Granularization and My Music Education Sommelier!

Granularization and My Music Education Sommelier!

Carla Marina Marchese is a Honey Sommelier. Yes, that’s correct, and not just your ordinary run of the mill one, she is an internationally respected and revered honey expert.

In a recent article she explains that, "When we taste honey, we don't do the ceremonial swirl — the wine expert's ritual — before we sniff. Honey sommeliers smear. 

Smear it on the sides of the glass like this," she says, using a tiny plastic spoon. Once the honey is smeared, I can stick my nose in the glass to properly evaluate the aroma, then spoon a dollop onto my tongue.” 

Listen, I’m the type of guy who keeps honey in a teddy bear container and if blindfolded would struggle to taste the difference between a fine honey and Louisiana Hot Sauce. But then again, I am just your average Joe while Carla is among the world’s leading honey experts.

Article author Jason Wilson writes that "When she detects a metallic taste in the honey, she knows the beekeeper has likely used rusty equipment. When she tastes too much smoky flavor, she knows the honey came from an inexperienced beekeeper who uses too much smoke because he’s afraid of bees. Which is to say Marchese’s palate is so finely tuned that she can literally taste the beekeeper’s fear in a smear of honey."

Mustard. Honey. Hot sauce. Welcome to the era of surprisingly specific expertise. The Sommelier of everything is here!

Granular specificity is not just reserved for those with fine honed pallets and super taster taste buds (and yes, that's a real thing, too). The are mechanics who only work on carburetors from 67 Ford Mustangs, surfing instructors that only teach dogs, and authors whose sole source of prose is contained within a fortune cookie.

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Generalization is out and specificity is in. And music education is not immune to the to granularization movement. In fact, in many ways, we are leading the charge.

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In the past thirty years music education has evolved to the point that many programs now have specific and unique show designers, program coordinators, movement specialists, choreographers, drill writers, music arrangers, instrument specialists, and drill instructors. We have apps, tuners, iPads, and instrument specific private lesson teachers to help us ensure with great specificity and micro accuracy that we are playing what we are supposed to, when we are supposed to, and where we are supposed to. And if not, a flock of pseudo instructors will swarm on you like bees on honey!

The age of specificity is here and brings with it a level of knowledge that speaks of expertise and craftsmanship. Being an expert implies additional education & training along with an extensive track record of success. It speaks to a deep understanding not just of the mechanics of the object but the art of it as well. It is the summation of a life’s body of work and a deep and abiding passion for the subject matter. Which is why I am proud to announce that I am changing my title to:

Secondary Education Music Education Leadership Sommelier! © ®

Yes, like a wine Sommelier, I can walk into a room and smell the fear of a young teacher. I can detect the slightest notes of procrastination and lack of accountability among the body of students. I can read body language and detect the slights after nodes of disengagement and apathy. I can speak with direction and distinction and is implied with pedagogical pedigree. 

How can I do this? Because I have dedicated my life to being a Secondary Education Music Education Leadership Sommelier (I just like writing that).

Others outside the profession might think it odd. They might think my job weirdly specific or far to narrow in scope. That’s ok, I don't understand their honey, and they don't have to understand my music. The world is plenty big enough for us to coexist.

And so is the world of music education. Despite it's narrow scope, the space is large enough for all of us to coexist and compliment one another, while being different.

Last week’s response to my "Burn In" e-zine was among the highest I have ever received. In that newsletter I suggested that in order to keep from burning out, you needed to burn on! My point was that inside this seemingly small profession are hundreds and hundreds of more granular pursuits. Opportunities to explore passions and professional pathways that can excite and engage as if we were new teachers once again. And that the specificity of these pursuits is not a liability, but an asset and an opportunity. 

The question is, what is your Sommelier?

Last week, I stated a problem. This week, I propose a pathway. Next week I will provide a solution.

Stay tuned and have a great week.

Scott Lang
Secondary Education Music Education Leadership Sommelier

WORKING HARD AND BURNING ON!

