Check out the Narashinodai Daiichi Elementary School Band performance of "Slava!" featured on the Championship 2009: Japan Wind Orchestra and Ensemble Competition.  A perfect of example of what determination, hard work and discipline can produce!  Excellent ensemble!

Check out this article 10 Ways to Improve Your Musicianship in 2010.  Great ideas.  Read the article and try to utilize even a few of the ideas into your practice routine this semester!  I think the idea of developing a regular practice time & refining practice skills is a must for continued improvement on a musical instrument.  

I also liked the idea of developing a listening diet.  Try to expand your listening to different genres.  Do a You Tube search on your particular instrument.  Find out who the leading performers are on your particular instrument and make a goal to listen at least once a week to different pieces of literature.  Research the top Wind Ensembles/Concert Band's and find recordings to listen to.  Listen to recordings of the music that we are currently doing in concert band and perhaps find other compositions by the same composers.

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Twitter is becoming a very popular communication tool. I have found it is very valuable networking tool. Facebook is a great tool as well, but is limited to your network of friends. Twitter puts you in touch with people worldwide. I must admit, my first attempt at Twitter was frustrating. I actually messed around with it for a couple of hours one evening & then didn’t open my Twitter account for several months later.

Twitter up-dates contain a variety of information-- from what people are doing to links to websites, educational information, political feeds, business opportunities, and coupons/web offers/free giveaways.

Twitter is something that you have to just start trying . . . .it takes a couple of days and you will eventually get accustomed to the Twitter lingo and methods. 

Check out Twitter for Beginners to get started!

The Titan Band website gets a new-look!  The old site was developed in older software & was slow at loading.  This new software allows faster up-load on pictures as well as more capibilities concerning video, forms, and other issues.  I hope you will visit often and enjoy the new look!