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In response to a listener request, Alan and Steve share practical advice for first-time clinicians and adjudicators. Alan focuses on the clinic side—how to quickly build trust, avoid undermining the director, and zero in on one or two changes that can immediately raise performance quality. Steve then tackles the judging side, with smart pointers on … Read more

Just in time for spring contest preparation, Alan  and Steve  unpack one deceptively simple idea: “There’s one rule in music – make it sound good.” If that’s true, what does it actually look like in rehearsal? Steve breaks the rule into six practical priorities great ensembles share: accurate attacks, correct pitches, the best possible tone, … Read more

Alan and Steve talk with choreographer and movement educator Michael Rosales (Carolina Crown, Bluecoats, Santa Clara Vanguard, The Breakdown Camp) about why every student—and every director—can move with confidence. They explore how to use simple, safe movement to teach rhythm and expression, how band and choir directors can lead movement without being “dance people,” and concrete ways … Read more

Steve and Alan take on a touchy but important topic: the gap between what we ask from students and what we actually model ourselves. They admit their own everyday hypocrisies (hello, phones at stoplights and slow email replies) and then connect it to the music room: punctuality, effort, communication, reflection, and how we respond when … Read more

Composer, bandleader, and educator Russ Gershon (Either/Orchestra) joins us to explore how music becomes a window into history, geography, and human connection. Russ shares how he uses songs like “Proud Mary” with K–4 students to teach rivers, steamboats, and timelines; how storytelling and context make improvisation less scary for teens; and what Ethiopian modes and rhythms can offer our … Read more

Steve and Alan take on the bad reputation of “flex” music and make the case for using flexible-instrumentation charts as a musical tool, not a last-resort compromise. They compare band culture to choir and orchestra traditions, talk honestly about attention spans and rehearsal efficiency, and explain how fewer parts can actually mean more learning and … Read more

Grammy-nominated saxophonist, educator, and activist José A. Zayas Cabán joins us to connect what’s happening on the streets of the Twin Cities with what happens in our music rooms. He shares firsthand experiences of the recent Twin Cities ICE presence, the trauma and courage in his community, and the economic fallout for immigrant neighbors and … Read more