MUSICA UNIVERSALIS AND MY THEORY GRADES 

The relationship between music and math is well established and is universally accepted by musicologists and mathematicians alike. Rooted in facts and figures, their relationship explains not only the mathematical principles associated with pitch and harmony, but why my College Algebra and Music Theory grades are so strikingly similar. 

And not in a good way.

More than a drive-by date, these two have been locked into a serious relationship since the beginning of time. In the book Music by the Numbers: From Pythagoras to Schoenberg, author Eli Maor states, "In Greek tradition, music ranked equal in status to arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy, which together comprised the quadrivium, the core curriculum of four disciplines that a learned person was expected to master." Music and math were not only hand-in-hand, but on equal footing.

Though none of Pythagoras's original writings remain, his legacy of thought does. His philosophy of "numbers rule the universe" has became a rallying cry for generations of scientists and philosophers who share his view of the cosmos as being based on musical ratios or simple, elegant geometric figures. It was all part of Pythagoras's grand view of a universe ruled by beauty and harmony – known as musica universalis.

Pythagoras believed music to be universal and in all things. 
Even in the planet Earth.

Musica universalis is the belief that mathematical relationships express qualities or "tones" of energy that manifest in numbers, angles, shapes, and sounds. Just as a pitch has a numeric frequency, Pythagoras believed that numbers emitted an energy of sound.

Crazy, right?

Pythagoras was the first to observe that the "pitch of a musical note is in inverse proportion to the length of the string that produces it, and that intervals between harmonious sound frequencies form simple numerical ratios." Pythagoras also proposed that the Sun, moon, and planets emit a "unique hum based on their orbital revolution, and that the quality of life on Earth reflects the tenor of celestial sounds it emits." 

In other words, our planet is musical and responds to its inhabitant musicians. As long as we walk this planet, we can't escape its hum.

The Earth is humming? DOUBLE CRAZY, RIGHT?! I wonder what key we are in?

Music is numbers. 
But, remember, according to Pythagoras, 
numbers are music.

As music educators, this shouldn't come as a complete surprise. We live in a world of numbers. Numbers are how we staff our classes, chart our drill, determine instrumentation, and seat our ensembles. We even split our days into mathematically equal blocks of time called classes. Whether it's music or music education, everywhere you look, it's numbers, numbers, NUMBERS! (Marsha, Marsha, MARSHA!)

Musica universalists believe that everything emits music, even numbers and problems. Music that the ear can't hear, but the soul can. And it's not just in ancient times people believed that. 

Schoenberg and Einstein, were also believers. They were contemporaries born within five years of each other to middle-class Jewish families. They were both self-educated and started their careers as low-level employees – Schoenberg as a bank clerk in Vienna, and Einstein as a clerk at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. Their mothers, both named Pauline, were steeped in classical music, so the two youngsters were raised in music-loving homes.

Schoenberg and Einstein espoused the relationship between math and music, with Schoenberg famously creating the twelve-tone row and Einstein stating, "I see my life in terms of music."

We want our students to learn math and science, and we require it from every student in the country. I believe and agree with that. But, I wonder if while talking about their science and math, we could also talk about their music when explaining. Not only would it make Pythagorean's Theorem more interesting, but also make Einstein's theory of relativity, more relative (see what I did there).

Pythagoras, Schoenberg, and Einstein. Pretty smart fellas I'd say. 

Perhaps we should listen to what they have to say. Music is math; math is music. But what do I know? I'm not good at either. 

At least now I know why! 

Have a great week everyone!

- Scott

IMPROVING ON IMPROV'ING

A recent article in The Washington Postposed the following question:

"How does a freestyle rapper rhyme without rehearsal? How does a jazz improviser shape an instant solo? How do improv comedians wing it under pressure?" 

The answer: we don't really know.

Creativity is among the least understood parts of the cognition process. We don't know how it works, but we do know that it's innate and resides within every brain.

The authors studied a rapper, a jazz pianist, and a comedic improv duo to learn more about improvisation and how it worked in the brains. What they discovered was fascinating.

Despite their different idioms (music/acting/rapping), it turns out that riffing, rapping, and role-playing all involve the same core functions: responding to unknown elements in a pre-determined script in real-time. 

To learn more about the science of extemporization, Charles Limb of the University of California at San Francisco studied their brains while performing.

The brain scans showed a functional change in neural networks during improvisational activities. Limb noticed that improving bypassed the conscious-control portions of the brain, which regulate behavior. In other words, it removed judgment about the improv. 

