, we need everyone to play on that first note.
00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:04.160
There's none of you that are born to beat three.
00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:08.799
I mean, you can all come in on count one and making sure they're breathing through there.
00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:10.960
The whole breathing thing we work on at the beginning of the year.
00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:19.119
I would not let them play their horns independently until we did it together, until about October.
00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:25.839
And by that time, we had talked a lot about it and said, here's the kind of things I want to hear you playing.
00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:33.519
Not blasting in someone's ears, not having a high note contest, not seeing what kind of bodily function noises you can make on your instrument.
00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:38.000
Those all have their time and place, but not when we're together, okay?
00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:42.799
And uh and just like you're laughing, they would laugh too.
00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:46.319
And then you start to hear kids playing.
00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:50.480
We okay, I'm gonna give you one minute to play the kinds of things you should play.
00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.240
And then I would take that.
00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:55.039
I have a thing in rehearsals called alone time.
00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:59.599
And this comes from talking to some of my better players.
00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.440
And a kid says to me one time, Mr.
00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:16.079
Green, you know, when we were working on something, we work all together, or you work just on the clarinets, if you would just give us 30 seconds or a minute, a lot of us could could work it out because we just need to do it alone, just to work out our own individual problems.
00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:28.240
Now, they didn't say it that eloquently, but anyway, I would say, okay, guys, uh rehearsal or at rehearsal 33, I'm gonna give you 30 seconds of alone time, and let's see what you can do with this.
00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:33.200
And they would try to work it out, and you would start hearing those little snippets.
00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:36.160
We call them uh at our school, we call them drill boxes.
00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:43.599
In their concert music were boxes around the music that were parts that they needed to work on.
00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:53.359
And sometimes we would go start a rehearsal, say we're gonna work on this piece, we're gonna start a drill box number seven, and we're gonna do it four times in a row with four beats in between, and we'd rep it.
00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:58.799
So you did the boxes before they got the music, you know, they do it, they write them in.
00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:00.720
They all had a pencil in middle school.
00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.839
You have to do it like this.
00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:04.400
Okay, everyone, pick up your pencil.
00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:06.079
That's how you start.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:08.640
You would tell you college isn't much different, John.
00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:09.599
Nothing.
00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:30.000
We're just older middle schoolers, and we do these drill boxes and we just make and I said now, and you see them in their lesson books too, because in their lesson books, they they're working on just you know stuff that's for their instrument, and you see drill boxes all the time because this kid will say, Well, I like to start at the beginning of a song and play to the end.
00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:38.319
And I said, you know, you the beginning's gonna be great, the end's gonna be terrible, and there's gonna be some rough spots.
00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:44.480
So we we had this whole drill box concept, and everyone at our school knew what drill boxes were, and they work really well.
00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:49.119
John, you're a huge mentor to so many teachers now that you're retired.
00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:57.440
You're like a rehearsal junkie, you're out there all the time uh helping anybody that um will let you volunteer in their classroom.
00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:06.799
Um and just listening to you talk about all these examples, um, what are some of the great things you're seeing from younger teachers today?
00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:15.119
And if you could talk to all of them collectively and give them one or two things that you see being the biggest thing they could grow at, what would that be?
00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:22.240
Well, what I see, first of all, is I, you know, a lot of my concert band judging is done in smaller schools.
00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:32.720
And I kind of concentrate mostly south of the Twin Cities simply because I don't like to have to drive through the cities to go somewhere for a seven o'clock report.
00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:43.519
So, but anyway, I I'm working and I see so much fabulous teaching that being in my district, I I didn't know existed.
00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:55.599
I had no idea there were so many fine teachers out there that are doing a great job and they they're all by themselves, and you know, it's just first of all, I'm amazed by that.
00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:11.920
Um, the thing that I would say is to young teachers is the most important thing you do when you don't have your kids is spend time selecting music that they can be successful at.
00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:17.039
I spent more time in my prep selecting music than anything else.
00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:19.119
I was crazy about it.
00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:22.000
Um, I'm doing a jazz chart.
00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:23.359
What's the first thing I look at?
00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:25.920
I look at the bass part, I look at the changes.
00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:30.640
If we can't improvise in those changes and I'm a bass player can't play it, it's out.
00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:32.960
I don't care how much I like the tune.
00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:36.559
And when I was a younger teacher, oh, I've always wanted to play this tune.
00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:38.960
I can't wait for my band to play it.
00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:43.519
You know, well, that that everyone learns that lesson.
00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:46.319
But I would just say spend some time.
00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:53.839
Um, really spend some time, you know, preparing and making sure you play things that are gonna be good for your kids.
00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:58.880
There's no one cares if you play grade three or four music.
00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:06.079
Your audience certainly doesn't, but they do care and they're gonna feel good if they play it successfully.
00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:09.200
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00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:43.119
Not sick of me yet?
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That's Concordiacollege.edu slash music.
00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:27.599
Or just contact me and I'll take care of it.
00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:36.319
So, John, one of my favorite things about you is that you're just a kind person and that you're so easy to spend time with.
00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:40.000
And I think that endeared you to your students and to everybody around you.
00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:48.319
Um, but I'm not sure that I know plenty of teachers that are are great people and I like them, but that doesn't always spell success.
00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:51.359
Um you know, with students.
00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:59.200
Um and so one of the things I've noticed when I've seen you give clinics and when I see you work with groups is that you you're a quick study.
00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:15.440
Um in other words, as soon as you hear something, there's about it there's a plan that's formulating um and also along with that plan a willingness to pivot or be flexible and change courses quickly if need be.
00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:20.720
I'm wondering if that was something that came instinctive for you when you started teaching, or you had to develop that skill.
00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:22.640
I developed that skill.
00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:25.359
I had to I had to develop that skill.
00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:27.680
I had some fabulous mentors.
00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:29.519
I mean, holy cow.
00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:40.319
I mean, the places I've taught, we're we got to many times we had people coming into our our school as clinicians, and I just soaked that up.
00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:55.440
And um, in the jazz world, um I got to be friends with Fred Sturm back in the late 70s, and Fred would come over and work with my kids at Manitowac um for dinner.
