Ted Scalzo is a veteran teacher of 33 years, having recently completed his 26th year as the band director at Bay Shore High School in Long Island, New York. Ted directs the wind ensemble and jazz band, uses Finale to arrange for the marching band, and teaches music composition/theory, as well as a multimedia course.

Ted is also an enthusiastic support of technology, having recently been appointed to the NYSSMA Music Technology Committee for a second time and is an Apple Distinguished Educator.

The April 2010 issue of School Band and Orchestra included an in-depth article on Ted which highlighted some of the many distinctions his school as received as well as some of the innovative ways Ted has incorporated technology into his program. I spoke to Ted last week specifically about his use of SmartMusic.

Bob Grifa: When did you learn about SmartMusic and why did you choose to have it as part of your curriculum?

Ted Scalzo: I have been following Smart Music from the days of Vivace. Ever since the software-based version became available I have been using it exclusively in my private teaching. I have been using it with my wind ensemble for two years and have also been using it to train the incoming members during our summer music program.

BG: What benefits have you seen (and heard) as a result of using SmartMusic in your program?

TS: There have been several benefits to using Smart Music:

1. Students are practicing – even with the blazingly busy schedule they all have.
2. They are listening to music that they may not have listened to the past.
3. They are engaged and see the purpose in their practicing.
4. Music that I would normally do in the spring is now being done in the fall and the students are sounding amazing. Students are willing to tackle music that is a challenge and will require their time and attention.
5. Technical development is more fun – it’s almost like a game.

BG: How do you introduce SmartMusic to your students?

TS: My first introduction is to give each member a disc and set-up sheet. They are all required to install and sign up for the class giving two e-mails; one for themselves and one for their parents. Some of the students receive their training in Smart Music during a five-week summer music program. Others are trained in the fall where I require the students to work with the Smart Music Marching Band Assignments.

BG: How do you use SmartMusic in your program?

TS: Every student has a SmartMusic subscription at home and we have four stations set up in and around the band room for students to complete assignments in school.

I use it daily in the music lessons with the computer we have in the front of the rehearsal room. I also use it daily during rehearsals.

BG: How do you feel about SmartMusic as a high school teacher?

TS: My experience has been extremely positive. I can say I will not teach without it – SmartMusic has changed the game for me and my students.

BG: What type of reaction have the parents given to you in regards to using SmartMusic?

TS: All positive except for one, and in that case the student wouldn't hand in assignments unless he received a 100. This simply afforded another opportunity to teach a life lesson!

BG: What would you say to a teacher thinking about using SmartMusic in their program?

TS: Just do it! Call me if you have questions or need help.

I’d like to thank Ted for his enthusiasm and support as well as taking the time to share his thoughts with us!

As I mentioned in last’s week blog, we’re starting to look beyond SmartMusic 2010: SmartMusic 2011 is coming soon. As you will soon see, it offers some exciting changes and makes both SmartMusic and the gradebook feature easier to use.

Although SmartMusic 2011 is currently still in development, I thought you might enjoy a preview of some of the new features.

Here’s the new Performance screen:

As you can see, all the same controls still exist, but with a different look and feel – and with some additions to make SmartMusic even easier to use.

Take a look at the “Start Take” button on the left. When you and your students press this button, SmartMusic automatically begins playing the music and recording your performance.

When you’re done playing, and have clicked the “Stop Take” button (or your spacebar or footpedal) you can choose to listen to what you just played, keep it for future use, or save it as an .MP3. If you’ve ever said, “I wish I had recorded that,” you’ll enjoy this feature as much as I will. No one will ever have to choose between “Play” and “Record” again.

Other practice tools are more easily accessed than before because they appear, in one form or another, on every screen:

SmartMusic 2011 also makes it easier than ever to send customized assignments, track each student’s progress, and build a portfolio of their work. Among the related improvements is the addition of “My Home,” a personalized screen for you and your students. Here is what the student screen looks like:

Want to see a little more of SmartMusic 2011? Check out the new overview video just added to the coming soon page.

