We overestimate what students can accomplish in the fist year of playing a Band instrument, but we underestimate what students are able to accomplish in five years, including both the elementary General Music experience and the first year Band experience. I plan to discuss my first year Band method called It's Time to Play - a method that connects to the General Music Classroom and maximizes student engagement and achievement!
Michael Francis Smith
- Biographical Information
Michael Francis Smith is an experienced instrumental and general music educator. For 23 years, he was a K-12 Music Department Chair in two Massachusetts School districts. He currently teaches instrumental, vocal and general music at the Intermediate School in Bourne, Massachusetts. It’s Time to Play is his new beginning band curriculum and has been a work in progress for many years; it was written to maximize the music growth of students at Bourne Intermediate School.
In addition to his passion for music education, Dr. Smith is a composer and songwriter; his instrumental and choral music is published with Imagine Music Publishing and MY SCORE. His music is uplifting, exciting and accessible with melodies and countermelodies shared by all instruments and voices. Tony Hyde writes that Smith's music "has the quality of sounding more elaborate and difficult than it really is." He is a founder and conductor of the Abington Community Band, which has had over 25 years of summer and holiday concerts. For twelve years he was the Minister of Music and Worship at Christ Chapel; and his original hymns, songs and choral music are broad in scope and rich in theology. He is also passionate about gardening, both creating and enjoying beautiful spaces.??
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