Dr. B's Blog

A Month of Lists - Repertoire, Part 2

2012-02-13T16:45:00.000-06:00

On the first entry for the "Month of Lists," I listed the most often performed pieces in the DHS band repertoire since 1988. Now I'd like to count down the composers whose music we've performed the most. Here they are, in reverse order:

Tied for tenth place with 12 times: Leonard Bernstein, Charles Carter, John Barnes Chance, Gustav Holst, William Latham, Henry Fillmore, and John O'Reilly
9th place with 13 times: David Holsinger
Tied for 7th with 14 times: James Swearingen and Frank Erickson
6th with 16 times: John Philip Sousa
Tied for 4th with 18 times: Frank Ticheli and Karl King
3rd with 19 times: Claude T. Smith
2nd with 21 times: my all-time favorite composer, Ralph Vaughn Williams
And the winner is, with 26 DHS band performances in the last 24 seasons, Percy Grainger!

A Month of Lists - Non-Traditional Jazz Instruments

2012-02-12T14:11:00.000-06:00

The Jazz Band had a great time yesterday at the Evanston Jazz Festival. The students played very well, we had a great hometown crowd of parents and siblings, and the adjudicators really dug what we were doing, calling us "very sophisticated." They also challenged us to play without sheet music and to get some gigs in the public. Afterwards we went to a workshop with Victor Goines and Orbert Davis that was excellent, especially since we got to hear them play in a quintet. After a hearty dinner at Buffalo Joe's, we returned for the evening concert with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. This is a group that starts with a jazz quintet and adds flutes, clarinet, oboe, bass clarinet, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and a string quartet. It was an interesting show with some outstanding extended solo work by Victor Goines on tenor sax.

Anyway, the whole day made me think of another list: all of the non-traditional jazz instruments we've used over the years in the DHS Jazz Band. Since we don't have the typical big band with 5 trumpets, 5 trombones, 5 saxes, and rhythm section, and since we create all of our own arrangements, we can have any instrument that we want in our group. Here are some of the ones we've featured since 1988:

piccolo (as recently as last night)
flute (from Paula Derdiger in the 1990s through Emma Burrows and Lauren Smith in the 2000s and Rahm Silverglade and Jett in the 2010s)
clarinet (We actually had two at the same time a while back. Zander Meisner went on to the traveling cast of Cats, and Nick McConnell discovered one of the largest black holes ever found.)
Eb contrabass clarinet (played by Justin Davidson, an all-stater)
oboe, English horn, and bassoon (coming this spring!)
horn (Zev Saffir, before he switched to the one below, and Rahm last year for "Boplicity")
mellophone (when Zev decided that the horn was too "slippery" for jazz)
euphonium (two offensive linemen, Carl Buettgen and current DHS English teacher, Brandon Geuder)
tuba (TJ, again in "Boplicity")
marimba (for a Pat Metheny tune, "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly," and in last year's ill-fated "mallet forest")
tam-tam or gong (used to make the world's largest ride cymbal for Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" at Jazz in the Meadows)
chimes and timpani (can't remember when)
banjo (a few times by the likes of Steve DiDomenico and Logan Bloom for various New Orleans numbers)
violin (nationally-recognized soloist and organic farmer, Adam DeGraff, and local prog-rock guitarist Jared Rabin)
cello (I'm pretty sure Mark Murphy played cello on a ballad I wrote for the band in the early 90s)

Honorable mention must go to:

harp (Brian Pflaum in a chamber jazz piece written by artist-in-residence Geoff Shell)
oud (played in Monday and Tuesday Afternoon Jazz by Gordy)

Instruments we've never used, but I've wanted to:

accordion (we never did get Aaron Zemach to play accordion in a tune)
viola (just so I could write in alto clef)
kora (an African harp, not commonly played by DHS students)
mbira (an African thumb piano, see above)
organ (not just an organ patch on an electric keyboard, but a true Hammond B3 with foot pedals and rotating Leslie speaker)
cuica (a Brazilian friction drum used in samba music)

Maybe somewhere in one of our sender schools, there's a fourth grader who rocks out on accordion while listening to John Coltrane albums...

Just a typical day in band...

2012-02-10T14:42:00.000-06:00

As part of a yearlong unit on 20th century music, we discussed minimalism today in Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Both groups are playing a post-minimalist piece at the moment; SB is doing Brian Balmages' Reverberations, and WE is preparing Michael Torke's Saxophone Concerto, which we will play with soloist Susan Fancher on March 22. So, to give some context, we listened to a lot of classic minimalism today. Here is the playlist for today and Monday's sessions:

Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices, and Organ, Steve Reich
The Four Sections, Steve Reich
Come Out, Steve Reich
In C, Terry Riley
A Short Ride in a Fast Machine, John Adams

Here's a Spotify playlist of the pieces.

In Wind Ensemble, we extended our learning by trying to perform In C, which is a series of 53 short melodic fragments that are repeated over and over and over. Each musician decides when to move on to the next. It was interesting how many students loved it and how many hated it--quite the polarizing experience!

I also received the juniors' ethnomusicology papers in which they present their research about the music of their heritage. I'll be reading about Russia, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Korea, Netherlands, Sweden, Romania, Hungary, France, and Jewish klezmer music. Always a fun time!

DHS Band Alum Performs on Jimmy Kimmel Live

2012-02-09T14:59:00.000-06:00

DHS Band alum Adam Ollendorff played guitar in the 1995-1996 jazz band and starred as Conrad Birdie in the DHS production of Bye Bye Birdie. Since then, he's been carving out a nice career as a professional guitarist, playing dobro, lap steel, and pedal steel in all sorts of roots/Americana/country styles with a wide variety of artists. I just heard from him recently, and he shared some YouTube clips of him playing with Nashville singer/songwriter Will Hoge on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Check him out to see another local boy who has made the big time:

A Month of Lists - DHS Band Trips Through the Years

2012-02-07T19:32:00.000-06:00

Continuing through our month of interesting/random lists, here are all the band trips the DHS Bands have enjoyed over the years:

1976 Orlando
1979 Washington DC
1981 Philadelphia
1982 St. Louis
1983 Orlando
1985 Toronto and Montréal
1987 Los Angeles
1988 Myrtle Beach
1989 St. Louis
1990 Seattle
1991 Minneapolis
1992 Orlando
1994 Toronto
1995 St. Louis
1996 Orlando
1997 Minneapolis
1998 Washington DC
2000 Orlando
2001 Nashville
2002 Los Angeles
2003 Toronto
2004 Philadelphia
2005 Orlando
2006 Minneapolis
2007 Boston
2009 Orlando
2011 Montréal
2013 ??????

Orlando has been, by far, our most common destination. 2006 was the last year we took a small trip on the year between big trips. For whatever reason, students stopped being excited about small bus trips over a weekend. The orchestra just came back from a brief overnight to University of Illinois where they participated in a festival and had a great time. Maybe in 2014, the current sophomores can generate enough interest in a quick, fun trip. In the meantime, I'm working on two possible destinations for 2013. More details to come this spring!

A Month of Lists - Chicago Radio

2012-02-04T10:55:00.001-06:00

Don't have satellite radio? Neither do I. Want to hear quality music as you drive around Deerfield? Me too! So, continuing our Month of Lists, here are my picks for good listening in Chicagoland. All stations are on the FM dial.

WFMT, 98.7
The only classical music station in Chicago, their knowledgeable announcers bring a diversity of fine music to the airwaves. Programs include Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts and "Introductions," a program that features local teen talent. Recently, a Highland Park HS student composer was profiled.

WDCB, 90.9
This is the only station still playing a lot of jazz. From dawn to dusk, you can hear everything from swing to bop to soul jazz. The station is down at the College of DuPage, so the signal isn't great, but it's worth the occasional static.

WXRT, 93.1
I've been listening to XRT on and off for 30-some years. They were cutting edge in the 70s and 80s, helping bands like R.E.M. and The Replacements gain greater recognition. They still have a great mix of classic tunes and new alternative music, even if they are a bit less adventuresome than they were in the day.

WDRV "The Drive," 97.1 and 96.9
My guilty pleasure, The Drive plays classic rock. You won't hear nearly the varied playlist that you get on XRT, but sometimes I just need a quick shot of The Who or Supertramp.

WBEZ, 91.5This is Chicago's main public radio station, so you'll hear a ton of talk all day long. It's my morning commute choice as I check in with the events of the day. They used to have outstanding jazz all night long, but they gave that up several years ago. They do, however, have some fine music programs: Sound Opinions ("the world's only rock and roll talk show) on Saturday mornings at 11:00, and world music on Friday nights.

A Month of Lists - Repertoire

2012-02-01T15:49:00.001-06:00

This month, I'm going to try to fill my blog with a interesting new list every day. Some will be about the DHS band program and its history, others will be much more random. So let's get started...

Pieces Most Often Played by the DHS Bands, 1988-2012

When I find a piece that works well for a specific level of band, I like to put it in a 3-year rotation so that students are exposed to a core of quality literature. I was surprised to see what made the list, and what didn't!

8 Times
Brighton Beach March, William Latham, Gr. 3
one of my "go to" marches for the freshmen

Variations on a Korean Folk Song, John Barnes Chance, Gr. 4
a great work for teaching variation technique and East Asian music

7 Times
Havendance, David Holsinger, Gr. 4
a favorite "stretch" piece for Symphonic Band with lots of good percussion

Overture for Winds, Charles Carter, Gr. 3
the quintessential "big piece" for the freshmen

Sleigh Ride, Leroy Anderson, Gr. 4
a holiday concert favorite, from when we did holiday concerts

Suite of Old American Dances, Robert Russell Bennett, Gr. 5
a nostalgic (and virtuosic) set of 19th and early 20th century dance tunes

6 Times
Cajun Folk Dances, Frank Ticheli, Gr. 4
Chant and Jubilo, W. Francis McBeth, Gr. 3
Divertimento for Band, Vincent Persichetti, Gr. 5
Eine Kleine Nachtmusic, W.A. Mozart/Jennings, Gr. 3
English Folk Song Suite, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gr. 4
Forest Pines Overture, John O'Reilly, Gr. 3
Incidental Suite, Claude T. Smith, Gr. 4
Polly Oliver, Thomas Root, Gr. 3
Second Suite for Military Band, Gustav Holst, Gr. 4

Later this month, I'll run down the composers most often played by the DHS Bands from 1988-2012. Can you guess who is number 1?

Winter Band Concert

2012-01-27T10:17:00.001-06:00

Don't miss our 2012 Winter Band Concert on Tuesday, January 31, at 7:30pm in the DHS auditorium. Click on the image to see our program, which will feature the music of Japan, Korea, and China, as well as American favorites and classic jazz. We hope to see you there!

Chinese Composers in America

2012-01-24T22:31:00.003-06:00

The Winter Band Concert on Tuesday, January 31 will feature the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble performing music from China, Japan, and Korea. We have been studying East Asian musical culture since December and will finally get a chance to share it with our family and friends next week. To whet your appetite, here is an NPR feature on five Chinese composers, to commemorate the Chinese New Year. One of those profiled is Chen Yi, who wrote Spring Festival, an exciting work that the SB will perform at the concert. Enjoy these recordings and the wonderful juxtapositions of traditional and modern sounds.

No Pep Band Tonight!

2012-01-20T15:31:00.000-06:00

Due to the snow, we will not have pep band at tonight's basketball game. Spread the word!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2012-01-15T11:55:00.000-06:00

The organizers of the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival asked Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to write an introduction for their commemorative program guide. In his essay, he wrote eloquently about jazz, civil rights, and the American experience. You can read more about this on my blog posting from MLK Day 2011, but here is the full text of whay Dr. King had to say:

"God has wrought many things out of oppression. He has endowed his creatures with the capacity to create—and from this capacity has flowed the sweet songs of sorrow and joy that have allowed man to cope with his environment and many different situations.

"Jazz speaks for life. The Blues tell the story of life's difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph.

"This is triumphant music.

"Modern jazz has continued in this tradition, singing the songs of a more complicated urban existence. When life itself offers no order and meaning, the musician creates an order and meaning from the sounds of the earth which flow through his instrument.

"It is no wonder that so much of the search for identity among American Negroes was championed by Jazz musicians. Long before the modern essayists and scholars wrote of racial identity as a problem for a multiracial world, musicians were returning to their roots to affirm that which was stirring within their souls.

"Much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music. It has strengthened us with its sweet rhythms when courage began to fail. It has calmed us with its rich harmonies when spirits were down.

"And now, Jazz is exported to the world. For in the particular struggle of the Negro in America there is something akin to the universal struggle of modern man. Everybody has the Blues. Everybody longs for meaning. Everybody needs to love and be loved. Everybody needs to clap hands and be happy. Everybody longs for faith.

"In music, especially this broad category called Jazz, there is a stepping stone towards all of these."

Still today, 48 years hence, Dr. King's words ring true and inspire. Enjoy the day off, but remember why we have this break in our routine as we honor a great leader and every man and woman who has ever fought for social justice.

As an aside, groups that performed at the festival included the Miles Davis Quintet, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the Roland Kirk Quartet, and a Charlie Parker tribute band. Other musicians included Coleman Hawkins, Bud Freeman, J.J. Johnson, Sonny Stitt, and Pee Wee Russell. Talk about an all-star lineup!

The Changing Face of Private Lessons

2012-01-10T23:18:00.002-06:00

I get calls from time to time from parents who are looking for private teachers for their children. I have a number of local musicians whom I recommend, but there's a growing trend around the country of taking lessons online via Skype video chat. As someone who completed his doctorate via distance learning (commuting virtually from my upstairs office here in Lake County all the way to Boston University), I'm intrigued about the possibility. Here's an article in the New York Times about one-on-one video lessons. Just imagine studying kora with a Malian griot or janggu with a Korean drummer from your own living room!