00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:57.279
I just had to give him dinner.
00:32:57.599 --> 00:32:58.880
He just had to feed them.
00:32:59.119 --> 00:33:00.079
We'll work for food.
00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:00.960
He's like a drummer.
00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:03.759
Which was which was hard because he was a vegetarian.
00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:09.039
And if you know John, he's not a vegetarian, so I had to figure something out a lot of macaroni and cheese.
00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:19.440
But anyway, I mean, and I always I always think Fred's one of those was one of the kindest persons, made everyone in the room feel fabulous.
00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:22.079
And boy, I I wanted to do that.
00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:32.000
I wanted to be like I know I couldn't be like him, but I had to have my own version of Fred Sturm, and he was pretty powerful uh mentor in my life.
00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:34.559
Who are some other mentors like that for you?
00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:39.200
Well, along that same line, see, I was a huge Matrix fan growing up in Wisconsin.
00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:41.279
I don't know if you guys know the band Matrix.
00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:42.720
Yeah, I'm sure Phil does.
00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:52.079
And um I was I I got called at the last minute in my second year teaching to be a teacher at the Green Bay Jazz Camp.
00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:53.519
And I was thrilled.
00:33:53.599 --> 00:34:04.079
I was so thrilled, but not as thrilled as I was when I got to got there, and I get to share like one of those student condo area uh things I had, those fourplexes.
00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:11.679
And um my roommate were my roommates were Tex, who's the lead player for Matrix, and John Harmon.
00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:16.159
Oh wow, you know, every summer I do the Red Lodge Music Festival with John Harmon.
00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:16.719
Oh my god.
00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:17.760
It still goes out there.
00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:20.320
It's still he's made anyway early.
00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:21.280
Yeah.
00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:22.079
Anyway, keep going.
00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:28.719
And so they were in my head and in my ears, and and John was my piano players were studying with John.
00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:32.480
Because uh from Manitowak to Winnick County, it wasn't that far.
00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:35.199
And so, you know, that was fabulous.
00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:39.360
And it's then my last year there, we had John write a suite for the band.
00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:43.119
And the funny story is we're having we're gonna have our dress rehearsal in this.
00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:50.000
We had a big, big rehearsal hall at uh our uh auditorium, at 1600 seat auditorium at Manitowoc.
00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:53.039
And I'm getting ready in my office, and some kids come in.
00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:53.840
Hey, Mr.
00:34:54.000 --> 00:35:01.840
Green, one of the custodians is playing the piano in the in the PAC, but but he's really good.
00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:09.519
It was John, he's got his jeans on and his jean jacket and stuff with a Packer jersey underneath, of course.
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:12.239
You know, I love it.
00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.280
That's great.
00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:16.480
Uh, did you ever tell John that they thought he was a custodian?
00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:18.079
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah.
00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:19.360
I love that too.
00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:23.440
He did uh he did an artist in residence in at St.
00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:33.360
Olaf a couple uh years ago, and I got to reconnect with him, which was was really, really fun because yeah, I mean he's amazing to do an arrangement.
00:35:34.800 --> 00:35:41.360
Oh, and what huge ears, so humble, and he sounds like no other piano player.
00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:42.320
It's true.
00:35:42.559 --> 00:36:03.599
And it this summer camp in um he teaches basic improv classes to these kids, and then he also coaches there's uh kids can audition to be part of the the top high school jazz combo, and they just get to work with John for an hour and a half a day for a whole week and then go out, and it's just magnificent how much at what is he 94?
00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:09.599
He's like 94, and he still shows up there with his wife, and his son comes, of course.
00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:22.719
And yeah, um, and I'm just like, there's so many things you could be doing, John, at 94 in Montana right now, other than working with this kid playing the bass clarinet that can't find their way out of a 12-bar blues if and you've been trying to help him all week.
00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:25.199
And he is just helpful.
00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:28.639
Oh, it's just amazing to watch the power of relationship and music.
00:36:28.800 --> 00:36:29.199
It's great.
00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:36.719
I mean, that that whole the whole thing that he started Lawrence with the jazz program, I mean, it's it's just amazing.
00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:57.440
And the students did, and then I was gonna talk about and i in in the concert band world, um um being a Manitowoc in summers I would go down to the the conducting workshop at Northwestern Um University with John Painter, which was very humbling.
00:36:58.079 --> 00:37:10.000
And is like me, and then sitting next to me is Mallory Thompson, and because she was a student, you know, and um I had a good friend, uh one of my college roommates, uh Don Schleicher, who went through that program.
00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:11.280
Oh wow, yeah, yeah.
00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:12.000
Yeah.
00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:14.639
Yeah, Don Schleicher is a point guy.
00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:15.599
Yeah.
00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:18.079
Look at you just growing for everybody.
00:37:18.639 --> 00:37:19.840
That's just crazy.
00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:22.480
So I'm just a little, I'm a little bit of a lot of people.
00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:26.639
I don't know how original I am in anything, but I've had some pretty amazing people.
00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:29.280
Phil, Phil is a mentor of mine.
00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:55.280
When I would go to Eau Claire Jazz Festival and I was not participating as a judge or as a participant, I would find out whatever room Phil Alstrander was in, and I would go there and I would listen to his comments because he was filling my bag of tricks and my whole philosophy about making rich comments.
00:37:55.440 --> 00:37:57.760
I would go listen to Phil work with bands.
00:37:58.320 --> 00:38:02.960
And that means I mean you're blowing me up here, buddy.
00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:03.599
Uh that's okay.
00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:05.199
Peter Chris will bring me back to Earth.
00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:05.840
It's all right.
00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:06.159
We bought it.
00:38:06.239 --> 00:38:14.000
I watched him do this with the uh middle school band festival every year, and he he uh he writes that ship from whatever he's doing at the jazz festival.
00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:15.360
He like brings that back in the club.
00:38:18.159 --> 00:38:24.719
Even Steven, yeah, he uses it all up in uh in early April, and by the time it gets to late May, it's over.
