Comments for Les Taylor's Blog http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:13:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by Rob Shaver http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-108 Rob Shaver Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:13:13 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-108 Hi, Les, I was checking out your website and just got done watching the Pizazz video. Great piece! While it was almost painful to watch the first minute or two (I see that every year in my band room), I loved watching the piece progress through the drummer's skill levels. It reminded me that the work I do with middle schoolers is just the beginning. Very exciting! Thanks! Rob Shaver Hi, Les,

I was checking out your website and just got done watching the Pizazz video. Great piece! While it was almost painful to watch the first minute or two (I see that every year in my band room), I loved watching the piece progress through the drummer’s skill levels. It reminded me that the work I do with middle schoolers is just the beginning. Very exciting!

Thanks! Rob Shaver

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by admin http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-107 admin Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:42:14 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-107 As always, thanks for the great support...going above and beyond. Still planning to get your commission into Finale and available online in the next 60 days...ANCIENT OF DAYS. Don't we all remember how the breath was taken away from that CBDNA performance you and the New Mexico State Wind Ensemble put on the audience that night. Vivid memories...just like it happened yesterday. THANKS! As always, thanks for the great support…going above and beyond. Still planning to get your commission into Finale and available online in the next 60 days…ANCIENT OF DAYS. Don’t we all
remember how the breath was taken away from that CBDNA performance you and the New Mexico State Wind Ensemble put on the audience that night. Vivid memories…just like it happened
yesterday. THANKS!

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by admin http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-106 admin Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:36:44 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-106 Unbelieveable! You write with such a steady sense of dissonance the majority of the time. I did not know "pretty" was in your musical vocabulary. Your old comp prof Paul Creston must be rolling over right about now reaching for a very sharp pencil. Unbelieveable! You write with such a steady sense of dissonance the majority of the time. I did not know “pretty” was in your musical vocabulary. Your old comp prof Paul Creston must
be rolling over right about now reaching for a very sharp pencil.

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by Tim Lautzenheiser http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-105 Tim Lautzenheiser Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:40:06 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-105 Taylor, You articulated this so well, and it is ever-apparent people have simply accepted it. I'm on board with Kevin when he talks about these wonderful bits of music that have somehow been relegated to the back shelves, or - as you indicated - put in the dumpster. It still rips me apart to watch them burn it so they can get more warehouse space. I may the only one who wants to create a buffet of this music and bring it to the attention of others; no doubt (as you have shared), it probably wouldn't pay for a pizza. Lots of good music has been enjoyed by this old man, but the TAYLOR-CONTRIBUTIONS have (and always will be) some of the most profound, and not just for me, but for the students! Taylor, You articulated this so well, and it is ever-apparent people have simply accepted it. I’m on board with Kevin when he talks about these wonderful bits of music that have somehow been relegated to the back shelves, or – as you indicated – put in the dumpster. It still rips me apart to watch them burn it so they can get more warehouse space.

I may the only one who wants to create a buffet of this music and bring it to the attention of others; no doubt (as you have shared), it probably wouldn’t pay for a pizza.

Lots of good music has been enjoyed by this old man, but the TAYLOR-CONTRIBUTIONS have (and always will be) some of the most profound, and not just for me, but for the students!

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by Douglas Nott http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-103 Douglas Nott Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:16:38 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-103 I recently had one my compositions rejected by a major publisher. The reason it was rejected, so they say, was that it was "to pretty". I recently had one my compositions rejected by a major publisher. The reason it was rejected, so they say, was that it was “to pretty”.

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by admin http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-102 admin Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:05:56 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-102 You are so accurate as usual. The Goodwill Industry use to be a secret, too. I lucked into a Harry James method there. Never realized one even existed. Maybe our coming depression will reteach all of us how special we truly have it. You must feel exhilarated at those drum circles when you see what creative juices are flowing without anything but the mind and a decent ear. I always am. Thanks for the good words and response. You are so accurate as usual. The Goodwill Industry use to be a secret, too. I lucked into a Harry James method there. Never realized one even existed. Maybe our coming depression will reteach all of us how special we truly have it. You must feel exhilarated at those drum circles when you see what creative juices are flowing without anything but the mind and a decent ear. I always am. Thanks for the good words and response.