I was recently interviewed for an article on music teacher burnout. The author was not an educator and asked questions similar to those that might be asked of a banker, dentist, or any number of other non-music professions. After a few minutes, I stopped her and asked if she had any exposure to music education. 

She excitedly replied that her daughter was in the fifth grade and had just started the saxophone, but other than that, she did not.

I proceeded to give her a crash course in all things music education: the early mornings, late nights, and endless weekend events, musicals, marching band, angry parents, cranky adjudicators, and the ever evolving standard of excellence. I told her stories of sleep deprivation, missed meals, and the quandary of breaking down one class, preparing for another, and using the restroom during the six minute passing period.

Needless to say she was a bit overwhelmed.

She said, “I had no idea it was like that. Do you have any tips for people wanting to avoid it? Maybe an outside hobby, exercise, or more time away from school?”

"Yes, I have one tip," I replied. "WORK MORE!"

After a brief pause she replied, "I don’t understand, work MORE?"

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From my experience, we don’t burnout because of the workload. We burn out because we’ve lost the fire for what we do. Hence the term, burn-out. Our fire is out! The solution to burn-out is not running away, it’s staying and building a new fire.

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Listen, speaking from experience, if you teach long enough burnout is unavoidable. If you believe the stats, 52% of YOU are at risk for leaving the profession. Why? Well, we are the most lateral profession on the planet. If you are a really good bank teller, you get promoted to Head Teller. If you are successful at that you move on to Assistant Branch Manager, which is obviously a gateway to Branch Manager. If you find success they you move up to the corporate offices and you become a District Manager, with an eye on joining the executive team with an office in the C-Suites and the seven figure salary.

If you are a world class educator… Well, you get to stay there for thirty years and eat bad cafeteria food. 

In today’s world we not wired to do the same thing for thirty-five years and we shouldn’t be embarrassed to acknowledge that. Burnout isn’t bad. And, we have to stop acting as if it were. It's you bodies way of telling you that it's time for change. 

• I cannot lift weights the way I did when I was 25

• I cannot eat or drink the way I did at 25

• I cannot sleep the way I did at 25

• I cannot run the way I did at 25

I cannot teach the way I did at 25. Nor should I. I am smarter, more skilled and efficient, thus freeing up time and energies for something new and challenging.

Burnout is in part WHAT we do, but also in HOW we do it. In order to avoiding burning OUT of our profession we have to burn IN to what we do. We have to reinvent both the what and the how we do things.

Yes, burnout is painful, but remember the good with the bad. Being burnt out means you:

• Pursued excellence at a high level

• Invested in something in a deep and personal way

• Dedicated years to perfecting a craft

• Gave generously of your time and talents

• Put the success of children above your own well being

The answer is finding something NEW inside of something OLD. For instance, when I started to feel the pangs of burnout: 

• I took on additional responsibilities of department chair and construction coordinator.

• When that wasn’t enough I served on my constituent board.

• After a few years when the burn out returned I became an administrator.

• After returning to the classroom. I wrote a book.

• When the fire started to diminish, I started a leadership company.

• After eight years on the road, feeling a bit crispy, I created Be Part of the Music.

• Seven years later I began business consulting.

Each one of these new endeavors required more time, more effort, and more work. But, with each added responsibility came the joy of finding our profession anew again. I was able to learn new things, make new mistakes, and surround myself with new people. These events didn’t diminish my career, it extended and enriched it beyond measure. New technologies, opportunities, and schools have made our profession more diverse and open to opportunity than ever before. The landscape of music education is filled with opportunities and options that present endless options for someone who is looking to spark a new flame and re-build their once powerful fire.

So let me ask you, what would keep your burn-on? Is there a new role you can assume, side-business you can start, or thing you can create? Is there a problem you can solve or someone you can help? Is there something that makes you smile or keeps you up at night?

If not, then think in it. If so, then chase it! Because the solution to BURNING OUT, is BURNING ON!

p.s. In the next couple of weeks you will be hearing about new projects that have me burning on. Stay tuned.