There are also three new videos here that feature teachers talking about SmartMusic and how they use it. These videos are brief (the longest is under four minutes) yet they do a great job of communicating the SmartMusic message. Please feel free to share them with others.

I hope you enjoyed this sneak preview of SmartMusic 2011. Please let us know what you think by clicking on the “Comments” button below.

Really? Is this the end of the SmartMusic blog?

Well, yes and no. While I’m delighted and flattered that you’re reading this post, the fact of the matter is that most teachers are now done with their school year, and their thoughts are likely elsewhere. There’s not much more for us to say about using SmartMusic 2010 in the 2009/2010 school year. With today’s post I hope to suggest some closure on the past year and to begin looking forward.

I hope you get a chance to celebrate all of your accomplishments of the past year as well reflect on those areas where you hope to improve in the upcoming year. As for myself, I’m pleased with many of my accomplishments, including being a part of the SmartMusic blog, which we launched just ten months ago.

If you’d like to catch up on any SmartMusic blog posts you missed, click here to see all past titles: I think it’s a pretty impressive list! Hopefully you can enjoy them while relaxing by a pool.

While we’ve not announced an official release date, you can expect to see SmartMusic 2011 in the coming weeks. Our “Coming Soon” page will continue to provide updates as they are announced, and we’ll share details here too.

I would like to make one recommendation in advance: If possible, install SmartMusic 2011 as soon as it becomes available, even if only on one computer. While I think you’ll be delighted with the changes, you, like me, may prefer to become acquainted with what’s new before you’re in the back-to-school rush.

So, to be clear, I will return next week on the new SmartMusic blog, which, will look exactly like the old SmartMusic blog, but we’ll be focused on next fall and SmartMusic 2011. So stay "tuned" and have a great summer!

Ray Benton leading a SmartMusic Workshop

In a previous blog, I talked about the benefits of attending a SmartMusic Summer Session. Today we’ll meet Ray Benton, one of the SmartMusic clinicians conducting summer session workshops, and learn what he covers in the workshops he conducts in Missouri.

Ray has twenty-nine years’ experience as a band director at the middle and high school levels. He currently serves as music technology and education consultant for Nottelmann Music Company, is the technology chair on the Missouri Music Educators’ Advisory Board, and has been a SmartMusic clinician since 2004.

Bob Grifa: How do you set up a typical training day?

Ray Benton: In our one-day, hands-on sessions, we present the material with this format:

1. Exploring SmartMusic content and function. In this hands-on segment we demonstrate and guide participants through the functions of SmartMusic, the different types of SmartMusic content, and the ways to add to content using .MP3 files and accompaniments made with Finale.
2. How to apply SmartMusic into your everyday teaching. These are “break-out sessions” where we divide the participants based on their subject area in music and present specific applications of SmartMusic and the gradebook feature. We also explore ideas using SmartMusic in the classroom by using a projector, SMART Board, etc.
3. Implementing SmartMusic into your program, school, or district. Ideas, suggestions, and concepts are presented on how to successfully get up and running with SmartMusic.

BG: How knowledgeable of SmartMusic are the teachers who sign up for your workshops?

RB: It varies greatly. I like to tell people that my job as a SmartMusic clinician typically involves some “myth-busting.” In the state of Missouri, many of our teachers have seen at least one demonstration of SmartMusic at some time. However, since SmartMusic has evolved so much in recent years, many teachers THINK they know all about SmartMusic and are surprised to learn what it does today.

Other teachers might know something of the relationship of SmartMusic and Finale and have surmised that you need to know Finale to be successful with SmartMusic, which is not the case. I’ve even spoken to some teachers who mistakenly assumed they had to have Finale loaded on their computer to run SmartMusic.

Just as our participants start with varying levels of knowledge about SmartMusic, they also demonstrate a wide spectrum of familiarity and comfort level with technology in general, from those who regard themselves as non-technical to those are clearly very tech-savvy – and everyone in between.

