Saxophone

2006 Essay Scholarship Winners

SUBJECT: "How A Music Education Has Made Me A Better Student"

The following ten students are recipients of the 2006 essay scholarship, "How A Music Education Has Made Me A Better Student".

Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship award from SCHOOL BAND AND ORCHESTRA and co-sponsors, Alfred Publishing, American Music Conference, Hershey Fund Raising, National Association of Music Merchants, Yamaha Corporation of American and Avedis Zildjian Co.

2009 Essay Scholarship Winners

SUBJECT: "How Does Music Unite Cultures Within Your School and Community?"

The following ten students are recipients of the 2008 essay scholarship, ""How Does Music Unite Cultures Within Your School and Community?""

Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship award from SCHOOL BAND AND ORCHESTRA and co-sponsors, Alfred Publishing, SupportMusic.com, Hershey Fund Raising, National Association of Music Merchants, Yamaha Corporation of American, Music For All and Avedis Zildjian Co.

Check this web-site September 1, 2009 for a new essay scholarship. To the many thousands of students who entered the essay contest, and to their music directors, we thank you.

Technology: Starting the New Year with YouTube

Free tools like YouTube give music teachers a plethora of authentic modeling examples to share with their students. As most people know, YouTube is a video-sharing Web site on which users can upload, share, and view videos. It uses Adobe Flash Video technology to display a wide variety of user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips, and music videos, as well as amateur video blogs and short original videos. Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by individuals, although media corporations like CBS, BBC, and VEVO post their material on the site as part of the YouTube partnership program. Unregistered viewers can watch the videos, while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos. Videos can be posted in high definition, up to 2 GB in size and up to 15 minutes long.

Woodwinds Continue Winning Over Would-be Students

Gaining a national perspective on trends in the woodwind world can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are several prominent organizations dedicated to promoting the awareness and popularity of particular woodwind instruments, among them the North American Saxophone Alliance, International Double Reed Society, and National Flute Association. SBO recently reached out to leaders of these three national and international groups, who were happy to share their thoughts on the goings on in the reeded world from their uniquely informed vantage point.

School Band & Orchestra: What's your impression of the popularity of woodwind instruments these days? Has it been affected by the increased access to music via iPods, the Internet, social networking sites, and so on?

John Nichol: The saxophone continues to be very popular. I believe that music performance has been impacted in a very positive way by the quick and easy availability of digital downloads. Sigurd Rascher told us, "Music is not something you need, but it is something you want," and that is very true. When meeting with parents, I often list equipment that I think their children will need, and one of the things I list is an MP3 player or iPod and a budget of $7.00 per month to pay for downloads. People are listening, but their taste is often eclectic. We music teachers need to appreciate the various music our students listen to, but also guide them toward the music we want them to listen to.

October 2010

CodaBow's JOULE Designs for Violin, Viola & Cello

The CodaBow's JOULE features a trademark Graphite Diamond Weave architecture that extends precisely from button to tip. This technology is said to contribute to the balance between strength and flexibility. The JOULE's Acoustic Core, comprised of a medley of advanced fibers, imbues a natural sensitivity and organic characteristic.

The frog design is said to increase effective hair length while preserving thumb position and dynamic balance, which encourages more sound from the lower range while heightening string control.

Music Business: Limitless Careers for Music Lovers

While many assume that collegiate and university music programs function almost exclusively to churn out professional musicians, the truth is that the vast majority of undergraduate institutions have an incredibly diverse range of opportunities for students interested in all facets of music. While players may receive top billing, music education, music production and engineering, composition, music therapy, and music business studies are just a few of the other offerings one can find at most music schools. In fact, at many prominent institutions, non-performance majors represent a majority of the student body. If one thinks about this for a moment, it makes sense: for every performer out there, there are scores of people behind the scenes who have worked diligently to make the performance happen.

One such often-overlooked area of study is music business. At Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., it might come as a surprise to learn that music business is the largest major in the college, with about 460 students, 16 faculty, and 35 courses, says Don Gorder, the chair and founder of the school's Music Business and Management Department. "Our courses run the gamut from very traditional business courses you might find in any business school, like accounting and marketing, to courses that are very specific to the music industry, like Music Products and Commerce. We have a student-run record label and a very active internship program."

