Monday, December 15, 2008

Wilbur and Music

Mackenzie has recently started naming some of her stuffed animals. The first one is a dog that has been christened Wilbur. I asked about the name and she replied "Wilbur dad, like the Pig." It is so cute when she starts talking to it and calling the dog on her toy phone.

In other news, my Christmas concert was on Wednesday. I have mixed feelings about the concert. The kids did exactly as I expected. They did their best, but at the same time I feel like I have given into mediocrity. I had a trombone player that missed most of his notes because he put chapstick on and couldn't buzz his lips, and I had a choir that is very quiet when they sing. My students are having problems realizing that they should work hard the whole time and not just two weeks before the concert. I show them how to practice their music, I give rehearsal CDs, I have a few students that come in for extra help, but it is effort too late to really bring us up a level as group. It gets very frustrating.

The part that makes it better is the compliments after the concert. Things like we haven't had crowds like this at concerts for a while. or the students sound better then they have for 10 years. I know I'm following teachers that had a very different style, I know that not everyone got along with them, but how hard is it to teach music if you have even a small understanding of what to do and take time to practice what you don't know. The kids are always shocked when I play different instruments with them. I am actually becoming an okay trombone player and I can play the trumpet even better. I played saxophone last year and really learned a lot. How can you not play the instruments, you have to demonstrate things all the time to the younger students.

Well, I now get to go to the dentist and take care of those appointments now that it's okay for me take time off without feeling like I'm abandoning my students while they prepare for a concert.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hey don't feel bad. It sounds like you are a great band teacher! I agree that you should play the instruments with the kids. I am no help at home with practicing on instruments I can't play. Rebekah says she wants to play french horn in a couple of years and I told the band teacher I was nervous because I won't know how to help her. His answer was "you could learn". I guess I could.