From the Archives

2012-01-06T15:45:00.000-06:00

Here are two photos from the DHS Homecoming Parade on October 22, 1977 (click to see full size). In the first, we see Al Spriester out in front in his band director's uniform. This is what the well dressed bandmaster used to wear, back in the day. Personally, I'm fine in my sport coat and tie. The band is either headed north or south on Waukegan Road. Note the three gas stations, including the E-Z GO, selling regular for 61.9 cents a gallon and "no lead" for 65.9. Also notice how there is traffic moving in the opposite direction. I always hated this about the parade--it just never seemed safe.

In the next shot you can see the white marching band shoes (must have been a pain to clean) and the side-slung drum. The boy on the far left is playing a tenor drum with puffy mallets. That would have been a much darker sound than we get today, with our high-pitched snares and quads. The "DHS" sousaphone covers are a nice touch which we should really go back to, except I'd go with red covers with a white "D" on each. That way it wouldn't matter how many sousas you had. The red tongues coming out of the euphonium and trombone bells are a nice touch.

The uniforms are interesting. I don't think any of these are still around. When I began in 1988, we had a different style. These, with the long coat, white belt, and a single silver loop on the left shoulder seem very busy. The helmets look white and silver--there's just too much detail on them for my taste. Our current, understated, red and black uniforms still hold up well, style-wise.

I do miss the homecoming parade, which we discontinued about five years ago. The community and student body just weren't into it. There used to be floats, the homecoming court riding in a convertible, and a massed poms/cheers/band performance at the corner of Deerfield and Waukegan. We'd start at Kipling School and march all the way back to DHS, in time for a quick lunch and the 1:00 football game. Different times...

Vacation's almost done...

2011-12-30T14:16:00.001-06:00

I stopped in at school today to do some straightening out in the band room. I finally put away the quads, which were last used on November 15, and I organized a batch of music so that the librarians can get it refiled. There were two cases that needed to be stenciled "Deerfield HS Bands," and I almost finished the second before my spray paint ran out. The bulletin boards have been refreshed, and there are more Downbeat magazine covers going up the I-beams (a ladder was necessary for this effort). There were concert papers to print out, emails to answer, and snail mail to sort through. The few hours of work I put in will make next week a lot easier.

My playlist for the morning:

The Indianapolis Saxophone Quartet, Jingle Sax
Nice arrangements and excellent playing--so many Christmas albums go overboard trying to be clever, but this one was very tasteful.

Pearl Jam, Ten
I was watching the Pearl Jam 20 documentary on Netflix last night. I can't believe that it's been twenty years since I started listening to them!

In other news, I saw Roy Hargrove's quintet at the Jazz Showcase on Tuesday. What a band! The place was packed with a diverse crowd--everyone from high school and college kids with their folks (like my son and me) to seasoned jazz listeners. Hargrove is a phenomenal trumpeter and a strong composer. He didn't say anything in between tunes; he simply stepped back from the microphone, played a quick lick, and the band kicked off the next tune. Although I didn't recognize most of the pieces, I was very excited that they played "Strasbourg/St. Denis." The DHS Jazz Band played this on the November concert, and it was one of our favorites. At this performance, they played the tune with a harder edge, not so much of a loose funk jam as on the original recording. They gave the pianist, Sullivan Fortner, an a cappella solo that he just tore up, with both hands jabbing back and forth as if in a well choreographed stage fight.

The encore of the first set had Hargrove and saxophonist Justin Robinson taking their blues licks into the audience and out the door. Then drummer Quincy Phillips left the stage, followed by Fortner, leaving bassist Ameen Saleem alone on stage to bring the tune to a close. It was quite a show, with Hargrove nursing a cold but resplendent in a purple cardigan over a colorful checked shirt and bow tie, with floppy winter boots to complete the look.

Hargrove will be at the Showcase through Sunday, 1/1. See details here, and read Howard Reich's review of the Tuesday show here. If you haven't been to the Jazz Showcase yet, I highly recommend it. It's a very classy room, and students are welcome if accompanied by parent/guardian.

So, until next Tuesday, enjoy your New Year's weekend! With the concert coming up on the 31st, you might want to do a little practicing...

Happy Holidays from the DHS Bands!

2011-12-16T15:05:00.000-06:00

The Jazz Band has played its traditional front hall gig (see the set list below), the last rehearsal is in the books, and there's just one pep band performance to go. It's pretty much winter break now, so I'd like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. In past years, I've used this blog to count down the "Twelve Days Before Winter Break" and to feature a series on my favorite winter/Chanukah/Christmas tunes, but this year I just have my humble greetings and a hope for a peaceful and musical 2012 to all of the DHS Band family and friends.

See you in January as we work towards our CB/SB/WE/MAJ/TAJ concert on the 31st!

JB Set List:

Overtired Sickness Blues, David Leibowitz (DHS '12)
Dig, Miles Davis
Black Box, Nathan Weiskirch (DHS '14)
Strasbourg/St. Denis, Roy Hargrove
Christmas Time is Here, Vince Guaraldi
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (medium swing), arr. Brame
Chanukah, O Chanukah (klezmer), arr. Brame
Auld Lang Syne (funk), arr. Brame

Japanese Music Unit

2011-12-14T15:08:00.000-06:00

This week, as part of our East Asian unit, we have been studying Japanese music in Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. We began by looking at some traditional instruments and learning two pentatonic scales and the famous melody "Sakura, Sakura." The we talked about the school band movement in Japan and how the ensembles meet 6-7 times a week for two hours after school. To illustrate what that kind of dedication can do, we watched this video of an elementary school band playing Slava! by Leonard Bernstein. Not only is this a Grade 5 piece that challenges the best high school bands, but the kids in the video are playing it by memory!

Then we talked about the kumi-daiko, or taiko, movement. This is a fairly recent phenomenon in which traditional Japanese drumming that accompanied rituals or dramas was combined with the excitement and flash of jazz drumming. The result is a wild mix of drum corps, aerobic workout, and stage spectacle. The most famous taiko group is Kodo. Here are two samples of their work:

After winter break, we'll be examining Chinese and Korean music cultures. It will all culminate in our Winter Concert on January 31 at 7:30pm in the auditorium when we'll perform Spring Festival by Chen Yi, Warabe by Akira Toda, Variations on a Korean Folk Song by John Barnes Chance, and Festal Scene by Yasuhide Ito. Don't miss it!

Elliott Carter, Centenarian Composer

2011-12-12T15:25:00.000-06:00

A few years ago, I realized that some famous jazz musicians were still active into their nineties, like pianist Dave Brubeck who contiunes to perform live in concert at age 92. I couldn't believe that a nonagenarian could still handle the physical and mental demands of improvising and touring at a world-class level. However, he's just a spring chicken compared to composer Elliott Carter, who celebrates his 103rd birthday this week with a concert of his music in New York. Mind you, this isn't music he wrote years ago. These are compositions he has written since turning 100! You can read more about this iconic American musician at NPR Music, and the New York Times.

Citrus 2011

2011-12-03T11:17:00.000-06:00

Today was the annual citrus delivery down here in R-hall. The band, choir, and orchestra unloaded several hundred boxes of oranges and grapefruits weighing a few tons. Unlike past years when it's been cold and snowy, we had a gray, cool, rainy day, but we cleared the truck in about 50 minutes. Now the town of Deerfield will have more Vitamin C than they know what to do with!

More on spontaneous music making...

2011-11-29T12:27:00.001-06:00

I'm fascinated by the concept of spontaneous public art, when you encounter a performance in a suprising place outside of the theater or concert hall or a work of art outside of a museum. This is a topic I've written about before here and here. I just ran across another video that shows how "ordinary" people can be involved in such a pursuit. It's a piece called "Ring the Keys" by composer Rusty Banks.

A scene from one of my favorite movies fits in perfectly here. Dancing flash mobs have been popular for the past few years, but if we go back to 1980, we can see an early version of an impromptu urban choreographic happening:

The DHS Bands are on Facebook!

2011-11-25T22:33:00.001-06:00

Well, kind of, anyway. I put up a organizational page where I can make announcements and post links, pictures, and photos. Comments are currently blocked until I decide exactly how I want to use it. It's a small step for now, but feel free to like it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T11:33:00.003-06:00

To all of members of the DHS Band Family (which includes all of my past and current students, their parents, siblings, and relatives as well as colleagues and friends of the band), I wish you a happy, safe, and healthy Thanksgiving! Here's what I'm thankful for:

My parents, who introduced me to music, got me my saxophone, paid for lessons, and drove me to hundreds of rehearsals and performances. They've probably seen more DHS band concerts than just about anybody, from the first Bandorama in 1988 to the 2011 Fall Band Concert.

My wife, who as a retired band director, understands why I spend so much time at school and grading papers and playing tests.

My three musical children (who variously play horn, acoustic and electric bass, piano, and tuba in addition to singing in choirs) who continually make me proud.

My wonderful colleagues at DHS in the R107 office complex: Ron Velleuer, Kevin Burrow, and Susan Gorman. I'm lucky to work with such great educators and friends.

My administration who supports the arts and really understands what it takes to have a thriving fine arts department.

The music of Charlie Parker, Igor Stravinsky, Paul Simon, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Muddy Waters, Percy Grainger, Steely Dan, R.E.M., and countless other musical heroes who have inspired me over the years.

My DHS band alumni who stop by or write to say hello and keep in touch.

And finally, my 150 band and music theory students who give me 150 reasons to come to school each day. Thanks for all of your hard work, curiosity, and love of music!

See you in December!

Greg Spero, DHS Band Alum

2011-11-16T12:47:00.007-06:00

I have been fortunate to teach a number of very talented students over the last quarter of a century, kids who have gone on to become a professional violinist, a film composer (two of them actually), a jazz saxophonist, and someone who created an entire robotic rock band. There are a number of music teachers among my alums, others who still perform for fun or professionally, and many who just love music and are passing on that passion to the next generation. I feel truly honored to have been a part of their musical upbringing.

Today I'd like to highlight Greg Spero, a jazz pianist and composer from the class of 2003, who is really making a name for himself around town and in wider circles. He has three albums to his credit, including his latest titled Acoustic, that show him to be a versatile musician who is equally comfortable in straight-ahead and fusion settings. He is also very keen on using his music to spread peace in the world, connecting us all in a universal jam session. Greg does a ton of informal recording and is very generous with posting videos and mp3s, so check out his website, subscribe to his newsletter, and see what a former how far your DHS music education (and a ton of talent and hard work) can take you!

My Musical Weekend

2011-11-13T18:49:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, I accompanied ten DHS students to New Trier High School for the IMEA District VII festival. We had three vocalists in the choir, two violinists and a trumpeter in the orchestra, and four band members. They worked with guest conductors from Augustana College, University of Iowa, and Western Illinois University, performing in large honor ensembles. The concert at the end of the day was just wonderful. The 200+ voice choir sounded great, especially on an improvised version of "Down to the River," which they created that morning in rehearsal. The orchestra performed the very tuneful Polovetsian Dances by Borodin, and the band was played one of my all-time favorites, Four Scottish Dances by British composer Malcolm Arnold and arranged by my mentor at Northwestern, John Paynter. I enjoyed hearing Dr. Fansler's interpretation and remembering how Mr. Paynter used to do it. All in all, the students did a fine job.

Today, I took my son, who is a horn player, to a concert of the Northshore Concert Band at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston. They had a special promotion for music students and their parents--$5 tickets! I saw a couple of other DHS students there as well. The programming was exceptional. The opener was Toccata Marziale by my favorite composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The DHS Wind Ensemble performed this several years ago. It's a great, brassy, contrapuntal work that doesn't sound like the rest of RVW's band pieces--there's not a folk song to be heard. They then played Rest by Frank Ticheli, a memorial piece in honor of two of their members who had passed. Next up was the main reason we came, Schumann's tour de force for four horns, Konzertstuck. NU professor and former CSO hornist Gail Williams and three of her masters students were the featured soloists, in addition to the nine section horns in the band. The technique, range, and sound they displayed were outstanding.

The second half featured a new piece by student composer Ben Hjertmann, called Catclaw Mimosa. It was an engaging, post-modern work that blended spiky modernist melodic fragments with rock rhythms in a very natural manner. The concert closed with Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, featuring all of Bernstein's memorable tunes. What a way to finish the afternoon.

So for me that makes four concerts in six days, after last week's band concert and the choir concert for which I was a supervisor. Coming up on Saturday we have the IMEA Jazz Festival at Evanston Township High School, where I'll be working with the vocal jazz combo and cheering on our two Deerfield participants. Then there'll be the impromptu marching band performance for Grandparents Day and a relaxing Thanksgiving break. This year, I won't be typing frantically on my dissertation, so I'll have time to enjoy my extended family. My hope for all of my students is a similarly homework-free break!

What we talked about in Music Theory today...

2011-11-10T14:32:00.001-06:00

Whilst discussing voice leading by root movement of a third, art songs, fugues, and sonata form (it was a busy class!), a number of random topics came up. Here are some of them:

Animusic - a cool series of animated musical machines and robots

Pat Metheny's Orchestrion project - Animusic in real life.

Steve Reich's early minimalist piece, Drumming.

Bach's crab canons. This a piece that one player performs from top left to bottom right while the other performs backwards, from bottom right to top left--a retrograde canon. Because Bach was a genius, the two parts work together perfectly. I tried to find a good version of his "mirror" or "table" canons, where the players sit across from each other and play the music simultaneously right side up and upside down--a retrograde inversion canon--but I was unsuccessful. Sorry!

I also told my legendary Bach joke. I'm not posting it here; you had to be there...

I really love teaching music theory--I get to cover everything from parallel fifths to serialism and Bollywood to The Clash with a bunch of students who are just as passionate about music as I am!

Fall Band Concert

2011-11-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

The Deerfield High School band program will present their annual Fall Band Concert on Tuesday, November 8, at 7:00pm in the DHS auditorium. Featured will be the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Band. The program will include traditional and contemporary band music from 20th-century American composers Vincent Persichetti and Peter Mennin. Lending an international flavor will be a work by Australian composer Percy Grainger and transcriptions of French piano music by Impressionists Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. The Jazz Band will play a pair of classic hard-bop tunes by Wes Montgomery and Miles Davis and a recent hit by Roy Hargrove, “Strasbourg/St. Denis.” There will also be a selection performed by a combined band of DHS students and 8th graders from Bannockburn, Caruso, Holy Cross, and Shepard Schools. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

DHS MB Road Trip to Nazareth Academy

2011-10-30T13:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, the Warrior Marching Band accompanied the football team to Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park for their first-round playoff game. While the final score wasn't what we hoped for (a 35-6 loss), we had a great time playing in the stands and watching the Nazareth band, playing back and forth with them across the turf.

