By Mark T. Burke “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip…” If you’re 40+ years old, this line from one of the most famous theme songs will certainly bring back childhood memories of the scatter-brained first mate, the unlucky tourists and their vacation voyage. Theme songs played […]
Archive | August, 2010
Be "The Engine That Moves Us Forward."
By Mark T. Burke This morning I heard an IBM advertisement, “The Engine That Moves Us Forward”. I was struck by the simplicity of the message and energized by the hope and inspiration conveyed. Three strong words, ENGINE, MOVE and FORWARD jumped out of my radio as I listened to the NPR host read the […]
Being "Second" Chair: Learning to FOLLOW is a needed skill
By Mark T. Burke Every musician’s dream is to become the “first” player, be it “first chair” or playing the “first part.” Being “first” means we play the hardest music and more often than not, are the leaders within our section. Yes sir, being first is the only real musical dream to have. Now hold […]
The "Creative" Workforce…How music students are prepared. Are you?
By Mark T. Burke To be a creative person means I sleep until noon, often skip bathing for days on end, ride a banana seat bike everywhere I go and convey my ideas through hand motions, right? I believe that’s what many company leaders think of when they hear someone described as “creative.” By the […]
Pull Out Lessons – No longer the lone solution for instrumental music instruction
By Mark T. Burke The bell rings, 3rd period begins and Jenn meets the teacher at the front of the class as she enters the room. Jenn’s not going to the teacher to discuss last night’s assignment, she’s about to leave class and head to the band room. The teacher informs her the class will […]
MUSIC WITHIN ME 