00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:25.280
Nothing.
00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:28.719
Yeah, the college kids that usually go watch him are like, really?
00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:29.840
Is that how it's done?
00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:31.599
I'm like, no, no, it's not.
00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:43.599
Um John, uh uh you spend a lot of time, like Peter mentioned, mentoring oh, teachers of all ages at this point.
00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:47.840
Um and I know when you taught, it's not all roses.
00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:56.719
You know, you've got struggles with parents, with certain students, with budgets, with um enrollment, with I mean, all sorts of struggles.
00:38:56.800 --> 00:39:01.519
How did you keep from letting all of those struggles sort of like take over?
00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:08.639
Uh and instead of you know, uh seeing all the positives, how did you avoid sort of getting uh quagmired with the negatives?
00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:13.599
It's because my favorite thing to do every day was rehearse my groups and teach lessons.
00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:26.159
That's I mean, I'm a rehearsal guy, I love rehearsals, I love lessons, I love small group sectionals, I love any of that kind of stuff way more than concert and performances.
00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:34.960
Um, and in middle school, honestly, your best moments, and Chris might agree with this, your best musical moments probably happened in a rehearsal.
00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:38.559
Um it's just kind of the nature of the beast.
00:39:38.719 --> 00:39:44.320
And if a middle school teacher isn't saying that, I think they're they're not being honest with themselves.
00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:56.000
Um, so that other stuff, no matter what was going on, I always got to go rehearse someone that day, or I always got to go do a sectional or or do a midday group or something like that.
00:39:56.079 --> 00:39:57.920
And that that always fed me.
00:39:58.000 --> 00:40:01.599
So it's just the other stuff was just yeah, part of the job, everyone's got to do it.
00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:03.440
And yeah.
00:40:04.559 --> 00:40:06.320
John, uh let me ask you this.
00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:09.360
Uh just one more here, Peter Peter, real quick.
00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:34.400
We just finished writing the new Wisconsin music standards, and part of the thing that just changed when it came to uh the concept of performance or expression is that there is an emphasis on individual growth, just as there is an emphasis on larger ensemble, and that there is a distinction there, that we have to hold that friction.
00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:43.840
Um, because and I hear you talking about there's large ensemble, full classroom learning and exploration, but then you also talk about the concept of lessons.
00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:48.400
And I understand fully that not every program has a lesson program.
00:40:48.559 --> 00:40:58.159
However, there is a reality in which kids have to grow as musicians in their own way, on their own instrument, their own pedagogy.
00:40:58.400 --> 00:40:59.920
And can you speak to that a little bit?
00:41:00.079 --> 00:41:03.679
Like how did you see that play out in your career?
00:41:04.159 --> 00:41:12.559
Well, you know, that's especially hard in middle school because a middle schooler's number one goal every day at school is not to be embarrassed.
00:41:13.039 --> 00:41:26.559
So if you are asking them to take risks, especially like Chris says, as an individual, and maybe be expressive or artistic, um, boy, that's that's a huge one.
00:41:26.880 --> 00:41:36.000
But I think that as long at that age age level that we're planting seeds, we're giving them an example of how to, we got to give them tools.
00:41:36.079 --> 00:41:40.880
I mean, how many times have people written like on a solo ensemble form be more expressive?
00:41:41.599 --> 00:41:42.960
Well, that's silly.
00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:45.199
How should I be more expressive?
00:41:45.519 --> 00:41:47.679
Do you want me to use contour dynamics?
00:41:47.840 --> 00:41:49.840
Should I be more rubato at times?
00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:51.519
Should I stress notes?
00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:53.920
Um, should you want me to do things more rhythmically?
00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:57.840
You want to be me to do more directional things with my rhythms and how I group things?
00:41:58.000 --> 00:41:59.360
Give them some tools.
00:41:59.519 --> 00:42:04.960
Don't just say be more expressive, because that's just like like telling an artist to paint better.
00:42:05.679 --> 00:42:06.960
Oh my god, write that down.
00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:08.880
This is so good.
00:42:09.039 --> 00:42:15.119
Everything you even say to us is like, I'm gonna be better, I'm gonna be better on Wednesday and rehearsal because of this, John.
00:42:15.199 --> 00:42:15.920
I love that.
00:42:16.159 --> 00:42:17.440
That's just silly.
00:42:17.679 --> 00:42:31.039
Um, okay, I just wanted to get this up because I we're our time's running low, but I know that we talked about the superintendent dad earlier, and we just talked a little bit about um administration as well and meetings.
00:42:31.119 --> 00:42:43.920
And I know that you had a big role, though probably behind the scenes more at 196, that's really molded and helped to maintain that program and with lessons and numbers and all that stuff.
00:42:44.159 --> 00:42:47.360
Um it's so you've always been a teacher.
00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:50.559
Obviously, the teaching feeds your soul, that's what I hear you saying.
00:42:50.880 --> 00:42:56.800
But you are a not just a band whisperer, you're also like an administrator whisperer.
00:42:56.880 --> 00:43:13.280
Like, how did you learn that skill, or how if you could tell your younger self what you know now about administrators and how to work with administrators for the benefit of the students, how how would you coach your younger self?
00:43:13.679 --> 00:43:21.519
Just like with your kids and you communicate and you try to get things in the bank, you have to do that in a sincere way with your administrator.
00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:23.119
You gotta get them in your room.
00:43:23.360 --> 00:43:27.440
You just gotta get them in your room so because you're they're gonna see the great things you can do.
00:43:27.679 --> 00:43:35.119
Um, I would tell my my administrators, I please don't evaluate me by how my concert goes.
00:43:35.360 --> 00:43:39.599
The real meat and potatoes of what we do as teachers happens in the classroom every day.
00:43:39.760 --> 00:43:46.719
Watch me greet kids as they come in the door, watch me as I as the kids leave my classroom, watch me out in the hallway with kids.
00:43:46.880 --> 00:43:50.400
All these things is what puts it together.
00:43:50.639 --> 00:43:56.239
And then as teachers, we're gonna get some yeses and some no's from our administrator.