We were set up in portable bleachers on the visitors' side of the field around the 20-yard line. A number of band parents made the trip to help us cheer the team on. We did a number of our fun stands activities, like our multiple variations on the wave. The Nazareth students did everyone of our variations back at us, including the slow motion version! They were a great, spirited group of students (although I could have done without the kids in full hunter's garb, brandishing a stuffed deer...). Every time the Warriors had the ball, we played for them, and the Naz band did the same. It turns out that we have the same taste in music: classic rock. They played "Iron Man," "Don't Stop Believing," and "Crazy Train" to go with our renditions of "Smoke on the Water," "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and "I Got You." They also had some more recent numbers, like "Bad Romance," while we countered with "Dynamite."

One of the more amusing moments came when they announced that rock star Jim Peterik was at the game (his wife is an alumna of the school, and he's made this an annual tradition). If you don't know, Peterik wrote two of our band's all-time favorites, "Vehicle" when he was with the Ides of March, and "Eye of the Tiger" when he was with Survivor, so he's pretty famous. Anyway, he came out with his guitar, ready to play "Eye of the Tiger" with the Naz band, but his amp didn't work. So, he sang along with them, but the band was playing in a totally different key than the original recording, and it wasn't really in his range. We were treated to a half-sung, half-shouted version in which he got the crowd to shout "Blue, blue-blue-blue!" along with the opening punches. When they finished and left the field, we answered back with our rock-solid version of "Vehicle." I hope that Mr. Peterik heard us and smiled.

Another great moment was when an older couple came up to me on the sideline. The husband, wearing a Nazareth sweatshirt, told me his son was my drum major many years ago. I immediately recognized Mr. and Mrs. Berry, parents of Jim Berry, who was my very first drum major during the 1988 season at DHS. He led a band of 35 students on the field, back when we debuted such favorites as "Peter Gunn" and "Day Tripper." It was great to see them and remember the old days when I was a fresh-faced young band director just three years out of Northwestern. Now, many years wiser and grayer, I still love hanging out with the Warrior Marching Band, especially on a picture-perfect day like we had this past weekend!

You can see more pictures here, courtesy of Caryn Zull.

Marching Band Photos

2011-10-20T11:23:00.000-05:00

Here's a nice gallery of pictures from our last few football games taken by sideline photographer/band parent Caryn Zull. Enjoy!

Congrats to our IMEA Honorees!

2011-10-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

Seven Deerfield High School band students were recently named to the Illinois Music Educators Association District VII Music Festivals. These students auditioned with hundreds of other high school musicians from Northeastern Illinois and were chosen based on their tone, technique, and reading skills. They will perform in the district festivals in November where they will work with professional conductors and clinicians. Our DHS students will join their peers from 50 other high schools in a day of intensive rehearsals culminating in a festival performance. Competition for these groups is very keen, and it is a great honor to be selected. Congratulations to the following musicians:

Band: Will Barkalow, clarinet; Colin Davis, oboe; Avery DeMaria, trumpet; Aidan Epstein, bassoon; Mitchell Steindler, trumpet. Jazz Band: Joey Rosin, alto sax.Jazz Choir: Jordan Barhydt, bass.

A Great End to the Marching Season

2011-10-17T15:31:00.000-05:00

Our final home game of the regular season saw the Warriors defeat the Vikings of Niles North in convincing fashion. The band finished their season on the field in similar manner, with a reprise performance of the "Drive My Car" drill, complete with "flip-flops" and "stupid bass drum tricks." Okay, so this would make more sense with a video, but imagine one trombone player twisting to the right while the next trombone player bows underneath the slide. Then imagine this going back and forth. Then imagine this going back and forth very quickly. Then imagine this going back and forth very quickly while playing a tricky call and response section. Then imagine this going back and forth very quickly while playing a tricky call and response section multiplied by about 50 musicians, including sousaphones, and you get the idea. Now, imagine bass drummers leaning forward so their drums are on the ground, and they're standing on their heads with their feet in the air. It was quite the show!

My favorite part of the evening, however, was before the game. We have a very old tradition that dates back to the late 1980s. Each year, a senior is chosen to recite the band poem, which is our "psych up" chant for every performance. It's a position of great honor that is passed down from one person to the next over the years. This year, Hudy is the official reciter, and he has performed this task with great verve. However, for the last game, instead of beginning with the first line, "Marching Band is cool," he counted to three. Then every senior said the poem along with him. This was his way of sharing the spotlight with his peers and allowing everyone the opportunity to carry on the tradition. It was such a cool, unselfish act--I got choked up just watching them.

Later in the game, Josh passed on his role as official M&M catcher to Jacob. Again, this is quite an honor, especially since Josh is the all-time record holder. At one game, he caught 20+ M&M's in row. Note that the candy is placed on a bass drum head and launched into the air with a mighty stroke of the beater, and that it must be caught in the mouth. Pretty impressive! It was great seeing another torch passed.

So, a special "thank you" to all my seniors, who have acted with great class all year. I hope all of you juniors were paying attention, because it will be up to you to continue with the same leadership and pride in 2012!

Bandorama

2011-10-13T08:09:00.001-05:00

Don't miss the 24th annual Bandorama concert, featuring the DHS Warrior Marching Band, on Tuesday, October 18, at 7:30 pm in the DHS auditorium. We'll be playing all of our pregame and halftime music, including our four featured shows: Soul Music, Superheroes, The Good Ol' Days Homecoming, and Road Trip. There will be lots of fun and pageantry, and the winners of this year's Rookie of the Year, Spirit Award, Director's Award, and the coveted Most Valuable Marcher Award will be announced. This concert is always a lot of fun, so please join us!

A Marching Band with Serious Moves

2011-10-05T18:37:00.001-05:00

The Warrior Marching Band has, from time to time, added in some fancy footwork or a dance step or two. But we can't hold a candle to the Ohio University Marching 110:

Truth be told, college marching bands have done wild dance routines for years, especially at HBCU's (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Just watch the movie Drumline or check out any of the videos at Marchingsport.com to see the real thing. I just really enjoyed seeing the Ohio U band go through their paces. And my uncle is an alum. So, yeah.

Happy October

2011-10-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Every three years, I program Eric Whitacre's lovely band piece, October, for the Wind Ensemble to play on the Fall Concert. Every time I do so, it quickly becomes one of the students' all-time favorite works. I feel like it truly captures the essence of the season as the colors change, the light becomes a little more muted, and nature prepares for the quiet rest of winter. So to celebrate the first day of October, enjoy this recording.

October by ericwhitacre

Thursday Morning Run

2011-09-29T13:47:00.000-05:00

Taking advantage of the day off today, I took a run when the sun was actually up, for once. My iPod shuffled an energetic mix for me:

"Come As You Are," Nirvana Nevermind
Now twenty years old, this classic album is being re-released in a deluxe edition. Another single from the album, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," is a staple of the Warrior Marching Band repertoire. I can remember how it was the theme song of disenfranchised DHS students back in the early 90s.

"Auctioneer (Another Engine)," R.E.M. Fables of the Reconstruction
One of their louder early-period tunes, from my favorite R.E.M. album. This was my soundtrack when I was a first-year teacher at Round Lake HS, living in my one-bedroom apartment in Buffalo Grove. R.E.M. just announced their official break-up after 31 years of making music together. I haven't really enjoyed their records since about 1994, but they still remain in my personal pantheon of all-time great bands.

"Stone Free," Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced?
A "deep cut" from Jimi's debut album. Right as he tore into his guitar solo, a Metra train headed for Union Station rumbled by on the track ahead of me.

"The Breeze," Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping
I've always loved Southern rock. Must be my roots--both of my parents were born in the South, and I spent many a vacation visiting my cousins "back home."

"Walking on the Moon," The Police Regatta de Blanc
I was going to skip this one because the last four were straight-out rockers, but there's something about that trippy hi-hat beat and the sparse textures. There's also the line "Feet they hardly touch the ground," which makes for appropriate running music!

"Me and You (Against the World)," Joe Jackson Blaze of Glory
Much more highly orchestrated than the previous cut. Up tempo and and a seven-man horn section.

"Spill the Wine," Eric Burdon and War Eric Burdon Declares "War"
A good tune for the final leg of my run--cooling down with some nice harmonica and flute fills, and the classic line about the narrator being a "overfed, long-haired, leaping gnome."

Happy New Year!

Homecoming 2011: "The Good Ol' Days"

2011-09-24T11:22:00.001-05:00

Well, another homecoming is in the books. The Warrior Marching Band had a wonderful day: marching through the halls, playing at the pep rally, and cheering the black-jerseyed Warriors on to victory over the Spartans of Glenbrook North. As an alum of Glenbrook South, this victory was twice as sweet for me!

Marching through the halls was, as always, a great time. The student body loved having 8th period disrupted, and when we returned to R-hall, the Choraliers sang along to the Fight Song and the Pokémon theme song. From there we went to the pep rally where we helped the cheerleaders, Warriorettes, and drill team lead the whole school in the DHS Fight Song. After an hour break, it was out to the back 40 for a final rehearsal before donning our uniforms and heading out to meet the team. We marched them in for their north endzone entrance, sending them off with the fight song and the Warrior Spirit March. The latter is our newest school song (I composed it for the 50th anniversary of DHS last year), and we're playing a lot more now. After every touchdown, we play the fight song, and after the extra point, the spirit march. At the end of pregame, we march off to the fight song, but in halftime, the spirit march is our exit music. It's pretty cool having two school songs as well as an alma mater.

In the middle of pregame warm-ups, the football team unexpectedly left the turf and ran past us into the field along Waukegan Road. I realized that they were changing from their traditional red jerseys into cool, intimidating black jerseys with red details. They came back onto the field as the press box blasted out AC-DC's "Back in Black." Of course, we had to reprise the song with our own rendition right after the opening kickoff. Between the excitement of homecoming, the energy of the fans, the novelty of the jerseys, and the well-timed pep music from the band, our Warriors played their hearts out, breaking open a tight game in the second half. A blocked punt returned for a touchdown was the turning point, and they never looked back as they steamed on to a 28-14 victory.

I must say that the band was very successful as well. They sounded great on the field and in the stands, and I received many compliments from parents and staff. We debuted a number of children's TV show themes, including a jazzy "Sesame Street" and a trumpet feature in "Linus and Lucy." We finished the day exhausted but very happy. Next up is our "Road Show" halftime, which we will play twice, on October 6 and 14. We'll swap in a different tune for the second show, but all the music is going to be great. It will be a fitting way to close our season. And, with our numbers increasing every year for the past few, I'm really looking forward to a bright future for the Warrior Marching Band!

Spontaneous Public Art

2011-09-21T14:48:00.000-05:00

I've written about this on more than one occasion, but I never get tired of seeing spontaneous, public displays of art. When you stumble upon something unexpected, a woman dancing in a park, a man reciting poetry in a subway station, a beautiful mural on a city wall, someone singing along to their iPod (oblivious to anyone passing by), it surprises you and brightens your day. The arts can seem so formal and stuffy when they are on stage or in a museum, with their dress codes and high admission prices. But they don't have to be! Check out this video below by the Copenhagen Philharmonic, as they assemble one by one in a train station to perform Ravel's Bolero for anyone who cares to listen. No tuxedos, no pages of program notes, no high-priced tickets--just a wonderful piece of music played by professionals (who are obviously enjoying themselves) for an enrapt audience. This is what flash mobs should be all about instead of creating chaos and inciting riots.

Potpourri Concert

2011-09-20T21:04:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to all of the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble members for a fine job at the Potpourri Concert tonight. I am especially thankful to all of you who came from all of the sporting events and practices and play rehearsals. I know this was an extra effort and made it a very long day for you. I was very pleased with SB's rendition of King Cotton--excellent dynamics and good rhythmic precision! The WE did a great job with the La Peri Fanfare, and the soloists in Grainger's Shepherd's Hey really set the standard for the entire group. Kudos to all!

By the way, did you know that the buttons from our old marching band uniforms make excellent cuff links? Not that I forgot mine tonight...

Now it's time for homecoming! Go Warriors!

9/11

2011-09-13T13:11:00.000-05:00

Twelve members of the DHS Warrior Marching Band took part in a civic ceremony marking the tenth anniversary of 9/11. It was held on the front lawn of the Deerfield Village Hall on Waukegan under beautiful, blue skies, not unlike the weather we remember seeing ten years ago in New York City. We opened the event with the national anthem, followed by some patriotic selections, including "America," "America the Beautiful," and "God Bless America." We also played "God of Our Fathers," which is known as the "National Hymn." The words were written for the American centennial in 1876, and the tune was composed a decade later for the centennial of the U.S. Constitution. Although there is a wonderful band arrangement of this hymn Claude T. Smith, we played a simple, four-part chorale version.

We then played a similar setting of "It Is Well with My Soul," which has a particularly poignant story that is appropriate for the occasion. Horatio Spafford, a wealthy Chicago businessman who was financially ruined by the great Chicago Fire of 1871, planned a trip to England with his wife and four daughters to take his mind off his troubles. He sent them ahead on the steamship Ville de Havre, which was tragically struck by another ship and sank. All four of his daughters died in the accident, with only his wife left to send the fateful telegram, "Saved alone." When he sailed for England to meet his wife, he asked the captain of the ship to let him know when they reached the site of the accident. It was there that he penned the hymn, a testament to one man's faith in the eyes of tragedy. I felt this was a fitting piece to play as we looked back to the events of ten years ago.

