Why Music Education Is Changing

I believe that music education as we know it is changing profoundly. The change has already begun, and it is already causing bewilderment and frustration for a great many music teachers. But it is also creating tremendous new opportunities for thousands of music teachers and students who are enjoying their work more than ever. In this article I will try to explain what I think is happening, and give you some ideas about how to position yourself to enjoy these changes rather than become a victim of them.

You might wonder if I am talking about changes related to the Internet, computers or music software. But this change has nothing to do with technology. It has to do with the needs and desires of today's music student, which are almost entirely different from the needs that our music education system was designed to satisfy. To understand what I mean by this, we need to go all the way back to the European origins of our most basic ideas about what it means to "teach music."

For centuries the primary goal of classical music education was to produce orchestra performers capable of reading a piece of sheet music and correctly playing the composer's ideas. This is no small task. It requires both a formidable control over one's instrument and also a very high level of skill at reading complicated musical phrases on a written page. It also requires great sensitivity and expressive power, since without these the music would sound dull and lifeless.

This curious breed of musician unites several personality traits that are highly contradictory. He must have the precision control of a world-class athlete in order to execute the very fine motor skills involved in playing his instrument. But he must also have the extreme mental agility required to read and instantly decipher impossibly complex rhythms coded into symbols on a page. He must be sensitive enough to feel and express the beauty in every line that he plays, but he must be detached enough to play whatever music is handed to him without complaining.

This is the context in which our music education system evolved. The goal was to produce a kind of super-performing robot-person that could play any piece of music on demand and make it sound heavenly. The "customer" of this process was what we might generalize as the "wealthy audience" who wanted to be entertained. Music conservatories prepared young music students to entertain and delight wealthy audiences with their skills, so that they might earn a professional salary.

This "old paradigm" of music study is defined by a very clear set of attitudes. Musicians play for others. A musician's purpose is to delight audiences and impress other musicians. His success can be measured by the number of gigs he gets, the salary he earns and also the respect and fame he enjoys among other musicians. And every one of these attitudes is so thoroughly ingrained in our culture that we continue to teach music this way today even though it no longer makes any sense whatsoever.

The new paradigm: musician as person

Our entire world has changed. For the vast majority of young music students, earning a salary is the farthest thing from their minds. Today's music student is not a humble employee hoping to sell his services to wealthy audiences for money. People study music today because they want to fill a void in their lives. They are drawn to music by its beauty and by its promise of self-discovery through creative expression.

In other words, the "wealthy audience" is no longer the customer of our music education system. There is a new customer in town, and that customer is the student himself (and, wonderfully, more and more often it is the student herself.) Today's music students are thinking, feeling human beings who want to grow, to create and to experience life for themselves. To put it simply, we are moving away from the old paradigm of "musician as performer" toward a new paradigm of "musician as person."

In the old paradigm of musician as performer, the dominant theme was competition. People made a great deal of fuss over which children seemed to show "musical talent" and which ones didn't. If music didn't come especially easy to a child, then there was no point in making the investment in music lessons. And if a child did show potential, he would immediately begin a military-style course of study to develop this ability into something that society would value. Musical ability, in this paradigm, is essentially a commodity to be sold on the open market. If there were no audience, there would be no reason to study music at all.

And to be sure, there are still people today living in the old paradigm. They live in a world of perfectionism, competition and hostility. When they play music, they are incapable of noticing anything but their own technical defects. When they listen to the music of others, they are busy evaluating the technical performance instead of receiving the beauty. They are generally angry people. Angry that there are not enough gigs, not enough students, not enough love and respect for all their hard work.

But there is a new generation of young people who are discovering the thrill of playing music for themselves. They are discovering that there is a paradise to which music can transport them. They don't particularly care whether they play well or badly, because they have found something more interesting than their ego. They have found the bliss of being lost in a moment, meditating on a sound, a note, a musical phrase, a gesture of the hands. It is this experience that has captivated them, and what they want from music education is to deepen this experience. These are the students of the new paradigm.

