Kaizen | 改善 - Instilling Continuous Ensemble Development (TMEA 2021)
featuring the Coppell HS Wind Symphony
Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” It is a Japanese business philosophy regarding the processes that continuously improve operations and involve all stakeholders. Kaizen sees improvement in productivity as a gradual and methodical process.
The 5 key elements of Kaizen for organizations:
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Teamwork
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Personal Discipline
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Improved Morale
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Quality
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Suggestions for Improvement
The Tools of the Trade
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Yamaha HD300 Harmony Director
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Tonal Energy App
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Decibel Meter
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PreSonus Audiobox 96 (for virtual instruction)
For the clinic handout, click below:
For a complete copy of the slides used in the presentation, click below:
PPT format (edit as needed)
For a complete copy of the ensemble exercises used in the presentation, click below:
For a complete copy of the ensemble exercises as utilized with the Coppell HS Marching Bands, click below:
From Stonemason to Sculptor (TMEA 2020)
Thank you for reading our most-recent article in the Southwestern Musician.
You can download the original CLINIC HANDOUT here.
Download Style Worksheet (pdf)
This is a great tool to use with your students, whether on-line or in-person. Consider a lesson where you discuss these different note shapes and have them color in what they think they should see in Tonal Energy's Analysis window.
Download Note Grouping Presentation (ppt)
This powerpoint can be used following the individual note presentation about building phrases in MACRO. Again, you can play with this however you like. Perhaps diagram phrases from some of the pieces you're currently preparing.
Download Note Shape Presentation (ppt)
Use this powerpoint to present the different note shapes to students. Edit as you'd like - we understand that not all directors want to hear the same things for these. Having a "jumping-off point" is so important for codifying ensemble style.
Download Cresc+Dim Presentation (ppt)
While we didn't talk too much about this in the most-recent article, you can dive in here too talk about the ACTUAL shape that crescendos and diminuendos should follow. Again, edit as you would prefer for your ensemble.
Ensemble Skills Packet
What Works for Us
(pdf)
This is the daily ensemble skills packet we use with the concert bands in Coppell ISD. Different variations on these are used across the middle school and high school ensembles. Feel free to adjust and adapt them as you see fit. If you want to know more about how to use the Yamaha Harmony Director with these exercises, I'll be preparing some videos on that in the next several weeks (Nov-Dec 2020).
Presentation Notes:
We have to assume, during the “bricklaying” stage, we are ensuring that the students can do the following:
Play every note IN-TUNE/IN-TONE/IN-TIME at the correct VOLUME.
During the “bricklaying stage”, don’t worry about…
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Note Shape
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Tempo
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Style
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Articulation
On Staccato interpretation...
“sharp attack and abrupt release” – Vincent Persichetti
“brevity and detachment…dry but resonant” – Frederick Fennell
“shorten each note value more than normal” – John Paynter
“no accent – tongue easily, lightly” – William Revelli
“only as short as the music requires” – Clarence Sawhill
On Accenteed interpretation...
“more force than would ordinarily be used” – Francis Erickson
“the separation from one tone to the next” – Howard Hanson
“emphasized attack…moderate shortening” – Vaclav Nehlybel
“sharp attack and tone held” – Vincent Persichetti
”detache style…a la string bowing marcato” – William Revelli
On Tenuto interpretation...
“as legato as possible without accent – ‘soft-tongued’” – John Barnes Chance
“full value…minimum space between each note” - Frank Erickson
“sustained legato with emphasis on each tone” – Howard Hanson
“very little separation…slight emphasis or ‘leaning’” – Martin Mailman
“the whole duration is required” – Vaclav Nehlybel
On Marcato interpretation...
“very hard, strong accent with normal spacing” – John Paynter
“sharp accent with tongue, firm, no diminuendo” – William Revelli
“maximum emphasis on attack – Beethoven” – Frederick Fennell
“extremely harsh, sharp attack…considerable decay” – Vincent Persichetti
“strongly emphasized…sometimes shortened” – Vaclav Nehlybel
Contact Information:
Gerry Miller
Director of Bands - Coppell HS
Coordinator of Instrumental Music - Coppell ISD
214.496.6475 (office)
Thanks to my Mentors:
Col. John R. Bourgeois
Dr. Joseph G. Hebert
Prof. Gwen Hotchkiss
Prof. John Reeks
Prof. Sue Loegering Daves
Mr. Anthony Frigo
Mrs. Joni Keller Boulet
Dr. Nicholas Williams
Mr. Scott Mason
Mr. Scott Taylor
Dr. Tom Shine
Mr. George Jones
Dr. Daryl Trent
Dr. Jeff Gershman
Mrs. Amanda Drinkwater
Mr. Jay Bocook
Dr. Nola Jones
Mr. Wayne Dillon
Dr. Jay Kennedy
Thanks to my Colleagues:
Adrian Caswell
Brandon Slovak
Kate Klontz
Annie Chernow
Matthew Rummel
Randall Nguyen
Rusty Gray
Josh Boyd
Jeremy Lindquist
Allie Guinn
Greg McCutcheon
Chantal Hoang
Bona Coogle
Aaron Coronado
Cecilia Hamilton
Sally Bohls
Sara McCallum
Jonathan Jones
Matt Casazza
Christy Springer
Jared Hunt
Andrea Denis
Jon Bohls
Donald Bruce
Blake Birmingham
Jung Moo Lee
Doug Bush
Patricia Islas