Mike Back is the director of the band program at Walton High School, a charter school in Marietta, Georgia. The Walton bands have an impressive resume, boasting recent appearances at such notable events as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.
MMR sister publication, SBO, presented the second annual Best Tools for Schools awards at the 2011 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, highlighting a new batch of excit- ing and creative games, programs, instruments, servicess and accessories suitable for music educators in a wide range of settings.
For the past 15 years, I have been intrigued with the capabilities of video conferencing and its instructional benefits with guest lecturers – without the complications of travel, housing, meals and timelines.
Originally, chamber music referred to a type of classical music that was performed in a small space such as a house or a palace room, and typically featured smaller ensembles that played without a conductor. Today, chamber music is performed very similarly in terms of both venue and instrumentation.