But that is a question that we will have to leave for another article, because I think there are many interesting things that we could say about it. For now, just let me assure you that this new paradigm has nothing to do with laziness or lack of seriousness on the part of the student. When young people discover the magic of music, they can easily practice so many hours that they run the risk of injury. What we need to understand and embrace is what motivates today's music student.

How you can thrive in the new paradigm

Right now, millions of young people are genuinely excited about learning music as an opportunity for enjoyment and personal growth. They see music as a way to "develop their creative side" and to connect with a part of themselves that they can only access through the arts. They expect their music teachers to empower them to write their own songs, to improvise freely and to express their musical imagination.

For many music teachers, this itself can be a cause for worry because many times we haven't the slightest idea how to help our students achieve these goals. For most of us, our own musical training was rooted in the old paradigm of reading sheet music, mastering our instrument and occasionally memorizing some abstract rules about music theory. So how are we supposed to help our students achieve a creative freedom that we ourselves have never tasted?

But don't worry. There's no reason to panic. Your students don't expect you to be perfect or to know everything. It's perfectly fine for both teacher and student to have a question about something, and to seek the answer together. Most students just want to feel that their teacher listens to them, respects them and sincerely wants to help them achieve their goals. You have many, many gifts that are tremendously valuable to your students. You just need to think about how to reframe your wisdom in terms that relate to the student's enrichment as a person, rather than trying to simply teach musical ability for its own sake, detached from any spiritual relevance.

I personally believe that we are witnessing all around us the birth of a new musical culture that is here to stay, perhaps for centuries. Musical ability for its own sake is losing its power to attract and motivate students. More and more, we will see music students interested primarily in their own liberation as human beings. In my opinion this is a beautiful evolution, and it is a very exciting time to be a music teacher.

How to Write a Music Review

Five Tips for a Successful Music Review"

1. Who Should Write a Review?

Writing an informative and captivating music review can be a challenging task. It is helpful if the reviewer is a musician and understands music theory, musical styles, and the type of music to be reviewed. It is essential for the reviewer to be aware of the target audience for which the music review is intended. My reviews are targeted to music teachers who have in in-depth understanding and appreciation of music.

2. What Does the Reader Want to Know?

The reader of my column is educated, has an in-depth understanding of music, including music theory, conducting,, and music pedagogy, and a level of musical understanding in all genres of music. Typical readers want to know about the product. They are looking for new ideas for presenting music in concerts and on the football field. They want music that will add diversity to their concert programming. Readers want to know certain things about each piece of music; specifically the level of difficulty, and any unusual demands placed on the different instruments and the appropriateness of the music for performance.

Here is an example taken from one of my recent music reviews:

Here we have ten minutes of Spanish flavored music that has many dynamic types of shading, and is sprinkled with sustained lines, weaving counter lines, and thick, resonant chords. The contrasts in mood are very well handled. It is a rousing number that exudes rhythmic intensity, and Spanish bravado. This exciting musical composition brings out a sense of adventure, and student will enjoy the brisk tempo and fiery Spanish rhythms.

Another review contains a subtle warning to the reader:

This is a challenging piece in that the flutes must be proficient at rapid tonguing and the high tessitura of the trumpets and horns can be demanding. The snare drum solos are effective and provide smooth linkages between sections. However, the dynamics must be carefully observed to make these transitions effective. A proficient xylophone player is necessary in this piece.

The title of the piece, the composer/arranger, an name of the music publisher should be at the top of the review.

