By the time this issue of PMEA News is in your hands, all of us will be in the midst of a well-deserved vacation from our labors during the school year. It is a time of relaxation, reconnecting with friends and family, and recharging our batteries. Like many of you, I rarely have time to do any recreational reading during the school year. Between grading papers, studying scores, and the day to day rigors of teaching, any “free” time that I have is spent with family and preparing for the challenges that the next day will bring.
Over the years, I have been fortunate to have many books recommended to me by colleagues, teachers, and dear friends that have served as inspiration to me when my “tank” is empty. I wanted to take this opportunity to recommend several of them to you in hopes that you might them motivating, intriguing, and uplifting during those lazy summer afternoons.
The Musician’s Soul – James Jordan
If I had to name one book that had has the most significant impact on how I make and teach music, this would be the one. Professor Jordan is currently on the conducting staff at Westminster Choir College, and is an internationally renowned choral conductor and educator (as a side note, he did his undergraduate degree at Susquehanna University so we can claim him as one of our own!). He has written a number of books about choral conducting, choral technique, and a series of books that are sequels to The Musician’s Soul. However, this book is my personal favorite. Worthy of note is the chapter that he devotes to mimetic theory and the art of conducting. That chapter fundamentally changed the way I rehearse – I recommend it strongly to you.
The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch
Several years ago the country intensely followed the story of Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University that had been stricken with pancreatic cancer in his mid-forties. In the midst of this horrible disease, he was invited to speak at CMU as part of a long-standing lecture series, and this book is an outgrowth of this powerful presentation (you can find this lecture on YouTube). In this lecture, and his book, he illustrates how he was able to achieve all of his childhood dreams. This funny, poignant, and honest look at his life is an incredible template for all of us in education. He makes the point time and time again that we can achieve our dreams if we are willing to work hard, take risks, and recognizing obstacles as opportunities to grow stronger.
Tuesdays with Morrie – Mitch Albom
As a graduate student in 1996, I first heard about this book at a conducting workshop from Craig Kirchoff, director of bands (retired) from the University of Minnesota. This book chronicles the relationship between Morrie Schwartz, a sociology professor dying from Lou Gerhig’s Disease (ALS), and Mitch Albom, a sports writer from Detroit who is one of his former students. Upon hearing of his professor’s illness, Mitch travels to see his professor every Tuesday where they discuss life, death, and the path of Morrie’s illness. Over the course of these visits, both men are transformed as they discuss being vulnerable, the importance of family, and letting love come into one’s life despite challenging circumstances. It is a powerful witness of the human spirit and the importance of friendship.
Conducting Business – Leonard Slatkin
It is my opinion that Leonard Slatkin is one of the finest conductors and music educators working today. In a career that has spanned almost fifty years, he has been a music director of such orchestras at the St. Louis Symphony, Detroit Symphony, National Symphony, and has guest conducted all around the globe. During each of these tenures, he has made education an important part of these positions through founding the St. Louis Youth Symphony, guest residencies at some of the most elite music schools (Indiana-Bloomington, Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, etc.) and has taught conducting at Tanglewood, the Aspen School, and mentored many assistant conductors during each of his successful tenures as a music director. This book is a fascinating glimpse into his early life growing up in a family full of professional musicians, all the way through to his most recent position as music director of the Detroit Symphony. It is a true “behind the scenes” look at how a conductor practices his/her art, complete with the benefits and challenges that happen along the way.
The Winds of Change – Frank Battisti
Written by one the foremost authorities of wind band and wind band literature, The Winds of Change is a fascinating look at the development of the band as a serious artistic medium. Frank Battisti is director of bands (retired) from the New England Conservatory and was director of bands at Ithaca High School (NY), where he created one of the finest high school music programs in the country, as well as commissioned important works for band by Vincent Persichetti and Warren Benson among others. Battisti’s text carefully chronicles history of the wind band during the 20th century, detailing the expansion of the repertoire and the development of the modern wind ensemble conductor. This is a “music have” for your music library!
Priest of Music: The Life of Dmitri Mitropoulos – William R. Trotter
One of the most fascinating musical figures during the last century was Dmitri Mitropoulos, former music director of the New York Philharmonic. Originally from Greece and trained as a concert pianist, he quickly gained international success as a conductor, eventually assuming the leadership of one of the finest orchestras in the United States. Aided by a photographic memory and a rigorous dedication to contemporary music, Mitropoulos became one of the giant musicians of the 20th century, eventually mentoring America’s finest musician: Leonard Bernstein. This account of his life is a fascinating look into Greece’s most famous son.
Rehearsing the Band – edited by John Williamson
This book series is currently in its third volume and is a treasure trove of information for band directors everywhere. Some of the top conductors in the country, including H. Robert Reynolds, Eugene Corporon, Alan McMurray, Donald Hunsberger, Frank Battisti, and others give their insight into all the facets of rehearsal technique, as well as a list of their favorite works for band.
Music from the Road – Tim Page
Tim Page is a Pulitzer Prize winning music critic who has written for the New York Times, Newsday, and The Washington Post. He has also held academic positions at the University of Southern California and Oberlin College. Music from the Road is a collection of “views and reviews” from 1978 to 1992. In this book, he details conversations and reviews from some of the most important musicians of the 20th century. A short list of these artists includes: Philip Glass, Leonard Slatkin, Leonard Bernstein, John Cage, Henryk Gorecki, and countless others. It is a terrific account of the classical music scene towards the end of last century.
Leonard Bernstein – Humphrey Burton
During 2018, the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Leonard Bernstein. The sheer excellence and versatility of his skills as a pianist, composer, conductor, and educator is unparalleled in our nation’s history. While there are several biographies available of this transformative artist, this is perhaps the finest one available. This book chronicles the professional and personal journey that Bernstein takes, from young wunderkind growing up outside of Boston to musical citizen of the world.
Illusions – The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah – Richard Bach
Finally, I would like to close with this transformational text from Richard Bach. It chronicles the fictional story about two pilots that meet in the Midwest. I’m not going to spoil the wonderful narrative that develops in this book, only to say that this is another “must have” for your library. Some of the most inspirational quotes that have spoken to me as a music teacher have come from this story. Chief among these is:
“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.”
Wishing you, from my family to yours, a great summer vacation!