00:43:56.880 --> 00:43:59.760
And we can't get five yeses in a row.
00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:06.559
And then get a no, and then all of a sudden we're sitting there and we're saying how bad an administrator this is.
00:44:06.800 --> 00:44:13.440
It's like I think sometimes as teachers, we are like the charter members of the what have you done for me lately club?
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:16.639
And there's a history there.
00:44:16.960 --> 00:44:17.280
Yeah.
00:44:17.440 --> 00:44:29.360
I mean, you know, so build the administrators, you just gotta be you gotta keep building that and you gotta kind of, you know, subtly educating them on what you do, why it's important, why it's valuable.
00:44:29.599 --> 00:44:40.239
And they may not get the musical stuff, but they'll get the thing the stuff that's gonna make their kids better citizens, better citizens in their school, leaders in their school.
00:44:40.559 --> 00:44:46.559
Um, and the smart administrators, they realize this, and Chris can talk about this.
00:44:46.880 --> 00:44:57.039
When you need parent support as a principal, the band parents are about the first place you go because they've already, you know, they're already there for you.
00:44:57.679 --> 00:44:59.119
Yeah, that and chess club.
00:44:59.280 --> 00:45:00.960
Chess club's big, that's a huge one.
00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:04.000
But uh yeah, band's up there, maybe number two.
00:45:06.320 --> 00:45:07.119
Oh my gosh.
00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:07.920
Okay, John.
00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:12.960
So uh gentlemen, uh, other you want, I mean, we can make this go three hours with John Green.
00:45:13.039 --> 00:45:14.320
It's easy, as you can see.
00:45:14.480 --> 00:45:16.400
I've got myself uh a speed run here.
00:45:16.480 --> 00:45:17.199
Are we ready for that?
00:45:17.280 --> 00:45:19.519
Or do we have some more burning questions?
00:45:19.840 --> 00:45:21.119
Yeah, no, I think that's fine.
00:45:21.199 --> 00:45:23.920
Go speed run, but you try to make it speedy.
00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:26.239
You're usually kind of okay.
00:45:26.480 --> 00:45:32.800
This is from the guy that had the three and a half minute question that almost wasn't a question, and then you ended up saying what do you have to say about that?
00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:43.920
Okay, um, so uh John had told me that he stopped listening to rock and roll in the late 70s because he got really got really stopped petting that rock.
00:45:44.079 --> 00:45:49.599
Um he got really into listening to jazz and classical music, you know, and and uh once he started teaching.
00:45:49.760 --> 00:45:54.079
So, but he's a big fan of classic rock, and as you can see, the guitars behind him, he loves to play.
00:45:54.239 --> 00:45:57.519
So I have the label, I put the label lamp on for you guys.
00:45:59.360 --> 00:46:00.480
It's a 70s film, yeah.
00:46:01.199 --> 00:46:04.400
So we got a speed round here, 70s rock tune speed round.
00:46:04.480 --> 00:46:05.199
Are you ready?
00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:06.079
Here we go.
00:46:06.239 --> 00:46:09.360
Yeah, John, Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd?
00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:13.760
Um, it's a hard one, but but uh Led Zeppelin.
00:46:13.920 --> 00:46:14.639
Led Zeppelin.
00:46:14.800 --> 00:46:14.880
Okay.
00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:17.760
Jimmy Jimmy Page is Jimmy Page is the reason why.
00:46:17.840 --> 00:46:18.400
Yeah, yeah.
00:46:18.559 --> 00:46:20.239
The really guitar player.
00:46:20.719 --> 00:46:24.880
Uh best album opening riff of the 1970s.
00:46:25.199 --> 00:46:27.920
Boy, I like so many of them.
00:46:28.400 --> 00:46:34.719
Um right now I'm working on one from Heart, uh, the opening riff to Crazy on You.
00:46:34.960 --> 00:46:35.440
Oh, yeah.
00:46:35.599 --> 00:46:44.960
It's it's an acoustic guitar riff, and uh the woman who plays it, I can't remember her name because I'm really bad with people and bands' names, but man, unbelievable.
00:46:45.599 --> 00:46:48.800
Most underrated 70s rock guitarist.
00:46:49.199 --> 00:46:51.440
Easy Terry Kath, Chicago.
00:46:52.000 --> 00:47:00.960
Terry Kat, Chicago was basically got their big break when they got to be the front band for Jimi Hendrix.
00:47:01.199 --> 00:47:07.760
Jimi Hendrix hung out with Terry Kath, and Jimi Hendrix said, He's better than me.
00:47:08.159 --> 00:47:08.800
Cool.
00:47:09.440 --> 00:47:11.119
Uh okay, just a few more.
00:47:11.360 --> 00:47:16.159
Vinyl, cassette, or eight-track preferred 70s medium.
00:47:16.639 --> 00:47:22.639
Vinyl, unless you have a popsicle stick to stick in the side of the eight-track to make sure it's tracking correctly.
00:47:25.679 --> 00:47:27.119
This is what we did.
00:47:27.679 --> 00:47:28.320
Wow.
00:47:32.719 --> 00:47:33.519
Exactly.
00:47:33.920 --> 00:47:39.519
Uh, best live album, Frampton Comes Alive or Alive by KISS.
00:47:40.079 --> 00:47:41.440
Oh, Frampton Comes Alive.
00:47:41.679 --> 00:47:45.360
Okay, yeah, it's um KISS KISS is more production.
00:47:45.519 --> 00:47:51.119
I mean, you know, um, you know, I don't I'm not sure how much authentic soul.
00:47:51.360 --> 00:47:56.559
I hope I'm not gonna, you know, alienate your KISS audience out there, but yeah.
00:47:56.800 --> 00:47:58.159
Yeah, we're gonna get a lot of things.
00:48:01.920 --> 00:48:05.599
Which band defined the decade more for you, Queen or Fleetwood Mac?
00:48:06.079 --> 00:48:17.280
You know, I would have said Queen um probably 10 years ago, but I've really gotten to appreciate Fleetwood Mac um since I play guitar.