3. What About the Style of Writing?

It is best to avoid using terms such as: "you" "your" and "I" in the review. It is assumed that whatever is written is the expressed opinion of the reviewer and if not, than that statement should be quotations. It is also helpful if the reviewer avoids the use of clichés, and generic, non-specific terms such as "interesting," and accumulates a list of colorful adjectives that can be used to describe the music. The words "appealing" "fascinating" and "exciting" are more suitable that is the word, "interesting."The following are a few helpful descriptive terms for use in music reviews:

freshness of sound, absence of musical clichés, colorful work, use of sonorous pedal-points, the crisp and intense combination of....., splashes of percussive color, a deep woody bassoon solo..., leads to a warm, mellow four-part horn chorale, a tender, expressive melody by the oboe.

Here is another example from one of my recent music reviews:

This piece is a tender expression and an excellent composition for teaching dynamics, balance of tone, and phrasing. The contrast in scoring makes this piece a first-rate choice for programming.

4. How to Approach Writing a Music Review

It is essential that the reviewer consider the type of review that is expected by the publisher. For example does the publisher want an in-depth analysis of one or two compositions or does he/she expect an overview of seven or eight selections?

The reviewer should listen to each selection many times to in order to grasp and absorb the many layers of sound and to acquire a deeper understanding of the music. Taking detailed notes about what stands out in the music can be very helpful. Writing a music review is a creative process that is based on the individual opinion and personal tastes of the reviewer. The reviewer must be able to recommend appropriate and usable musical compositions to the reader.

The music reviewer is not a specialist in all styles and genres of music. For example, a band director may not feel comfortable or confident reviewing music for chamber groups or orchestra. In this case it may be wise to ask an expert in a particular field (strings) to write the review for a particular column. Perhaps the reviewer can offer one review and the guest reviewer can review six or seven other pieces. This assists the reviewer and provides positive visibility and exposure for the guest reviewer, and guarantees that the reader will gain maximum benefit from the reviews.

It is of vital importance to stress the positive aspects of the music that is being reviewed. It is a wise policy to select for review only pieces that the reviewer can recommend to the readers. Often what is said in the review can be a very subtle warning to the reader such as:

A total of seven percussion players are required and the sound emanating from the percussion section must be carefully balanced so they do not overpower the winds

If a teacher has only two percussionists in his ensemble, I doubt that he/she would consider playing this piece.

If a review states that the tessitura (range) of the trumpets is high throughout the piece, this will alert the music teacher to select this piece only if he has a very strong trumpet section.

Stating that the bassoon has a lengthy solo, without stating which instrument it is cued for is of little help to the reader. It should be stated that the bassoon solo is cued for the tenor sax or the baritone horn. Most bands have one or no bassoons and another instrument must cover that instrument in its absence.

Here is another example taken from a recent review:

Sharp, precise tonguing is needed to make this march sparkle, and close attention must be paid to the dynamic contrasts between mf and ff, and ff to pp. The woodwinds must be capable of playing diatonic and chromatic scales at a bright all- breve tempo.

Music is a very personal experience and the writer's subjective judgment can be very helpful for the reader. But each opinion rendered needs a framework of support. The writer must bring meaning through explanations regarding his/her opinions. Written comments should be backed up with musical facts and a sense of musical understanding.

5. Where Do I Find Music to Review?

Begin by compiling a list of the major music publishers who publish the type of music that you will be reviewing. Contact with them by phone or by e-mail and ask for sample scores and CDs. Today most of the printed music is available to listeners online--just type the name of the composition and its composer/arranger and locate it at the publisher, at a musical outlet or on YouTube. Some of the music publishers will send scores via Pdf files for review. It is to be emphasized that there are many small music publishing companies that are producing some very high-quality material for schools and will leap at the chance to have their music reviewed.

Music Marketing - The Essentials of an Effective Music Press Kit

As a struggling independent musician in a highly competitive over-crowded market it should be left unsaid that you need to stand out from the crowd. There are many ways to do this. There is music publicity, radio promotion, extensive tour presence, and the almighty music marketing and music promotion. You need to get your message out there --period.

