BandWagon

Episode 2: "Culture Before Technique"

Episode 002 • March 4, 2024 • “Culture Before Technique”
 
FIRST STRAIN: News ‘n’ Notes
• Ralph Yarl makes Missouri All-State Band a year after being mistaken for an intruder and shot:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/ralph-yarl-named-missouri-state-band-months-after/story?id=106232534
• University of Arizona marching band wins 2023 Sudler Trophy:
https://news.arizona.edu/story/pride-arizona-marching-band-wins-prestigious-sudler-trophy
https://sousafoundation.net/sub_menu_items/1
 
SECOND STRAIN: Do What You Love: A Lesson About Band from a Journalism Professor
Howard M. Ziff:
https://rhammerton1.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/gotta-love-it/
http://www.gazettenet.com/2012/04/11/venerated-journalist-professor-ziff-dies
 
TRIO: interview with Zoe Stinson
She’s a music teacher, she’s a researcher, she’s a salsa band baritone saxophonist! … and if you’ve been in western Massachusetts in the last several years, you also may have seen her, possibly on the podium in front of some outfit called the Minuteman Marching Band, or behind the wheel of a Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus. Renaissance person? Or just casting her net really wide?
 
A chat about a beginner-band teaching strategy which Ms. Stinson piloted at her East Windsor (Connecticut) teaching gig, which she calls “Culture Before Technique”.
 
STINSON BIO:
Zoe Stinson is a music educator and instrumentalist originally from the Capitol Region of New York, and currently teaches grade 5-8 Band, Chorus, and General Music at East Windsor (CT) Middle School. Zoe grew up studying saxophone, cello, and voice, but always gravitated towards saxophone. In 2016, Zoe was selected to perform at NYSSMA Conference All-State, and to perform in the International Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. Zoe furthered her saxophone studies at Eastman, Crane, Hartt, and University of Oklahoma summer programs throughout high school and college, and has performed in masterclasses for virtuosos such as Arno Bornkamp, Chien-Kwan Lin, and Christopher Creviston.
In 2017, Zoe attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst for Saxophone Performance. While she studied at UMass, Zoe was heavily involved in numerous activities as a student musician. Zoe was initiated into Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Sorority for Collegiate Bands, and has since become a life member. Zoe performed in the University Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, University Choral, Chapel Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble I, Marimba Bands, and the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band, for which she served as a Drum Major for two seasons.
Aside from larger ensembles, Zoe was also associated with several notable chamber ensembles including the 4/4ths Saxophone Quartet, and the Rebel Saxophone Quartet, which traveled to Virginia for the Navy Band Saxophone Symposium in 2019 with their tour program.
As a soloist, Zoe has performed multiple solo recitals and been invited as a guest performer at many others. Her most recent recital, “A Showcase of the Baritone Saxophone”, was performed entirely on the baritone saxophone in effort to legitimize the instrument in the classical medium. Zoe was also a concerto competition winner at UMass in Spring 2020 performing Rhapsody by Andre Waignein on the alto saxophone.
Zoe has recently begun her professional career as a music educator, and is a member of the Gordon Institute for Music Learning. Specializing in instrumental instruction, Zoe applies Music Learning Theory in her classroom with a focus on ear training.
Outside of the classroom, Zoe still enjoys playing her cello to this day, and plays baritone saxophone with recreational ensembles such as the “Salsa Train” salsa band in Springfield, and “The Onlys,” her fusion rock trio in New York. On the weekends, she occasionally likes to hop into the driver seat and drive for PVTA in Amherst, MA.
(text courtesy The Valley Winds website: valley-winds.org/ensemble-member/zoe-stinson/)
 
DOGFIGHT: Internet Rabbit Hole of the Week: Balkan Paradise Orchestra
Their website: https://bpo.cat/en/biography/
Your gateway to their performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5b5KzDHUSY
 
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Episode 1: "Every Podcast Has An Origin Story"

 
Episode 001 • March 4, 2024 • “Every Podcast Has An Origin Story”
INTRODUCTIONWondering how to start a podcast?  Rob is, even as the trailer and first two episodes of his podcast drop.  The difference is, he's got help. After listening to this episode, you’ll have some insight into why this podcast is off and running ... and you'll laugh.  A lot.  So why wait?  Press play and let’s get started!
FIRST STRAIN: what's this podcast about?There are a few podcasts out there that get into the wind band subject.  But the majority of them are focused on the music education side of things.  What I didn’t find were podcasts that seemed meant for the larger audience: anybody who ever did band.Out in the big world where not everybody “gets” band, it can be a tougher environment in which to outwardly revel in our band geek-ness.  So one important goal for this program will be to build community through band – to be a resource *and a refuge* for band geeks!I’m looking forward to having conversations with people who know about topics that either you wondered about, or you never really thought about before, but which are part of the Band Thing.  Such as: band conducting; band directing; community bands; band arranging and composition; the college drum major experience; marching percussion; color guard instruction and design; adjudication; drum corps; young music educators; band director burnout; band alumni organization; service groups like Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma; pipe bands; mummers bands; student leadership; writing and blogging about band; videography; as well as conversations which will be unique and defy categorization.But we'll also focus on the “extra-musical” elements of the band experience.  Because great heavens, there are stories.So.  A resource, and a refuge.  For all of us who inhabit this particular corner of the world, who share this particular curious interest.
SECOND STRAIN: Who is this Hammerton fellow?Why does Rob think he’s qualified to run a band podcast?  Right: I very often have that nagging feeling ... while I’ve spent the majority of my life and certainly my entire adult life IN BAND, I still feel like I don’t know as much as I want to know.  This podcast is my opportunity to pick the brains of band people who know more about band than I do, so we can get better informed about this activity we love so much.
TRIO: Glen Adsit obituaryGlen Adsit, director of bands at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music, died suddenly, back in January.  An appreciation, and a remembrance of my meeting with him at last summer’s New England Band Directors Institute (NEBDI), organized by the New Hampshire Band Directors Association (NHBDA).https://www.glenadsit.com/https://www.hartford.edu/directory/hartt/adsit-glen.aspx
DOGFIGHT: Internet Rabbit Hole of the Week: the Bands of His Majesty’s Royal MarinesThe analogous organization to the bands of the US Marine Corps ... but with differences!Their website: https://www.royalmarinesbands.co.uk/Your gateway to their performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYJEr-MUBV0
CODALike the pilot episode of any TV show, I'm finding my way here.  I’m excited to talk to more wise people about their areas of expertise, AND to talk to YOU about YOUR band experience.  Again, what is band but a community of like-minded friends?
FOLLOW US!BandWagon RSS feed: feed.podbean.com/heyband/feed.xmlBandWagon website: heyband.podbean.comBandWagon on Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555170345309Rob ("HammertonMedia") on Facebook: facebook.com/HammertonMediaRob on X/Twitter: twitter.com/DrRob8487
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BandWagon Trailer

Hey band!
That means people involved with marching bands, concert bands, wind ensembles … school bands, community bands, service bands … People who enjoy band music. People who enjoy band life.
Being a person who “gets” band can be a challenge in a world full of people who don’t.We have to support each other. We have to create our own little BANDWAGON.
That's this podcast.  A resource and a refuge for band geeks.