00:48:17.760 --> 00:48:31.599
And um some pretty incredible stuff is going on there that's it's it's kind of understated, but there's a complexity to the understatement that's actually pretty amazing.
00:48:31.920 --> 00:48:39.440
And um and the the way they work the layers and stuff, it's I I would again Queen's more highly produced.
00:48:39.679 --> 00:48:40.000
Sure.
00:48:40.159 --> 00:48:43.039
Can you tell that John doesn't like highly produced stuff?
00:48:43.599 --> 00:48:46.639
Yeah, and you like you like the you like the singer-songwriter stuff.
00:48:46.880 --> 00:48:48.239
It's gotta be real art behind it.
00:48:48.639 --> 00:48:52.880
If it's not real art behind it, you smell it coming and kind of broadcast.
00:48:53.199 --> 00:48:53.599
Three more.
00:48:54.639 --> 00:48:57.280
It's just like okay, highly produced, not this podcast.
00:48:57.519 --> 00:48:58.239
Uh, three more.
00:48:58.400 --> 00:49:02.400
If you could steal one front man's voice for a day, who would it be?
00:49:02.719 --> 00:49:04.000
Robert Plant.
00:49:04.559 --> 00:49:06.480
Shastakovich or Mahler?
00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:08.079
Shostakovich.
00:49:08.639 --> 00:49:18.320
And the last I I got to play, I got to play the Tippany part to Shosti V in uh Central Wisconsin Symphony.
00:49:18.639 --> 00:49:25.760
My progression teacher let me do that, and that was like, oh my god, it's just hard to play because your body's just so consumed by goosebumps.
00:49:25.920 --> 00:49:27.039
And yeah.
00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:43.679
And then in the finale of the fifth movement, that that resolution um that what before it goes into D mate, it's just like the that right before the Maestoso, oh, how can you not have goosebumps when that happens?
00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:47.039
That's just my that's one of my favorite moments in classical music.
00:49:47.280 --> 00:49:55.039
Uh well, or concordia orchestra is doing Shosti Five right now, and uh there's a lot of great moments coming out of that over trying to get work done.
00:49:55.199 --> 00:49:58.639
And that would usually be our last one, but I have one more because of our earlier conversation.
00:49:58.960 --> 00:50:00.719
Schurnberg or Ives?
00:50:01.360 --> 00:50:01.760
Jeez.
00:50:02.480 --> 00:50:07.920
I think Ives is much more accessible, that's true, and not overproduced.
00:50:08.480 --> 00:50:11.840
And you know, and maybe I don't understand.
00:50:12.000 --> 00:50:19.840
All I remember about Schoenberg's theme and variations is I'm a freshman, and this is pieces, too long.
00:50:21.920 --> 00:50:22.480
Yeah.
00:50:23.199 --> 00:50:24.079
I love it.
00:50:24.719 --> 00:50:25.679
Uh John.
00:50:26.159 --> 00:50:27.599
I got one more serious question, Peter.
00:50:27.679 --> 00:50:28.719
You can relax, just take it easy.
00:50:29.039 --> 00:50:30.320
You did a great job with the speed round.
00:50:30.400 --> 00:50:31.760
It was pretty speedy for you.
00:50:32.159 --> 00:50:55.840
Um uh, John, we've been, it's not a theme for our season or anything, but almost all of our guests we've been asking them about um how we're going to have to evolve as um music teachers in um sort of spreading our gospel and so that the people know what's going on, why it's good, um, so that uh music education survives um into the future.
00:50:55.920 --> 00:51:02.719
And I'm wondering if you have a thought about how how we can do that as teachers, you know, better publicize and share what it is that we do.
00:51:03.039 --> 00:51:04.239
Okay, a couple things.
00:51:04.400 --> 00:51:07.039
First of all, like what I said before, we all need each other.
00:51:07.280 --> 00:51:12.400
That thing about whole the margin arts would look at each other cross-eyed years ago.
00:51:12.880 --> 00:51:14.960
That goes across a whole music spectrum.
00:51:15.119 --> 00:51:16.559
We need each other.
00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:24.559
And to that end, many times we'll have budget cuts threatened or something in a school district.
00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:30.159
And what do the animals do when their water hole starts to dry up?
00:51:30.719 --> 00:51:35.360
They look at each other differently, and that can't happen.
00:51:35.679 --> 00:51:36.559
That can't happen.
00:51:36.719 --> 00:51:52.400
That's not to say, well, you band guys always got this, or you you've got to come together and it's gotta be a unified one because if the people making decisions can get the vocal against the instrumental, against the general music, and divide you, they can just sit back and watch it all.
00:51:52.719 --> 00:52:06.559
But if they're all united together, they're gonna be so much more powerful, and they might get closer as a result and realize they're not as different as they may seem, and it could be a really good thing for the kids too.
00:52:06.800 --> 00:52:06.960
Great.
00:52:07.119 --> 00:52:09.360
See, there's a difference between knowledge and wisdom.
00:52:09.440 --> 00:52:11.199
And right there is wisdom, people.
00:52:11.280 --> 00:52:11.840
Write that down.
00:52:12.079 --> 00:52:16.480
John Green, great to to reconnect and just uh get to chat.
00:52:16.719 --> 00:52:18.480
You are uh fantastic.
00:52:18.639 --> 00:52:20.480
You are I knew your dad.
00:52:20.719 --> 00:52:22.400
I knew your dad you knew my dad.
00:52:22.639 --> 00:52:24.320
Yeah, when I taught in Ellsworth, yeah.
00:52:24.719 --> 00:52:27.440
John, what was your what was your first gig out of the gate?
00:52:27.519 --> 00:52:29.119
Was it middle school or was it high school?
00:52:29.440 --> 00:52:33.119
Um Manswonk Lincoln, uh assistant band director.
00:52:33.360 --> 00:52:33.679
Okay.
00:52:33.920 --> 00:52:34.079
Wow.
00:52:34.320 --> 00:52:41.679
So it was a large high school with a an amazing head guy, Dean Turkleson, who taught me so much.
