Professional Development

In the blog post, How Trumpeter Sean Jones Gets Respect, Jones recounts how he started performing as a child through church. Today, he teaches his students more than just the fundamentals of performance; he also stresses that professionalism will help students secure gigs and succeed in their musical careers. Here are some ways that educators can encourage professionalism with their students.

Some educators command attention with a booming voice and a larger-than-life presence. Sean Jones employs a completely different tactic that is equally — and probably more — effective. He teaches with a soft voice and an unassuming demeanor. But the acclaimed jazz trumpeter and music educator instantly gains his students' respect. How? "[I] lead by example," he says.

Try to fit these eight recommendations into every rehearsal. If you keep things moving, it's amazing how much you can accomplish during a 45-minute class.

The ultimate goal for beginning band students is the devel­op­ment of skills and under­standing that enable the student to experience musical artistry. Marguerite Wilder's innovative, game-filled approach to teaching fundamentals help set students on a strong path toward success.

Dr. Emily Threinen is director of bands and associate professor of music at University of Minnesota. She consistently works with composers, arrangers and performing artists of varied disciplines. Residencies and projects with composers and new compositions are integral to her creative work. She is an active and in-demand guest conductor, clinician, conference presenter and performer.

Dr. Kevin Sedatole is director of bands, professor of music and chair of the conducting area at Michigan State University. He serves as administrator of the entire band program at Michigan State University, totaling over 700 students, which includes the wind symphony, symphony band, concert band, chamber winds, campus bands, Spartan Marching Band and Spartan Brass.

Dynamic, energetic, exciting — these are the words used to describe Marcia Neel, one of the most knowledgeable professionals in the field of music education today. This began years ago when she was a secondary music educator whose ensembles were known for consistent quality and attention to artistic detail.

With a broad and diverse arsenal of experiences spanning over five decades, Anthony Maiello's enthusiasm for teaching music is nothing short of contagious. Having taught instrumental music education from the grade-school level through the university doctoral level, both in the United States and aboard, his experiences give him a unique view and approach to teaching and making music.

A multi-faceted artist, Gary Lewis has done it all — from jazz performance and marching band, to musical theater and opera, to arranging for a variety of genres, as well as entrepreneurial efforts such as establishing a contemporary music festival. With such diverse experiences, Lewis lives his belief that music serves as "the thread that connects us all."

Having appeared as a guest conductor throughout the world, Craig Kirchhoff brings a deep understanding of both traditional and contemporary literature to his sessions, including one titled "Score Study: A Different Perspective." With a celebrated teaching career spanning decades, Kirchhoff is professor emeritus of conducting at the University of Minnesota and remains true to his mission of changing lives through the experience of making music.