I recently got an email that my high school band director, Mr. Spriester was turning 80 on November 15th and could I  send a card. Then I got to thinking, although I live ten miles from where I grew up and never really told him how much he impacted my life.  If it weren’t for you Mr. Spriester, I would not be in music and certainly not a music teacher.

Mr. Spriester was one of the most important teachers that enabled me to soar and little did he know how much he impacted my life. As a young freshman in high school, he was the first music educator that did not get upset if any of I made a mistake. I was quite taken my this, all my other music teachers would scream and push me, thus making me nervous and thus I would create even more mistakes. I remember he would say “Just play the mistake loud, so we know what we have to work on.”  He demanded respect and excellence. Looking back on all those rehearsals with the eighty or so students, be it marching band, flute challenges or concert rehearsals, he never raised his voice. There were never any behavior issues and the repertoire we played was extremely difficult. The band sounded terrific and his musicianship was incredible.

In the Pit

First, I was not selected my senior year for the musical. I had been in the all-school musical the three years prior, but not in my senior year.  I had my “one line,” as a junior, and was hoping this would be the year out of the chorus. There was NO chorus in the musical my senior year, so I did not get a part and I was not in the show. Being a musical theater person this is devastating, since the summer before I decided that music was my field. I really don’t know how it happened, but Mr. Spreister had me sit next to him in the pit and do to cues for the pit orchestra. I actually felt important. Looking back I am sure it was a job that was added and no one before or after me did this job. But, while I was doing this job, I felt important. I think he knew how much I wanted to be in the show and found a place for me.

Independent Study

Since music was to be my field, I had taken music theory my junior year and was planning on taking a second year of music theory, however, not enough students signed up, so the class was not offered. So, instead I took a fourth year of Math. It was completely over my head, so I dropped it mid-year. I asked Mr. Spriester if I could take an independent study on music theory, of course he said “yes.”  I had seventh period free and so did he, so we set up a weekly appointment.  The year before we analyzed about 10 of Bach’s motets. I would finish the book of 200 and study Grout’s “History of Music.” I was  a duck in water, I swam! I loved the independence of my own program of study and to my surprise I loved analyzing the Bach motets, it was like a math puzzle. (I know even back then I was an “odd duck..” This independent study allowed me to be one of the top music theory students at The Ohio State University and it was the start of my love of music history. Today, my main focus in my classroom is composition and the Composer Collaboration Project has developed into an award-winning project.

North Shore Band and Northwestern University

He didn’t talk a lot about it, but he continued to play trumpet in the North Shore Band. As a young musician, this was important to me that my own teacher was part of this outstanding performing band. This is a world renowned organization and at the time was founded and directed by John Paynter, the director of Bands at Northwestern University. We, as a high school band,  also participated the yearly Northwestern Football game during half-time and  would march/play on “band day.” These two things showed the character of Mr. Spriester, his musicianship and giving high school students additional opportunities outside the traditional classroom.

He also started the Deerfield Community Band. So, he also gave back to the community.  I don’t really know how did it, in the fall he worked six days, (since on Saturdays we had to be at school by noon and stayed until the 5 on home games) participated in the North Shore Band, directed his own band, and even talked about additional “gigs” he had on the weekends. Oh, yes he was department chair and taught all day, had jazz bands, and was musical director for the musical. Additionally, he scripted all the marching band shows. We did a different show each home game and this was before computer programs, they were all handwritten, typed, copied, and passed out to the entire band. Today, marching bands have ONE show and the show is conceived on the computer.

In conclusion, I wasn’t the most talented student, just one of those students that we teach every day. But what Mr. Spriester was for me in high school was that he set a high bar of excellence in everything thing I did in music. He allowed me to be creative, make mistakes, and then said “yes,” if I they had an idea or suggestion. Thanks Mr. Spriester being one of best musicians, as well as teachers I had – Happy Birthday Al! Enjoy your 80th birthday!

Go Cats!