I remember being in the old band room in M-hall on September 11, 2001. Towards the end of freshman band, Mr. Swanson, the assistant principal, came on the P.A. system and told everyone about the attacks and directed us to turn the classroom televisions on to the news. My memories of what we actually saw are a bit fuzzy, but it would have been sometime before 9:00am in Chicago, after both towers had been hit. I believe we heard about the Pentagon strike and saw the towers collapse in real time. In any event, there was an incredible numbness across the school. I remember going to my office after class and calling my wife, who was about to turn off the television. My twin sons, four years old at the time, were happily watching the exciting scenes of fire trucks. When she realized that this was no commonplace accident, she found something else for them to do. Trying to get online to CNN was impossible, so most of us spent the day around the TV monitors in classrooms. My student teacher told me her boyfriend was in DC and that his bus stop was outside the Pentagon, so I sent her home to try to contact him. By the time fourth period came around, there wasn't a lot of new information to be had, so we tried half-heartedly to rehearse in Symphonic Band for the Potpourri Concert. Unfortunately, we were working on a cheerful little march, and it just seemed wrong.

The next few days of teaching were difficult. Learning scales and rhythms seemed insignificant at that point, and not being a history teacher, I felt ill-equipped to explain what was going on to my students. I know that I started my next rehearsals with "Amazing Grace" from the chorale books because it has such a hopeful melody. In retrospect, the band piece On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss would have been even more appropriate, as it is based on "It Is Well with My Soul."

One year later, the marching band gathered with the DHS community by the flag pole and played the national anthem. After a moment of silence, trumpeter Jenni Morris played "Taps," slightly cracking one of the last notes, much like the military bugler who played for President Kennedy's funeral in 1963. Instead of this diminishing the moment, it represented the broken feeling we all had inside. At the ceremony this past Sunday, Zack Berman had the honor of playing "Taps" to punctuate an honor guard ceremony led by our Deerfield police and firefighters. I'm proud to say that he nailed it.

Click here for photos from the Deerfield 9/11 ceremony.

Music, Acoustics, and Math

2011-08-25T21:52:00.000-05:00

If you like the three subjects above, then I think you'll dig this:

Freshman Orientation 2011

2011-08-20T14:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, all of the freshman band members went through four hours of orientation, led by their senior advisors. They got their books, lockers, ID photos, and email accounts. There were tours and get-acquainted activities in the gym. At the end of the day, the cheerleaders and members of the marching band capped off the festivities with a rousing rendition of the fight song. Now that the freshmen have been officially welcomed to DHS, we're all ready for the first day on Wednesday. See you then!

Band Camp 2011

2011-08-20T13:52:00.000-05:00

Another successful band camp is in the books. We finished yesterday at 5:00pm with pregame learned, the halftime music sounding strong, and three rehearsals next week to do some polishing and finishing touches. A special thanks to our alum Alec who spent the week with the percussionists getting them prepped on cadences. Another big thank you to the four band moms who served dinner on Wednesday and helped with uniform distribution.

Congrats to the trumpets, who won the march-by competition, and to the flutes, who won the spirit contest. Zack B won the individual march-off, with Kiley and Josh K as runners-up. Jon W was the rookie champ.

The great news is that we will be marching 65 students this year! I have to go back through my records, but it's been several years since we've had this many on the field. For the last two years, freshmen have joined in record numbers. That speaks a lot for the older students who have created such a positive community and enthusiasm surrounding the Warrior Marching Band. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful students to work with.

Below are pictures from Thursday, when each section got to create their own pose. Enjoy, and we'll see you at the game Friday night!

New Repertoire Lists Posted

2011-08-09T11:23:00.000-05:00

Hey Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble members! I have chosen all of our music for the fall quarter, and it is now posted on the band website. You can view the titles, hear many of the pieces, and learn about many of the composers. Just go to your ensemble's page and click on the "repertoire list" link at the bottom left.

Concert Band
Symphonic Band
Wind Ensemble

I hope you've been practicing--the music will be challenging, and SB and WE perform one piece each on 9/20!

My Three Favorite Musical Discoveries of the Summer!

2011-08-05T20:21:00.000-05:00

My first great discovery from the past several weeks has to be Spok Frevo. A former band parent sent me the YouTube link you see below. It's a Brazilian ensemble that mixes big band jazz with a frenetic local style called frevo. The Afropop Worldwide website describes frevo as "breakneck northeastern Brazilian rhythm and dance." I call it "muito quente"--Portuguese for "very hot"!

Notice how each horn player has his own wireless mic attached to the bell. This allows total freedom of movement and excellent sound reinforcement. They all have single headphones as well so they can hear the live sound in one ear and the mix in the other. The percussionists should be familiar if you remember what you learned in the Latin American music unit as a freshman. To the left of the drum set is someone playing the giant surdo bass drums--note the boom-BOOM boom-BOOM pattern. On the right is the pandeiro player with the shallow and heavy Brazilian version of the tambourine.

My second discovery came courtesy of a podcast called Sound Opinions. This is a weekly program billed as "the world's only rock and roll talk show." You can hear it locally on WBEZ 91.5 FM, but I download the shows and listen to them when I'm working out or running. Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis cover a wide range of topics, from historical to current performers. A few weeks ago, they had tUnE-yArDs in the studio. The band is led by songwriter/vocalist/percussionist/African music expert Merrill Garbus. Her music features a great deal of live looping, a process by which a musician can play a pattern and have it repeat over and over electronically while adding new parts on top of it in a live setting. When she combines her overdubbed vocals and percussion with a bassist and two saxophonists, it's a truly infectious new riff on 1970s Afropop.

tUnE-yArDs perform 'Doorstep' on Sound Opinions from WBEZ on Vimeo.

Want to see and hear more? Click here and scroll down to Show #294.

My final discovery is something that makes me very happy. There used to be an online music service called lala.com that allowed you to listen to thousands of tracks for free. The only catch was that you could only listen to each track once unless you paid a nominal 10 cents to add it to your playlist. Instead of downloading tracks, it was all cloud-based. Anyway, Apple bought them out and promptly shut them down a couple of years ago. Since then, the only worthwhile free service has been Pandora, which doesn't allow you to specify the track you want to hear. Instead, you specify an artist or a genre or a song you like, and Pandora serves up a non-stop feed of similar music. It's like having your own radio station, 24/7. So if you punch in "Life During Wartime" by the Talking Heads, you might hear Billy Idol's "White Wedding" and "Momma's Reward" by Edgar Broughton Band. But what if you want to hear a specific album or track?

Enter Spotify. Until this summer, it was only available in Europe, but it has now debuted in the US. Like many music services, it has subscription plans, but it also has a free version. Simply apply for an account, wait a few days for the email "invitation," download the app, and start listening. It's a very slick interface, and they have a pretty big collection of albums that you can listen to in their entirety. With the free plan, your album gets interrupted with ads for other musicians hawking their tracks. This can be jarring when you're listening to a quiet, subtle album like Esperanza Spalding's eponymous disc and some loud rock music bursts through the speakers in between tunes, but hey, it's free!

*******

So, those are my latest discoveries. In the meantime, I've been back at school choosing music for all the bands. I've got some great plans for each group! I've put up my bulletin boards, photocopied a bunch of forms and warm-up packets, and ordered all new marching band t-shirts for everyone! The countdown to the new year continues!

Summer Band Mailing!

2011-07-26T13:03:00.000-05:00

The annual summer band mailing is going out today! An electronic copy has been e-mailed to sophomores, juniors, and seniors and their families. Freshmen will receive it via US mail on Thursday or Friday. That means that exciting new musical experiences are on the horizon for the 2011-2012 Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Warrior Marching Band! But don't let that ruin your summer vacation; you have plenty of time left for rest and relaxation. Just add some practicing to the mix so nobody returns with summer chops!

Traditional Pakistani Music Meets American Jazz

2011-07-23T22:53:00.001-05:00

Check out this BBC segment about an orchestra in Pakistan that plays jazz music from America. You can hear Paul Desmond's "Take Five" with strings, tabla, and sitar. UPDATE: It's now the top selling jazz album on iTunes! By the way, even though the announcer credits the piece to pianist Dave Brubeck, it was written by his saxophonist Desmond. Most people assume Brubeck wrote it because it's his most famous and most requested piece, just like Duke Ellington didn't write his theme song "Take the 'A' Train." That classic was composed by his collaborator, Billy Strayhorn.

Summer Break Continues

2011-07-20T11:20:00.000-05:00

Last night I finally made it to Ravinia to see a classical concert, compliments of my wonderful Class of 2011. Actually, we went to "hear" a concert; we sat on the lawn and listened to the performance, which was in the Martin Theatre, over the sound system. It was a beautiful night, and being close to the lake, an escape from the extreme heat we've been having. At one point, there was a bizarre circular cloud pattern in the sky, and we even saw a satellite go overhead.

The music was all famous works for winds: Beethoven's Octet, Janacek's Mladi, Strauss's Serenade, Op. 7, and Dvorak's Serenade, Op. 44. These four pieces were quite varied, even though they shared similar instrumentation with various combinations of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn. The Dvorak is one of my all-time favorites, and it was one of four pieces that were named in a doctoral study as the finest works ever written for wind ensemble. I had never heard the Janacek, but it is a wonderful piece for woodwind quintet plus bass clarinet. It has an Eastern European flavor that links it to the Dvorak, but being composed 50 years or so later, it's more modern sounding. Check it out as played by the Zemlinsky Sextet in Amsterdam:

Speaking of Ravinia, might I recommend the July 31st concert, which features the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Tcaikovsky's 1812 Overture with live cannons! High school students can sit on the lawn for free with a student ID. The school with the most attendees receives a cash prize, so let's pack the place with Warriors! So far, we're not in the top five schools (New Trier, HP, Hersey, Libertyville, and Stevenson), but there's still time!

In DHS band news, I'm busy arranging kids TV show themes for our Homecoming Show. Plan on some Peanuts, Sesame Street, Spongebob, Rugrats, and Pokémon! I've also been working on revising some Concert Band worksheets. Next week I'll send out the summer band mailing, so look for an email about that. It's only 26 days to band camp and 36 days to our first rehearsal of SB and WE!

Next week I'll also be attending the wedding of two former band students. This is the fourth marriage that began in the DHS band since I've been here. So next time you're sitting in rehearsal, look around and you might see your future spouse!

Keep practicing--no summer chops!

Summer Music Camps

2011-07-04T12:28:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, my wife and I traveled to the U of I to pick up my son from the Illinois Summer Youth Music camp, where he spent a week in the middle school band program. Here's why I always talk up going to summer music camps:

He got to play in a large band of talented peers, practicing 4 hours a day, with a great director who taught them a lot.
He played some great, challenging repertoire, including Emperata Overture, a piece I've done with high school bands. They played another piece that I had not heard before, but I plan to do it with the Concert Band this coming year.
He got to play in the orchestra as well, directed by a U of I music ed/orchestra faculty member, Louis Bergonzi.
He met band students from all over the state.
He had a daily horn master class in which he learned about the original, valveless natural horn, how to care for his instrument, and what to look for in purchasing a new horn.
For his elective class, he performed in an Indonesian Gamelan ensemble and learned about the music and culture of this fascinating musical tradition.

This was one jam-packed week of music!While we were there, I also had the chance to hear the final performance of the percussion camp, which happened to feature two DHS band members. They had a similarly intensive week, working with U of I professor Ricardo Flores. Their concert included a traditional concert percussion ensemble, a mallet ensemble, Afro-Cuban hand drumming, Brazilian samba batucada, and two Caribbean steel drum pieces. Again, that's a lot to experience in one week, way more than you can get during the year at DHS.Moral of the story: there's no better way to improve over the summer than to spend a week or two immersed in your music!

My Summer Vacation, So Far

2011-06-27T09:21:00.000-05:00

My summer vacation started off with a wonderful musical opportunity, performing with the Hurricane Saxophone Quartet in Evanston at the Custer Street Fair. The group is usually an all-woman ensemble, but two of the members were unavailable, and I got the call to sub in. We dubbed ourselves the "His and Hurricane" quartet for the day, as we played a noontime concert under the Metra tracks, following a group of Native American musicians and dancers.

There was a very nice crowd enjoying our set of ragtime and jazz. It was great for me to have to practice several times in preparation and to get my reading chops and endurance in gear. As a band director, it's too easy to get away from performing and lose that perspective, so it was especially good for me to do. Plus, all four of us are Northwestern University music alums from the mid to late 80s, so it was a fun reunion.

Last week, my family and I took a mini vacation to New Buffalo, Michigan for some relaxing family time among the dunes. Our condo had a third-floor patio looking out over the marina. As I like to do on family trips (much to the embarrassment of my kids), I spent some time on the patio playing a xaphoon. This is a fun instrument I picked up a few years ago, invented by a man in Maui who calls it a bamboo saxophone.

Mine is the cheaper version made of plastic, but it still works great. It's really a clarinet-type of instrument because it has a cylindrical bore and overblows at the 12th. A sax has a conical bore and overblows at the octave. In other words, a clarinet has a register key that makes whatever note you are fingering jump up 12 notes, e.g. from a C to a G, whereas a sax has a true octave key. Anyway, it uses a tenor sax reed and fairly standard woodwind fingerings. It's probably closest to the forerunner of the clarinet, the chalumeau. You can check it out here.

In other news, I just finished writing up a project we did in Symphonic Band for inclusion in a book about teaching composition. It's the Cajun Folk Songs melody project we did this spring when everyone in the band wrote a melody on the dorian scale. The book is being edited by Maud Hickey, a music ed professor at Northwestern, and a good friend and colleague. I'll have more details when I find out about the publication date. Later this summer, I'll be a guest lecturer in Dr. Hickey's summer school class, "Teaching Composition in the Schools."

Finally, I'm going to get started today with marching band music for the fall. The homecoming theme is "The Good Old Days," so I'm looking at some of the TV shows the students will remember from their youth, like "Sesame Street" and "Arthur." Feel free to send any suggestions along!

Keep practicing--remember, no summer chops!

