1. The First Step Connecting marching techniques with musical concepts for the first rehearsal and beyond Julian Sconyers Graduate Conducting Associate, University of South Carolina Senior Brass Instructor, Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps

2. What is the Big Deal? The visual program is a vital part of the activity o Important in audience understanding and interaction o Increased importance of the visual caption in adjudication o Rapid evolution and increased innovation It is your first rehearsal o First Impressions matter! o Set expectations high. o It is always someone’s first experience with marching band. o Establishing a good foundation early is critical to success later.

3. Developing a Technique It doesn’t matter what technique you use, as long as it is done well. Essential Questions o What is important to you? o What works for the band? o Is it conducive for healthy movement and musical demands? o Are you consistent in your approach? o Is it the simplest solution to achieve you needs? o What non-marching visual elements do you want or need? (Body Work, Dance, Horn Moves, etc…)

4. Sequencing the Marching Curriculum Order of Presentation o Spiral Curriculum o Blooms Taxonomy

5. Sequencing the Marching Curriculum Method of Presentation Sight → Description → Experience → Execution o Sight: How does it look? Visual Demonstration o Description: How it will work? Aural Instruction o Experience: How does it feel? Kinesthetic Exercises o Execution: How do I do it? Incorporating the technique

6. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 1: Bodily Identification Tier 2: Posture and Position Tier 3: Stationary Commands Tier 4: Timing in Movement Tier 5: Basic Motion Tier 6: Basic Marching Tier 7: Separation of Upper & Lower Body Tier 8: Moving in a Slide Tier 9: Direction Changes Tier 10: Extreme Tempos Tier 11: Expanded Visual Vocabulary

7. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 1: Bodily Identification o Stretches o Moving Evenly Through Space and Time o Independence of Motion

8. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 2: Posture and Position o Basic Posture/The Checklist o Basic Ballet Positions and Termonology o Horn Carriage (This can be incorporated later)

9. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 3: Stationary Commands o Attention to Parade Rest and Parade Rest to Attention o Horns Up o Horns Down

10. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 4: Timing in Movement o Mark Time (This can be incorporated later) o Moving in time and in step o Crossing Counts

11. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 5: Basic Motion o Initiation of Motion o Distribution of weight (50/50 Exercise )

12. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 6: Basic Marching o Forward March o Backward March o Halts

13. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 7: Separation of Upper and Lower Body o 30-60-90/Sprinkler exercise not in posture o 30-60-90/Sprinkler in posture (both with and without horns) o Understanding the separate roles of feet, legs, hips, back, and shoulders/arms.

14. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 8: Moving in a Slide o Moving in a diagonal/oblique o First step in a left slide o Moving in a right slide o First step in a right slide o Moving in a right slide o Moving at a right angle

15. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 9: Direction Changes o Forward to backward o Backward to forward o Into and out of a slide

16. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 10: Extreme Tempi (Can be incorporated after Tier 4 or Tier 6) o Moving at slow tempi o Half time and quarter time o Moving at fast tempi

17. Scaffolding the Marching Curriculum Tier 11: Expanded Visual Vocabulary o Body movement beyond basic ballet positions o Extreme horn angles o High march and high mark time o Jazz running o Toe first slow march

18. Student Rules Basic Rules (Individual) 1.Know how it feels to look good. o Be aware of each body part, and how each part individually moves. 2.Time First! o Technique can not sacrifice time. o Move evenly through space and time. 3.Tension is the enemy.

19. Student Rules Advanced Rules (Ensemble) 4.Keep your eyes constantly moving. o Space o Form o Field o Time 5.Complete one visual phrase before moving onto the next. 6.Know your halfway points.

20. Instructor Rules 1.Know how it should look, and simply work to make that happen. 2.Be detailed and very specific. Don’t clean, but make sure everyone understands. 3.Know where your students are physically and mentally throughout the rehearsal.

21. A Sample First Week Curriculum Day 1 o Stretch o Posture o Mark time o Moving in time o Forward and backward march o Halts

22. A Sample First Week Curriculum Day 2 o Stretch o Review o Oblique Motion o Separation of upper and lower body o Slides

23. A Sample First Week Curriculum Day 3 o Stretch o Review day 1 o Review day 2 o Direction changes not into slides o Direction changes into slides

24. A Sample First Week Curriculum Day 4 o Stretch o Review day 1 o Review day 2 o Review day 3 o Extreme Tempi o Half and quarter time

25. A Sample First Week Curriculum Day 5 o Stretch o Review everything o Apply techniques into an exercise o Possibly introduce any needed advanced techniques

26. The Visual Warm-up o Reinforcing the visual fundamentals program is critical to its implementation and execution in performance and rehearsal. o This warm-up can be done separately or in conjunction with the musical warm-up o The visual warm-up can be done in five to ten minutes in an average rehearsal. o Remember that your warm-up location my not be of adequate space to do everything. Have a backup plan!

27. The Visual Warm-up Everyday o Stretch o Posture breakdown/the checklist o Possible basic ballet sequence o 50/50 exercise forward o The first step forward o Crossing counts forward o Forward march o 50/50 exercise backward o The first step backward o Crossing counts backward o Backward march

28. The Visual Warm-up As Needed Stationary sprinkler o 30/60/90 Both Directions Moving sprinkler o 30/60/90 both directions o Slides both directions o Forward and backward slides The factory/across the floors o Incorporates all elements of forward and backward motion Spacing Exercises o Do something that incorporates spacing o A/B meshing exercises work great

29. Connecting the musical and visual elements “If it doesn't happen on the move, it doesn’t count.” Warm-ups and Exercises o Incorporate breathing, long tones, articulation, and timing exercises Rehearsal Techniques o Incorporate exercises that include visual and musical elements from the show Vocabulary o Incorporate vocabulary that has mutual concepts of time, phrase, and expression.

30. Making Connections Through Exercises The primary goal is to get students playing while moving. Remember the spiral curriculum, and start with the lowest level, and build up. Goals o Understanding of the sensation of moving and playing and the physical hurdles. o Understanding the connection of moving in time to playing in time

31. Making Connections Through Exercises Example Exercises o Breathing counts on the move o Long tones on the move (slow and low) o Associating the breath with the prep o Associating the musical entrance with the initiation of motion o Associating the release of sound to a halt o Balance exercises with long tones o Acting exercises with long tones

32. Making Connections Through Rehearsal Techniques Remove simultaneous demands, and slowly reincorporate them. Start with musical ideas and add visual elements, and start with the visual element and add musical demands.

33. Making Connections Through Rehearsal Techniques Example Techniques o Tracking o Step outs o Circle drill o Using long tones in drill o Playing rhythm only in drill

34. Making Connections Through Vocabulary Use vocabulary that incorporates musical terms in place of visual or physical terms. Make connections between similar musical and visual concepts.

35. Making Connections Through Vocabulary Example Connections o Breathing and Basic principals of movement o Phrasing (Visual and Musical Phrases) o Subdivision (Crossing Counts) o Style (Style of body movement) Expanding a performer’s comfort zone and expressive vocabulary in visual rehearsal can result in increased musical expression.

36. Questions Contact Email: jaysconyers@gmail.com Website: jaysconyers.com