A good example of a “non-tech” participant was Sister Gail Buckman, band director at St. Gabriel the Archangel School in St. Louis. She admittedly wasn’t tech-savvy coming into this, but is now extremely successful with her implementation of SmartMusic. In fact, she was the First Prize Winner in last year’s SmartMusic Share Your Story contest.

On the other end of the spectrum, Ron Sikes, band director, Jefferson R-7 Schools, and Don Long, band director in the Fort Osage School District, were very tech-savvy when they participated and both are now SmartMusic Clinicians as well.

BG: What comments do you get from teachers after the training? Do they feel it was worthwhile?

RB: The feedback we receive is very positive. Teachers leave our training excited about SmartMusic. Plus we hear that the materials they take with them reinforce their experience and ensure they retain that confidence and understanding when they return to the classroom.

BG: What benefits do you feel they get from the training?

RB: During our sessions, they get a good feel for content and function; what SmartMusic contains and what it does. We like to demonstrate first and then guide the participants to explore hands-on what they just viewed. We work very hard to make sure that everyone has all the tools, concepts, contact information, and handouts to continue with their learning when they leave and are very prepared for application and implementation.

Teachers leave ready to use SmartMusic with groups of students in the classroom, ready to send assignments to their students, and with a game plan on how to get SmartMusic up and running in their program, school, and in many cases, their school district.

Thanks, Ray, for all the great information. It sounds great, doesn’t it? Click here to see the list of upcoming SmartMusic Summer Sessions.

This week I’d like to share a story from my teaching experience. As a middle school band director, one of my responsibilities was to start beginners on their instruments, and like you, I wanted them my students to succeed.

It was a few weeks into a beginning class. I was getting to know the students' personalities, work habits, and performance skills. Some students could stand up and play in front of everybody at a moment's notice, while others would rather not. Carl (not his real name) was a nice student, if a little shy, and was doing okay on his trumpet — but not stellar. It was taking him a little bit longer to pick up playing skills. I am not one to jump to conclusions, but based on previous experience with similar students, I was concerned whether Carl was going to “make it.” Of course I wanted him to succeed and was willing to do anything I could to help.

I was using SmartMusic as a regular part of my class and was giving my students assignments that needed to be completed with SmartMusic. Carl always completed his assignments and submitted them to me on time. At first, I would get assignments from Carl with many red notes and recordings that would reveal that his skills still needed a lot of work. In class, I was able to give specific helpful information to Carl because of his submitted work.

As time went on, I noticed his assignments had a lot more green notes and that he was sounding much better. In relative terms, he wasn't at the same level of performance as the majority of students in the class but he was surely making progress. I also noted that he really enjoyed working with SmartMusic; even though he had SmartMusic at home, he would frequently come in and use one of the SmartMusic computers in a practice room as well.

Now let's fast-forward to the end of the school year: Carl had become a confident player and sat fairly high in his trumpet section. When we had our Solo Friday activity, he was always volunteering to play a solo in front of the entire class. In one year he had caught up to his peers.

How was this possible? I believe there were two main contributors: Carl’s desire to learn, and his ability to practice in a meaningful way through the use of SmartMusic. The green and red note assessment gave him some necessary feedback, the recordings gave him more feedback, and the progress he saw in these two areas helped his confidence to grow in time. Would he have gotten there without SmartMusic? Perhaps. But he also could have become so frustrated that he simply stopped playing. I feel that in Carl’s case SmartMusic was a very real “equalizer,” and as such I found it to be a great enhancement to my teaching.

To be honest, at first I was concerned that students might become too dependent on practicing with SmartMusic. However, as my students got instant feedback and reinforcement from my SmartMusic assignments, they understood what they were doing correctly and incorrectly. In time, what I saw as a result was that my students were much more confident in their playing.

Thanks for letting me reminisce about one of those great, rewarding teaching experiences. Seeing any student improve is a great feeling. Seeing students exceed your expectations is even better.