Annual Band vs. Orchestra Kickball Game

2011-06-05T23:00:00.002-05:00

Band 6
Orchestra 1

Another year, another victory. I'm just sayin'...

Another Memorial Day Picture

2011-06-02T10:01:00.004-05:00

Memorial Day 2011 - Click on the image to see full size.
Photo courtesy of Dave Barkalow.

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T12:32:00.003-05:00

Trumpet Section Leader, Grandfather
from the American Legion, and Dr.
Brame

The final performance of the DHS Bands is in the books, a sweltering Memorial Day parade and ceremony. The students did a great job representing our school in the solemn commemoration, playing the national anthem at the war memorial in Jewett Park, a medley of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "America the Beautiful" up and down Waukegan Road, and an echo version of "Taps" in the cemetery at the south end of town. The band looked and sounded great.

Afterwards, someone who is not part of our program said to me, "The crowds were really small--why do you bother doing this on your day off?" The answer to that question is easy. Our teenagers today, at least in this community, have very little contact with such patriotic pride as I see in the members of the Deerfield American Legion Post 738. Here are men, some in their 70s and 80s, who put on their white shirts, black ties, and traditional Legion hats, to carry their flags and rifles as they march down the street to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our American freedom. No matter what your politics are, when they read the list of Deerfield residents who died in wars, from the War of 1812 through Vietnam, it's not hard to imagine losing a child, a parent, a friend, or a neighbor. Their sacrifice secured our liberties and kept our world safer from oppression.

I will gladly give up my morning off so that our teenagers can remember that their comfortable lifestyles came at a precious cost, no matter how many people show up to watch us.

UPDATE: You can see more pictures at Patch.com. Look for the last few taken by Mark Fox to see the band.

Saturday Morning Playlist

2011-05-28T12:33:00.000-05:00

My iPod shuffled up a particularly fine playlist for my morning run. I went off through the rolling residential streets of my village and up through the factories and past the lake on the east side of town. After a left turn at the Metra tracks, I passed a remarkably tiny house (probably less than 400 sq ft!), the movie theater, and the old village hall. The straightaway through downtown led to a bike path to return home. An invigorating run! Here are the tunes that accompanied me:

"Friends" by Led Zeppelin--some nice acoustic rock off their 3rd album.

"Tennessee" by Arrested Development--a ground-breaking hip hop song with a message about faith and ancestry.

"Hurricane Eye" by Paul Simon--three different meters with clever shifts between and this great couplet: "I knew an old woman who lived in a shoe; she was baking a cinnamon pie. She fell asleep in the washing machine, woke up in a hurricane eye."

"The Wind Cries Mary" by Jimi Hendrix--one of his prettier ballads.

"The Tears of a Clown" by The English Beat--a ska version of a Motown tune. My brother and I ("The Brothers Brame") played horns for a band that covered this tune back in the early 80s.

"Sign in Stranger" by Steely Dan--dark lyrics, infectious piano.

"Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel--one of the first marching band arrangements I ever did when I was in my first year at Round Lake HS. A truly classic video:

"Lovely Rita" by The Beatles--fascinating form that we study each year in music theory. You can read a cool analysis of it here.

"No Reply" by The Beatles--I have too much Beatles music on my workout iPod, so I often get two in a row.

"Wild West" by Joe Jackson--a great album, Big World, that is one of those rare 3-sided LPs--a two-disc set with a blank Side 4. Please don't tell anyone that I'm linking you to Wikipedia for more info!

"Exhuming McCarthy" by R.E.M.--my sons studied this song with their ultra-hip social studies teacher in US History.

"Kid Charlemagne" by Steely Dan--yes, I have too much Steely Dan as well, but it's a great song about the rise and fall of a drug dealer.

"Montana" by Frank Zappa--"Movin' to Montana soon, gonna be a dental floss tycoon. Movin' to Montana soon, gonna be a mental toss flycoon!"

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Adams Field Turf Replacement Underway!

2011-05-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

As I left school on Monday, I saw several large excavators on the football field digging up the old sod. This is in preparation for the installation of a new artificial surface this summer, thanks in part to the work of the DHS Boosters. This means that we will never again have to cancel a halftime performance due to poor field conditions! I am also hoping to be able to use the field for early bird practices--no more slogging through the mud to the back 40. I will, however, miss crossing the bridge over the stream to get there. I'll also miss seeing the occasional deer along the back edge of the woods when I could say, "Look--it's a deer! In the field! That's why we call it Deerfield!" However, I won't miss the small lakes and mud pits that develop on the back 40 whenever it rains. One year the river was so high during band camp that it covered the bridge, and nobody could even get to the practice fields. With the new turf, we'll never face that problem again!

Post-Concert

2011-05-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the Spring Concert is in the books and it was a very successful evening. The Concert Band did a nice job, particularly with Forest Pines Overture, a rhythmically challenging work with mixed meters. The Symphonic Band had a varied program, including Morton Gould's jazzy "Pavanne" from Symphonette #2. Christian Hoogheem really nailed his solo trumpet feature. Pilgrim Traveler, a fantasia on 19th-century American shape note hymns, was another highlight with good balance, blend, and time and excellent solo work on tenor sax by Zach Weil.

The Wind Ensemble performed a very challenging work by Warren Benson, entitled The Solitary Dancer, which required playing in extreme ranges, tricky counting, and singing. The band probably played their best version yet at the concert. The medley from Porgy and Bess closed their portion of the concert with bluesy, extroverted solos by Logan Bloom, Nick Fox, and Joey Rosin, as well as a lyrical duet by Rahm Silverglade and Emma Martin.

The Jazz Band, as is tradition, closed the concert with some Mingus and some soul jazz. The final number, Jaco Pastorius' "Soul Intro/The Chicken," brought down the house with the high energy gospel and funk stylings. An unidentified sax player joined the band, filling in for an injured student, and by all accounts, he did all right.

Now the bands are moving into end-of-the-year activities. The freshmen will be finishing their Latin American music unit by heading off to Brazil (figuratively speaking) to study samba music. The Symphonic Band is creating mini quintet arrangements of the hymnsong "Traveler," and most of the Wind Ensemble is rehearsing graduation music with the orchestra. The new Jazz Band members are preparing for a front hall gig on the last day of school. Even though the concert is over, there's still lots to do in R-hall--the fun never ends!

A Very Unique Rendition of the Star Spangled Banner

2011-05-10T19:40:00.001-05:00

At what venue are you most likely to hear our national anthem? Why, a baseball game, of course! The performances range from bands to choirs to vocal soloists. Sometimes they are wonderfully stirring, and other times they are just truly bad. The Chicago Cubs had a utility infielder back in the 70s named Carmen Fanzone who also played trumpet, and even he played the anthem before a game. (He also was a guest soloist with the DHS Band many years ago.)

On Mothers Day, Major League Baseball helps to support Breast Cancer Awareness by featuring the color pink on bats, gloves, shoes, and other items. This year, they really outdid themselves at the Mets game when National Symphony Orchestra violinist Glenn Donnellan played the Star Spangled Banner on a pink violin. A pink violin that was made out of a baseball bat, that is. Check it out here:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14596201

It's his Susan G. Komen "Electric Slugger," which he auctioned off to support breast cancer research. Notice that he paid a bit of homage to Jimi Hendrix...way cool! Here's more about his unique instrument.

Jazz Night 2011

2011-05-02T20:24:00.000-05:00

Our professional yearbook photographer took some very nice photos at Jazz Night. Click on the slideshow below to see the Jazz Band, Monday Afternoon Jazz, and Tuesday Afternoon Jazz in action!

Montréal Trip 2011

2011-04-30T16:39:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been two weeks since we've returned, and it's about time for a post about our awesome trip to Montréal. Here's the lowdown...

Wednesday - a long day in lines at both airports, but an easy 2-hour flight north. The later flight group was tucked into bed around 1:45AM EDT, which made for a short night.

Thursday - a tour of Old Montréal with costumed escorts. We saw the beautiful old buildings and learned a lot of history. After lunch in the Underground, we had a wonderful clinic with Prof. Alain Cazes at McGill University. He worked with us on three of our pieces and made lots of useful suggestions. Then we toured the school of music and saw their incredible facilities. Dinner was traditional "smoked meat sandwiches" followed by a concert by the Orchestre Metropolitain at an intimate theatre in the Outremont district. They performed a fine rendition of Bruckner's 3rd Symphony.

Friday - We began with a trip to John Rennie High School where we performed our five pieces for a very appreciative audience of over 100. Their director, Craig Hogdson, was very complimentary of our group and thanked us for providing his students an example of mature music making. Then a number of our jazzers sat in with their jazz band for a tune, much to everyone's delight. Lunch was on our own back in the old part of town, where my group was treated like treasured guests at a small sandwich shop. It was a lot of fun to practice our French with the owners. After lunch, we went to an IMAX movie and the "Science 26" exhibit at Le Centre des Sciences. It was a lot of fun watching students strap on headgear and battle each other with brainwaves to move a ball back and forth along a line. Dinner was at La Sucrerie de la Montagne, a maple sugaring shack, where everything we ate was served with maple syrup. The entertainment was old-time French Canadian fiddle music. By the end of the evening, students were drinking the syrup straight.

Saturday - The now traditional Band Trip Fun Run stepped off at 6:30AM in the 35 degree cold, with 12 hardy band students and myself. Everyone ran at least 1.5 miles, and five of us finished the 5.1 jaunt through the sleepy streets of the city. After breakfast, we went to tour the Notre Dame Basilica, a marvel of 19th-century architecture. Then we played our performance at the Montréal Tower in Olympic Park. Two of our AP French students announced our pieces "en français," and when they mentioned we were playing a Belgian march, we heard cheers. It turned out there was a group of 20-something Belgians who were in the audience. Although we never had more than a couple dozen people listening, that was enough to make my day. Afterwards, we went up the tower and saw a panoramic view of the city and the St. Lawrence River. We also toured the Olympic Stadium site, seeing the huge pool complex and the indoor stadium where the Expos used to play. We capped off our visit with some time in the Biodome, where we saw animals, birds, and plants from four different climates, beginning in the rain forest and ending in the Arctic. Our final night in Canada included an amusing performance at Le Festin du Gouverneur, where three singers cracked silly jokes and involved the audience in a taste of Old Montréal culture.

Sunday - We took a quick drive up Mont Royal, but it was drizzly, cold, and foggy--hard to see anything. Then it was off to the airport for our return trip. All in all, a great experience full of wonderful memories! You can relive it all with this slideshow and the archive of our Twitter feed.

Drum Circle with Matt Savage

2011-04-11T21:22:00.000-05:00

The Concert Band had a special treat this morning with a visit from Yamaha percussion clinician Matt Savage. He is in town working with bands on the Northshore and to appear in Focus on the Arts at HPHS. He worked with our freshman today on elementary drum circle techniques and taught us a lot about rhythm and how to listen in an ensemble. We all had a great time, as you can see in the pictures below:

Why you have no excuse not to practice...

2011-04-08T15:34:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know we're all busy and not always home, but if this astronaut can play her flute in zero gravity on the International Space Station, you can find time amongst your many activities to work on your band music!

By the way, if you ever become an astronaut, I suggest you pack some hair ties.

Music Theory Free Listening Day

2011-04-02T14:54:00.003-05:00

On the day before spring break, each of the students in Music Theory brought in a favorite recording to share with the class. Here were their choices, with my descriptions:

Steven: "The Great Plains," melodic progressive rock by Scale the Summit, from Carving Desert Canyons.

Aaron: "There is No There," folksy electronica sound collage by The Books from The Lemon of Pink.

Noah: "When I Grow Up," dreamy electronica by Swedish singer/songwriter Fever Ray from Fever Ray.

Jeff: "Ripple," classic folk rock Americana by the Grateful Dead from American Beauty.

Nathan: "Slow Cheetah," subdued acoustic-tinged hard rock by Red Hot Chili Peppers from Stadium Arcadium.

Zach: "Rosalia," Dominican merengue by Juan Luis Guerra from Bachata Rosa.

Lauren: "What I Should Have Learned in Study Hall," alternative rock urgently sung by Ice Nine Kills from The Burning.

Logan: "Every Place is a House," poppy math rock by Maps and Atlases from Trees Swallows Houses.

Andrew: "Hoppipolla," Icelandic symphonic rock anthem by Sigur Ros from Takk....

US Postal Service Issues Jazz Stamp

2011-03-27T23:26:00.000-05:00

Click this link to find out about this very cool new stamp, just issued by the US Postal Service. It's not the first stamp to honor jazz music, however. There was a series called "Legends of American Music" that featured jazz musicians (1995) and big band leaders (1996). Individuals such as Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington have had their own stamps as well. Ellington is even on the back of the Washington D.C. quarter.

Three years ago, Latin Jazz was featured as a stamp:

It's a shame that so few letters are sent these days, because such a great tribute to "America's classical music" should be seen by everyone.

Choir Trip to Ireland

2011-03-23T09:48:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, the DHS Chorale and Choraliers leave for Ireland. If you would like to follow their travels, you can check out their blog. Best of luck to Mrs. Akers, Mr. Velleuer, and all of the chorus students!

DHS Band on Twitter

2011-03-20T17:03:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed a new Twitter box on the sidebar. For the uninitiated, Twitter is a "microblogging" service that allows users to send out mini status messages called "tweets" to anybody who is interested in following them. My plan is to use Twitter during the Montréal trip to send out updates and links to pictures so that everybody back in Deerfield can follow along as we perform and tour the city. You can receive them online or on your mobile phone. There are at least four ways to follow the @deerfieldband Twitter feed:

Register for a Twitter account and sign up to receive tweets from @deerfieldband as text messages or on your Twitter home page.
Don't want to register? Simply text "follow deerfieldband" to 40404 and you'll receive tweets as text messages. You can unregister at any time.
You can subscribe to an RSS feed of the tweets by clicking on the RSS link at our Twitter profile page and read the posts on your homepage or with a reader.
You can also just read the tweets as they show up on this blog in the sidebar.

Wow--that's a lot of techno mumbo jumbo for one post. If you don't understand any of this, ask a teenager to help you out!