Getting your music marketing message out there is one thing but getting the right message out there is another. Your professional image as an independent artist is of the utmost importance in order to rise above the sea of competition. Most independent bands and independent artists have some sort of a music press kit or music promotion kit that they use for promotional purposes. Generally, musicians will use either a traditional print music media kit, a digital press kit (DPK), or an online EPK (Electronic Press Kit). But just how professional and convincing are they?

A frequently asked question that I get all the time from my independent artists and musicians is which type of press kit should we put together? Which kind of music press kit works best and is most impressive and effective? The answer to that question depends on a few things.

What I mean by this is that I recommend creating and maintaining two types of press kits -- either a print or digital music press kit, and an electronic press kit. The reason for this is simple. Certain media outlets, labels, venues, music management companies, etc. prefer a print press kit or digital press kit with your full blown CD so it can be listened too on high efficiency stereo equipment to get the full effect of your music and its production qualities. Others prefer not to have their office congested with piles of press kits, and their preferred method is just reviewing your music online.

For the reasons just noted, we recommend you do a print or digital press kit and have one online as well. There's really nothing to creating an online EPK so why not have it available. There are a few very good EPK services out there and they cost just a few dollars per month. But I am putting an emphasis on the fact that an EPK (Electronic press kit online) is not enough. You still must have the traditional print or digital press kit in your music promotion arsenal.

It is notable to mention that your Music press kit is probably your most valuable promotional tool and it needs to be taken very seriously. Other than your CD and live performance it is usually the first impression of you as an artist that labels, venues, and other music media outlets will receive. There are many graphic art firms that specialize in the preparation of media promotion kits that you may want to consider if your budget permits. If not, for a few dollars, a little creativity, and time and effort, you can do it yourself. Here are the basic elements of a print press kit and Electronic press kit, and the professional means by which to go about it.

In your traditional print music press kit version the elements to include are a professionally designed cover with your logo or photo, a cover letter of introduction, Band or Artist biography, a professional 8- x 10- black and white glossy promotional photo, media feature articles and press releases, album reviews and quote sheet, your full length - extended play, or professionally recorded demo CD, an industry CD-one sheet, a business card and professionally labeled envelope. The supplies needed are heavy stock paper, portfolio cover, large envelope, address labels, business cards, and your 8- x 10- glossy photo. Now here's how to go about putting the print press kit together.

COVER AND LETTER OF INTRODUCTION: 

Your professional music press kit should have an impressive cover. This should include a photo of the artist, artist's name, and artist's contact information. Sort of like the cover of a book. You should also include a cover letter of introduction. This should introduce you as the artist stating briefly a little about yourself. Don't get too specific in this letter you can leave that for the bio and other media which you will include.

Make sure you address the letter to one specific person - - being personal is important. It gives the appearance of a non-cookie cutter look and that you feel this media outlet, label, venue, or music agent has significance. Make sure that either at the top or the bottom of this letter you have included your full contact information or your artist's representative's contact information. The cover letter should be inserted just inside the kit's cover prior to any other information. The contact information should also be included at the bottom right on every page in the music promo kit.

Artist or Band Biography: 

The next page or what would actually be the first informational page of the music media kit would be your artist biography page. Here you should include a brief history of the artist or band, a little about each member if it's a full band. This should be no longer than one page and should not be a long drawn out history of the band but just a brief synopsis of what you have accomplished and where you plan to go. More importantly, you should include things like significant shows or tours, contests won, radio play, or any achievements that you feel are noteworthy and may raise you above others in terms of popularity and development. Keep it simple, concise, and meaningful. If there are no writers among you or your friends than we highly recommend having your band bio written for you by a professional music copywriter. It's so important and it must be professional.

Media and Press Section: 

The following pages in your music promotion kit should be media and press. These are basically significant clips of any feature articles you may have received in music industry magazines, or newspapers. Don't go overboard. Include only media clips that really highlight you as an artist. Pick the best five clips you have and make sure they are professionally reproduced. Noting irritates a person receiving these kits more that sloppy crooked copies of media. Take pride in the quality of the kit. Plastic see-through partitions should be used for each individual item.