KonMari and My Unsubscribe Button

Marie Kondo is an internationally recognized Japanese organizing consultant-turned-author whose book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, re-popularized the idea that the first step to achieving inner peace is to give away the useless piles of things you’ve accumulated over the years. 

Through her four best selling books, and the recently released series on Netflix called Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, she has helped millions of people not just declutter their homes but also declutter their lives and relationships. She was recently named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people and has created an international movement causing thrift stores to explode as people downsize belongings and embrace a more minimalist life.

At its very essence, Marie’s method, the KonMari method, has people sort through each and every thing in their lives and ask the simple question, “Does this spark joy in my life?” If the answer is no, then the object is “thanked” for being a valued part of your life and discarded with respect. As a part of the cleansing process, she sorts all objects into five categories:

1. Clothing

2. Books

3. Paper

4. Miscellaneous

5. Sentimental

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Her method advocates that by separating all items and focusing singularly on one group at a time, you are best able to hone your sense of “joy” and make good decisions about what things are truly important and what things are just getting in the way.

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Her advocates say that her approach has changed lives, improved relationships, and even saved marriages. It’s not about the cleanliness per say but it is about removing things that distract us from what is important while lowering the stress levels in our relationships.

Admittedly, I am an easy covert. I am a minimalist by nature and find a sense of peace in simple & decluttered places. My wife and I differ in this area. When I suggested we try the KonMari method (which she already knew about), she laughed and said, “Okay, all my things spark joy! So leave my stuff ALONE!” 

Admittedly, her angst comes from me, maybe, throwing away some of her things in the name of decluttering or from the time I completely emptied our closet into the tub while she was away on a trip. Those things did not spark joy, and per the KonMari method, but sparks did fly!

When you hear music teachers, or students, talk about their programs, you almost always hear the words “home” and “family.” And for many of our students it is more than a metaphor. And like a well lived in home, our rooms are full of stuff and can become cluttered with things once valuable and useful but are no longer needed, relevant, or bring anyone joy. Perhaps we could conduct a KonMari experiment on our rehearsal spaces and offices. The translation to a music room is almost seamless. When I look at the five categories of Marie’s method I see them easily converting to our second home/rehearsal space:

1. Uniforms

2. Music & method books

3. Paperwork & emails

4. Miscellaneous 

5. Trophies, plaques, and photos

Everything has its place and time. And times and places change and we have to change with them, both personally and professionally. Think of: 

• A trophy that was valued at one time but is not relevant to current students

• The Eb alto horn that no longer is played but occupies a locker

• The old color guard silks that are no longer used

• The broken chairs, stands, and bows that take up space

• The fax machine that sits in a closet or CDs that are no longer used

• The email/voicemail box that is overflowing with messages

Please understand that this activity and blog are not about "Tidying Up". Far from it. It's about viewing removing things from your professional life and space that no longer spark joy. It's about honoring the past but looking toward the future. It's about decluttering your heart and mind as well as your space, for you and your students so that you can spend more time and energy focusing on the things and people that...

Spark joy!

Happy “KonMaring!"

p.s. If this blog does not spark joy... Please feel free to whisper a "thank you,” and unsubscribe. If it does spark joy, then share with a friend. 

The Grading Curve and the Merits of Sitting Last Chair!

The Boston Globe recently released a report on the post secondary success of its cities top high school graduates. The Valedictorians Project chronicles the post secondary lives of the best and brightest their schools had to offer. The multi-year study chronicled the lives of these academic all-stars in the decade that followed their graduation and the results were shocking to say the least. 

After interviewing the top graduates from the cities public schools they found that:

• One in four failed to get a bachelor's degree 
  
  

• A quarter wanted to become doctors, but none did

• Forty percent make less than $50k a year

• Four have been homeless at some point

• Many who achieved college degrees were still struggling

How is this possible? These students studied hard and set off to change the world. But what the study found was that in more cases than not, the world changed them.