00:52:42.159 --> 00:52:52.320
John, you must feel that your time spent in small town teaching in probably helped when you were sort of in a large suburban, you know, uh kind of bigger city kind of environment.
00:52:52.639 --> 00:52:53.360
It did.
00:52:53.519 --> 00:52:53.840
Yeah.
00:52:54.000 --> 00:52:57.440
Um, but I wasn't really a small town guy.
00:52:57.840 --> 00:52:58.880
And I'll tell you why.
00:52:59.039 --> 00:53:00.559
I was born in Chicago.
00:53:01.039 --> 00:53:07.119
We moved to Wisconsin when I was six, because Wisconsin was beautiful, and we lived on the south side of Chicago.
00:53:07.199 --> 00:53:09.840
That's not an exaggeration, that's where we live.
00:53:10.079 --> 00:53:22.800
And um even though the environment of where I went to school and grew up had a big effect on me, I don't think it had as big effect as having two parents who were born and raised in Chicago did.
00:53:24.079 --> 00:53:29.280
Because I always thought there had to be something else.
00:53:29.519 --> 00:53:30.480
Yeah, something more.
00:53:30.639 --> 00:53:30.960
I don't know.
00:53:31.039 --> 00:53:32.320
And not a good or bad thing.
00:53:32.400 --> 00:53:36.159
I loved heck, I got to do everything in high school.
00:53:36.400 --> 00:53:41.039
Um, you know, I played football, I was a basketball player, I was a golfer, I was in the plays, I was in band.
00:53:41.280 --> 00:53:45.679
I mean, you know, I would never have gotten to do that in some of the places I've taught.
00:53:45.920 --> 00:53:51.440
Um, but having parents that were city folks gave me kind of some balance there.
00:53:52.159 --> 00:53:53.199
Awesome.
00:53:53.920 --> 00:53:56.639
Man, every time you speak, I learn something.
00:53:56.719 --> 00:53:57.199
It's crazy.
00:53:58.079 --> 00:53:58.400
I know.
00:53:58.719 --> 00:54:00.639
I want to keep John up for the next hour.
00:54:01.119 --> 00:54:01.440
No.
00:54:01.840 --> 00:54:06.159
And the cool thing is when he's in a room, he always gets the other people to start speaking.
00:54:06.239 --> 00:54:08.159
They don't realize how much he's moving them.
00:54:08.239 --> 00:54:09.760
You're just absolutely amazing.
00:54:09.920 --> 00:54:19.119
And um it's you're a gift to the our community and anybody that is lucky enough to ask you, and you can go to their room.
00:54:19.360 --> 00:54:21.519
I don't know why everybody's not calling.
00:54:21.760 --> 00:54:23.280
It's probably because they don't have your number.
00:54:23.840 --> 00:54:25.440
But if they do, they should be calling.
00:54:25.599 --> 00:54:36.320
You uh I just also have to I have to thank John because so many of the great students that I've taught in my career um at Eau Claire have been former students of John's.
00:54:36.400 --> 00:54:44.239
Uh and they are they all are marvelous players, wonderful individuals, and now many of them are great teachers in their own right.
00:54:44.400 --> 00:54:50.559
Um and uh every one of them just uh can't say enough good things about you, John Green.
00:54:51.039 --> 00:54:52.239
Well, I appreciate that.
00:54:52.400 --> 00:54:55.760
I mean, it's it's was the right choice.
00:54:55.840 --> 00:54:58.000
I mean, it's been it's been a fun career.
00:54:58.880 --> 00:54:59.599
That guy.
00:54:59.760 --> 00:55:00.159
Yeah.
00:55:00.320 --> 00:55:00.719
That guy.
00:55:00.960 --> 00:55:01.679
Yeah, it's a get.
00:55:01.920 --> 00:55:02.960
And it was a good get.
00:55:03.519 --> 00:55:04.320
Last job, Peter.
00:55:04.960 --> 00:55:07.199
I mean, we just spent what, 15 minutes?
00:55:08.000 --> 00:55:21.679
He he's telling not only just stories, but we're laughing, and everything that comes out of his mouth is like you could spend a week just thinking about that phrase and how truthful it is.
00:55:21.840 --> 00:55:24.639
And it's just love that guy.
00:55:24.880 --> 00:55:25.840
Super job, Peter.
00:55:26.000 --> 00:55:28.239
I'm embarrassed that I didn't think to get him on here sooner.
00:55:28.559 --> 00:55:31.199
Yeah, well, I'm better than you are, but that's okay.
00:55:32.079 --> 00:55:32.719
That was a good one.
00:55:33.039 --> 00:55:36.480
There's that Peter Hobberman humility that I've been craving all weekend.
00:55:37.039 --> 00:55:37.920
Unlike John Green.
00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:39.280
Unlike John Green.
00:55:40.079 --> 00:55:40.559
Oh man.
00:55:41.360 --> 00:55:43.360
But think about all the amazing.
00:55:43.599 --> 00:55:48.000
I mean, just start with music educators that came out of his 196 middle school.
00:55:48.159 --> 00:55:51.199
You know, and he taught with just some amazing teachers.
00:55:51.360 --> 00:55:54.079
And uh everybody's better for spending time with John.
00:55:54.320 --> 00:55:58.159
Well, and so much history connected to so many people and so many places.
00:55:58.320 --> 00:56:00.159
I mean, that's the Kevin Bacon thing again, too.
00:56:00.239 --> 00:56:00.400
You can't.
00:56:00.559 --> 00:56:02.239
But you know, he'd never been in a jazz band.
00:56:02.320 --> 00:56:09.039
I mean, he's such a quick study, never been in a jazz band, third drummer in jazz three at stout at Stevens Point.
00:56:09.360 --> 00:56:13.039
Um, but has his great programs, connects with Fred, right?
00:56:13.199 --> 00:56:17.519
He's going off to things in the summer to learn to be a better conductor at Northwestern.
00:56:17.679 --> 00:56:27.599
Like he's a lifelong learner, and he's just soaking up the room and not just what people say, he's reading people in the room.
