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An Interview with KSDA Band Director Doug Spencer
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What are your goals for the KSDA music program?
I want to give each student the opportunity to express their musical talents every way possible – at school, at church, in the community. |
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Why should students in the grade school participate in the band?
One of the major benefits of participating in a band like ours and performing in public is that it builds self-confidence and self-esteem. These kids learn to be comfortable in front of people, including friends, family and strangers. Children are naturally uninhibited, but we lose this as we experience life. By performing in public children learn that it is natural to be nervous, but they don’t have to be scared, and the more they do it, the more comfortable they become. This is a valuable lesson to learn and enables them to become better presenters whether they are speaking, telling a story, offering prayer or playing an instrument in public. It prepares them for bigger challenges in life, through high school and college and into adulthood. |
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What other benefits have you observed from these musical performances?
For many students a musical program may be their first time
to perform in public. They learn how different environments,
with different acoustics, can affect how the music sounds,
and that this requires sensitivity to how others are playing.
This leads them to a sense of teamwork in music much like teamwork is required in sports. There is a “give and take”
required and a need to work together. I am pleased that on
a musical team, no student has to sit on the bench. Everyone
gets to participate, but they must work together. |
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How important is it to have musical talent to be successful in the band?
Some people are naturally gifted, but that is not essential to participation in the band. In fact, some of the best leaders are students who didn’t think they had much musical talent. We give students turns to lead out, and often make substitutions to try new approaches. By leading out, the kids learn creative ways to express themselves. We try different styles of music, different rhythms and phrasing, so they can find something that appeals to them and at which they are naturally competent.
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What would you say to a student who was afraid they might make a mistake in public?
I like to say, “If you make a mistake, make a big one!” I would rather have the students make occasional mistakes because they are really trying to improve, than to have everyone play satisfactorily without finding out what they are capable of. We are here not just to learn music, but to explore the boundaries of our skills and expression. There is no question that music performance teaches humility and patience, and that is good. It also teaches the students to have a critical ear and gain awareness of the nuances of music. |
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Tell us about the types of music the band performs and why you select these pieces.
We try to develop an aesthetic understanding and appreciation for quality music from a variety of composers and styles. We highlight some of the American composers whose music helps us create mental pictures in the imagination of our audiences. The students perform sacred music, seasonal music and some pop music too. My hope is that by participating in the band these students will develop a lifelong appreciation for different styles of music, a familiarity with musical instruments, and a joy in performance. |
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February 19, 2008
Mike Vega |
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