When I taught, I had a pretty good jazz band. Why good and not GREAT? Because I didn't know how to teach improv. Yes, I had some kids that were good at it, but it had nothing to do with me. 

Why?

I understand the concepts. 
I have musical training. 
I understand style. 
I have experience.

I just felt silly, self-conscious, and dumb.

It turns out that's where my problem lies.

The article states, "[It] springs from a stream of consciousness, unleashed by a state of mental looseness. Distractions fall away; doubts disappear. Time seems to vanish. It's about opening up, loosening mental controls and saying "yes" instead of "no" to create something meaningful." More than anything, it's about bravely putting yourself out there and being unafraid to make a mistake. As comedian Steven Colbert learned from his Second City director: "Learn to love the bomb." Failure will happen, so embrace it, then dive in again.

Learn from the fail. Love the fail. And then dive in again.

As music teachers, we want to fix every problem and right every wrong. We want every note right and played at the right time. We have high expectations and want nothing short of perfection. In short, we don't love failure; we try and eliminate it.

I want my ensembles to sound good. I want my students to benefit from high-quality instruction. I want them to grow and stretch themselves. I want them to benefit from my knowledge and experience success. That's how I taught.

They will remember your humanity. Your willingness to be vulnerable and open. To share not just what you know, but how you feel. They will remember that you created a safe space, and a caring community, who will love and care about them, even if they fail. that's not what my students remember, and neither will yours.

Remind your students that you might not love the fail, but you will always love the one who fails.

Have a great week!

Scott

p.s. I didn't know where this newsletter would go when I started it. I wrote and cut more paragraphs than I actually published. In the end - it turned out okay. Maybe I can improv after all.



I'm Back! Back to Being On a Deadline.


Tucked away in a small street in Koenji, Japan (a suburb of Tokyo) is the Manuscript Writers Cafe. In a city with thousands of other coffee shops, this one stands out as unique and valuable in ways no other cafe can replicate.

From the outside, there is no discernible difference between the shop and any other small business on the street. But all of that changes when you walk inside. 

There are no comfy sofas. No book liked shelves. No cloth-covered chairs. And you won't find any coffee tables ladened with the day's newspapers and gossip magazines.

Coffee? You get a choice of regular or decaf. No lattes or cappuccinos. The cafe doesn't even have a fancy coffee machine. But then again, the employees aren't baristas. Want a pastry? Tough luck. They don't serve any food.

Manuscript Writers Cafe is no Starbucks, but they don't aim to be.

When you arrive at the register, the manager calmly and quietly asks three questions:

What are you here for?
What is your deadline?
How would you like to be treated?

Run by a team of writers, the sole purpose of Manuscript Writers Cafe's
is to help other writers working on a deadline. 

Here's how it works.

After arriving, you notify the employee of the number of words you need to write, your deadline, and how you want to be reminded (friendly, firm, or stern). Then, every hour, the manager will come and "check in" on you to monitor your progress and ensure that you are on track.

The final rule? You may not leave the cafe until you have completed your writing task. PERIOD. 

My return to writing always has an ambiguous start date. Music teachers' return to work dates are all over the map, depending on where and what you teach. Some of you are already in camp, while others don't return until after Labor Day. 

As I write this, it's 4:34 a.m. on Tuesday (yesterday), and now I am under the gun to write. I'm planted in a Starbucks at the Dallas airport, trying to figure out what to write and secretly wondering if anyone would even notice if I don't write anything.

Why did I wait so long? I had seven weeks to write this.

It's not that I am lazy (okay, maybe a little bit). I have been writing a ton this summer, just not the newsletter.

It's not because I don't have the time. Long plane flights and empty hotel rooms afford me more than enough time to get the job done.

It's not that I don't have things to say. My job is to talk all day long, and I am always willing to pontificate. Just ask my family.

It's because I don't have a deadline.

More so than most other professions, music educators run on deadlines. Start and end of school, camp dates, Friday night halftime shows, concerts, and contests are all deadlines. We even have deadlines every fifty-three minutes, announced by bells. 

Music teachers thrive on deadlines.

Not all deadlines are as concrete. For instance, my wife wants to travel more with our boys before they leave the nest. My eldest is a senior in high school, so that deadline is approaching. Me? I want to run a marathon before I depart this planet. There is no specific date, but my body is telling me that there is definitely a deadline. But, I remain hopeful.

