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Hey, for those who don't know (hopefully most of you) I'm soon to graduate high school and go to study music in college. Now, the band director at a local high school (not the one I went to) has asked me to work with the low brass of their marching band during the summer and possibily during the fall as well, running their sectionals and working with them individually and such. I will be paid for my trouble, not sure how much yet, but probably not much. However, it's something I've wanted to do for a while, so I wouldn't care about money at all if I didn't need it. I was wondering if anybody on here had done this sort of thing before and would have any advice about exercises, warm-ups, and other tricks to do this right, make them want to keep doing it and make them the best they can be. Advice from drum corp veterans especailly would be appreciated. Thanks.

Nick

The above post is EXCELLENT advice... not much more to say, really - but I'm going to say it anyway.

Don't teach the material, but use the material to teach the underlying CONCEPTS they need to become better musicians. If you teach them the show music, they have learned 8 min. of one show. If you teach proper concepts (as noted in The Elephant's post), you will give them the tools they need to perform the show music, as well as any other music they encounter.

As a drum corps vet, that is the type of education I wish I had seen more of. I marched with some great groups and am still proud of that, but either they were more focused on product than process, or I was totally blind to what the staff was trying to do with us. Probably both.

Best of luck - congrats on your first teaching gig!

nick,
endurance would be another thing to think about. how "intense" is the marching/music? i came from a H.S. and past drum corp exp. that stressed TONS of endurance. some of the things that we would do would be "the horror". basically, 1 in 1 out for an extended period (USE COMMON SENSE!!!) also, depending on the amount of playing : amount of movement, you could try running a lap, picking up the horns and playing long tones with as much control and intonation control as possible. the more you're able to do this, the more it translates onto the field. good luck!!!

-casey

How about throwing around pushups and such? I've seen it with corp people, our high school did it a lot, but we were special.

Also, I'm working with the tuba's and the baritones (no bones). Anything I should no as far as that goes, being primarily a tuba player myself. I've played some concert euphonium, but not much. I can teach it just fine, but just wondering if there's anything specific I need to know.

Casey Tucker wrote:nick,
endurance would be another thing to think about. how "intense" is the marching/music? i came from a H.S. and past drum corp exp. that stressed TONS of endurance. some of the things that we would do would be "the horror". basically, 1 in 1 out for an extended period (USE COMMON SENSE!!!) also, depending on the amount of playing : amount of movement, you could try running a lap, picking up the horns and playing long tones with as much control and intonation control as possible. the more you're able to do this, the more it translates onto the field. good luck!!!

-casey

I'm not sure how much of that run a lap, pick up the horn, play, repeat thing I can get away with, but it's a good thought. Endurance...hadn't thought of that. The music doesn't look terribly difficult, but then it also compares pretty well to what some corps have. Well, tuba is anyway, what is a hard book for baritones?

I was in your position last summer. I graduated high school then came back to help the brass instructor run some rehearsals while he worked with others. The biggest thing I would like to suggest is to make sure that the students see you more as a teacher than as a equal. I stress this because I had problems having my players focus during rehearsal because their mindset was "well she's only a year or so older, I can goof off and it's okay".

You don't have to be hardcore, just make sure they know who's boss, and to be professional with you during learning time. You can be their friend, but the teacher label comes first.

Playing wise, everything has already been said in previous posts.