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"Mr. Barg is able to get a lot of response and improvement in a short period of time because he is not just “fun”, but he is also very knowledgeable about the music, gets his ideas across in imaginative ways, and, most of all, is very "honest", which is extremely important with inner-city students.
He is “honest” and sincere when treating my (Paseo Middle School) students and myself with the utmost respect, and is also very specific when giving praise or constructive criticism. He is not afraid to share his own personal experiences with the students, which further endears them to him and makes them feel like 'old friends'. |
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After the rehearsal, Mr. Barg went around to each student individually, shaking hands, and saying how he enjoyed working with them. My first chair bass player said, 'Mrs. Pocsik, that rehearsal was magical!'” Original Letter
"When my students and I arrived to New York 17 hours late due to airline and bus mishaps. With only 4 hours sleep, I fully expected the experience to be a horrible one due to our lack of sleep. Nothing could have been further from the truth. We laughed, we cried, and we made incredible music that morning.
My students were so inspired by the hour we spent with David, that they went from that rehearsal to give one of the finest performances of our school year. He seems to have an innate understanding of how to encourage students to do their best. I watched my students change in the span of just two rehearsals!" Original Letter
My students were so inspired by the hour we spent with David, that they went from that rehearsal to give one of the finest performances of our school year. He seems to have an innate understanding of how to encourage students to do their best. I watched my students change in the span of just two rehearsals!" Original Letter
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“After reading the article you sent me last year, I have been working with my students on 'Listening' during rehearsals, not just letting the director 'tell' them what needs to be changed.
My rehearsals have been incredible! The students are actively engaged and actually get upset if I tell them what's wrong rather than having them tell me." Original Letter |
"Since attending conducting workshops given by David Barg I have changed much of what I used to do. He has done what no one else has ever done in a way that works!
Now I go into a group of bored, squiggly, pre-teens with their feet in their laps, anywhere but on the floor and with the memory of David Barg's invectives in my ear I can turn those 20 or more kids into attentive, sitting on the edge of their seats, looking at me with all their muscles ready to play the music as it should be played and I'm a happy woman!!
Now I know how to get them responsible for their own orchestra and even to mark their parts with the pencil without my telling them. Every so often I read that part of my job is to help my students to become better human beings through the medium of music. I can see that is what David Barg is about."
“Those two days of David Barg’s influence upon my teaching style have changed my way of looking at string education completely. Much of what I learned at both universities was excellent 'book knowledge,' but little understanding of how to inspire students and encourage them to make really excellent music.
This is what David offered me. He seems to have an innate understanding of how to encourage students to do their absolute best. Perhaps even more important, David knows how to communicate these skills to other educators. It became very clear to me that he knows how to show others how to have the same effectiveness in rehearsals as he has.
This concept of effectiveness in the musical classroom is an area of incredible need. I believe David has a clear understanding of how to bring music educators into deeper levels of success in their own teaching. I stand as one who has experienced just that.”
"It has been totally night and day different since I took those classes from you. The difference in the orchestra and ensembles was so drastic everyone noticed. It was incredible! They were for real watching and following me and I was starting to be able to clearly say with my conducting what I wanted! I was so excited!"
"I have attended orchestra, band, music theory classes, etc.; however I don't believe that I have enjoyed or learned as much about music as I did in your time with us.
In the short time you were teaching, I began to understand how to really conduct music, and not just the notes. You got us to get the attention of students in a sensible way. I realize that many teachers go about motivation the wrong way, and I am glad that I won't be one of them."
"Your knowledge of conducting, tactful comments, and excellent recommendations made this session beneficial for everyone involved – both the conductors and observers. You made this a very safe environment and provided positive feedback and constructive criticisms for each conductor.
Your willingness to share your experience and knowledge was sincerely appreciated by the workshop's participants. You provided the teachers with very specific procedures and the evaluation sheets indicated they enjoyed and valued the session. Again, I thank you for a job exceptionally well done."