Do you have any similar SmartMusic stories? Please share them with us by clicking on “Comments” below.

If you are reading this blog, you're probably still in school. The last days of school before a vacation can be full of schedule surprises, including field trips, special events, parties, testing schedules, and more. This, combined with shorter than usual attention spans, makes planning for a class very challenging.

Fortunately, SmartMusic makes it easy to plan educational activities that your students will enjoy. We’ve covered several specific examples in past blog posts; this week I’ll share links to some of these activities that might be helpful this time of year.

The Rhythm Challenge is a great way to have the entire class participate in a rhythm review. Two students come to the front of the class and clap to a SmartMusic rhythm exercise. Whoever gets the highest mark gets a point for their team.

The SmartMusic Face-off lets students play their instruments in a game-like format, accumulating points by performing selected musical examples. It’s a great way to perform, review, and have some fun.

While not a game like the suggestions above, using SmartMusic Recordings in a class setting can be a great activity, and the resulting MP3 files can be burned to disk or emailed to parents. It’s a wonderful way to show what the students have learned during the year.

Another fun activity might be to have your class try their hand at improvising; SmartMusic offers many resources, including Jazz scale exercises (including the ever useful Blues scale), Play-By-Ear Jazz Licks, Jazz Improvisation repertoire, and Concert Jazz repertoire. Two past blogs cover using SmartMusic with jazz ensemble; here’s part one and part two.

Here’s one more I just thought of. You could use the Play-By-Ear exercises to create a game similar to the first two activities. I might use just 4-8 measures of each exercise and award extra points for students who choose a more challenging scale or a faster tempo. What a fun way to work on ear training!

We’d love to hear how these are working for you, or about your own variations. Please share your experiences in the “Comments” section below.

In closing, I hope you had a great school year and that you met a majority of the goals that you set. That definitely is a very rewarding feeling.

Even though summer break (and the promise of time off) is just around the corner, many educators are planning to attend classes, conferences, and workshops in the upcoming months. Whether you’re motivated by required professional development, degree advancement, or simply a desire to improve your knowledge and skills in the classroom, consider SmartMusic Summer Workshops in your planning.

Several workshops are listed on our Conventions and Clinics page. These full-day sessions are designed for teachers of concert band, jazz ensemble, orchestra, and choir. Expert instructors will provide hands-on instruction with SmartMusic 2011 and the gradebook feature.

Whether you’re brand new to SmartMusic, or simply interested in brushing up, these workshops can help you improve your working knowledge of SmartMusic and develop greater confidence in using it with your students. They also provide an excellent opportunity to meet with other teachers and learn how they’re using SmartMusic in their programs.

Check out the list to see if there’s a workshop that fits into your schedule; if not, please check back as we'll add more. While not technically “time-off,” they're a great way to recharge by generating new ideas for the upcoming school year.

SmartMusic Product Specialist James Lund

Each fall our Customer Support department hears from some educators for whom SmartMusic stopped working over the summer. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, I’ve asked fellow SmartMusic blogger James Lund to share some pre-summer tips.

BG: What steps can a teacher take at the close of the school year to make sure the next year begins smoothly with SmartMusic?

JL: We recommend moving your SmartMusic subscription off of your computers before leaving. School technology departments are often busy over the summer, reimaging computers so they’re ready to go in the fall. If you have an active subscription on a computer when this happens, you won’t immediately have access to SmartMusic in the fall. Customer Support can fix this for you, but planning now can save you a call to them in the fall.

The solution is to move the subscription off your computers before leaving for the summer, or asking your tech staff to do so. Click here to learn how it’s done.

We also have an exciting new version of SmartMusic coming soon (click here for a sneak peek), and I suggest getting the new version to your technology department promptly so they can get it installed on your computers before you return. Many school districts need time to install and test updates to software before they allow it to be installed, so make sure to pass it on when you get it.

