calling all musicians who write or use program notes

Dr. Joseph Pisano is working on another great idea (he’s the man behind ME Bloggers!).
He has started a phenomenal Wiki for collecting program notes.  Visit mustech.net for more information.  We can all benefit from and contribute to such a wonderful source of information.

i am a zookeeper

The petting zoo was opened on Friday, and three groups came on a field trip to pet the “animals”.
 
I simply cannot fully express how much fun it was to watch the children.  Hands down, this has been one of my best recruitment decisions.  They were adorable, they were excited and it was all just so amazing. 
Nancy [...]

weaknesses

If I had to list three weaknesses in my teaching, it would be the following, in no particular order:

percussion

using technology

tone quality

I really do not like to point out my weaknesses… it makes me look, well… weak.  But to be clear, I point them out because they are things that I am working on making better. 
Percussion – Even [...]

scheduling concerns

I have a nagging feeling that we (elementary instrumental teachers) will have some more problems in scheduling our lessons next year.  No Child Left Behind has squeezed us all, nationally, I know that.  When I first started teaching (1994), I remember that math class and specials were the only taboos for pull-outs.  Then, by 1998, [...]

what’s going on

The worries begin.  I make a calendar, every other month, mostly for the students who are in band and orchestra.  They have lessons on each instrument, each week, but alternate their attendance at their ensemble rehearsal.  The calendar helps them keep their weeks straight and helps us (myself and the string teacher) to plan ahead.  [...]