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Ignite Response to Your Conducting

As you know (and can see here), there's wonderful music and happy musicians around the country - especially when their music teachers have figured out how to rehearse.


But music teachers shouldn't have to "figure it out." Rehearsals are where music teachers  make the greatest impact on their students. Learning how to rehearse should be central to their preparation.

But it is not.  Ask any music teacher. So:

We have a rare opportunity for you to make an immediate, direct - even dramatic - difference in the lives of music teachers and young musicians. let's: 

Fill a huge - and unacknowledged - gap in music teacher training

Please help me and Team Ignite create, publish, and begin distributing the book and video that fill an  immense, unaddressed gap in in music teacher training: they are not taught how to rehearse.

It's hard to believe, but after decades of research and speaking to hundreds of music teachers, I know it's true.  
Ignite Response to Your Conducting will fill that gap. Ignite Response is the comprehensive “How To” resource for instrumental music teachers who want to move beyond beating time and making corrections.

When published, it will be the first and only comprehensive text on rehearsing orchestras and bands, 


Reactions to the Ignite Response approach

I’ve created this GoFundMe appeal so more young musicians, during and after rehearsals, look like this:



I recall how this lad's entire body rejoiced in a rehearsal when the young musicians became so engaged and motivated that they played (almost) as soft as the sound of grass growing. 

The Ignite Response approach makes creating rapport with students, and building their self-confidence and self image the first order of business. 

Any music teacher who enthusiastically and consistently embraces this priority will receive letters like these.


       "You made me realize that Ashley is confident, smart, passionate, powerful, and talented.  You made me realize that Ashley can make a mistake and there's no shame. I always thought I could change the world, but I didn't really know it until you showed me that part of myself." 


       "I had never been a Concert Mistress before. Thank you for believing in me.  Because now I am learning to believe in myself and follow my dream to be a famous violinist and bring joy to people just like you brought joy to me."

And some comments from teachers who took Ignite Response workshops:

          "Now I go into a group of bored, squiggly, pre-teens with their feet in their laps, - anywhere but on the floor - and  I can turn those 20 or more kids into attentive, sitting on the edge of their seats, looking at me with all their muscles ready to play the music as it should be played and I'm a happy woman!!

This comes from having learned that part of my job is to help my students to become better human beings through the medium of music. I can see that's what rehearsing is really about."

          "Much of what I learned at both universities was excellent 'book knowledge,' but little understanding of how to inspire students and encourage them to make really excellent music."

More comments from students, parents, teachers, and administrators on the Ignite Response approach are here.
How building confidence and self-image teaches specific musical skills and behaviors is here .

Learning to Rehease: the current situation

Future music teachers learn conducting basics (beat patterns, use of left hand, seating arrangements, description, use, and transposition of instruments, etc.) in pre-professional class using one of the hundreds of excellent textbooks, videos, and DVDs on conducting. There are are articles on aspects of rehearsing in journals and on the internet.

However, in 30+ years of researching, conducting, and teaching teachers, I've not found one text that completely and comprehensively teaches band and orchestra directors the process and specifics of effective and inspiring rehearsing.

Ignite will be a companion book to these resources, helping interested music teaches how to apply those basics.

The good news: with a copy of Ignite Response in her hands, a music teacher can find step-by-step. easy-to-follow, tried-and-true instructions on how to engage students, get them to watch and follow the conductor, mark their music, sit or stand with great posture, and just about anything else s/he needs to know.  Sample chapters and Ignite Response Overview here .

The Ignite Response/Learner-Centered model

Ignite Response
not only teaches teachers how to achieve results that veteran teachers want to learn - even after decades in the classroom.

It also also brings the most powerful teaching and learning system to music classrooms: the Learner-Centered model, widely-acknowledged as the most effective teaching and learning pedagogy. It’s how I rehearse. 

What impact will Ignite Response have?

When you help, Ignite will be professionally edited, designed, published, marketed, and distributed. By fall I will follow up publication with online lessons - taped and live - and with workshops and conferences. The first draft will be done by the end of this month, February, and we project publication by May.

We can then reach almost 100,000 young musicians in three years. And that’s if only .0075% of the 52,000 American band and orchestra members are reached and use our Ignite Response approach (math is here )

We're a Third of the Way to our Goal

We’re almost a third of the way to reaching those 95,000 students! Our goal is $35k. We’re close to $5k in gifts, and have pledges for $5k more.   

We'll start with the editing and design when we get to $20k.  As a professional fundraiser for 15 years in a previous life, I know the rest will come (fundraising bio here ).

The Time is Now!

When you make a $5 donation, a gift of $1,000 - or anything in between - you’ll be creating a resource that current and future generations of music teachers and students can use to put more of their hearts and souls into their music-making.

Over time, Ignite Response to Your Conducting can bring about a sea change in the growth and experience of young musicians and their teachers.

We're talking about 100,000 young people - more than half the population of Salt Lake City - the IR/LCE approach can help on their way to becoming better musicians, students, parents, citizens, and models of awareness, responsibility, and willingness to reach for the next level up.

Won't you please help me and Team Igniting bring this about?

Thank you. Really, thank you so much.

David

PS  The "Ignite 45" or "Ignite 500 " at the top of each gift category tells how many students will be reached by teachers using the Ignite Response approach. Calculation here .

PPS  I trust GoFundMe 1000% - and so can you. They account for gifts and transfer funds into a designated account promptly, and resolve all technical issues right away.

PPPS   Kindly click here for important information about gratitude gift delivery.

Thank you!
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Donations 

  • Alison Gaines
    • $75 
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer

David Barg
Organizer
Kearney, NE

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