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Hey!Who are your musical influnces?Mines is Yolanda Adams,Kirk Franklin,Pharrel &Gladys Knight

My musical influences are: my 6th grade band teacher Ms.House, my 7th grade band teacher Ms.Dadeech, my 8th grade band teacher Ms. Kane. Mariah Carey, and BET!!!

i like ummm..... alot of old school artist like swv, aretha franklin, people like that!!! but i also like new school too like chris brown!!! ILOVE HIM!! every body should know i do and if spongebob is a musical influence than he one of my top ones too!!!

my influences r... mr.outten, since he got me into band, ms.kane, who got me playin 5 different instruments and of course chris brown and beyonce

My musical influences are all of my band teachers!!!

My 1st...Mr. Myers
(along with him came the high school band teacher that i cant member his name but he helped us middle schoolers out all the time)
Then came Mr. Z who I learned alot of new things from.
Then Mrs. Kane...that was the 1st yr I played the bass.
I also came up and played with Mr. Outten...he gave me a hard challenge that helped me become a high school clarinet player.
And last but way not ever least...Mr. Matthews...I have been working with him since my 8th grade yr when he was a student teacher...I think we all agree that he is a wonderful teacher. I would not be in band still without him!!!

You're way too kind I know where you're coming from though. Mr. Steelman was a major influence in my life. It really meant a lot to me to give him that award tonight. A lot of folks like to criticize him, but there would probably not be a band program in Accomack County if it weren't for him. He is an inspiration for many generations of students (and their children even). People can have their opinions, but in mine, he IS the "Music Man"!

wow........

Here are a few other musical influences in my life:

1. One of my high school band directors, Mr. Colbert. He was also a clarinetist and helped encourage me to pursue the clarinet through private lessons. Since completing my degree and becoming a teacher, I wish I knew how to contact him to let him know what an influence he had on my career.

2. My professors at college. Dr. Johnson took the time to be "real" with me. He wasn't just another professor who was just getting a paycheck. He took the time to get to know me and would often speak candidly about the education system and music's place in it. I respect his opinion, and he prepared me for education much more than many of my courses. I can tell you this, teaching is much different than the picture that college tries to paint...but I love it

And now, let me tell you who was NOT an inspiration to me. I don't want to "hijack" this thread into a negative rant, but I think it's relevant because it did inspire me in a way.

In middle school, I almost quit band. Why? Simply because the teacher was a monster. No, I'm serious. He was a raging lunatic who had no place in education. I will not name any names, but you can get the point anyway. He would yell at the class on a daily basis. He would throw things at us. I remember one day, the trumpets were having a problem with a particular section of music, and he actually kicked his conductor's stand into the trumpet section. He regularly threw his conducting baton at us, as if it were a dart. It really was very tense. So many students dropped out of band, and who could blame them? I was almost one of them, until a friend of mine changed my perspective on things. Sometimes, all it takes is a paradigm shift.. My buddy Treon was always good at these sorts of talks. He pointed out that I could take all of this as a lesson in what not to do. So, I did.

A lot of you have commented in the past about how I never yell or get angry. This has a lot to do with that philosophy. I can get mad until I'm blue in the face and nothing will change musically in your mind. I realize that students have feelings, their own issues, their own stresses (much more now that SOL's have crept into the system), and their own learning styles. I also realize that music is an expressive outlet that I need to foster. I want to teach you to express yourselves through music, not through anger. There is much more to life than anger and frustration. Music can help you deal with life's stress, life's troubles, and life's joys. I believe that can only happen if you're allowed to experience that growth on your own, and it'll never happen if I throw a lot of drama and anger into the mix.

So, I try to be as patient and understanding as possible. It is tough...I get very frustrated at times, but I try to remain sane.

So, for those of you who actually made it to the end of this long post, I commend you. YOU are the future, don't forget it!

For those of you who skipped to the end without reading it all...you may find yourself, one day, working for those who did read it all. Be kind to them

i so totally agree on that. life is music and music is life. people don't realize that. a teacher of mine, im not naming anyone, she says that her class was more important than band. and it wasn't even a SOL class. some of my teachers don't think that music is associated with their class. just like the board in the band room

Thank you for not naming any names. Unfortunately, you'll find that sentiment in many places. Here's something that should make the musicians feel good.

When I worked at NASA, one of the "higher-ups" found out that I was a musician. He said that given the choice between a computer science major and a musician who knew how to program, he'd choose the musician every time, hands down. He explained that in his career and experience a musician is much better at problem solving. He believed that this was due to their creative approach or "thinking outside of the box".

And here's a bit of history for you. In Plato's time, a person wasn't considered well educated unless they had a background in music. As a matter of fact, the early University was founded on these principles. There was the Trivium, or preparatory skills of grammar, rhetoric, and logic, then there was the Quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy.

Here is a quote I found at Oxford's website. It's in a section about mathematics.


So don't worry when people say those things... They just don't understand, and it's really their loss. It's one of the reasons I want to pursue my graduate degrees in research science. I'd like to scientifically and empirically prove the value of music in education.

My earliest major inflouence was my high school band and chorus director, Mr. Willaman, who was also my church choir director. He made me push the bar in my playing and in my singing. I accompanied chorus and he would plop music down - that quickly improved my sightreading. He was also a composer who wrote the most lush harmonies you have ever heard! When I told him I wanted to be a band director he spent 3 summers teaching me a variety of instruments so I would be more prepared for college.
In college my man was Mr. Plushkat - yes, that was his name. He was my directing and instrumental methods teacher. He had so much musical knowledge and a remarkable sense of humor. He wasn't very tall but was a powerful presence in any gathering. He was the only professor who would go with us to the student union and sit to chat over a cup of coffee or tea!
Being called 'Mom' by my students is the biggest compliment I can get - that says that being human can be coupled with the teaching profession!
Like Mr. Matthews I get frustrated from time to time. I lose my cool once in a while over behaviors, not over musical errors or difficulties. The behaviors interfere with the music and that IS a problem!
One day each of the present students will be in a position, in some profession, to influence others. Music will have given you the basis to make a very positive impact of those lives.

Well said! I couldn't agree more!