Album Reviews and Quote sheets: 

You may want to consider including good reviews of your CD and quotes you have received regarding the CD or your performance. This page should be professionally laid out with categorized headings. One should be -Album Reviews and the other should be Quotes. Don't forget to put quotation marks before and after each review and quote.

CD: Either a Full Length Album, EP, or Professionally Recorded Demo: 

There are a few different ways to attach your CD to your music press kit. If your portfolio has a sleeve in the rear you can just slip it in there. Another method is to use Velcro strips placed on the rear of the CD and attached somewhere on the inside of the back cover. This however is not the recommended method. Especially if the rear cover of your CD has important information printed on it. If you are enclosing a full length record or EP (Extended Play) the hope would be that you have taken the time to release a professional recording so its professionalism is up to snuff. However if you are only using a demo CD it is extremely important to note the following:

CD- Music Industry One-Sheet: 

If you are enclosing a CD of a professionally recorded and commercially released full length album or EP than it's a good idea to attach a music industry one sheet. One-Sheets are generally used during the music distribution process but by enclosing one it gives the recipient of your press kit more insight on your actual record. A one sheet usually includes a photo of the album cover, album title, artist's name, brief description of the record, track listings, UPC code, price point and a few other things. Notes in the one sheet should include touring information, radio play, some quotes, and a few other things. The one sheet should be professionally written and produced as it is an item that generally can get into the hands of very important people.

Business Card and Professional Envelope and Labeling: 

If you or your representative has a business card that should also be attached to the folder somewhere. Once the package is fully assembled it should be placed in a professional envelope with printed address and return address labeling. This may seem very time consuming and you may think, why can't I just write out the recipient's address. Well, that looks sloppy and unprofessional and remember what we said about sloppy. A lot of people won't even open a package if it looks unprofessional on the outside. Some may call us anal-retentive, but we get results by utilizing these professional methods.

Some important notes to help you make the most of your print music press kit. 

One thing you need to remember is that things are constantly changing with you as an artist. New feature articles, new national tour, new more updated image/photos, etc. Therefore once you get the first version of your music press kit finished, you are never finished. Keep updating it with new materials and new photos for future mailings. Remember when it comes to your music press kit, you are never done. It's a work in progress.

Once you have sent your press kit to someone it does not end there. FOLLOW UP a couple weeks or so later with a phone call, email, or correspondence. Labels, media, and venues receive hundreds of press kits weekly. Don't let yours get lost in the shuffle. Make sure to bring it to their attention and to the forefront of the barrage of music press kits they receive.

The Digital Music Press Kit (DPK): 

The Digital Press Kit generally contains the same information as the traditional print music press kit, although it has the ability to allow you to actually add more without being overcrowded. Basically all your information, your bio, media articles, music, quotes, etc. are housed on a CD Rom as files. The DPK, because of certain expertise involved in programming, graphic arts, etc., should however probably be professionally done. Unless of course you, another band member, or someone you know, is proficient in doing this. The benefits of a DPK are pretty obviously. They take no paper, no portfolios, no paper photos, or any print media. Everything is digital. The DPK is usually housed in a DVD Case which has professional artwork. So there is still the element of graphic artwork involved on the cover and CD stamp. Overall, the DPK is a good alternative to the print music press kit.

Electronic Press Kit (EPK): 

The Electronic Press Kit, better known as the EPK is basically an online version of your promotional materials -- sort of like a website but not quite. It's similar to the DPK only in that all the files and graphics are digital. You basically create an EPK like you would create a website. However there are a few good services out there that provide template based WYSIWYG editors that basically give you the opportunity to simply upload your files. There is usually a section for your biography, your photos, your press, your music, your videos, and your backline requirements. The EPK is something that you should use in addition to your print or digital music press kit. 

Whichever kind of press kit you decide to use, please remember it must be professionally reproduced and prepared. This is your first impression so you must make it a good one.