The future looks bright

I'm been meaning to start a blog for a long time now but somehow never took the time to sit down and do it. So, I'll start with a post that has nothing really to do with technology but lots to do with education.

The world of music education in area that where I teach, central IL, is going through a real transition right now. A number of excellent, very experienced music educators are all retiring this year. These are folks with excellent programs, many nationally recognized, who have been teaching for 2o, 25, or even 30 years. I'm sad to see them go and have been worried about what this will mean for our local music programs.

However, today I had the pleasure of judging IHSA organizational contest at Taylorville HS. It was a long day - 8 hours and over 12 concert and jazz bands. Most of the directors were young, a few in their first couple years of teaching. And you know what? They all did very well. I was genuinely impressed by the preparation and maturity of all of the bands that played and the way they handled some tricky repertoire. Not everyone got a perfect score but it was clear that the students had all worked hard to prepare for the contest and that the directors had been able to develop their students musically in the process. There was some genuine artistry on display.

So, in the long run, I think everything will be fine. These veteran teachers will retire and the young teachers that take their place will grow as musicians and teachers and their students will benefit from their experience. I'm looking forward to seeing many of these programs grow over time. They're going to make some great music.