4/27/15 SBMS Wind Ensemble Clinic w/ John Benzer, 5-7 pm

While the director warmed up the ensemble, Mr. Benzer walked around the kids and
made minor adjustments.
o Adjustments included:
Chair movement
Horn angles
Quick advice to individuals about tone improvement.
Talked about breathing and note value goals during their warmup.
o Had the students touch capsules 1-3, then instructed them to make it their goal to
breath only once before each capsule.
Rand through the exercise at a quicker tempo to help the students achieve
the goal.
Asked if any students had issues.
1 trumpet player responded, to which Mr. Benzer gave him embouchure
advice.
He then went back to having the students play at a slower tempo.
He manipulated the rhythm for them to practice: staccato eighth notes
Told them what they were going to do
Modeled with his voice what he wanted it to sound like
Then played
He advised the director to do this exercise at the fastest tempo of
the piece they are working on.
Music: Summer Resounding
o Mr. Benzer listened while the students played chunks of the music.
o When he was ready to make changes, he asked the students to show him their
pencils
o He told flutes to add vibrato to their dotted quarter notes in the beginning.
o He modeled how specific parts should sound.
o Told the WW to back off when the trumpets and horns come in with the melody.
Told trumpets and horns to play. Woodwinds, listen to what you need to
yield to.
o Gave the students articulation changes
Modeled the articulation he wanted with his voice.
o Talked about how the breaths need to be quick in specific spots.
o Requested students to bring out their name tags
I liked this because it makes the rehearsal more personal.
o Gave the percussionists advice:
Judges do not like when percussionists share stands. They need to have
their own stands because theyre all different heights with different music.
o After he made all of the adjustments in the music, he had the students put it back
in context.

o When he wanted to work on a small chunk for a long period of time, he warned
the kids that they would be playing it multiple times.
o Isolated a chord and told the trumpets to embrace the clash, even though it
sounded wrong to them.
o Had the percussionists to write in important instruments voices in their parts so
that they would remember to play softer.
o Made a dynamic change in flutes because their note is a bad tuning note.
o Encouraged quick markings to save rehearsal time
o Anytime he made an articulation change/correction, he would model the correct
articulation for the students to replicate.
o Advised the percussionists to move their equipment to assist with balance within
the ensemble.
o Reiterated that nothing is short in this piece.
o Sometimes we dont write instrument parts in our music, we write performers
names.
o Instructed to not play past a rest. When the students didnt listen, he had them
touch the rest. If they still played after, he had those people raise their hands.
He was working on the release of a note that touches the sound of the
cymbal crash.
o Had the students touch where they were starting.
o When he isolated the flutes in one section, he advised them to be snappier with
the changes.
He used a student to model what he wanted, but he also used that
opportunity to correct the individual player.
o Trumpets had a G and an A clashing, and they wouldnt play because the students
thought it sounded wrong.
He had them hold out the note to get the students used to the sound.
He then had the Low Brass play with them to show the trumpets how their
notes fit in with the chord.
Then he had them play their parts as written.
o When 1st trumpets were coming in late after multiple measures of rest, he
instructed them to look at the director and not their music so that they wouldnt
come in late.
He advised this for Saxes, too.
o Isolated a section with saxes where he wanted vibrato on the long note.
They had trouble with a triplet run, so he had the students tongue it then
play it slurred (as written).
o Trumpets: Never put the instrument on top of the mute, because it would fall out.
You have to fog the bell, then twist the mute in.
o Trumpets were playing a wrong interval and when fixing it, Mr. Benzer used the
term 5th for the interval.
I liked this because it helps the students associate the name with the sound.
o He had many small rehearsal frames with almost every section of the ensemble.

o Had students tap the rhythm of their parts so that the students could hear how
everyones parts fit together.
o After tapping, he had the students air tongue and finger-then fingers only
The ensemble sounded considerably better after these 3 practice methods.
o If there are multiple people in a section playing the wrong interval, substitute
players who can.
o When he wanted to get a specific articulation from the clarinets, he sang, then the
clarinets answered.
He then had the students play individually, and gave each of them advice
on either their air, tongue, or both.
o 8th notes in Balmages pieces need to be long. Bands will get marked down for
playing the 8thnotes choppy.
o Sax solo Utilize vibrato on random 8th notes
This makes their sound more mature.
Have all saxes learn the solo so that you can select the best performer to
play it.
o Flutes
Also utilize vibrato on random 8th notes
Asked for a volunteer to model for the section
o Put T over notes that need to be tongued if students are consistently not doing
it.
o If there is a solo voice whose performer is note attending the contest because of
grades, the part needs to be rewritten for another instrument.
o No short notes in this piece!/
o He had everyone pick up their pencils
Were going to make a lot of marks, so if I dont call your section, keep
your pencil in your hand.
o Tenuto markings on 8th notes-He drew them on the board
Advised the director to practice the rhythm in their Remington warm-up
every day until their trip so that everybody has an opportunity to play the
rhythm.
Dont clip the slurred eighth notes.
o Slow section at 108
Cut clarinets to 1 per part.
This will resolve tempo and balance issues.
o He sang melody parts then asked for volunteers to demonstrate for the class.
After no one volunteered, he picked an entire section to play, then gave
them feedback on their performance.