Mark J. Connor, Composer
  • About
    • Biography
    • Testimonials
    • EPK
  • Music
  • Collaborate
    • Commissions
    • CSIC Orchestra Commission
  • Blog
  • EB Podcast
  • Contact

Everything Band: Episode 84 - Steve Graves

10/29/2018

Comments

 
Steve Graves has been a middle school band director in Orange County, California for over 30 years. In this episode he shares his advice about teaching middle school including some really great advice for young band teachers.​
Topics:
  • Steve’s background and his 34 year career as a middle school band director.
  • Great teaching is not about teaching people to play instruments but rather to teach young musicians to be great people.
  • Classroom management and thoughts about how to create a set of expectations that help students to stay on task.
  • Steve and I get into the weeds about teaching beginners and he shares some wonderful advice about teaching time and articulation.
  • The value of commissions for both students and composers.

Links:
  • Standridge: Frogs
  • Jager: Esprit De Corps
  • Reed: Russian Christmas Music

Biography:

Currently in his 32nd year of teaching junior high band, Steve is the band direct and VAPA chairperson at Lexington Junior High School in Cypress, CA. An active adjudicator for marching bands, concert festivals, and indoor drumline, Steve is also a frequent clinician and guest conductor. While unpublished, Steve has been writing and arranging for bands and percussion ensembles since 1980, and his method books, "Great Beginnings - Warm Ups for Second-Year Bands" and "Notes, Drills, and Tunes - a beginning band method" are in use by schools across the country. Steve stays active as a regular performer in wind ensembles, big bands, and rock/R&B groups, and is a graduate of California State University Long Beach, and earned his masters degree from the American Band College.
​
--------
​
Special thanks to VanderCook College of Music for sponsoring this episode. With a world-class faculty, a location just minutes from downtown Chicago, and an intensive summers-only masters program, it's no wonder VanderCook College of Music has graduates teaching music in all 50 states, 21 countries, and 6 continents.  Make next summer your most inspiring summer yet by pursuing a Masters in Music Education at VanderCook College of Music. And for the next generation of music educators, VanderCook offers an exceptional, comprehensive 4-year Bachelor of Music Education program. VanderCook Admissions information is available at www.vandercook.edu.
Comments
    Picture

    About

    A podcast featuring conversations with teachers, composers, and performers of music for winds and percussion.

    Everything Band is a member of the Music Teacher Development Podcast Network. The MuTed network provides support in the form of audio on demand programming designed by and for music educators. You can find more information about our network at mutedpodcasts.com

    Picture
    The Everything Band Podcast is proud to partner with Kaleidoscope Adventures.

    Categories

    All
    2017 Midwest Clinic
    2018 Midwest Clinic
    2018 TMEA Convention
    2019 Midwest Clinic
    Advocacy
    Authors
    Beginners
    Composers
    Conductors
    Historians
    Jazz Education
    Marching Arts
    Middle School
    Military Bands
    Performers
    Publishers
    Retailers

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017

    Listen on Google Play Music
    Picture

    RSS Feed

Site and contents copyright © 2020 Mark J. Connor. All rights reserved.
  • About
    • Biography
    • Testimonials
    • EPK
  • Music
  • Collaborate
    • Commissions
    • CSIC Orchestra Commission
  • Blog
  • EB Podcast
  • Contact