00:56:28.079 --> 00:56:32.320
And I mean, I think that's why everybody connects so well with him.
00:56:32.400 --> 00:56:40.639
Is he's already, I mean, I don't want to say manipulated, that's it has a name, but he's already understands how he needs to say it so you'll get it.
00:56:40.800 --> 00:56:41.519
You know what I mean?
00:56:41.599 --> 00:56:44.800
He's just such a yeah, a guru.
00:56:45.440 --> 00:56:46.480
Just such a guru.
00:56:47.360 --> 00:56:48.079
Anyway.
00:56:49.920 --> 00:56:50.880
There's the XL.
00:56:51.119 --> 00:56:51.199
Good.
00:56:51.280 --> 00:56:52.159
All right, nice job, though.
00:56:52.800 --> 00:56:54.320
Um, hey, we have a boozler.
00:56:55.920 --> 00:56:57.039
Bamboozler.
00:56:57.920 --> 00:56:59.039
Bamboozler.
00:56:59.360 --> 00:57:02.159
Uh this is a beginning of the year band boozler.
00:57:02.239 --> 00:57:06.800
Uh it says the letter is Dear Artless, which I think is really profound.
00:57:06.960 --> 00:57:08.159
Actually, it started that way.
00:57:08.559 --> 00:57:11.039
I've got a question for you, uh, the hosts.
00:57:11.199 --> 00:57:15.440
In those early days of rehearsing a new piece, what do you start with?
00:57:15.679 --> 00:57:16.800
Notes or rhythms?
00:57:16.960 --> 00:57:26.159
I mean, do you focus on first getting the right pitches in the right places, or do you establish the rhythmic foundation before worrying too much about whether everyone's on the correct notes?
00:57:26.320 --> 00:57:31.440
And of course, I'm fully prepared for you all to disagree with each other.
00:57:34.400 --> 00:57:35.119
I love that idea.
00:57:35.360 --> 00:57:36.159
I'm not starting.
00:57:36.400 --> 00:57:37.360
Who wants to start?
00:57:37.519 --> 00:57:38.480
Christopher, how about you?
00:57:38.559 --> 00:57:39.119
What do you do in the street?
00:57:39.280 --> 00:57:40.159
Of course, you never start.
00:57:40.239 --> 00:57:40.559
Come on.
00:57:40.800 --> 00:57:41.199
That's right.
00:57:41.280 --> 00:57:42.880
I asked, I answered the questions.
00:57:43.039 --> 00:57:47.039
I would say that there are a number of charts and people that would say rhythm.
00:57:47.280 --> 00:57:52.400
Um, and I know that's difficult, especially for especially for me.
00:57:52.800 --> 00:57:57.199
I would say, well, it's it's tough because I want kind of, I'm greedy.
00:57:57.360 --> 00:57:58.159
I want it all.
00:57:58.320 --> 00:57:59.920
The thing I would say is this though.
00:58:00.079 --> 00:58:09.599
What I've learned through teaching is I when I first started, I would just play a recording and then I'd just say start at the top, and we'd just collapse and fall apart.
00:58:09.840 --> 00:58:16.960
Later in the years, I got more strategic with it, where I would pull the melody out and have everyone learn the melody.
00:58:17.280 --> 00:58:18.000
Absolutely.
00:58:18.320 --> 00:58:30.880
And in a way, uh well, right, and getting kids to actually uh argue, well, not purposely argue, but to really make value judgments about how the melody was created, where they think the peak is.
00:58:30.960 --> 00:58:36.400
Like we're already shaping and making music out of this long before we sight read the piece.
00:58:36.480 --> 00:58:42.159
So in that essence, I guess we're kind of doing both, but I guess I would say rhythm if I had to be pinned down.
00:58:42.480 --> 00:58:45.760
Yeah, it's the only time that the Tremon players will play the melody.
00:58:46.480 --> 00:58:55.679
If I was a if I was back teaching in younger, I would have, I would make my own lead sheet with melodies, the the rhythms that everybody should be ready to play.
00:58:55.760 --> 00:58:57.039
I don't care what part they're in.
00:58:57.280 --> 00:58:59.360
It's a great way to warm up.
00:58:59.519 --> 00:59:08.880
Uh, the bigger meta for me is before I answer that question, nobody should see something in the music for the first time that they don't already know.
00:59:09.280 --> 00:59:17.199
You shouldn't see notes that you haven't seen before, you shouldn't see rhythms you don't already understand, you shouldn't see articulations or anything.
00:59:17.360 --> 00:59:21.360
Otherwise, you're asking them to decode instead of create.
00:59:21.679 --> 00:59:23.840
Decode instead of create.
00:59:24.000 --> 00:59:36.079
And I just that's such a huge thing that if you're setting your kids up by like putting something in front of them that they haven't seen before and they don't understand the key signature or they don't understand the rhythms, you it that's over.
00:59:36.320 --> 00:59:41.440
And the other thing is like Chris said, I I used to start at the beginning and now I don't.
00:59:41.679 --> 00:59:52.400
The younger the group, the more we start where everybody's playing whatever, measure 21, and we all go through maybe it's eight or sixteen bars together, and we get the style and the feel.
00:59:52.559 --> 00:59:54.960
I do think rhythm is more important than the right notes.
00:59:55.119 --> 00:59:59.679
Because you can get wrong notes with the right rhythm and go back and fix it.
00:59:59.760 --> 01:00:03.519
But if you're all playing at the wrong time with the right notes, it's sounds like sure.
01:00:10.960 --> 01:00:21.039
Sorry, I got on my hobby horse because I got my young conductors starting our third concert band, and they just wanna, you know, and as you get older, you can start at the beginning, right?
01:00:21.199 --> 01:00:26.000
My college kids and even our third band can start at the beginning and go to the end.
01:00:26.480 --> 01:00:32.639
And then we go back and work in sections where we all play because they're mature enough to get the context.
01:00:33.280 --> 01:00:41.280
My issue with it isn't it is about rhythm, but it's how we approach rhythm that is the problem for me.
01:00:41.599 --> 01:00:46.079
And that yes, you could clap the rhythm, you could say it, you could play it on one note.
