Building Listening Skills In The Band Articulation - Part I
- Jan 23, 2024
Characteristic tone, articulation, intonation, precision,
andb alancea re fundamental qualities that are evident in all great
musical performances. As band directors, our goal is to develop
a teaching method that advances our students' understanding,
awareness, and performance skills in regards to these five fundamental
goals.
In my earlier years as a band director, I was pretty good at fixing problems as they occurred in my band. I could address wrong notes, rhythms, basic articulations, musical phrasing, and intonation issues. I gradually learned, however, that I was working too hard and my students generally did not know how to solve these problems on their own. I was putting out “fires” as they happened, rather than giving my students the necessary skills to address these “fires” as (and before) they occurred.