This wasn't how things were supposed to turn out. After all, they had put in the time and done the work. They had made the sacrifices necessary to stand among the elite. How could this be possible? It turns out the answers are as varied and as complicated as the lives of the students who participated.

To be clear, the report is not an inditement of these schools or their teachers but rather tries to understand all of the complex factors associated with student learning and academic success, including poverty, gender, race, and opportunity. 

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For me, it begs us all to ask the question, “Are these schools failing to serve their children, or is the community failing to serve their schools?”

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For instance, the report stated, “many of Boston’s top students are “doubly disadvantaged” at college because they are financially struggling and have little in their background to prepare them for higher education. Thrust into an alien, privileged world, they try to get through classes while holding down jobs, coping with crises back home, or even struggling with limited English. A number of valedictorians said that they experienced culture shock, social isolation, and a deep disconnect with college classmates, sometimes going so far as to switch schools or drop out." The study also noted that, "Valedictorians from the cities and towns surrounding Boston have fared much better than their counterparts in Boston public schools. The suburban graduates were about two and a half times as likely as the Boston students both to earn an advanced degree and earn more than $100,000 a year.”

So, is it better to be a Valedictorian in the inner city or the class clown in the suburbs. This recent report seems to indicate the latter.

If we were to conduct a similar study with student musicians, I wonder what the results would be? For instance, would it be better:

• To be last chair in a strong ensemble or first chair in a weak one?

• To be a lead player in a weak school or a weak player in a strong school?

• Be an alternate in a nationally recognized marching band or drum major of a weak one?

• To struggle at Juilliard or shine at a lesser school?

I do not know the answers to these questions, but I have my thoughts and theories. Winton Marsalis once said, “Don’t let my prejudices become yours!” So I will keep them to myself. But what I do know is that much like the students studied as a part of The Valedictorians Project, the reach, depth, and value of what EVERY child receives as a part of their school music experience (and from YOU) cannot be fully measured until long after they are gone.

Chutes, Ladders, and an Unbelievable Story!

Chutes and Ladders has been a staple of the American childhood experience since 1943. Originally created in ancient India as Moksha Patam or Snakes and Ladders (the original name and translation), it was associated with traditional Hindu philosophy contrasting karma and kama, or destiny and desire. 

According to Wikipedia: "The game (Snakes and Ladders) was designed to emphasize randomness and destiny, whereas other games require a mixture of skill and free will."

If you have ever played Chutes and Ladders (and who hasn’t?) you already know that it is a game based on random luck, and that the players have zero control over the outcome of the game. Yes, it is a child’s game but it's packed with adult sized life lessons.\

Our lives and our professions are filled with “chutes & ladders.”

• An all-state oboist moves into your school boundaries - ladder

• The drummer for your jazz band moves out - chute

• Unhappy helicopter parent’s child graduates - ladder

• You are reminded that she has three more children - chute

• Drill writer delivers amazing drill - ladder

• He delivers it six days late - chute

You get the idea.

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Like every other part of our lives, much of what we do each and every day has an element of skill associated with it and comes with some modicum of control. But as in Chutes and Ladders, some things are left entirely up to chance where we are powerless.

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We (the Be Part of the Music team and I) recently experienced a significant “chute-like” event. 

Approximately a year ago, one of our existing sponsors made a significant offer to become the sole presenting sponsor of Be Part of the Music. This sponsorship allowed us to fully realize our long held vision while providing us with the long-term security that would allow us to hire employees and tackle bigger projects. Ladder! 

Eight weeks ago the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) and the FBI raided the offices of the investor/owner for allegedly running a large scale and long play Ponzi scheme. The assets of his seven (non-music related) businesses were seized and all 79 innocent and hard working employees were immediately furloughed without pay. All contracts were declared null and void and all business relationships were severed. Chute!

Chaos ensued as the authorities seized everything and a court appointed conservator took control of all assets.