As we begin the year anew, other deadlines are real but hard to define, such as the deadline to:

Make a first impression.
Set rehearsal expectations.
Create group culture.
Identify those who are struggling.
Embolden your leaders.
Build relationships.

Since these are soft deadlines, they are easy to miss or even ignore and can get lost in the sea of instrument checkouts and locker assignments. But they are essential deadlines nonetheless.

The beginning of the year is the time to determine your group's cultural goals and act as if your cultural deadlines were as concrete as your performance schedule. Better culture will result in better performances, but the same can't be said for vice-versa.

So, taking my queue from the Manuscript Writers Cafe, allow me to help you by asking:

What is your goal?
What is the deadline?
How would you like to be reminded: friendly, firm, or stern?

Oh yeah. And don't forget. You can't leave until you've reached your goal(s). I'm willing to hold you to it.

Welcome back. Have a great week.

- Scott





Nostalgic for Nostalgia

Like many of you, I can be a nostalgic person. Not the type of nostalgia where I think, "The good ole days were better," because they weren't for the most part. But I like to visit places and people from my past. Yesterday, I had the unique experience of giving a teacher in-service at the high school where I spent the first ten years of my career.

Coined by the Swiss physician Johannes Hofer in 1688, 'nostalgia' referred to a medical condition – homesickness – characterized by an incapacitating longing for one's past. Hofer favored the term because it combined two essential features of the illness: the desire to return home (nostos) and the pain (algos) of being unable to do so. 

Nostalgia's symptomatology was imprecise and was initially thought to primarily affect soldiers and sailors from specific countries. However, once nostalgia was identified among soldiers from various nationalities, the idea that it was geographically distinct was abandoned, and a new understanding was born.

Except, for me, it was geographically specific.

I arrived almost an hour and a half before the in-service. I wanted plenty of time to explore and experience the place I had called home for more than a decade. With school already out for the summer, almost no one was on campus, and I was free to explore in silence for more than an hour. It was glorious! With every turn of a corner and open door, my mind flooded with memories. The things I had experienced, the students I taught, and the lessons I learned. After being gone for more than two decades, the feelings were overwhelming.

It was nostalgia at its best. 

That's the way nostalgia works. Remember the good, forget the bad.

But I know that nostalgia and that those memories aren't accurate. The feelings? Yes. The memories? No. I remembered only the good and none of the bad. The warmth was genuine, but the memories were biased.

In a paper published in the Association for Consumer Research, author Alan Hirsh states, "Nostalgia is not a specific memory, but an emotional state we attach to a certain time. Many people idealize the past due to perceived pleasant feelings associated with it."

The machination of filtering out the bad and remembering the good takes time. Time to blur the lines between what really happened and how we feel about what happened. Time to blur our true memories into an altered state between reality and fantasy.

When will that happen with the Pandemic? I mean, we learned to romanticize other tragedies.

I don't feel the way about the past two years that I do about my decade-long stay at that school, and I surely don't get the same warm fuzzies walking into my living room where I spent the past twenty-six months as when I entered the classroom where I spent the better part of the 1990s. 

According to research on nostalgia, I will eventually forget the pain of the Pandemic. I will forget the financial and personal loss. I will forget watching teachers struggle and students fall away. I will forget what it was like to wear a mask or be socially distant. I won't remember the bell covers and instrument bags. And, I will forget what an aerosol study is.

But I won't forget it all. That's not how nostalgia works.

I will remember the people I met and the experiences I had with great fondness. The obstacles I faced and the things I achieved. The memories I made, the trips I didn't take, and my time at home.

These past two years have been filled with so much good. So much achievement and accomplishment. So many innovations and adaptations. So many obstacles were overcome, and so many students were impacted. SO MUCH GOOD HAPPENED.

When will we remember and feel good about that?

I am ready to remember the good and forget the bad. I am ready for my altered state, and I am ready to be awash in the positive thoughts of everything we achieved during this tragic time. I guess, I am feeling nostalgic for nostalgia.

Please have a GREAT summer, my friends. 

Scott 

p.s. I will be giving you a break from Memorial Day to late July, as is traditional for me! A break from ME! This will be the last free e-zine until then. I will be hosting some events for Patrons. Feel free to join us by becoming a Patron.

BE A PATRON

A letter from me to you...

Dear Friends:

By nature, I am a political person. I follow current events and consider myself well-versed in the day's issues, political, economic, and otherwise.

During my younger years, I was not afraid to spout off my beliefs and challenge others who did not see my point of view. As I grew older, and the world became more divided, realizing its futility, I found it wiser to keep my opinions to myself.

