STUDY GUIDES
Thank you for attending GITS Fest! You can download your free study guides that correspond to all of the GITS Fest sessions. Should you have any additional questions, please contact our Education Department at education@grammymuseum.org
MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2022
Gateways Brass Collective Concert Band Clinic at Stivers School for the Arts
Audience Development for Concert Music
The positive interdependence between the musician and audience is central to the health and wellbeing of music. With ever-increasing competition for the audience’s attention, today’s musicians must expand their role from just playing their instrument to becoming highly engaged in strategies for exposing music to new audiences and creating positive experiences.
Afternoon with Jeff Pilson from Foreigner
Discovering the Right Music Career
When we think of having a career in music, we often think in terms of becoming a performer as this is the most recognizable activity in music. For some, a career in performance is a perfect fit. However, there are a wide range of careers in music beyond performance that include technology, business, education, and administration only to name a few. The journey to discover our own strengths and skill sets that intersect with opportunities in the music profession can be rewarding and enlightening!
Jeffery Redding Choral Clinic at Alexandria City High School
Preparing the Choral Singer to Sing
Experienced choral directors prepare their ensembles for rehearsal and performances with a range of warm-up techniques designed to get the voice and body ready for singing. The daily routine of these warm-up exercises, however, might cause students to “go through the motions” and lose sight of the important purpose behind this activity. Re-focusing the students’ attention on the “why” of the routines can foster greater involvement and effectiveness of the warm-ups.
Artistry and Musicianship in Audio Engineering with Manny Marroquin
Ear Training for Audio Engineers
Ear training is a fundamental component of any musician’s training through the identification of intervals, melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. Fluency in music is directly related to how well we hear and perceive these musical elements. The audio engineer and producer not only utilize these traditional elements, but also develop aural skills to identify specific frequencies, volume levels, and spatial relationships bringing an extra level of awareness and detail to music creation.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022
MUNA: Life Performing On The Road
The Touring Musician
One of the most joyful benefits of participating in music is the opportunity to travel, meet new friends, and experience new cultures through performance. Touring is not only a personally enriching experience, but for many professional musicians, touring and live performance is their primary source of income. A successful tour has a clear purpose, a solid plan, and relies on the positive cooperation of many individuals.
Chip Staley Concert Band Clinic at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School
Becoming a Music Advocate
As musicians, we are keenly aware of the wide-ranging benefits music can have on communities, education, and the economy. These benefits, however, are not always understood by others in decision making positions when determining budgets, curriculum, and policy that might negatively impact music. It becomes incumbent for musicians and music lovers to become knowledgeable about the issues to make persuasive arguments to promote the health and accessibility of music for all.
Afternoon with Emerging Artist KID SISTR
Breaking Into the Music Profession
There is no single pathway to breaking into the music profession. The journey for the professional classical musician, jazz musician, popular musician, or music educator are all different and require different approaches. One universal component, however, to any successful career in music is the utilization of a powerful professional network to create opportunities.
Afternoon with SWITCHFOOT
Building a Portfolio Career
A career in music is rarely just one thing. More often, it’s a combination of activities that create multiple income streams. Some of these activities include performance, recording, composition, arranging, teaching, consulting, and work in technology only to name a few. If managed well, portfolio careers can help maintain ongoing income streams through times of economic change.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2022
Artist Session with Cimafunk
No Lesson Plan
Jazz Clinic and Performance at Niles North High School
Training the Multi-Instrumentalist
Traditional music education often prioritizes specialization towards becoming highly proficient on a single instrument. Some music students, however, identify less with playing a single instrument, but take a broader approach to music making through playing multiple instruments along with singing, composition, recording and production. These highly motivated students can provide tremendous opportunities and challenges for the music educator!
GRAMMY Camp Faculty Panel
Collaboration in the Music Profession
Working successfully with different types of people in the music profession is not only an essential skill, it can greatly amplify the enjoyment of your work and make you more productive. The music profession thrives when people of all different backgrounds and experiences come together to create the best possible outcome. Music education is an ideal environment to develop collaboration skills that can be applied to music and any other career pursuit.
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022
Techniques for Choral and Instrumental Ensembles with GRAMMY Museum Music Educator Winners
Innovative Approaches to Music Teaching & Learning
Today’s music educator approaches teaching and learning in exciting, innovative, and new ways inspiring their students to become more involved in music. It is exciting times! Many of these innovative music educators have shifted their position away from exclusively a “master to student” approach to more of a partnership with their students on their musical exploration.
GRAMMY In The Schools Alumni Band Session
Next Steps for Young Musicians
Participating in music can be a deeply enriching lifelong activity for everyone. This can be as a fan, supporter, hobbyist, amateur performer, or as a professional. And, of course, music educators are the cornerstone for promoting and instilling a lifelong love of music in their students!