This shock of it all and the subsequent fall out have been significant, both on a personal and professional level. The worst part is that Be Part of the Music is in peril as the actions of one person have jeopardized six years of work as we have been operating without funding since last September. To be clear, as bad as our situation is, it does not compare to the hundreds of investors who lost their life's savings or the eighty families who were sent looking for work during the holiday season. They are the real victims. We are collateral damage.

What will happen with Be Part of the Music? In short, we don't know, but we are trying to figure it out.

For the past eight weeks we’ve been taking every meeting, exploring every option, and considering all possible avenues. In the meantime, thanks to the generosity and no quit attitude of our team, we’re at least going to finish what we started. 

And we have started a lot.

In the coming days we are going to release a significant new offering that has been in the works for quite some time. It could be a game changer for thousands and thousands of music educators. Our plan (if possible) is to follow that up with ANOTHER new and equally significant program announcement in April or May. 

For the past eight weeks I have wrestled with if and what I should share regarding this situation. In the end I decided that if this community (Be Part of the Music/Scott Lang Leadership) was real, than I needed to be real with you. Dealing with all of this has been difficult, but it has also shown me that while there is bad in the world, there is still good in people. 

We can’t always predict or prepare for the precipitous fall that comes with an unexpected chute. But when sent to the bottom, I do know how to look for, and if necessary, build a ladder!

With great appreciation for you!

Scott

Hamilton and the Joy of Mediocrity!

Yesterday, after my fourth attempt at hacking my way through Hamilton’s It’s Quiet Uptown, I had an epiphany. A lightening bolt moment that was as profound as it was sudden. My revelation? 

I’m bad at piano. 

And perhaps more important, I have zero desire to be good. I just like playing.

If you think I am just being modest, I assure you I am not. I have both the qualitative and quantitative assessments skills to know what bad is and I am bad. Don’t believe me, my wife, children, and even my Golden Retriever would be happy to validate my conclusion. 

Certainly my musical training, experience, and knowledge provide me with both the ability and pathways to improve, but I don’t want to. I am happy in my mediocrity. I wallow in wrong notes and bad singing the way a pig wallows in mud, happy as can be and oblivious to the thoughts of others. 

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Either way, what’s so bad about being bad? It used to be okay to not be okay. Not anymore. Doing something for fun just isn’t good enough anymore.

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If you’re a jogger, it’s not enough to trot around the block, you need to post a personal best in a half-marathon. If you’re a skier, you can’t be just satisfied with blue runs, you want to excel on black diamonds. How can you enjoy your Saturday morning stretch when you’re missing out on acro-yoga? Why shoot for par when a birdie or eagle will get you closer to your personal best? After all, if you’re not aiming for the top, you’re standing at the bottom. Right?\

Not necessarily so.

There is something noble about the pursuit of excellence. There is much to be learned and gained from pushing oneself outside of the comfort zone. Setting a goal that’s just out of reach and striving for it has been the basis of super human athletic, academic, and musical achievements.

The question I am asking is when is it okay to not pursue excellence and simply do something because we enjoy it? In short, when is it good to be bad? This question has relevances in both our personal and professional lives. For instance: 

• Can we enjoy watching drum corps and winter guards without trying to match them?

• Can we attend conferences and performances and walk away appreciating them without feeling pressured to replicate them?

• Can we attend an instructional clinic without feeling dejected that we are not the teacher they are?

• Can we see pre and post work hours as opportunities for for something other than extended rehearsals?

• Can we compete as an opportunity to showcase our skills and not as a function of winning?

In short, can we call ourselves successful teachers if our students are not quantifiably successful? Has the “pursuit of excellence” corrupted our profession and our students’ musical experiences? 

I think not. 

But it has polarized the space between the joy of creation and the discipline of achievement. 

I believe that within every educational setting there can be a place for a Julliard-bound student AND a casual music maker. There can be an ensemble that meets the needs of a savant AND and one that meets the needs of the slacker. There can be a way to showcase virtuosity as well as celebrate mediocrity. The demands of excellence are not at war with the creative process. They are mutually beneficial and must coexist simultaneously so as to provide opportunities for all music making and music makers.