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by Kevin Lepper http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-101 Kevin Lepper Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:41:26 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-101 03/25/11 Don't say too much or you will give away one of my secrets! I love to use things that others have just passed over because they don't know better. Our whole society is out of control with excess. More, more and more means I don't have to develop what I have. Kevin Lepper 03/25/11

Don’t say too much or you will give away one of my secrets!
I love to use things that others have just passed over because they don’t know better. Our whole society is out of control with excess. More, more and more means I don’t have to develop what I have.

Kevin Lepper

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by Don Lamb http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-100 Don Lamb Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:55:46 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-100 I've been out of the "business" 9 years now, so I guessi did not realize that this was the case. In this day & age I guess directors are looking for the instant success chart for their group & the old stuff just does not seem to fit the bill. I’ve been out of the “business” 9 years now, so I guessi did not realize that this was the case. In this day & age I guess directors are looking for the instant success chart for their group & the old stuff just does not seem to fit the bill.

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by admin http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-99 admin Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:49:39 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-99 Thanks for the poem send, Charlie. Good stuff I agree and more food for thought. I'll definitely throw these charts into the flames now with more conviction...not really. You're the best! Thanks! Thanks for the poem send, Charlie. Good stuff I agree and more food for thought. I’ll definitely throw these charts into the flames now with more conviction…not really. You’re the best! Thanks!

]]> Comment on What have you done (written) for ME lately? by Charlie Menghini http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33&cpage=1#comment-98 Charlie Menghini Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:42:02 +0000 http://www.lestaylorpublications.com/blog/?p=33#comment-98 I agree Les. It boils down to teachers developing a "core" repertoire list that they can use to teach kids music, teach them to play an instrument, to play in an ensemble, to play a style, meter, key, form....the list goes on and on. Just like English class has the classics that teachers have students read year in and year out, bands, jazz bands, orchestras, and choirs should develop a set of develomentally appropriate music to use with their ensembles. This can be a 1, 2, 3, 4, or more year cycle depending upon how long a student might remain in their ensembles. Then good charts, music like you are referring to, music that is worthy of performance and that fills a real need, will continue to be performed. But music teachers, in their desire to keep kids motivated and to keep it "fun" for them, are looking for the latest and greatest. Their "been there, done that" mentality does nothing to stimulate the gray matter between their ears...never to seek to understand the composer, the music and how to teach it to their students and realize "more music." Instead, they let others tell them what to do and what is good. I am going to share with you a you tube link. It kind of sums it all up. Hope you enjoy it. It is a poem by Taylor Mali. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEBZkWkkdZA Charlie I agree Les. It boils down to teachers developing a “core” repertoire list that they can use to teach kids music, teach them to play an instrument, to play in an ensemble, to play a style, meter, key, form….the list goes on and on. Just like English class has the classics that teachers have students read year in and year out, bands, jazz bands, orchestras, and choirs should develop a set of develomentally appropriate music to use with their ensembles. This can be a 1, 2, 3, 4, or more year cycle depending upon how long a student might remain in their ensembles. Then good charts, music like you are referring to, music that is worthy of performance and that fills a real need, will continue to be performed.

But music teachers, in their desire to keep kids motivated and to keep it “fun” for them, are looking for the latest and greatest. Their “been there, done that” mentality does nothing to stimulate the gray matter between their ears…never to seek to understand the composer, the music and how to teach it to their students and realize “more music.” Instead, they let others tell them what to do and what is good.

I am going to share with you a you tube link. It kind of sums it all up. Hope you enjoy it. It is a poem by Taylor Mali.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEBZkWkkdZA

Charlie

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