Solo and Ensemble Fest

2011-03-20T16:25:00.000-05:00

The annual solo and ensemble festival was last Friday afternoon. This year, our friends from HPHS were unable to attend, so it was a smaller, more intimate affair. We had five adjudicators who joined us to offer their expertise. As each time slot was 15 minutes long, there was plenty of time for them to work with the soloists and small groups. Many of the sessions turned into mini private lessons, with the opportunity to play the entire piece a second time. The judges were very complimentary about our students' preparation and professionalism, and I was very proud of everybody who performed. All of the Wind Ensemble students were required to perform in a chamber ensemble, and we had a wide variety of groups: flute trio, woodwind trio, 2 woodwind quintets, clarinet quartet, sax sextet, 2 trumpet trios, 2 brass quintets, low brass quartet, and percussion ensemble. The music ran the gamut from a Cuban cha-cha to Mozart to a piece mysteriously titled "The Octopus."

I was also very excited to see a number of students perform solos as well as auditioning for the orchestra concerto competition. What really made me happy, though, was having two ensembles each from the Concert and Symphonic Bands. The freshman horn and percussion sections both performed, as did a trio of junior trombones and the entire SB euphonium section. I hope that next year more CB and SB groups will take a risk and put together a group to work on chamber music. Students who do so gain greater musical independence as they work together to learn a piece of music, making all of the artistic decisions themselves. It's an important part of a truly comprehensive music education.

Recent Band Pictures

2011-03-04T10:59:00.001-06:00

At the winter band concert, we had our annual yearbook pictures taken. The photos now grace the individual ensemble pages on the band website, replacing last year's pictures (although in the case of Wind Ensemble, the new picture replaces one that was 4 years old!). Since those shots are a bit small, I've posted them below. Click on the picture to see it full size:

Concert Band:

Symphonic Band:

Wind Ensemble:

I also have some pictures here of the Jazz Band performance for the senior citizen Valentine's Day Concert at the Patty Turner Center:

Joining us in the concert were Deerfield's own "Hummers and Strummers," a band/choir of ukelele players who sing songs from the 20s and 30s, accompanied by washtub bass. They were awesome!

Ethnic Diversity in the DHS Band Program

2011-02-22T21:49:00.000-06:00

The juniors recently completed their ethnomusicology papers, in which they were to research the music of their ancestors. They could either choose two composers who shared their ethnicity or country of origin, or they could research the folk or art music of that culture. I read almost 40 papers and learned a great deal in the process about composers and traditions that don't always appear in the standard music history texts. Here is my accounting of the cultures represented:

Russian 7
Irish 5
Hungarian 4
Jewish 3
Polish 3
German 3
Italian 2
Norwegian 2
Danish 2
South African 1
Japanese 1
British 1
Ukrainian 1
Swedish 1
and one paper about the Pilgrims who came to America on the Mayflower!

As usual, there were a lot of papers about Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich, but I also learned about Takemitsu, Nielsen, and O'Carolan, as well as Norwegian hardingfale fiddles and Nguni singing. Students mentioned talking to grandparents, and some admitted not knowing much about their heritage before writing this paper. I hope they enjoyed their research as much as I enjoyed reading their work. (I know, I know, but teachers can always dream, right?) I know I would have had a very difficult time deciding which of my roots to write about, being mainly English, Portuguese, French, and Greek, with family legends of Choctaw and Cherokee ancestry as well. I could have written about Vaughan Williams and Holst, Portuguese fado music, Debussy and Lully, or Greek bouzoukis!

Many Things to Share

2011-02-09T15:18:00.000-06:00

I'm catching up here on a number of posts I've meant to publish. There are blurbs on the Jazz100, the Evanston Jazz Fest, the music of John Adams, recent DHS Band happenings, and a Montréal trip update. Enjoy!

Want to see a list of the top 100 jazz songs ever? Jazz fans around the world (including yours truly)voted on the Jazz24 website, and the results can be found here. You can also hear streaming audio of the tunes. Some commenters have said that this list is too "mainstream" or "obvious," but I disagree. It's a great introduction to what most people consider the standard jazz canon. Once familiar with these tunes, a listener can branch off into many different niches like the avant garde, third stream, acid jazz, or other areas.

DHS Highlights: The Jazz Band had a very successful day at the Evanston Jazz Festival. The two adjudicators, Audrey Morrison and Tom Tallman, were very complimentary. They singled out Rahm Silverglade, Nathan Fertig, and Aaron Gundersheimer as outstanding soloists. We really enjoyed the evening performance of Italian bassist Maurizio Rolli, who knocked us out with his tribute to Jaco Pastorius. Next up for us is a senior citizen performance at the Patty Turner Senior Center in Deerfield. Our Valentine's Day Eve playlist will be "Stompin' at the Savoy," "My Funny Valentine," and "In the Mood."

I have been talking to the orchestra students today about John Adams (the composer, not the president). He is probably the most famous and most performed living American composer (outside of film composers like John Williams). He is best known for his operas, including Nixon in China, and his 9/11 remembrance On the Transmigration of Souls, which won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize and three Grammy awards in 2005. When the orchestra students travel to New York next week, they will have the opportunity to see Adams conduct the Juilliard Orchestra in a performance of his City Noir. While doing some background research for my presentations, I found Adams' personal website, earbox.com, which is fascinating--check it out!

Just an update on our post-concert activities...

Concert Band is currently sightreading orchestral transcriptions (Ritual Fire Dance and Funeral March of a Marionette). All of the juniors are working on their ethnomusicology papers and the jazzers are learning transcribed solos. In Symphonic Band, each student is writing a melody based on the dorian scale, which they will be playing for each other next week. I'll post some of the best examples. Wind Ensemble members are working on their chamber ensembles for the 3/18 festival, and music theory students are writing 8-bar chorales for four voices in the style of J.S. Bach.

Trip update...

While in Montréal, we will have a clinic with Alain Cazes, director of the McGill University Wind Symphony. We'll also see him perform as the tubist in the Orchestre Métropolitain, in a concert featuring two newly commissioned works and Bruckner's 4th symphony. It sounds very exciting!

Band Concert Deemed a Success!

2011-02-04T22:32:00.000-06:00

Well, after all the snow was cleared, we had our band concert as scheduled. It was a bit of a gamble, what with missing two days of rehearsals, but I had instructed the students on Tuesday to take their instruments and music home and keep practicing. I took all my scores home, and with arms sore from shoveling (my snow-blower died early in the process), I conducted through the concert while sitting at my desk and vocalizing a warbly imitation of the DHS band program. When I got the call from the administration giving us the green light, I decided that it was better to have the concert on the original night, even if we were a bit unprepared, because everyone had already committed to the date.

All three concert groups did well. There were some rough edges here and there, but many bright spots. The Concert Band sounded especially good on West Highlands Sojourn, and the Symphonic Band had some great moments on Holst's Second Suite. The Wind Ensemble pulled together for the complicated medley of Symphonic Dances from Fiddler on the Roof, and soloists in all three bands played quite well. The two afternoon jazz bands received praise when we discussed the concert in class.

What I think it really boiled down to was personal preparation. Students who had learned their parts and had been practicing all along probably found themselves only marginally affected by the two days off. Those who hadn't put in the time probably fared worse. We are only truly successful as a band when each individual recognizes the passages that need to be mastered and then puts in the time outside of class to do so. The entire ensemble counts on each musician to take responsibility for the music he or she is assigned. When everyone decides to live up to that potential, we can do amazing things! I saw this last night with the way several individuals played their solos. It was obvious that they had done the necessary "woodshedding" outside of rehearsal to make their parts shine. Imagine how we would sound if everyone took that attitude!

Next up, the Jazz Band heads to the Evanston Jazz Festival tomorrow. Our set list:

"Prime Directive" by Dave Holland
"Tin Tin Deo" by Fuller and Pozo
"Song with Orange" by Thelonious Monk

Wish us luck!

Band Concert Tonight, Thursday, February 3!

2011-02-03T12:40:00.000-06:00

We will have our band concert tonight at 7:00PM as regularly scheduled. Call times are as follows:

CB 5:35
WE 5:45
SB 5:55
MAJ 6:10
TAJ 6:20

Please be on time ready to go!

Snow Day and Band Concert

2011-02-02T14:36:00.002-06:00

Dear Band Students:

As of 1:45PM on Wednesday, the band concert for Thursday, February 3 is on hold. School is out on Thursday because they still haven't been able to clear the fire lanes. There were 8' snow drifts piled against the front doors of the school, and just clearing the exits from the building has been very difficult.

So, here are our plans:

Plan A - If the district administration determines that after-school activities are canceled, we will have our concert on Monday, February 7 at 7:00PM. The call times will remain the same.

Plan B - If the district administration determines that after-school activities can take place, we will have our concert as scheduled on Thursday at 7:00PM with the same call times.

In either event, I will send out an email by 1:00 on Thursday. Please stay tuned, and keep practicing. I hope you are safe and warm and that you are enjoying your unexpected free time!

Sincerely,

Dr. Brame

DHS Jazz Band Featured in Journal Article

2011-01-19T10:11:00.000-06:00

The DHS Jazz Band was featured in an article in Teaching Music, one of the journals of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. I spoke with the author about how we use composition in our program, with the students writing blues heads, modal pieces, and other works for the band to play. When you click on the link above, you can read the article and see some pictures of our students at work.

In Tribute to Dr. King

2011-01-14T17:24:00.000-06:00

Every year as we get ready to commemorate Martin Luther King Day, I like to read a speech he gave at the opening of the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival. In his brief remarks, he spoke of the way the spirit of jazz paralleled the spirit of the civil rights movement. He also spoke eloquently about the universality of the blues and the role of jazz in African-American history. You can read the speech here.

Only it turns out that Dr. King never made a speech at the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival. Like many stories, its presence on the internet turned misinformation into fact. Further research by Bruce Jackson and David Demsey uncovered the truth: Dr. King was not in Germany at all during the festival, but the promoters had asked him to write introductory comments to be placed in the festival program, which he did. His now legendary "speech" appeared on page 3 of the booklet.

In any event, reading this speech is just one way we can celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and every other person who served our country in the struggle for civil rights. Another way is to listen to John Coltrane playing "Alabama." This was his musical response to the senseless and racist bombing of a Birmingham church in which four young black girls were killed. Coltrane patterned his opening "chant" after the cadence of Dr. King's speech at the girls' funeral.

So while you are home studying for finals, take a moment to remember why we have the day off to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to be thankful for those who struggled then and who struggle today to make our country truly free for all.

CSO Plays Mahler

2011-01-07T10:22:00.000-06:00

This week we've been discussing some of the important Jewish composers of the 19th century as part of our year-long look at Jewish music and musicians. We talked about Meyerbeer and Offenbach, and then we listened to the short 3rd movement of Mahler's 10th Symphony. Today I received an email from a former band parent who shared a link to a full-length PBS broadcast of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Mahler's 7th Symphony. It was recorded live at Symphony Center downtown, with Maestro Pierre Boulez conducting. Unlike your typical YouTube video with questionable sound and fuzzy audio, this is the real deal. Check it out!

Watch the full episode. See more Great Performances.

Happy 2011!

2011-01-02T12:51:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the new year, MMXI, one which boasts a number of musical anniversaries:

200th Birthday of Franz Liszt, one of classical music's first "rock stars." Besides being a brilliant composer for orchestra, he was a piano virtuoso who could play the most technically challenging pieces of the day. So popular were his electrifying performances that ladies would swoon in the aisles when he played a particularly showy passage.

100th Birthday of Alan Hovhaness, an American composer who was greatly influenced by the music of his Armenian heritage as well as music from India, Japan, and Korea. He wrote 67 symphonies (that's a lot for a 20th century composer) and a piece for orchestra that featured recordings of whale songs.

100th Birthday of Robert Johnson, legendary bluesman who allegedly sold his soul to the devil to become a great guitarist. He wrote a number of standards, including "Sweet Home Chicago."

100th Birthday of Mahalia Jackson, gospel singing legend. She took the bluesy style of Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith and applied it to the gospel songs of Thomas Dorsey to create a deep, soulful blend.

100th Anniversary of the Second Suite in F for Military Band, by Gustav Holst. This year, both SB and WE are studying the music of Holst, and this is the piece the SB is playing. It is one of the cornerstones of band repertoire, and a wonderfully fun and challenging piece that we will be playing on February 3 at our Winter Concert.

Final Holiday Music Posting - The Kwanzaa Playlist!

2010-12-28T13:05:00.000-06:00

Today is the third day of Kwanzaa. This seven-day celebration of African culture is a chance for people of African descent throughout the diaspora to reaffirm their communal ties and to celebrate their culture. Although I am white, I have spent years studying African-American music, so I humbly offer this list to anyone who would like to know more about the contributions made by blacks to our national quilt. Happy listening!

Scott Joplin, "Maple Leaf Rag"
One of the first African-American composers and the King of Ragtime

Muddy Waters, "I Be's Troubled"
America's greatest bluesman (in my opinion), as recorded when he was a sharecropper in Mississippi, before he became a Chicago legend

"Lift Every Voice and Sing"
This is the African-American National Anthem, written by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson. Read more here.

Duke Ellington, "Ko-Ko"
One of America's greatest composers and songwriters, this is an example of his wonderful band at the height of its residence in Harlem at the Cotton Club.

William Grant Still, "Afro-American Symphony"
Known as the "Dean of African American Composers," he combined 20th century classical techniques with the folksongs and blues of his heritage.

Billie Holiday, "Strange Fruit"
A controversial song about the practice of lynching by one of the great vocalists in jazz history.

John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme"
Jazz tenor saxophonist makes his most personal spiritual statement with his quartet.

Little Richard, "Good Golly Miss Molly"
Over-the-top-performer at his most rambunctious--a classic of early rock.

Stevie Wonder, "Fingertips, Pt. II"
The first of many #1 hits for "Little" Stevie Wonder which made him the most famous 12-year old in the country.