The reasons FOR making music are as wide and as varied as the level we make music at. The tolerance and acceptance of our musical skills allows for MORE music, from MORE people, equating to MORE joy in the world.

As a pianist, Lang Lang’s brilliance is no threat to me and my brilliance is no threat to him. The way we play the instrument may be very different, but the joy we receive from doing it is likely very similar.

Have a great week!

p.s. In my defense, I might be better if Lin Manual Miranda didn’t love the key’s of B and E! 

Maawwwwwrrigge, Music, and My Christmas Wish!

(Editors note: Sorry for the title, but Scott’s juvenile mind and obsession with the Princess Bride win on this one. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to convince him to use his common sense, agreed upon spelling, or any other conventional adult norms, like understanding that coffee is not a part of the food pyramid.) 

Now back to today’s article...

A article by Lila MacLellen of Quartz Magazine looks at long-term relationships and what makes them happier. In the article she cites a UC Berkley study that states that, "The first few years of a marriage are rife with conflicts, but given time, the emotional weather eventually changes, and bickering and criticisms give way to, humor—friendly teasing, jokes, and silliness. 

In other words, marriage is a barrel of laughs if you can just eek your way through the first couple of decades or so…

As someone who has enjoyed fifteen years of wedded bliss I can attest to the general sentiment that with time comes understanding and with understanding comes a greater sense of respect and deeper love. I believe this, not because of me, but because after 15 years my wife doesn’t get irritated with my quirkiness and oddities so much as she laughs, accepts, and prepares for them. Right honey?! 

(Editors note: Speaking of marriage, it's generally not a good idea to communicate with your spouse through national publications. But since she is one of his three loyal readers, we will let this one slide.)

And the concept of time helping to develop deeper bonds is not unique to marriage, it applies to music as well.

Shortly after we were married, my new wife accompanied me on our annual pilgrimage to band camp! (What woman wouldn't consider that an ideal honeymoon?) She was new to the "band world," and was taking it all in. 

Just after one of our student led pre-meal thoughts, she said, “I envy you!” And after I responded with a lengthy list of reasons why that might be true, she said, “Not because of any of that. I envy you because you get to see kids in the summer, fall, winter and spring. You see them before school, during school, and after school. You see them both semesters and for four years. You see them on their good days, bad days, and everything in-between. She then said,

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"You are like a parent to a lot of these kids. And, while every teacher hopes and wants to make an impact on their students, you music teachers actually do!”

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The study went on to quantify that jokes and gentle humor were not the only heroic behaviors that showed up in greater abundance in relationships over time. All the positive ways behave toward someone became more evident as the years passed,. criticisms faded, and appreciation blossomed.

One of the benefits of teaching music is that we get the luxury of time with the same group of students. Over three to four years and thousands of hours, we get to be around these kids in good times & bad, happy & sad, and grow WITH them. Behind the endless rehearsals and constant contests, we are learning love, respect, and how best to teach and learn one another. 

This is something that can be rushed. This isn't something you can fake or grow in a test tube. REAL respect, REAL appreciation and REAL understanding takes REAL time!

I WISH it were quicker. I WISH it were easier. I WISH it didn’t require such Herculean efforts. But then again, as someone who only spends three to four hours in front of a new group of kids each and every day, I WISH I had YOUR impact!

Spending time (years) with the same group of kids is what I miss most about teaching and has become my Christmas wish.

All Is Well, Lights and My Holiday Letter to You!

As I write this I have several significant deadlines approaching and mission critical decisions that are needing to be made. I don’t have the necessary information or desire to make them, but there they are, hiding in plain sight and serving as a constant reminder that they are soon coming ashore whether I want them to or not.

I have started and stopped this newsletter almost a half dozen times and the result is six half written articles that are not yet worthy of your time and attention such as:

• Are you wanting to know about music, ADD, and how your birth month affects all of the above? That one never made it past paragraph two. 