What happens if something unexpected takes place that the teacher had no control over? For instance, what if the IT department decides to reformat all the computers in the school?  Is it curtains for SmartMusic?

If something like this happens to you, try re-activating first – we’ve tried to make our servers help you get up and running automatically. If that doesn’t work, contact Customer Support and you can be back in business quickly.

Are there any other suggestions that you have to help teachers get a great start to the school year using SmartMusic?

Once Smart Music 2011 is available, I suggest viewing the accompanying videos we’ll provide. The videos will clarify what all is new and I think you’ll be delighted.

I also suggest working with SmartMusic over the summer. It’s the perfect time to reconnect with your instrument or learn a new instrument. I can’t stress enough how useful it was for me as a teacher to force myself to go through SmartMusic as a beginner would; it gave me a great perspective on my students!

Also, there’s plenty of fun repertoire out there, with more on the way (Lord of the Rings, anyone?), and I can’t think of too many better ways to jumpstart the school year than with some cool music!

James, thanks for your time and valuable information! Say, aren't you the same guy who posts SmartMusic blogs under the name James H. Anderson?

I am. I’ve been “Lund-Anderson” for almost 20 years, and it recently became time to officially drop the second half. We hope to update the rest of the blog from "Anderson" to "Lund" soon. It’s a little sad, of course, because “Anderson” is such a rare name in Minnesota!

I hope you found this information useful. Do you need any clarification of the points mentioned? Let us know by clicking on the “Comments” button below.

Each year I attend several state and local conferences where I speak to many music educators. Just a few years ago, the most common question I heard about SmartMusic was: “What is it?” Today, it’s much more likely that I’ll be approached by someone already using SmartMusic with questions about how to use it better or how to most effectively present it to parents and teachers.

I also hear many teachers sharing positive experiences about using SmartMusic in their curriculum. If this sounds like you, now would be a great time for you to put your story down on paper, because it could be worth a lot of money!

Just as they did last year, MakeMusic is sponsoring a “Share Your SmartMusic Story” contest. The top prize is $2,000 cash and a $500 JW Pepper gift certificate.

To enter, write a short essay on what affect SmartMusic and the Gradebook have had on your students and your teaching. Click here for full details and to enter the contest.

I had the pleasure to speak with all three of last year’s winners. Check out these interviews when you can – they will inspire you to get started on your entry:

First Place - Sister Gail Buckman
Second Place - Bob Cieslinski
Third Place - Martha Boonshaft

I know this is a busy time, but taking a few minutes now could mean a lot for your program in the 2010-2011 school year. Entry deadline is May 31, 2010, so start sharpening those pencils, and good luck!

In last week’s blog I discussed how SmartMusic can help with concerts, reviews, mastery tests, and other year-end challenges. If you’re like me, in addition to completing these tasks, you’re also thinking ahead about next year too! (Why do we do this to ourselves?)

Here’s a few ways SmartMusic can help you look ahead:

1. For those students who have SmartMusic at home, consider providing them with a list of activities that can help guide their practice over the summer.
2. Are your marching band arrangements in Finale? Remember that Finale files can be made into SmartMusic files that your students can practice with and have full SmartMusic functionality. (Did you know several DCI corps use SmartMusic in their preparation?)
3. With SmartMusic and the Gradebook, you can get a headstart on choosing literature for the upcoming school year by listening to selections and even looking at individual parts for the technical demands.

If you really plan ahead, you might even be thinking about how to present SmartMusic to parents. If so, I want to alert you to some new helpful documents that were just posted on the SmartMusic website. One is a sample script for presenting SmartMusic to parents and the other is a FAQ document to share with parents. They are in PDF format so they are easily downloaded and printed.

To see them go to http://smartmusic.com and select “for Educators”>Resource Center, then click on the “Presenting SmartMusic to Parents and Administrators” link. These two documents will appear at the top of your screen:

Do you have some additional ways that you use SmartMusic as the school year finishes? Let us know by clicking on the “Comments” button below!