Ray Charles, "Hit the Road Jack"
Bluesy, soulful, and gritty--a true American original

James Brown, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"
The Godfather of Soul whose band was always killing--he defined what a live performance could be.

George Clinton, "P Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)"
Another unique performer who, along with Sly and the Family Stone, set the standard for funk music.

Prince, "When Doves Cry"
A combination of Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix, and Sly Stone who was all over the airwaves in the 1980s.

Public Enemy, "Fight the Power"
When other rappers were advocating random acts of violence, PE was calling for blacks to work for positive change.

And this barely scratches the surface--I haven't mentioned Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Gil Scott Heron, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Chuck Berry, Buddy Guy...It's a start anyway. So to all of our African-American students and their families, have a blessed Kwanzaa!

More Holiday Music - Top Sacred Songs

2010-12-22T17:06:00.001-06:00

In the penultimate installment of my romp through holiday music, here are my favorite sacred Christmas songs. In other words, these actually reference the religious basis of the holiday, the birth of Christ. My reasons for choosing them, however, are usually musical rather than textual. I don't often focus on lyrics, even when I'm singing these songs in church. I'm usually listening to the harmonies and the bass line. Anyway, here are my top 13:

13. O Come, O Come Emmanuel - The lyrics actually date back to the 9th century!

12. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - One of the first carols I ever arranged in a jazz version, when I wrote it for my wife's jazz combo at Lake Forest Country Day School

11. O Little Town of Bethlehem - A gentle carol with a sinuous melody--perfect for a late night Christmas Eve service

10. The First Nowell - One of the great old English carols, complete with the old-fashioned, non-French spelling of "Nowell"

9. In the Bleak Midwinter - This one was written by English composer Gustav Holst--we played it in SB and WE as part of our Holst unit--really cool modal harmonies

8. We Three Kings - Sounds great as a modal jazz waltz a la John Coltrane and My Favorite Things

7. Ding Dong Merrily on High - In high school, I sang in a choir that did a bunch of old English carols like this one every December - my favorite line: "and e-o-e-o-e-o!"

6. Do You Hear What I Hear - My parents had a version by Bing Crosby on one of their Christmas records, and I always thought this one sounded so haunting. It must be the mixolydian mode they used in the arrangement.

5. The Little Drummer Boy - Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum, indeed! There was a stop-motion animation version of this that was done by the same people who did the Rudolph TV show. It's a shame it was never as popular.

4. Coventry Carol - Another one of those spooky songs from high school choir. It starts with the lyrics "Lully, lullay..." I never did figure out what that meant...

3. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming - This dates back to the 1500s, by Michael Praetorius. I love the Renaissance sound to this one.

2. Angels We Have Heard on High - The polyphonic "gloria" section makes as spirited refrain as any.

1. Joy to the World - This one, by Handel, sounds like a vocal fanfare, complete with antiphonal call and response between treble and bass at the end.

So there you have it, my top Christmas songs for the season. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and to everyone, enjoy the time with family and friends!

NEXT UP: My killer Kwanzaa playlist!

Dissertation Defense

2010-12-20T11:46:00.001-06:00

This morning, I got up, went for a run at the club, came home, had breakfast, put on my nicest red, gray, and black outfit for good luck, and logged on to my computer to defend my dissertation. My professors were online for the video chat, two in Boston and one in Minneapolis. I began by reading a review of all of my research with accompanying PowerPoint slideshow. This took about 30 minutes, after which each professor asked me questions about what I had discussed and what was written in the actual dissertation. Then they told me to go offline while they discussed my presentation and answers. After about twenty minutes, I received a phone call to log back on, at which time my primary professor congratulated me on a successful defense and told me that I am now officially Dr. Brame. Then he gave me the final revisions I need to make before submitting my document for binding and graduating on January 31. So while my work is not quite done, my degree is.

Thanks to all of my students, friends, colleagues, and family for all of your support and encouragement. It has been quite a journey, and I am grateful that you all accompanied me on it.

Happy Holidays!

Dr. B

More Holiday Music - Top Secular Christmas Songs

2010-12-15T20:40:00.001-06:00

In choral music, we often discuss the text as either "sacred" or "secular." Sacred texts are religious in nature, whether chanting the Qu'ran, singing a Hebrew Psalm, or performing a Christian Gloria. Secular lyrics are everything else--songs about love, cars, pizza, you name it. So it sounds somewhat contradictory to refer to "secular Christmas songs." However, Christmas is, for better or worse, as much a cultural holiday as it is a religious one. Thus, there are many songs about Christmas that never mention Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Here are my top ten, in reverse order:

10. White Christmas - a dreamy, chromatic melody, written by a Jewish songwriter named Irving Berlin that was at one time the single most recorded song in history

9. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - just a fun tune about how our environment changes as the wreaths and lights go up

8. I'll Be Home for Christmas - a sad song about being away from loved ones during the holidays (the punchline is "if only in my dreams")

7. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland staring longingly out a window--beautifully poignant

6. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - you better watch out!

5. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - a great old English song that is about as cheerful as they come, but does anybody really like "figgy pudding"?

4. The Christmas Song - you probably know it as "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." - one of the jazziest Christmas songs of all, with great chord changes to boot!

3. Silver Bells - the city dresses up for Christmas

2. The Twelve Days of Christmas - every year the newscasts tell us that the cost of the twelve days has gone up yet again (I guess it has to do with the price of gold and poultry)

1. Christmas Time Is Here - from the Charlie Brown special--such a lovely melody and hip chords--this one is my all-time favorite!

NEXT TIME - Top Sacred Christmas Songs

More Holiday Music - Top Winter Songs

2010-12-12T16:46:00.002-06:00

Here are my top nine favorite non-denominational winter songs:

9. Happy Holidays - kind of a generic old song that Bing Crosby sang in "Holiday Inn"

8. Auld Lang Syne - an old Scottish song that has become synonymous with New Year's Eve, and a funky favorite of the DHS Jazz Band

7. Jingle Bell Rock - one of the first rock songs to celebrate the season

6. Frosty the Snowman - turned into a fun cartoon special hosted by Jimmy Durante (I always thought Karen was very cute!)

5. Jingle Bells - the chorus is a bit plain, but the verses tell a fun story about flirting during an out-of-control sleigh ride

4. Baby It's Cold Outside - another great song about flirting, this time over hot chocolate during a blizzard--very appropriate for today's weather!

3. Let It Snow - what a great melody--all those wide leaps and descending scales--great lyrics again about staying in on a snow day

2. Winter Wonderland - more snow, snow, snow, over a jazz progression

1. Sleigh Ride - the Leroy Anderson classic that was the highlight of many a DHS holiday band concert

COMING SOON: my top lists of Christmas carols, both sacred and secular, and my Kwanzaa playlist

Jazz Band at the School Chest Benefit

2010-12-05T20:07:00.000-06:00

Here we are at the Deerfield Hyatt, performing for the silent auction portion of tonight's School Chest Benefit Dinner. This year, DHS is raising funds for Bear Necessities, a foundation that works to make life a little better for kids with cancer and their families. You can get more information about this year's drive here.

Citrus Time Is Here!

2010-12-04T12:15:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy Katie Conroy.

Today we have a lovely, snowy backdrop to our citrus unloading. All of the band, choir, and orchestra students are in long, human conveyor belts to empty the truck and fill R-Hall with the happy smells of oranges, grapefruit, and cardboard boxes. Mmm--nothing says "happy holidays" like cardboard boxes! As always, everybody is having a good time, making new friends, and getting a great workout.

Happy Hanukkah!

2010-12-03T11:04:00.002-06:00

We're now just about halfway through the annual Festival of Lights, and I wanted to share an interesting NPR story with you about holiday music. It features a new Hanukkah song by Matisyahu, who just might be the only Hasidic reggae rapper/singersongwriter around. You can listen to the story, which includes an acoustic version of "Miracle," and you can watch the rather confusing but amusing video.

This time of year, you can hear Christmas music everywhere, with some radio stations going to a 24/7 Christmas format (too much of a good thing!). So, to offer a little balance, here are my favorite Hanukkah songs:

5. Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages) - This is a very old song that was set to a German folk song.
4. The Dreydl Song - A classic kids song that sounds like a nursery rhyme. A Jewish equivalent of "Up on the Housetop."
3. Hanukkah, Hanukkah - Another kids tune with a fairly unimaginative name.
2. Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah - Not to be confused with the above song. This one is a DHS jazz band favorite--we do it in a revved up klezmer styles.
1. S'Vivon - A much more interesting song about dreydls. I arranged this for the Wind Ensemble to play a few years back, and Mr. V added string parts so the orchestra could play it last year. My all-time favorite!

I'd add in Adam Sandler's clever and humorous Hanukkah song, but I had to ban him from the list for the gratuitous drug reference near the end. Tsk, tsk.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be back with my favorite non-specific winter songs, secular Christmas songs, sacred Christmas songs, and a killer Kwanza playlist. Until then, enjoy the coming snow storm!

UPDATE: I did some research and came across this NPR segment where a rabbi tries to explain how to spell this holiday in English with the Roman alphabet. Since "Hanukkah" seems to be the most common spelling and is favored by the New York Times and Chicago Tribune, I've fixed it in the headline and text above. An extra bonus is some clips from another cool Hanukkah song by The LeeVees, who have a whole album called "Hannukah Rocks." (Note the alternate spelling, and also note that the rabbi in the story preferred "Chanukkah.")

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-23T12:13:00.001-06:00

I want to wish all the the friends of family of the DHS Bands a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving! It's been very busy down here in R-Hall, and I think we are all looking forward to some rest and relaxation. Two weeks ago we put on a fine fall concert, and our future band members from Shepard, Caruso, Holy Cross, and Bannockburn joined us for one number as a foretaste of what I hope will be four great years to come. We had two straight Saturdays at the IMEA festivals. The band/choir/orchestra fest was at Glenbrook South (my alma mater), and Emma Martin (bassoon), Will Barkalow (clarinet), and Logan Bloom (trombone) represented DHS quite well. The jazz fest was at Lake Zurich, and we had five band members involved: Logan Bloom (trombone), Carter Griffin (trombone), and Kenny Thompson (guitar) all played in the bands, and Nathan Fertig and Rahm Silverglade sang in the choir. All five students were featured soloists during the concert. Way to go!

This morning, being the last day before break, meant another traditional front hall performance for the jazz band. We played three world premieres: "Rush Hour" by Tom Bonadies, "An Idea" by Aaron Gundersheimer, and "Hindsight" by Kenny Thompson. It was great to play for people as they came in to school. This afternoon will be the Grandparents Day Concert, so the Warrior Marching Band will serenade the crowd with the fight song, "Warrior Spirit," and music from our 50s Sock Hop show.

We've also been busy with chamber music, including the Symphonic Band's first ever chance to split into small groups. We've already heard the saxophone section performing a movement from a concerto grosso by Corelli, a percussion ensemble, and a brass choir playing a piece by Michael Haydn. The Wind Ensemble is in the process of choosing their chamber repertoire, and the freshmen did a body percussion composition project to study how meter is used in music. In addition, SB and WE have been studying klezmer music as part of a year-long exploration of Jewish music and musicians.

Like I said, we've been busy...

So in closing, I leave you with a fine song of Thanksgiving. No, it's not the Dutch hymn "We Gather Together." It's Sly and the Family Stone singing "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)." Enjoy!

Dissertation Update

2010-11-19T20:27:00.000-06:00

My supervisor sent me an email today with the second reader's comments on Chapters 1-4. I knew I was in trouble when I read the first line: "You've got lots of work to do." My second reader really went through my paper with a fine-toothed comb; most pages have multiple comments and corrections. Some are easy enough, like changes in wording, but others require me to go back to sources I haven't looked at since the summer of 2008 to get more information. Still others challenge my methods and conclusions. It's pretty daunting, but she is trying to make sure I plug up any holes in my study so that it can stand up to the grilling of the defense committee. I do appreciate how hard she is making me work--really, I do! (Does it sound like I'm trying to convince myself?)

And so, the saga continues!

Penny Wars!

2010-11-16T11:56:00.001-06:00

Kudos to the DHS Concert Band for raising over $300 in the Freshman Advisory drive to restock the Deerfield Township Food Pantry! This annual challenge began by dividing the band into three teams, each led by a senior advisor. Then the students brought in all of their loose change to fill their team jugs and earn points. They were also able to sabotage the other teams by adding paper money to their opponents' jugs, which counted as negative points. In the end, Team Logan (the trumpets and low brass) emerged victorious over Team Tracey and Team Maura. The real winners, however, are the needy people in our community who will benefit from the food pantry. Way to go freshmen!

Alas...

2010-11-05T15:25:00.000-05:00

Well, we didn't make it to the finals of the 87.7 Smooth Jazz Battle of the High School Jazz Bands. Considering ours was a very last minute decision and entry, I'm not surprised, but congratulations to the four fine bands who will get to battle it out for the championship on November 17: the Wheeling High School Jazz Band 1, the Oak Park and River Forest High School Jazz Ensemble, the Chicago Academy for the Arts Jazz Combo and the Warren Township High School Jazz Ensemble. Best of luck to them all!

In any event, we will be performing our entry, "Contemplation," at the fall band concert this coming Monday night at 7:00PM. Come out and hear it in its final form!

DHS Jazz Band Enters 87.7FM Battle of the High School Jazz Bands!

2010-10-29T11:53:00.000-05:00

So I got a bunch of emails and phone calls from Chicago's Smooth 87.7FM, the new smooth jazz station in town, about a competition they are having for local jazz bands. It's co-sponsored by Roosevelt University and U.S. Cellular, and the top four bands get to perform live at Roosevelt in November for the grand prize. As a last minute decision, we decided to make a hasty entry on a piece that we've been arranging for the concert on the 8th. It's a great McCoy Tyner piece called "Contemplation," and we brainstormed a number of ideas about how to do it. Based on student input, I wrote up some voicings, passed them out this morning, and we got it into shape as quickly as possible. The recording is rough, but I'm hoping the judges hear that we are doing some sophisticated work. Who knows, maybe we'll get to go downtown and compete?