In that same vein, for the past eighteen years I have tried to keep my blog apolitical and free of toxic discourse. I have done this through good days and bad - happy times and sad. I do this to keep my message clear and free of personal baggage, and to not alienate readers and potential clients. Today is no different.

I do not want to talk about politics, but I do want to talk about what happened in Buffalo.

You all know how I feel about my beloved Bills and the city that embraces them. I am a proud Buffalonian and I visit my birthplace annually. The place and the people hold a special place in my heart. Like where many of you live, Buffalo truly is a small town that embodies the word community in every sense. And, like all of you, I am sickened by what happened in my hometown.

And I want to say something about it.

I do not want to talk about guns, racism, or hate speech. I don't want to discuss bigotry, or nationalistic pride masquerading as patriotism. These are far too obvious, and are issues being hashed about by other pundits in places far and wide. What do I want to talk about?

I want to talk about music in our schools.

The shooter (I won't glorify him by using his name) was all of eighteen years old and was a recent high school graduate. Despite being so young, he was consumed with toxic thoughts and hatred. So much so that he plotted his attack in grotesque detail, down to the minute, including diagraming his store pathway to ensure the most efficient and effective kill rate. He said he specifically targeted that Tops Market's location because its zip code, which has the highest percentage of Black people close enough to where he lives. This is an eighteen year old boy who is a mentally ill, confused, and disturbed human being. 

That is what and who he is. But, let's also talk about who and what he isn't. The young shooter was not a musician.

He was not a member of his school music program. For that matter, neither was the shooter who shot six people in a Los Angeles church a day later. In fact, in the 198 mass shootings this year, they all have one thing in common: they don't involve kids who participate in music (that I can find documentation of). Because music kids don't shoot people.

And it's not just violence. Music kids are less involved in drugs, alcohol, truancy, and poor academic performance. They are high achievers who contribute to their schools and community. They are generally kind, caring, and respectful young people who go above and beyond what is asked or required of them. In fact, music students are less likely to be involved in just about every negative activity we associate with teens.

I know it's not that simple. But it is true, and worth thinking and talking about.

Gun violence, hate speech, and bigotry are COMPLEX issues dealing with history, injustice, and economic inequality. It is about anger, isolation and mental illness. It stems from disenfranchisement, and prays on the vulnerable and mentally ill. And, I am not naive enough to believe that school music programs alone are the answer to any of these serious issues. But, if we are going to talk about what is wrong and how to fix it, the conversation should also include what's right and why it works.

Several weeks ago, I asked in my blog post All the World's A Rage, "If schools are becoming more violent, why are none of the violent students involved in music?"

Is it that students involved in music are just better kids? Is it that their parents are more involved and a part of their lives? Could it be because they have less free time or that they more academically focused. Is it because they are in a cocoon of "good kids" and are less likely to be influenced by others? Is it the presence of positive adults (teachers) in their lives who model good behavior and hold them to higher standards? Or, could it be that music somehow provides a perspective, culture, and creative outlet that is an emotionally safe and stable environment during unsafe and unstable times?

The answer is likely YES to these factors and many more! But that is not what our society wants to focus on. We want academic rigor and accountability. We want achievement and data to prove it's efficacy. And so that is where we put our time, attention, effort, and money.

But, what if we're wrong? What if we're missing something?

We want kids to be able to write, and write the Buffalo shooter did. He left behind a 180-page manifesto. He could write. 

We want kids to have math skills. The shooter used geometry and step counts to calculate the most efficient and effective way to harm the most people in the least amount of time. He could do math.

We want kids to understand science. The shooter understood the damage weapons could do to the body and wore full body armor and a helmet to protect his vital organs while aiming for his victims more vulnerable points. He knew science.

We want kids to have an understanding of history. In detail, the shooter quoted acts of insurrection and oppression in the past fifty years that supported his actions. He knew history.

But, what if we wanted him to know more than just STEM. What if we wanted him to know something that can't be validated or measured by a scantron? What if we wanted him to know something bigger than himself and his view of the world? 

I wonder if he (and others like him) would have been any different of he had known music. I wonder if he would have turned out any differently. 

I wonder if this boy would have been any kinder, less disconnected, or disenfranchised. I wonder if he would have been less isolated or angry. I wonder how he would have been different if he had been part of a group, part of something positive, part of something that created art. I wonder what he might have been like he had a creative outlet and was part of a group of caring and supportive peers. I wonder if he had been a part of a successful, thriving school music program, if those ten victims in Buffalo would still be alive today?

