[TPIN] Jazz Pedagogy, teaching and some help

[David Adams]

Yes, a good story, Mike.  The other reason to be a player/teacher is  
to validate the idea of lifelong participatory music.  i direct a  
fabulous group of adults, (one is 80), and I love to remind my kid  
students that they probably won't be able to play football when they  
are 50 or 60, but they will still be able to play their instruments.   
Plus, I find it is absolutely essential to be able to demonstrate  
(less talk, more music).  Dave
On Jan 11, 2007, at 11:24 PM, Vaxtrpts at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 1/11/2007 11:01:39 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
> adamczykd at sbcglobal.net writes:
> I have always been amazed at the number of music directors who  
> haven't played their own instruments for years.
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> This is a real "sticky" point with me too, Dave.  Especially in  
> high school programs.  I hear all the excuses.
> "I am too tired at the end of the day to play my instrument."   "I  
> can't really keep it up enough to play jobs, so what is the use?"   
> And may other things.  My answer is always the same.  How can you  
> really relate to the problems that young people are having and how  
> much work they must put in, to be able to play in your band  
> properly?  I believe that a band director must be playing, at least  
> a little, to remember what it is like.  Also, I believe that the  
> students respect the band director even more, when that director  
> can actually play some of the passages for them.  I don't think  
> that they have to do it on all the instruments, just on their  
> primary instrument.
> Here is a true story of a clinic 35 years ago at Freedonia  
> University in New York.
> At that time, the music faculty didn't want jazz to be part of the  
> curriculum.  The local Phi Mu Alpha chapter raised enough money to  
> bring the Kenton Orchestra for a couple of days of clinics and a  
> concert.
> There was a panel discussion that included three professors - all  
> with doctorates, and four of us from the Kenton group.  If I  
> remember correctly, it included Stan himself, myself, Dick Shearer  
> and John Von Ohlen.
> The topic was "The place of jazz music in a university  
> curriculum."  It was obvious that the professors were ready to  
> argue against any such thing. It was also obvious that they didn't  
> have much of a rapport with many of the music students.  At one  
> point, I got a wonderful idea.
> I asked the most vocal of these professors if he still performed on  
> an instrument.  He very emphatically said no!  I am a conductor. So  
> -  I proceed to ask: "So you don't believe that teachers should be  
> able to show their students by personal example of playing an  
> instrument?"  He again said no.
> And I went on: "Well then let me give you an example to see what  
> you would think.  Suppose that you find out tomorrow that you have  
> a brain tumor and need an immediate operation.  Then suppose that  
> just before they put you under the anesthesia, you find out that  
> the doctor who is going to cut your head open, was taught by  
> another doctor who hadn't done surgery for  
> years................................."
> He had no answer for me and I got a huge ovation from the students.
> I have always loved that story.
> Mike Vax

David B. Adams
Palo Alto Unified School District
Director, Foothill Symphonic Winds
www.windband.org/foothill