Music business programs can lead to a host of different professions, from artist management to instrument manufacturing and sales. According to program director Rey Sanchez, the Frost School of Music's Music Business and Entertainment Industries program at the University of Miami was the first collegiate music business program in the country. "MBEI alums are employed in virtually every area of the music and entertainment industries," he notes. "In recent years we have seen a number of graduates employed in areas such as digital marketing and distribution with major and independent labels, music licensing, music publishing, music supervision, and into positions with performing rights societies. Some go on to law school and some even venture out on their own, pursuing entrepreneurial goals."

May, 2009

Theo Wanne Classic Mouthpieces Granted Design Patent
Theo Wanne Classic Mouthpieces were granted a patent for the internal shape of their saxophone mouthpieces. The interior design patent encompasses their signature True Large Chambers, a step baffle, and rounded inner side-walls. Theo Wanne uses the term True Large Chamber in referring to his mouthpieces because his mouthpiece chambers are 30 percent larger than traditional large chamber mouthpieces. Although the larger chambers, especially with their complex curves, are much harder to manufacture, they are said to significantly improve sound and playability.

For additional information on the Theo Wanne Classic Mouthpieces, please visit www.theowanne.com

The Guitar Takes its Place in Education: Bill Swick and The Las Vegas Academy Guitar Ensemble

It is 8:15am on Sunday, January 18th and hundreds of music industry insiders advocates, retailers, manufacturers, publishers, performers are filing into an immense hall, carrying their cups of coffee and plates brimming with the offerings of the breakfast buffet to the long tables that fill this cavernous conference room. On the stage, a tall man with flecked grey hair stands relaxed, slightly stooped even, smiling out at the audience; behind him, thirteen high school students, dressed in black, each holding an acoustic guitar, take their seats and assemble their sheet music on stands. The Las Vegas Academy Guitar Ensemble is about to perform at the 2009 Winter NAMM Show Breakfast of Champions Session.

As this diverse group of high school-age boys and girls starts to play, the crowd hushes. Thirteen guitars in unison, each playing a distinct part; thirteen sets of eyes glued to the sheet music in front of them; and more than a thousand faces in the audience stunned by the caliber of music being produced in front of them. The first verse of the song, a rollicking calypso, has finished and one student stands for a solo. He plays with feeling, his nimble fingers dancing around the fret board. As he finishes and sits back down, a girl to his left stands up for her lead part. These kids, in spite of their somewhat awkward stage presence, have captivated the audience. The music bends and flows, carrying the crowd with it in every turn. And when it's over, the adults in the audience, each of whom brings years if not decades of exposure to professional music in some form or another, leap to their feet and roar their approval amid thunderous applause. The shy high schoolers, dazed grins on their faces, stand and bow, then slowly file out, heading just across the hall to another vast conference room, this one filled with music educators.

March, 2009

Jody Jazz Mouthpieces
With easy playing, good projection, and a dark warm throaty baritone sound, the DV NY mouthpiece from Jody Jazz is suitable for all styles of playing.

The DV BASS, for bass saxophone, delivers ease of play and a deep, dark warm tone. The DV BASS features a medium chamber with PHI proportions. Both new mouthpieces are manufactured with machines from Virgin Brass, are hand-finished and plated in 24 karat gold.

www.jodyjazz.com

February, 2009

Jody Jazz Saxophone Mouthpieces
Designed for easy playing, good projection, and a dark warm throaty baritone sound, the DV NY mouthpiece, from Jody Jazz, is suitable for all styles of playing. The DV BASS, for bass saxophone, delivers ease of play and a deep dark warm tone. The DV BASS features a medium chamber with PHI proportions. Both new mouthpieces are manufactured with machines from Virgin Brass and are hand-finished and plated in 24 karat gold.

www.jodyjazz.com

Hawaii’s Musical Paradise

Conrad Johnson & The Kashmere Stage Band