I don't know, but I wonder. And perhaps more people should wonder as well.

Again, these are complex issues with no simple answers. And, I do not pretend to be an expert or have any keen insights into these complex issues. But, I believe to fix what's wrong and broken, we should start by understanding what's right and working. And music seems to be a good place to start.

Something to wonder about.

Thanks for listening. Have a great week.

Scott 

What's True for Chihuahuas is True for Children!


As I write this, my 18-month-old wunderkind Golden Retriever, Riley, is sleeping next to my feet, anxiously awaiting me to finish my workday. She is patient, understanding the need to work, and schedules her naps accordingly. I work, she rests. When I am done working, she is rested and ready to play. We don't have a formal agreement or anything in writing, but it is our tacet agreement and mutual understanding.

Riley was a pandemic puppy and the brainchild of my wife, Leah. Not a dog person by nature, I was stunned when Leah mentioned it was time to think about a second dog. We had been begging for one for years to no avail. When I asked what changed her mind, she explained that the pandemic had taken a toll on our boys, and with their beloved dog, Rexi, being twelve years old, she thought we should acquire a "transition pet." A sobering but wise thought. (I often wonder if she has the same plan for me.)

I was hesitant to get a puppy at first, resistant to go through the potty training and destructive phase, but quickly warmed to the idea of another happy Golden Retriever wandering the halls of the house.

I have always had Golden's throughout my adult life. Their sweet disposition, intelligence, and obedience make them the perfect dog. Except, mine weren't always sweet, intelligent, or obedient.

Samba, our first dog, was as clever as could be - and knew it. Why settle to do the biddings of humans when they are so beneath you? She did what she pleased, when she pleased, and how she pleased. Grainger (named after Percy Grainger) was not her sister's intellect but sweet and cute. She didn't have an obstinate bone in her body and had no aspirations for anything other than what I wanted her to be. That brings us to our next retriever, Rexi - a fine landscape architect and overall ditch digger. She had a strong work ethic, a passion for plant and drip line removal, and was undaunted by my dissatisfaction or ire. While unafraid of me, Rexi was scared of black cars, storms, and, well, just about everything else, including her own shadow. We seriously considered medical marijuana for her on more than one occasion.

Yes, Golden Retrievers are kind, obedient, and loving animals. But, that does not mean that ALL Goldens are that way all of the time.

A recent study by Scientific American showed that despite commonly held beliefs about dog breed-specific behavior, almost none of it is accurate. Golden's aren't always playful, Pit Bulls aren't always mean, and hounds don't always howl. The study points out that while every dog breed is different, so is every dog within a breed. Every animal has different experiences, temperaments, and expectations. In other words, an individual dog is its own being and cannot be confined or categorized by its breed, just like we are not defined by our gender, race, age, etc.

Yes, drummers can be difficult, and some sopranos are divas. But, they are those things not because of the instrument they play, but the person that they are. The instrument did not make them the person they are, it just magnified it. For every rule, there is an exception, and for every exception, there is a rule.

What is true for Chihuahuas is true for children.

As a purveyor of music humor, I am guilty of perpetuating similar stereotypes. Flutes are perfect, while drummers are a menace to society. Trumpets are egomaniacs, and saxes are one joke away from chaos! Seniors are one foot out the door, and the freshman are a holy hot mess. You get the gist, and I imagine you have been told or thought the same thing. 

I have had several Valedictorians in my bands over the years, and none of them played the flute. I have had several students suspended, but none of them played sax. I have had an array of amazing student leaders, many of which were not drum majors.

So what did pet researchers find to be the most precise, most accurate benchmarks for behavior?

Gender and age! That's right; it's nature more than nurture, and it's the person they were born to be and not the person we are trying to shape them to be.

Every group is different. Every section is different, and every person in that section is different. As much fun as it may be, we can't lump kids in by age, gender, or instrument any more than we would with skin color, height, or weight. Our job is to start with them in one place and help them get to another (and better) place. Love them for who they are and accept them for where they are, even if it's not where you left them. Because next year? That will be completely different. So, for these last few weeks, enjoy this year and the progress you have made.

It would be great if kids (and dogs) came exactly as designed, progressed as predicted, and did as they were told. But those aren't living things, those are robots.

Excuse me, someone has awoken from her mid-afternoon nap and dropped a tennis ball in my lap (repeatedly). The clock says I have two more h

Have a great week. Only a couple of them left. -Scottours in my workday. Her sweet brown eyes say it's time to play. You can guess who won. 

