This is it folks...right here: Pioneer High School Full Symphony Orchestra! Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, this group was the whole reason this crazy journey started for me from Alaska. I had heard some of their playing on Youtube because I make it a habit to study all of the past winners of the American String Teacher Association National Orchestra Festival. I became somewhat of a groupie for this orchestra. The sound that this group produces is amazing. When the first piece's sound hit, I thought, yep, that's what the ultimate high School can do. It was truly an experience. Here a few youtube videos to help you imagine... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf8jrLhY_5g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf8jrLhY_5g To say that it was unbelievable is an understatement...actually, I'm running out of adjectives to describe it! As a teacher, I know I may never help students to produce that exact sound all by myself, but at least that is the goal and we can try to get close. That is the sound that I will carry in my head to strive for. A shout out to their teacher, Jonathan Glawe, who's an amazing (running out of adjectives!) conductor! If only, I can get that good. I had an added treat to hear this group demonstrate later that day at a clinic on how to achieve correct intonation on string instruments. In non-musical terms, how to get kids to sound 'correct' to the listener. It was so much fun to see them up close (I was in the front row) that I forgot to take a picture! Other highlights of the convention: I realized I have the perfect skill for conference going. Anyone of my students, or my mother when we are traveling, knows how fast I walk! At Midwest, that was an ASSET. Man, navigating around 17,000 people to get to the room you need next was exhausting. And then when you get to the room, the line is around the corner to get in! Right after Pioneer's intonation workshop, I caught the same sort of clinic, but for winds. That's was so cool about Midwest: the ability to have strings and winds side by side. I caught this one clinic on how to get students to think, listen and move. I was surprised to see a full wind ensemble demonstrating. I'm thinking: how are THEY going to move when they have to keep the mouthes connected to their instrument. Well...they did and when the did, the sound was amazing. That was given by Travis Cross from UCLA. I found my next conducting workshop to go to.... Then the next REAL REASON I came here is to find out how Band people raise so much money. I wasn't disappointed. I caught David Vandewalker's clinic on thriving boosters. He defined a music teacher as a CEO of a people oriented small business with a music problem! I'm thinking: YESSSSSS!!!!!!!! I knew I was right about thinking like we had to be a business. Again, right after the class let out, I used my speed walking to get to the Exhibition hall to find the publisher that puts out his book and bought it! Ummm....I went a little crazy there.... Heaven help me getting this all into my suitcase. Note to self: bring 2 suitcases. One full one and one empty one for all the stuff you need to haul back because Alaskans HATE to pay shipping!
I was so mesmerized yesterday, that I didn't really take too many photos. Well, I have one more stop I'm going to squeeze in before I have to leave for the airport...stay tuned!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI am the proud Orchestra Director of the East High Orchestra program in Anchorage, Alaska. We are the most diverse high school in North America! Go T-birds! ArchivesCategories |