• Are you curious as to how music is both the cause and the solution to helicopter parenting? You were close to reading that! That one was 2/3rds written, but just felt forced.

• Curious about the a grammatical error in the Constitution and ties to music education? So was I, but it was a bit of a stretch.

• I’m not even gonna tell you about my idea about having you write a letter to your future self (but I guess I just did).

Yep, all of these and the several other half baked articles will likely find their voice (and eventually your inbox) at some point, just not today.

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Fifteen years and over 750 articles have taught me to not force an idea. So, I wait… And wait… And In case you were not aware, patience is not a strength of mine.

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In times like these, I have people, places, and things that I look to for inspiration, reflection, and distraction. During this time of year it’s holiday lights! Yep, lights are my jam! I am like the DaVinci (editor insert: more like Chevy Chase) of holiday lights! I know that lights are a commercialized representation of the holiday, but I am a person who requires evidence of things, and for me, holiday lights serve that purpose. 

Like I said, me likey the lights!

My relationship with holiday lights hasn’t always gone well or been easy. In fact, I wrote about our tortured relationship back in 2015 here. But, still they draw me in and can distract me for hours. 

Noticing that the work day had turned into work night while I continued getting nowhere, I decided to stop writing, clear my mind, and go futz with my lights. I like to change what they do each and every night through my phone app. (I told you lights were my jam!) Tonight would be the night I would check out the apps newest feature "syncing to music.”

Needing appropriate music, I typed Christmas music into my iTunes search bar and what came up was Christmas by Michael W. Smith. 

If you have not heard this album, you should! For me, it is the finest holiday album ever made. Published in 1989, it is the forgotten step-child of his 32 other albums. Even his three other holiday albums pale in comparison. The album is pop in nature but layered with extensive orchestral and choral interludes that make it as unique as it is inspirational. 

So I hit play and watched the lights put on a show to my favorite song on the album, All Is Well. Smith's orchestration of lush strings set against a child’s voice is spectacular and the triumphant horns at the end would do John Williams proud.

So there I sat, in my front yard with music blaring and my lights twinkling, and it hit me…

ALL IS WELL!

The deadlines will be met. The projects will be completed. The decisions will be made and in time I will say, “All Is Well.”

Your job is as difficult as it comes. Much more difficult than mine. After all, talking about something requires less than actually doing that something. You battle parents and administrators with the fierceness of a warrior, tend to hurt knees and hurt feelings with the compassion of a caregiver, and deliver information and inspiration like an all knowing sherpa, leaving little time for you and the ones you love. You likely have recently felt tired and deflated as the weight of looming deadlines and decisions become heavy and burdensome.

Know that it is worth it and it will be okay. Understand that the struggle is in balance with the gain and that while it may not be evident each and every day, YOU make a difference in the lives of countless young people. Believe that ALL IS WELL and you will see evidence of it right there in your classroom. You will hear it in your students’ voices and see it on their faces. You will feel it in their joy and experience it through their music.

Like I said, I require evidence of things, and just as it is in front of you each and every day, it was there right in front of me, in plain sight, and on my front lawn. All IS WELL!

Scott

p.s. Seriously, if I could give you all a copy of this album as a holiday gift I would. Take a moment, turn down the lights in your space and give this a listen. Heck, listen to the entire album. 

SESAME STREET, BOB, AND GETTING MICRO

What's the most important factor when it comes to predicting a child's future success? Certainly race, access to education, and economic factors play a role. Sadly for my kids, so does parenting (my 8 year old says he has outgrown me and he might be right). 

But a recent study says another key element -- perhaps the key element -- is WHERE you grow up. Not only does it make a big difference in what city, town, or even neighborhood you live but your life chances can be dramatically different depending on which block you grow up on according to a recent New York Times article: Detailed New National Maps Show How Neighborhoods Shape Children for Life. 

What recent research is finding is that a hyper-local setting (the environment within about half a mile of a child's home) has an enormous impact on a child’s future success and earning potential.