- Scott

Editor's note: If you are a "cat person," know that the Langs are equal opportunity pet lovers and have recently adopted two feral cats named Cuddles and Rory. If you are a reptile person, well, that's just weird.

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COMPARISON ENVY & CELEBRATING ONE ANOTHER

The education system in the United States is experiencing an extreme mental-health crisis. According to a new CDC study, "from 2009 to 2021, the share of American high-school students who say they feel persistent sadness or hopelessness" rose from 26 percent to 44 percent. This is the highest level of teenage sadness ever recorded.

The government survey of almost 8,000 high-school students, conducted in the first six months of 2021 found a great deal of variation in mental health among different groups. More than one in four girls reported that they had seriously contemplated attempting suicide during the pandemic, which was twice the rate of boys. Sadness among white teens seems to be rising faster than among other groups.

In the past few years, sadness among teens has been pervasive across every idiom and subgroup. Despite other teen indicators that have behavior trending in positive directions, this is happening. Graduation and college attendance rates are up, and drinking and driving are down 50%. School fights are down 70%, and acceptance of students' diversity and individuality is at an all-time high. 

So it begs the question, if kids are doing so good, why do they feel so bad?

The problem seems to originate from not feeling that their lives are filled with as much meaning and shared experiences as their peers. Fueled in part by their phones and social media, today's teens are constantly exposed to people who are seemingly prettier, smarter, funnier, and stronger than they are. To further the damage, very personal terms that used to be vague, like friends, likes, and seen, are now quantified, measured, and displayed for all the world to see. In other words, we have quantified terms associated with human worth.

These numbers have nothing to do with someone's worth and in no way measure the quality of their lives. But, when we don't see tangible, quantifiable evidence to the contrary, it's hard not to be affected.

This usually is where I would go into a section where I talk about how music makes this better. And it does. Music forces students to put away their phones and work as a group. It forces integration and breaks down barriers. Music unifies people and provides students with shared experiences based on equal worth. Yes, music does all of that and more.

But, that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about YOU (and me).

A recent poll showed that more than 50% of teachers are considering leaving the profession immediately or earlier than they had planned, and music teacher attrition rates are already higher than regular classroom teachers. I wonder if comparison envy plays a part?

That group has more students or teachers. Another group got a higher score at contest. My colleague gets more attention and has a bigger budget. You see other music teachers with more friends, more likes, and more posts talking about how amazing they are at their job. And while these are indicators of their lives, they don't tell the whole story. 

These posts rarely cite struggles at home or with their own children, and they don't mention that they are often comparing themselves to others.

In music, we create shared experiences, with all participants having equal value. We force everyone to interact with every person through the good and bad times and provide the exact same outcomes. There is simply nothing to envy because we all have the same things.

I wish this were true for the teachers providing these experiences, but I fear it is not. In this, we are often alone, and we facilitate a shared experience for our students, ironically isolating ourselves.

I know I was guilty of it. So, I thought you might be like me and want to do something about it.

As we approach Teacher Appreciation Week, I thought we might celebrate each other as others are celebrating you. We have created a form for you to tell us about another teacher that you think is pretty terrific. Not someone you envy, but someone you admire. For your time and effort, they will have a chance to win a nice dinner out, a tank of gas (more expensive than dinner out), or a $250.00 Music & Arts gift card. We will have 50 honorees that will be announced next week.

So, maybe you could take a minute and look at friends/colleagues and help them see the incredible person you see. They can't see it because they're too busy being envious of you.

Have a great week,

  • Scott

WHOSE IN YOUR WALLET?

If you were to open your wallet (purse/money clip/etc...) What would you see? More specifically, who would you see. What faces would be staring back at you? (seriously, open your wallet and look).

If you are like me, you're seeing some Washingtons, Lincolns, and perhaps a Jacksons or two (Jackson 5 would be nice). 

My wallet hasn't seen many Grants or Franklins; they don't hang out a lot with me. They run with a different crowd. Me? I am more Lincoln and Washington-type dude. And not the paper, the coins.

The concept of faces on money is as old as time itself. Civilizations have put people on money since the 13th century, and the United States is no different. 

And yet, we pay no attention to the things we use to pay.

We see these faces multiple times a day, which is more than we see most friends, and yet we ignore them. It's easy to forget who they are and what they represent because they are not relevant to our everyday lives. But they serve a purpose. More than just a face, they remind us of where we came from, and the people that helped shape us as a nation.