The entry process taxed my technical skills! I had to record the group on my Yamaha Pocketrak 2G, download it to my computer, and edit the soundfile. Next, I had to create a YouTube account, something which I had never done. Then I had to find a service that help me create a video from the mp3 audio file and a single screenshot with the band name and title of the piece. Once it was posted on YouTube, I completed our entry by sending in the url of our video. An hour and a half later, we were up and running.

Wish us luck!

Dissertation Update

2010-10-27T18:36:00.000-05:00

My advisor approved all of my edits, so now it's on to the second reader. I'll hear back from her in a few weeks, so I have a bit of time off. That will come in handy, since DHS grades are due next week, and the papers and projects are beginning to pile up a bit! Assuming that all goes well, I'll have a practice defense during the first week of December and the real thing before break. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter!

Google Celebrates Dizzy Gillespie

2010-10-21T10:31:00.000-05:00

From time to time, the search engine Google replaces its standard logo with a creative "doodle" that transforms the design into a picture that commemorates a special event, such as a holiday or the Olympics. Recently, they had a John Lennon doodle to celebrate his 70th birthday. Today, they feature Dizzy Gillespie, one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. He is known as a pioneer of both bebop and Afro-Cuban jazz, as well as his wit and humor on the band stand. His bent trumpet became his signature trademark, and the Warrior Marching Band played his tune "Manteca" this fall. So, a tip of the beret to Diz on what would have been his 93rd birthday!

Dissertation Update

2010-10-21T00:52:00.001-05:00

I just sent the first truly complete draft of my dissertation to my advisor. This is the result of literally hundreds of edits based on his previous suggestions and those of my second reader, who will get one more crack at it after him. Then it's on to the defense, which I believe I might still be able to fit in before winter break. (fingers crossed!)

Thanks to everyone who has continued to support me throughout the dissertation. I'll keep you informed of the progress. Until there's more news, I'll leave you with this brief excerpt:

This ultimate goal [of comprehensive musicianship] is too important to ignore in an era in which music educators once again find themselves required to justify their curricula in the midst of budget cuts and high stakes testing. CM proponents approach music as a multi-faceted and rigorous academic discipline that teaches critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, the “4 Cs” of learning and innovation as espoused by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2004). The traditional band curriculum, which emphasizes performance training, does not provide students the same depth of experience in these skills. For music education to stay relevant, music educators need to incorporate models like comprehensive musicianship to remain on the leading edge of educational reform and to prepare students for a future of lifelong music-making.

Former DHS Band Mom and White Sox Organist Retires

2010-10-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

Nancy Faust just finished her 41st and final season as ballpark organist for the Chicago White Sox. She is the most famous stadium organist in the world, carrying on a disappearing tradition of live music at baseball games. Her clever song choices that comment on the players' names and the action on the field are well known throughout the major leagues, but my favorite thing about Nancy is that her son, Eric, was in the DHS band program. Eric was a fine percussionist for us back in the late 1990s. When Eric was a senior, we asked Nancy to join the marching band for a performance of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." She brought a Hammond organ to the auditorium and played along with the marching band at our Bandorama. Later that year, the band returned the favor and performed the national anthem at Comiskey Park before a White Sox game.

As a Cub fan, I have fond memories of Harry Caray's traditional singing of the song, which has now become a rather embarrassing tradition at Wrigley Field, as total non-singers come in to the booth to butcher the tune. As great a Cub tradition as this is, however, Harry Caray started it when he was an announcer on the south side. And who accompanied him every night? Nancy Faust, of course!

So, Nancy, our hats are off to you!

The media pays tribute:
N.Y. Times article
ESPN

Happy Homecoming!

2010-09-25T09:54:00.000-05:00

Homecoming 2010 is now in the books. It was a great week, full of excitement and wonderful performances. You can see to the right that the freshmen got right into the spirit of things with their banner celebrating the theme of "Game Time." Led by senior advisors Logan, Maura, and Tracey, they created a clever reworking of the Monopoly board with a musical theme.

The Warrior Marching Band started Homecoming Friday with an early bird practice on the back 40, where we were under a fairly constant drizzle. With our dress rehearsal cut short, we went inside to wipe down the instruments and head off to class. By 8th period, though, we were ready to start the festivities. Continuing a tradition that dates back to the 1960s, we marched through the halls performing the fight song, our halftime numbers, and several cheers. My favorite stop is always by the DeerPark Daycare, where our little friends helped us cheer on the Warriors with "Go Big Red!"

Then it was on to the pep rally where we joined forces with the cheerleaders, Warriorettes, and drill team for a rousing rendition of the fight song. In our featured numbers, drum major Logan Bloom showed off his advanced mace spinning techniques for the crowd as we performed the video game theme song, "The Legend of Zelda." His final toss narrowly missed the ceiling of the exhibition gym, and the audience cheered his triumphant catch. Then, the homecoming court was announced, with band members Alex Schopa and Danny Dubin representing the sophomore and junior classes, and Laurie Polisky as homecoming queen.

The football game went very well for both the team and the band. Pregame was well executed, starting everything off with a spirit of patriotism. At halftime, we performed our tribute to video game music, with a complicated drill on "Super Mario Bros." and a giant game of Tetris, in which each squad became a Tetris block and marched towards the sideline, rotating and sliding into place. Since I couldn't figure out how to make the squads disappear, we didn't manage to clear any lines. The cheerleaders helped out by forming the sides of the game board. They were so excited to be part of the show that they baked us cookies! After the 3rd quarter, we reprised Logan's mace routine from the pep rally, and when all was said and done, we were tired, happy, and basking in a 35-7 victory over Maine West. Go Big Red, indeed!

This is the 100th post on Mr. B's Blog! Thanks for reading!

The Modern US Military Band

2010-09-06T15:26:00.000-05:00

Special thanks to a band parent who sent this link to me...

Here is a great NY Times article about American military bands in the 21st century. Just like our modern fighting forces, these groups need to be able to move in, perform quickly, and get out. Therefore, each of the traditional large ensembles can be broken down into small chamber units and rock bands.

A couple things to note from the article. Col. Thomas Palmatier was quoted several times, and he is no stranger to the DHS bands. The colonel has been the guest conductor of the North Shore Honor Band twice, most recently in 2009. He conducts the US Army Field Band, from which one of my college friends retired just this past summer. My friend joined the clarinet section of the band after a stint in Germany right out of college, and most recently he worked administratively for the Field Band, coordinating their extensive American tours.

I'd also like to share that a military band career is a fine way to be a professional musician. There's no hunting for gigs, playing drunken weddings and drab society affairs. You get to perform for important ceremonies like boot camp graduations and inaugurations. The military provides you with top-of-the-line instruments, excellent facilities, and money to pay off student loans. Auditions for positions in the top groups like "Pershing's Own" (Army) or "The President's Own" (Marines) attract master players from all over the country. If you think you'd be interested in a military music career, talk to me, and I can get you more information. It's obviously not for everyone, but it's a great life for many.

Chicago Jazz Festival

2010-08-29T19:54:00.000-05:00

One of the better jazz festivals in North America is the Chicago Jazz Festival. Although not as famous as its counterparts in Newport, Monterey, or Montreal, it has undergone a bit of a renaissance over the past few years, and it is still one of the few free fests around. Two years ago I caught living legend Ornette Coleman, one of the elder statesmen of jazz and a pioneer free jazz musician. His set on alto sax, trumpet, and violin was a flurry of creativity and passion--quite impressive given that he was 80 years old at the time. I also saw a band called 8 Bold Souls play a collection of swinging avant garde tunes that inspired me to seek out their recordings and learn more about them.

This year's jazz fest starts this week and will be featuring a DHS JB favorite, Nicole Mitchell, as artist-in-residence. She is a leader on the Chicago jazz scene, known as an outstanding flutist, composer, and bandleader. We played her tune "Cause and Effect" last year, and two of our members participated in a master class she presented. She will be appearing four times throughout the festival, in a duo and with larger groups like her Black Earth Ensemble. Other highlights of the festival include:

Brad Mehldau, an internationally acclaimed pianist known for dense, polyphonic music and his interpretations of Radiohead and Beatles tunes
The Either/Orchestra, an eclectic band out of Boston (DHS alum Danny Kaufman toured and recorded with them several years back)
Kurt Elling, one of the top jazz vocalists in the world, and another local Chicagoan

I highly recommend that you check out the schedule and get downtown to see some of the shows. You won't be disappointed! I'm hoping to get down there on Sunday--see you there!

Band Camp 2010!

2010-08-19T22:56:00.000-05:00

Here is a batch of pictures from Band Camp today. We are off to a great start, with pregame learned (although there's plenty of polishing to do), halftime started, and a good amount of pep music under our belts. I am especially proud of an extra large group of freshmen who have joined us and are already becoming an important part of the band family. The seniors are doing a great job in their leadership roles, and I can tell it's going to be a great season.

Here are the results from the section march-by:

1. Sousaphones
2. Saxophones
3. Mellophones

Tomorrow we do the individual march off. Place your wagers now! (Just kidding. Gambling on marching band rehearsals is illegal, immoral, and against the activities code. Don't gamble!)

From the Archives

2010-08-13T11:56:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of the Deerfield HS Band playing the most presitigious performance of our 50-year history. In 1972, Deerfield resident Dan Walker won the Illinois gubernatorial election to become our state's 36th governor. He asked the DHS Band to perform at his inauguration, and on Monday, January 8, 1973, Mr. Spriester brought the students to Springfield to play the pre-ceremony prelude . Musical selections included "Battle Hymn of the Republic," "There'll Be a Change in the Weather," "Anchors Aweigh," and "America the Beautiful." The University of Illinois Marching Band played the national anthem, our state song, and a recessional. Today, if you visit our band room, you'll see a framed collage commemorating the event with a picture of Gov. Walker, two photos of the band at the capitol, and a handwritten thank-you note from the governor.

Fortunately for us, the legacy of the DHS Band did not follow Gov. Walker's career. In 1987, he was convicted of improper financial dealings with a savings and loan and sentenced to seven years in jail. He served 18 months in a prison in Duluth, Minnesota, and now lives in California.

The DHS Band actually played for President Reagan in 1985. His helicopter touched down in our parking lot before he was whisked away to a speaking engagement at the kitchens of Sara Lee, which at the time had its headquarters in Deerfield at Waukegan and Kates Roads. The band and Choraliers performed for him there, but it wasn't a high profile gig like the governor's inauguration.

Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Zakir Hussein in a Mini-Concert

2010-07-29T23:44:00.000-05:00

Every time I go to the NPR Music website, I find something new and amazing. One ongoing series they produce is called the "Tiny Desk Concerts," in which major league musicians from all genres are invited to squeeze into the cubicle of music host Bob Boilen and perform a short set for the cameras. In this installment, banjo player Bela Fleck, bassist Edgar Meyer, and tabla master Zakir Hussein perform two pieces that are part jazz, part Americana, and part worldbeat. The instruments represent four different continents (banjo from North America via Africa, bass from Europe, and tablas from India), but the players couldn't be more "in tune" with each other. The interaction is tight and the musicians obviously love playing together. The close-range camera shots give us great views of all three players' technique, especially exciting when they zoom in on Hussein's hands as they become a blur of motion on the drum heads. Check out the video here. They even have an mp3 that you can download of the concert!

Summer Mailing Now Available

2010-07-28T11:22:00.002-05:00

The summer letter that you've come to know and love will not be mailed home this year. Instead, it is posted on the band website. Click here to find out everything that's going on this coming year! Included is a calendar of all band performances, information on SB/WE/JB curriculum, and everything you need to know about the Warrior Marching Band. Check it out today!

Subscribe to Mr. B's Blog via email!

2010-07-23T21:33:00.000-05:00

If you would like to receive an email whenever there is a new blog post, scroll down the left side of the window to where it says "Subscribe via email" and enter your email address. There will be a short process to follow, but when you are done, you will receive new posts in your in box. Pretty cool, eh?

Websites for Great Music Listening

2010-07-14T21:51:00.000-05:00

If you know me, you know that I hold a pretty dim view of illegal downloads. Being in the music business from the education side of things, I believe it's important to teach my students that artists and songwriters should get paid for what they do. That being said, there are a number of websites that give you the opportunity to listen to great music via streaming. In other words, it's like listening to a radio instead of owning a CD--you can listen to the music, but you can't download it. Here are some of my favorites:

Palmetto Records is a great jazz record company. They have a jukebox-type player on their front page that has full length tunes from their catalog.

NextBop is a blog about contemporary jazz by artists like Ben Allison, Christian Scott, and Medeski Martin and Wood. Click on the "radio" tab to hear a stream of today's jazz with a decidedly rock influence. You can also click on individual artists to just hear their tracks. I recommend Darcy James Argue and his hip big band, Secret Society.

My favorite rock music station is WXRT 93.1FM Chicago. I've been listening to them since the 1980s when I was discovering Elvis Costello, Prince, and the Talking Heads. One of the bands that they helped to put on the map was REM. You can hear a live stream of their incredible album, Fables of the Reconstruction, here. It's one of the only albums I love enough to own on both vinyl and CD.

National Public Radio (NPR) has a ridiculous amount of web content for music lovers. They have blogs, archived concerts, new music samplers, interviews, and get-to-know-the-music pages for every style imaginable from classical to rock to jazz to world music. I'm currently listening to Bassekou Kouyate, a performer from the African country of Mali.

So check these out. Let me know if you have other sites you enjoy, and I'll post them here.

Hey, have you practiced lately?

(BTW--I was on this ill-fated boat cruise in Boston while on a mission trip with the high schoolers from our church. Ask me about it sometime.)

Dissertation Update

2010-06-30T13:54:00.000-05:00

Today is a landmark day for me--I sent my first draft of the last chapter of my dissertation to my advisor. I realize that I will have pages and pages of rewrites to do over the next few months as he dissects it and then a second reader has a shot at it. It still feels good, though, to get to this stage. I am hoping that this will keep me on track for a late fall defense and a completion of the degree by winter break. I'm crossing my fingers...