I don’t think any modern educator doubts the impact that a neighborhood plays on a child’s potential success. What is new in this study is the ability to predict future income based on a micro-setting. Even given the same zip code, family demographics, and school boundaries, they are able to tightly target, study, and predict future income based on a very small locational map. 

The metrics are as specific as they are mysterious. Researchers still don’t fully understand exactly why children from some neighborhoods are more successful while one street away a child may experience a very different life, but they believe it is based on the block or street lived on. 

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It’s not the neighborhood but the people IN the neighborhood. So perhaps Bob and his furry friends from Sesame Street were on to something when they sang, 
“Who are the people in your neighborhood? In your neighborhood, in your neeeeiiiigghhhbbboorrrhooodd!” 

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(Now you have that earworm to deal with.)

As music educators we are well aware that little things can make a big difference, and just because two children have similar homes, demographics, and attend the same school does not mean that they have the same educational experience. We also know that part of what makes music kids so successful is that we place them in a "community" of high quality, like minded kids and caring adults. This is one of the MANY reasons why all children should be exposed to music as a part of their educational process.

Music classes are more than a creative and emotional outlet, they transcends color, gender, and social and economic influences to help create and produce a community of better young people.

But just for giggles, what if we went even more micro than just music? What if we studied:

• Which programs (b/c/o) had what impact later in life?

• If children who were a part of more than one music program experienced more success?

• If children who are a part of more than one ensemble make more money in life?

• If any specific instruments showed a greater or lesser impact in future successes?

• If music students were more successful in any specific professions?

To my way of thinking, this micro-study of student/child success doesn’t go nearly micro enough. This could get really interesting.

So maybe Bob and our Sesame Street muppet friends were on to something... Who are the people in your neighborhood? In the study they define your neighbors as people you see and interact with each and every day. People who care for you and about you. 

To my way of thinking, your neighborhood isn't defined by a street address or GPS location, but by a level of caring and concern by a group of like minded people that keeps you safe and on the right path.

Yes, it takes a village to raise a child. And the study shows that a good street will improve your life. But, when you really look at your neighborhood, you realize that it might be music that will change thee trajectory of your life.

Have a great week!

p.s. As much fun as we all make of drummers, in my (not so scientific) experience, I have found that percussionists tend to be successful music teachers at a higher rate than other instruments. Just wondering what it is about their neighborhood that makes them more successful?

A Bad Week and a Thanksgiving Thought

Dear friend:

It's been a bad week. And I mean BAD!

Don't believe me? Someday, we'll sit down and I will tell you a story that will blow your mind. But for now, let's focus on the here and now.

It's 11:53 p.m. on Tuesday night, and my newsletter should be done, but it's not. 

Tick... tock... tick... tock... 

You would likely not notice if it didn't show up in your inbox today, but I would! Is it vanity? Perhaps, but we can debate that another time. For now, let's focus on the here and now. 

With the midnight (or later) hour rapidly approaching, we o give thanks to you, but I am struggling to find a way to do it that is neither formulaic or trite. What should I do? I am struggling with what to say. But, many of us have been together for over 15 years and you deserve better.

My wife says to keep in short and simple (much like myself). So, here it goes...

Thank you for putting the needs of kids above your own.
Thank you for giving young people a creative outlet in their day.
Thank you for making students laugh, cry, feel, and think in ways no other subject can.
Thank you for keeping music alive in our country, our culture and in our lives. 
Thank you for sacrificing your days, nights, weekends, and summers for others.
Thank you for being the standard bearer of excellence, both in and out of school.
Thank you for being a role model to young people and adults alike.

Simply stated... THANK YOU!

This Thanksgiving holiday will be filled with many opportunities to give thanks for all of the blessings we experience each and every day. And for me, the holiday would ring a little hallow if I didn't take a moment and express my thanks to each and every one of you! So, Happy Thanksgiving and THANK YOU!

Enjoy the holiday weekend my friends, and know that I will be giving thanks for YOU!