Our currency is akin to a national Hall of Fame. Somewhere we celebrate and honor our past, but ignore our present. Our national currencies are almost exclusively of dead white men.

Many countries are moving away from portraits and are instead displaying architecture, flora, and fauna on their bills. Currencies that have made that change include the Danish krone, the Euro, and the Swiss Franc. And, other countries that do celebrate individuals have a far more diverse representation (see chart below),

Educators. Yes! Musicians. HECK YES! Music educators? DOUBLE HECK YES! I wanna pay for my gas with my bill! I look great in green!

But let's get real... Never gonna happen with a treasury note. But why not a musical note?

I like the idea of commemorating our past and honoring those who helped shape this profession and activity. We don't have a Hall of Fame, and each constituency only honors its own. 

So...

What if we named middle C in honor of someone? What if we called it a (John Phillip) Sousa? What if "A" below middle C was in called a Duke (Ellington - Take the A Train). Or, how about "F#" being a (Paula) Crider, (Linda) Moorhouse, or (Mallory) Thomson?

If we did this, we would not only be teaching music history but also musical literacy.

We wouldn't have to stop there either, and we could do the same thing with rhythms. Seriously, we call our rhythms "ratamacues" and "paradiddles”, is that any sillier? Who named those things, and what were they drinking?

What about key signatures, or commonly used chord progressions? Heck, we could even name intervals (we could call a 7th "a Bernstein," and a sixth "a Williams)." So many possibilities. But, we would first have to ask some important questions like:

  • Do low notes only get named after tuba players and double bassists?

  • Same question for high notes and piccolos.

  • Do chord progressions get named after composers?

  • How do we select great teachers who don't necessarily have spectacular ensembles when honoring educators?

  • How do we ensure representation for underrepresented groups in a profession that lacks diversity?

  • How do we remember the past but honor people doing incredible work in the present?

  • How do we balance the art of performance with the art of teaching?

So many things to consider. So many possibilities. But, they all boil down to this question. Who are the people that helped build, develop, and shape the profession of music education and how to honor them.

The United States? Nope, we only include heads of state and politicians. I don't mind paying for things using my benjamins; I just wish it was Britten and not Franklin. Wait, he's English! Crud. You got any ideas? 

Have a great week.

- Scott


p.s. You should have gotten an invite to register your students for next week's student leader event—just another benefit of being a Patron.

The Emperor's New Clothes and Pluralistic Ignorance

In Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale The Emperor's New Clothes, two con artists enter the kingdom and convince the Emporer that they make the finest clothes in all of the land. They further hoodwink him into believing that anyone unable to see these clothes (and their beauty) was too stupid to see it. 

The con artists continued to require gold, silk, and other precious items for the king's new outfit, only to use them for their own ill-gotten gain. 

They eventually produce nothing but, fearful of being thought of as stupid, the king pretends not only to see the outfit, but to appreciate it for all its beauty. Once word leaked of the situation, the king's men and townspeople kept silent and agreed with the king so as not to be thought of as stupid by their peers.

Finally, a small child comes forth and screams "The emperor has NO clothes!" The child's unwillingness to go along with the ruse forced one and all to admit that they had been tricked and duped by two swindlers.

The Emperor's New Clothes is a perfect example of pluralistic ignorance. The emperor believed that everyone agreed with him, when actually they did not.

Pluralistic ignorance abounds in our society, and it is linked to everything from global warming, political affiliations, and even the War in Ukraine. Wherever there is power, there is pluralistic ignorance, even in your classroom.

Maybe you think your students like a piece of music more than they actually do. Or, they are more excited about next year's show or new uniform design than they actually are. Perhaps you think your jokes are funnier than they do!

On a more pragmatic or instructional level - maybe you think a passage is more accessible than they do, or your rehearsal pacing is spot on, when they feel overwhelmed or bored. Perhaps you think they are practicing more or less than they actually are.

Remember the emperor? His inability to see what was right in front of him (the mirror) was the genesis of his foolishness, and his pride and vanity made him unable to see the truth for what it was.

When I look back to my days in the classroom (and perhaps my current days on a stage), I clearly see the emperor in me. I was so sure, so certain, so in control. I believed I had all the answers. And when I knew I didn't, my pride wouldn't let me be vulnerable enough to admit that I couldn't see what was right in front of me. I couldn't hear what others heard and was at times unable to solve problems that others had. 