As part of the Golden Apple Award, I attended Northwestern University for spring quarter starting from March 30-June 7, 2009. Here is my reflection of the “once in a lifetime” experience.

My composition class with Dr. Maud Hickey was nothing but incredible. It made me see the beginning stages of how we compose to the most complex composition process. I had an extremely classical experience as a child and up through college, so it was not until I started teaching and attended the Vermont MIDI Project’s summer workshop that I became interested in improvisation and composing. I am completely hooked. I created a website with my compositions I created on sabbatical. Thank you Maud for creating a class of improvisation and creating music.

My second class was a graduate music curriculum class with Dr. Janet Barrett. Her knowledge and passion with curriculum motivated me to create and post my entire music curriculum online. She gave of her time to listen and give me excellent feedback on my many papers and thoughts, thanks so much! Her resources and depth of knowledge was a highlight of the sabbatical. So many people have asked me to put in writing what I do and the resources I use. To have someone who is the leader in the field show me how to do this was fabulous. http://beatechie.pbworks.com/

My voice lessons with Dr. Bob Heitzinger on Mondays at 1:30 gave me focus again. This is how I got started in music and by having private lessons again made me feel like a kid again. For the entire nine weeks I was always thinking of when I was going to practice and what. Those musicians out there understand this, for your practice time takes over your life. I love this feeling. He is an excellent teacher and I am studying with him this summer as well.

The Thursday afternoon seminar series with all of us, created a bond that will never leave me. Penny Lundquist, a 1986 Fellow lead the group through TED talks and 21st century skills.  Our discussions and presentations from each of us was a representative of the ardor each one of us brings to the classroom.  If I could say one word that describes the Golden Apple Class of 2008 is PASSION. In addition, we created a wiki for others to use that best reflects our fervor to learn and share. http://goldenapple.pbworks.com/

On a personal note, my maternal grandmother graduated from Northwestern University in 1923. The Music Administration Building used to be a dorm many years ago, and yes, the same dorm my grandmother lived in! The staircases have a short rise, since the women all wore dresses and this allowed them to “glide” up the stairs quickly and gracefully. This connection ninety years later is amazing; I even composed a song for “Doris.”

Finally, since I am an Ohio State graduate, I couldn’t push myself to get any “gear,” my friends in Ohio would disown me, so that was the only negative thing I have to say. I couldn’t wear any of MY college t-shirts to class. Just putting the Northwestern logo on this site was all I could do.

I want to thank the Golden Apple Foundation for the incredible experience that has recharged and energized me to create, learn and experience. If you would like any information about the Foundation, please visit www.goldenapple.org

The websites and wiki’s I created

My compositions
http://web.me.com/carolbroos/mycompositions/Welcome.html
Music curriculum
http://beatechie.pbworks.com/
Golden Apple Class of 2008 wiki
http://goldenapple.pbworks.com/

Carol - Band uniform in HS

I love to compose. When I was younger, in high school and college, the emphasis was on how well you could play the written notes. No improvisation, no creativity, no innovative music making. Actually, I remember my first composition in college. I was so scared, that all I did was copy Charles Ives. I got a B- on the final composition.

Jump ahead twenty–odd years, I found myself in Vermont. I was taking classes on how to “teach” students to compose online. Little did I know that I was going to have to compose the entire week myself!  I sat in front of the computer for first day; I had ONE note on the page. I saw how fast others were working and felt completely overwhelmed. I can’t do this. Then the breakthrough came, I started to improvise. I started to just let my fingers play and discover.

What happened that summer liberated me as a musician and a composer. I know that my compositions sound childlike, extremely basic, but they come from me. No stealing from Charles Ives, not coping themes from others. They are all about me and now I teach composition. I now let my students play and discover, letting their “voice” come out, letting them improvise.

During my sabbatical at Northwestern, I finally had the time to experiment and compose. This has been my gift to myself. I hope you enjoy these compositions. I created a website that has all the compositions on it for people to comment about. I can’t wait to show my students.  However, I have one that I really like and here is just the audio, if you like it please go to my website and comment on it.

Click here for website.