Nicholas Hardy (standing, left) takes part in an informal jam session with LaSalle High School band students before practice Tuesday, February 16, during his visit to the school to provide special instruction in preparation for the band festival competition. Students pictured are (from left) Jeffry Misner, Carrie Lane, Morgan Postma, and Zach Lane. LaSalle Band Director Jason Byma, seated at the piano, chimes in with an accompaniment. LaSalle High School band students got a few fresh pairs of ears, new ideas, and additional instruction from visiting clinicians, who visited the school recently to provide a fresh perspective that Band Director Jason Byma and students said they appreciate.

In preparation for the annual district band festival competition in Cedarville Friday, February 26, and Saturday, February 27, St. Ignace band students are being visited by three clinicians: Justin Rito, a composition graduate student at Central Michigan University; Nicholas Hardy, a band director at Fitzgerald Public Schools in Warren, and Jim Yarrick, a retired band director from Chippewa Hills High School.

During Mr. Hardy's visit Tuesday, February 16, he taught band students at all levels skills ranging from body position to identifying pitches by ear alone.

"It's great to have it as a part of the program," sophomore alto sax player Jeffry Misner said. "They teach us a lot of the finer points in interpreting music and in expression."

Mr. Byma said the unique specialities that each clinician brings in, like Mr. Hardy's experience in saxophones and woodwind instruments, can help individual students perfect their technique and grow as musicians.

"I am learning just as much from this," he said.

Some techniques, like one where the teacher plays a sequence and the band echoes him, were incorporated into the program after they were used by clinicians, Mr. Byma said.

"Like the call and response idea," he said. "It is really just ear training to get them to listen."

Students tend to remember key techniques, like keeping proper body position, better when they hear it from someone other than himself, Mr. Byma also said.

Band students agreed that having people with different musical specialities and new perspectives helps them improve their skills.

"They can see things that Mr. Byma doesn't see," sophomore trumpet player Cassie Leveille said. "It is always fun to work with them."

"It's another view from someone else coming in," said senior French horn player Stephanie Damron. "I enjoy when it all comes together, how awesome it sounds."

Mr. Hardy said he stresses pitch and intonation most during the clinics in St. Ignace, something he worked on Tuesday by doing the "call and response exercises" to help students hear how their tone differs from Mr. Hardy's.

"Rhythm and technique are great, but if you don't sound good, who wants to hear it?" Mr. Hardy said. Having different ideas and perspectives in the band room is a good thing, he said, even if some ideas he teaches differ slightly from Mr. Byma's approach.

"The different concepts and different viewpoints challenge them to have to evaluate it themselves and to have to pay attention and make up their own minds," Mr. Hardy said of the young musicians. "It makes them develop their ear and develop musically."

Mr. Misner and Miss Leveille both said they have a love of music, and just playing with skilled musicians like Mr. Hardy is both fun and awe-inspiring.

"Music is a great way to express emotions and feelings," Mr. Misner said.

"It is fun to listen to music, especially when you are the ones making it," Miss Leveille said.

Working with the clinicians helps his program, Mr. Byma said, since he doesn't have an assistant band director to lean on. His students agreed, and Mr. Rito said half of the class came up him personally to say "thank you" after his clinic earlier this year.

"There are not many band programs that have this," Mr. Misner said. "It's nice to have that privilege."

While offering the clinics in St. Ignace, Mr. Hardy said he has been impressed with both the students and with Mr. Byma, who he said is obviously proud of his students.

"I try to invest first in the people, and then they listen to you more," he said. "I think it is refreshing working with young people. I have been very impressed with the students in St. Ignace and their character, motivation, and integrity."

Mr. Hardy also spoke to Mr. Byma's music appreciation class about careers in music production, sound engineering, disc jockeying, and other future opportunities. Since he also works as a professional disc jockey and musician, Mr. Hardy was able to give the youth an inside look at what it takes to run his own business and create a career in music they may never have considered.

This information came at a perfect time, Mr. Byma said, since the class will soon begin its unit on disc jockeying, when local disc jockey Russell Nixon will also visit the classroom to share his experience in the field.

Mr. Rito, who visited St. Ignace once already for a clinic, will return, as will Mr. Yarrick, whose speciality is brass instruments, before the band festival.

In addition to competing in the district band festival in Cedarville, St. Ignace bands are preparing to host their Night of Jazz Saturday, March 13, at Kewadin Casino in St. Ignace. It is open to all and tickets are available by contacting the school music department.