It Just Got Cooler in Australia!

I don't mean the temperature! Today's JamSkolan was filled with an exciting agenda! We started the day out with a Skype communication with Professor Bert Bongers who is setting up a new lab for research and design of interactived environments at the Faculty of Design, Architecture, and Building, University of Technology, Sydney. Professor Bongers showed us his current research using gestural wireless devices that pick up on body movements and thus control the Jam2Jam program without using a mouse and keyboard. A music therapists that was with us at the Symposium noted how this is a particularly impressive idea for those who are disabled and can only make little movements with the hands and arms.

Later in the day we tested out the latest Jam2Jam controllers. You can watch the video below which shows myself and other conference members testing out the controls!

After this we had a frank discussion about the user interface for Jam2Jam. It seems as though most of the teachers and even the Australian Sibelius representative all agreed on some issues which will be worked out. Part of the beta testing is understanding everyones views and making decisions that are balanced and work best for the program and its usage. It is really exciting to hear us teachers make comments and for the developers of the software to say that they are listening and going to make some changes based off of our feedback. This is a true collaboration which I think is reflective of business in the real world. Real life lessons here!

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New Schedule=Big Growth!

Growth With Scheduling! It's always nerve-racking when you fight for something, get what you wanted, and then wait to see if it is actually successful. Four years ago the Pentucket Regional Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Band sported around 40 members. Band and Chorus were happening during a "Skills Period" which is a time blocked off for students to make-up tests, quizzes, do homework, and get extra help. Basically, this would compete with Band and Chorus. Each day I had over 15 students leaving to go to other classes for Skills. To help solve this issue, I served on a scheduling committee at my middle school. Change occurred as a result of this committee and the leadership of the Principal, Dr. Debra Lay. This year we have split the 7th and 8th grade into two separate bands meeting Monday-Friday. Why did we do this? Firstly, so we would not have 30 percussionists in band at the same time which takes away from the experience for everyone. Secondly, so we can now focus

Arrived in Australia!

We arrived this morning in Brisbane at around 6:00am. At LAX, Dr. Alex Ruthmann and I met up with Dr. Matthew Thibeault from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. The flight from LAX to Brisbane was about 13 hours. Luckily no one was sitting in the seat next to me so it ended up being quite comfortable. This morning we walked around Brisbane and checked out some local shops. I purchased a mini didgeridoo. A few minutes later we actually passed by a real person playing a legit didgeridoo on the side of the road. We had a very relaxed yet intense lunch session at an amazing steak restaurant. We talked about private, charter, and public schools along with their music curriculums in the US, UK, Sweden, and Australia. I will talk more about the teachers and professors who were at the lunch later on. I can already tell that this symposium is going to be a terrific opportunity for all involved! Tomorrow we begin getting to work!

Band Room: A New Design

Just in case we ever get a new or renovated high school (I might be dreaming), I wanted to be prepared for helping input the best design possible for a new band and chorus room. I ended up attending a clinic by the Wenger group. Wenger is the company that made the acoustic shells on our high school auditorium stage along with the two "soundproof" practice rooms that were installed back in the 1960's. The company is now the standard company used in the United States for music room design. I learned many things at this clinic. Firstly, I learned that most bands and choruses have their own rehearsal rooms, practice rooms, and offices. We spent a long time focusing on where sound goes after it leaves the instrument. Our music room has a ceiling that needs to be at least four feet higher. Additionally all the equipment in the room cuts down on reverberation. It is suggested that any closets or storage areas in a band room have open grilled doors so that air and sound c

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