In short, I was making it all up and pretending that I had all of the answers when I didn't. Youthful inexperience? For sure. Self-preservation? Likely. Ego? Most certainly! Whatever the reason, early on, I was more comfortable being the emperor, the fool, than I was in being honest and humble.

I imagine some of my students saw right threw me and knew of my tomfoolery; fortunate for me, they were kind enough not to point it out, thus allowing me to continue with my pluralistic ignorance.

Have a great week.

- Scott

p.s. I am doing a free virtual student leadership workshop for my Patrons and their students next April 26th. Stay tuned for details.

ALL THE WORLD'S A RAGE

Have you noticed that people seem just a bit crazed, a tad furious, and a little on edge lately? Have you seen more finger-pointing, chest-pounding, and "birds" flying than you used to? Do you see less selflessness and more selfishness in your world?

Well, you're not alone.

During the pandemic, disorderly, rude, and unhinged conduct seems to have caught on as much as Ozark and making sourdough bread. Everything from rudeness and selfishness to physical violence has increased. There are fistfights in parking lots, assaults on planes, and armed parents coming to school board meetings.

During the pandemic, disorderly, rude, and unhinged conduct seems to have caught on as much as Ozark and making sourdough bread. Everything from rudeness and selfishness to physical violence has increased. There are fistfights in parking lots, assaults on planes, and armed parents coming to school board meetings. 

Why is this happening and how do we fix it? Answer incorrectly and I will slap you across the face! (jk - You're a Patron, I only slap the people who get the free version!)

Best exemplified by Will Smith's "slap heard round the world," the source of it all is much deeper, darker, and older than you might think. In fact, people have been behaving with increased aggression for the past several years. And schools are not immune to this. 

None of us are immune to it, and I am sure my sixteen-year-old would swear it's true. Me? I just swear. My son claims to be the victim of my rage, while I point out he is the source. We are not alone in our battle. Since the pandemic, teens are becoming both the source and the target of increased aggression. 

A recent report from Education Week states, "Sexual assaults, physical attacks, and other hostile behaviors in schools rose significantly during the pandemic. Hate crimes, in particular, which frequently involve students targeted based on their race, national origin, or sexual orientation, increased by an estimated 81 percent in recent years. And an estimated 20 percent of students in middle and high schools were bullied in school in recent years." 

This report doesn't factor in pistol-packing parents storming board meetings, screaming expletives, and insanity towards volunteers serving their community.

Of course, people like you and me are always cool, calm, and collected. But, others around us are blowing their lids and turning America into an indig-nation. How did rage against the machine turn into rage against teens, and how do we fix it? 

(You know where this is headed, right?)

Music.

Yep, music is the answer to this problem. Think about it. When was the last time you read a headline about a music kid committing some heinous act? When was the last time one of your rehearsals had an open drill spot because a student got suspended for selling drugs or fighting? How often do you write referrals or have to call parents compared to your colleagues?

I could argue it's having a creative outlet or calming influence. I could talk about the culture of respect and having caring adults and role models. 

Yes, music reduces stress, anger, and anxiety in young people AND the adults who teach them.

I could make a well reasoned, passionate, and convincing case that our student leadership development and culture of respect are the root reason for this.

I really don't care why it is. I just care that it is.

If your school community wants kind, hard-working, respectful, and responsible kids, they should surround them with more kind, hard-working, respectful, responsible kids.

I have never understood why education spends so much time, money, effort, and attention on those who do wrong instead of those who do right. And to that same end, it is an ineffective route to develop new programs rather than using programs that are already in place and have a track record of success. Do you invest in stocks that continually yield bad results? Do businesses invest in sectors that perform poorly? Do you invest more money in products or services that do not perform as promised?

It's maddening that many students have to take summer school to keep music in their schedule while less academically focused students get free periods or study halls. I do not understand why there is a fee for music classes, but the turnaround class for students who fail is free. I can't make sense that music students fundraise to serve their school while we invest in programs for those who defile it. 

And yes, I realize these are kids, and we must do what we can to save them, which is why we need to invest in music.

If we want excellence, then we must invest in excellence. If we want academic achievement, we must invest in academic achievement. If we want our young people to be involved, engaged, and enthused about school, we must invest in the programs that keep them engaged and enthused. 

If we are to be successful, we must invest in the people and programs that reflect the very best of who we are and reflect the type of school we want to be. For these reasons, and so much more...

We must invest in music.

Otherwise, I'm gonna get mad and slap someone. It's been a while since I was in a band.

Have a great week! 

-Scott