The Beth and Kelly Show: Music Teaching (and Life)

Berklee has very purposefully changed the narrative on who can study music in college, on what instruments are acceptable, and on what type of music must be demonstrated to get in. Further demonstrated with The Berklee World Strings, and an extremely cutting edge American Roots degree program (i.e non classical for strings and other instruments) whose grads are making a presence on the airwaves and on the world-wide stage, Berklee not only allows, but encourages cross-collaboration.

Lisa Linde is the ultra inspiring instrumental music director at Newton South HS in Newton Center, Massachusetts. She is ALSO one of the only female band directors whose jazz band has ever played LIVE on the stage of the storied Rose Theater (the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center)for the Essentially Ellington high school jazz band festival/ competition. Listen in as we discuss how this festival is simply beyond comparison, waaaaay at the head of the line in terms of the life-altering experiences students, educators, and audiences receive by participating. We also discuss the lack of female presence in this environment and some ideas that we have, which could potentially start to address this problem if we are bold enough to try them out!

We discuss the skills that ACTUALLY help us play music with other humans, and why it is imperative for us as educators to help students bring their own musical interests to life.

Peter Briggs is the band director at Lincoln HS in Tacoma, WA and has made a lasting impact on his community by centering students. Music is just the vehicle, folks!

Celebrating Episode 40 of the B&K Show with concert violinist, hip hop artist, pastor, and educator John “Adidam” Littlejohn, our neighbor to the north (from Vancouver, BC)! John shares ideas for connecting with communities through really listening; for transforming our teaching, our programs, our schools and our organizations by seeking, welcoming, and honoring new voices and perspectives and talents — listen in for some real inspiration!

Today’s guests, members of the ultra creative brass quartet The Westerlies, were Riley Mulherkar and Willem DeKoch. In our conversation, we unpack at length the observation that the creativity/ vision/ intuition/ collaboration aspect of the Artistic Process is the hardest to cultivate in our students.

We're joined by Marcus Pimpleton, Executive Director for Racial and Educational Justice for Yakima Public Schools. He is also an experienced school administrator AND a band director! Marcus makes the point that these are the things kids want: happiness and pride. He challenges us to focus in on these things and watch the transformation start to happen to our music making communities!

Ever wonder what college music ed majors wish could be a part of the undergrad curriculum? Listen to CWU Junior, saxophonist Shaina Ellis, a student leader in the CWU music program and the CWU JEN Chapter talk with us about what she wishes could be required courses of study. We also get deep into the concept of student teaching (from both the student teacher and mentor teacher perspective).

Anu shares some courageous ideas, approaches, and mindsets for giving more choice and control to students, which stand to transform and empower their present AND future lives, should we decide to put them to practice! Are you interested in making the most of this unique moment in time and furthering music education? Then listen to this!

Listen in for Sarah’s (quite frankly genius) ideas about approaching a total overhaul of an instrumental music program in a secondary public school setting. Many of us have thought that change is needed in our “traditional” approaches to teaching music in the public schools...take it from Sarah: It can be done, in super cool ways, and the time is now.