01:00:46.239 --> 01:00:53.840
There's all these great ways of doing it, but that has still not uh to date for me in the last 20 years solved the problem.
01:00:54.079 --> 01:01:09.760
And so for me, the true grasp on why the piece is hard rhythmically comes from when you ask them to either say or play the rhythm on one note while tapping their foot, or say or play it play the rhythm while conducting in 4-4.
01:01:10.079 --> 01:01:17.599
And then they realize just yeah, the concept of how a steady pulse relates to the rhythm is really the crux issue.
01:01:17.760 --> 01:01:21.920
It's not that the rhythm is too hard, because anybody can sort of you can parrot back a rhythm.
01:01:23.519 --> 01:01:33.199
I think anybody can fake it, fake it through the rhythm, but can't can you feel it, feel the pulse in your body somewhere, and also feel that rhythm that's inside the music.
01:01:33.440 --> 01:01:46.400
I mean, in a big man, you'd say if you could feel the time or play in the pocket or in the groove, but even uh if we're I just said this on Friday, I was like, you need to create time with your fingers and tongue with how you're playing.
01:01:46.639 --> 01:01:53.519
You're so in the pulse that you're creating time on each 16th note, not just on the down beats and smooshy smushy.
01:01:53.840 --> 01:01:54.400
That's good.
01:01:54.559 --> 01:01:55.119
I like that.
01:01:55.280 --> 01:02:03.119
Um, commuter, wherever you are right now, I want you to respond to uh this podcast uh if you agree with this.
01:02:03.199 --> 01:02:14.480
And that is how many of you who uh teach middle school or who have seen said middle school marching band have seen a percussionist playing directly on the pulse, but marching completely off the pulse.
01:02:14.639 --> 01:02:15.360
Oh God.
01:02:15.599 --> 01:02:16.239
Oh god.
01:02:16.639 --> 01:02:17.679
It's the best.
01:02:17.920 --> 01:02:18.880
I they're just wandering.
01:02:19.840 --> 01:02:21.119
They're not marching, they're wandering.
01:02:21.199 --> 01:02:22.800
They're playing so complex.
01:02:22.880 --> 01:02:28.320
Like I think kids like they're marching in 3-8 and they're playing the perfect.
01:02:28.639 --> 01:02:30.320
I'm like, how are you doing this?
01:02:30.559 --> 01:02:31.360
How is it possible?
01:02:31.599 --> 01:02:33.119
It's just not in their body, yeah.
01:02:33.280 --> 01:02:33.599
Right?
01:02:33.840 --> 01:02:34.880
I got a hot take.
01:02:34.960 --> 01:02:37.519
I think we should bring back sight reading at festival.
01:02:38.320 --> 01:02:39.119
That's a hot take.
01:02:39.440 --> 01:02:41.119
I mean, the reason I think that is we're too much.
01:02:41.440 --> 01:02:46.400
You know what I would like to is I'd like Peter to judge it every time it happens in every festival everywhere.
01:02:46.800 --> 01:02:48.000
I think most festivals they asked.
01:02:48.159 --> 01:02:49.599
If that's what it takes, I would do it.
01:02:49.679 --> 01:02:51.280
If that's what it takes, I would do it.
01:02:51.840 --> 01:02:54.639
Most often we're sight reading at festivals.
01:02:56.159 --> 01:02:59.920
Even though we had been rehearsing for three months, it was still sight reading.
01:03:00.719 --> 01:03:10.400
I just I just think right now, talking about cleaning with John Green, we're what gets the score is the clean, not creating musicians.
01:03:10.960 --> 01:03:12.719
And I think we should be creating musicians.
01:03:13.280 --> 01:03:20.079
Man, when he started talking about how much he loves re rehearsal, man, I was just like, that's my guy right there.
01:03:20.559 --> 01:03:22.480
You know, he likes the journey.
01:03:22.639 --> 01:03:24.159
He's all in for the journey.
01:03:24.320 --> 01:03:24.880
Love it.
01:03:25.199 --> 01:03:26.320
He's all in on the people.
01:03:26.960 --> 01:03:28.719
It's about the people and the growth.
01:03:28.800 --> 01:03:31.519
He's just God, he's a better human than we are.
01:03:31.760 --> 01:03:32.159
That's right.
01:03:32.239 --> 01:03:36.400
Uh, gentlemen, the only way you get out of this podcast tonight is another exit ticket.
01:03:36.559 --> 01:03:36.960
That's right.
01:03:37.119 --> 01:03:40.320
Tell me one thing that you learned from John Green that you're taking with you.
01:03:40.559 --> 01:03:43.199
Well, some of the best things he said, we weren't recording what he said.
01:03:44.800 --> 01:03:45.679
I'm gonna take those.
01:03:46.000 --> 01:03:46.559
I've got one.
01:03:46.719 --> 01:03:47.360
I've got one.
01:03:47.519 --> 01:03:50.239
One is middle school kids don't care what's on TV.
01:03:50.320 --> 01:03:52.639
They're only concerned about what else is on TV.
01:03:52.960 --> 01:03:55.199
That was one where it was that while we were recording, though.
01:03:56.000 --> 01:03:58.320
Did he say middle school kids don't do Schoenberg?
01:03:58.400 --> 01:03:59.119
Was that no?
01:03:59.599 --> 01:04:00.880
No, no, they do Sternberg.
01:04:01.760 --> 01:04:02.639
Without trying.
01:04:02.880 --> 01:04:04.800
That's the best Schoenberg there is.
01:04:05.840 --> 01:04:08.559
Or Ives, I guess, probably, to be honest.
01:04:08.960 --> 01:04:11.360
Oh, Peter, your exit ticket sucks.
01:04:12.960 --> 01:04:16.800
Beyond Artless is sponsored by Beyond the Notes Music Festival.
01:04:16.960 --> 01:04:23.679
Our mission is to create and provide profound learning and social experiences through music that go beyond the notes.
01:04:23.840 --> 01:04:27.679
Visit BTN MusicFestival dot com to learn more.

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