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The Band Whisperer: John Greene
What do you get when you combine 37 years of teaching, thousands of rehearsals, a lifetime of listening, and a healthy appreciation for classic rock? You get John Greene—and one heck of a conversation.
This week on Beyond Artless, we sit down with retired music educator, clinician, adjudicator, arranger, guitarist, and all-around rehearsal junkie John Greene. John shares stories from a career that spans Wisconsin and Minnesota, from his unexpected transition from PE major to music education student (including a memorable two-and-a-half-hour Schoenberg violin recital) to his years working with middle school musicians, jazz ensembles, marching programs, and teachers across the country.
We talk about why high expectations and middle school musicians absolutely can coexist, the power of relationships and trust, why “be more expressive” might be one of the least helpful comments we can give a young musician, and how something as simple as a pencil and a “drill box” can transform a rehearsal.
John also shares what he has learned from a lifetime of mentors, why music teachers need to spend more time choosing music their students can actually be successful with, how to build meaningful relationships with administrators, and why music educators across disciplines need to stop looking at each other as competition and start recognizing that we all need each other.
And because this is Beyond Artless, we eventually abandon all of that wisdom for a rapid-fire trip through 1970s rock: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Terry Kath, Frampton Comes Alive, Fleetwood Mac, Shostakovich, Ives, and the proper use of a popsicle stick in an eight-track player.
It's a conversation full of great stories, practical rehearsal wisdom, and the kind of perspective that makes you want to get back into the band room and try something new on Monday.
Plus: Chris has rocks. You'll have to listen to understand.
Credits:
Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot Lunaire
1. Moondrunk
Curtis Institute of Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8OMOhmfP9I
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