Now I go into a group of bored, squiggly, pre-teens with their feet in their laps, anywhere but on the floor and with the memory of David Barg's invectives in my ear I can turn those 20 or more kids into attentive, sitting on the edge of their seats, looking at me with all their muscles ready to play the music as it should be played and I'm a happy woman!!
Now I know how to get them responsible for their own orchestra and even to mark their parts with the pencil without my telling them. Every so often I read that part of my job is to help my students to become better human beings through the medium of music. I can see that is what David Barg is about."
“Those two days of David Barg’s influence upon my teaching style have changed my way of looking at string education completely. Much of what I learned at both universities was excellent 'book knowledge,' but little understanding of how to inspire students and encourage them to make really excellent music.
This is what David offered me. He seems to have an innate understanding of how to encourage students to do their absolute best. Perhaps even more important, David knows how to communicate these skills to other educators. It became very clear to me that he knows how to show others how to have the same effectiveness in rehearsals as he has.
This concept of effectiveness in the musical classroom is an area of incredible need. I believe David has a clear understanding of how to bring music educators into deeper levels of success in their own teaching. I stand as one who has experienced just that.”
"It has been totally night and day different since I took those classes from you. The difference in the orchestra and ensembles was so drastic everyone noticed. It was incredible! They were for real watching and following me and I was starting to be able to clearly say with my conducting what I wanted! I was so excited!"
"I have attended orchestra, band, music theory classes, etc.; however I don't believe that I have enjoyed or learned as much about music as I did in your time with us.
In the short time you were teaching, I began to understand how to really conduct music, and not just the notes. You got us to get the attention of students in a sensible way. I realize that many teachers go about motivation the wrong way, and I am glad that I won't be one of them."
"Your knowledge of conducting, tactful comments, and excellent recommendations made this session beneficial for everyone involved – both the conductors and observers. You made this a very safe environment and provided positive feedback and constructive criticisms for each conductor.
Your willingness to share your experience and knowledge was sincerely appreciated by the workshop's participants. You provided the teachers with very specific procedures and the evaluation sheets indicated they enjoyed and valued the session. Again, I thank you for a job exceptionally well done."
Comments from Participants in Dana Foundation sponsored
1 day, 3 day, and 5 days PD Workshops
for Instrumental Ensemble Teachers
"What is the Most Important Thing You Learned?"
1 day, 3 day, and 5 days PD Workshops
for Instrumental Ensemble Teachers
"What is the Most Important Thing You Learned?"
“The most important thing I learned is that you create a culture within the classroom. This culture can be child centered and focus on their individual personal needs. A teacher can gain respect from their students by making the learning environment fun and safe and progressive.”
“The importance and the way of deciding on an ensemble culture and musical result - and absolutely not budging until it happens.”
“It is so important to portray a trust in your students as individuals and musicians. Without this sense of trust you cannot create a comfortable learning environment for kids to take risks and assume their own responsibilities.”
“There were many important things that mean very much, which I got from this workshop, but I think the most important was the importance of affirmations. I noticed that regardless of what we do, David always affirms, compliments so that you always feel good about what you have done or are doing."
"I realize from past experiences that being so task oriented and so wanting my students to perfect the music, I would only compliment them when things were going well and for some, they needed more. I will now compliment. I will now affirm. I will always find something good about what my students do before I correct.”
“The true meaning of educate: the Latin educere - 'to draw out of.' I knew the actual meaning of the word before, however I have truly experienced this in these sessions.”
“However silly it sounds, it is only here that I finally understood that we don't conduct the beats, we conduct the music.”
“Being comfortable with the flexibility of the lesson plan. Teachers are very time conscious and for a lesson to really focus on the students instead of the music, you need to be flexible with timing issues. When you give responsibilities to the students, it might take them longer to find the answer, but they are active in the learning and will end up understanding in a better way.”
“Focus on learning, not teaching; focus on the person, not the music. So often I tell my students what to do and how to do it instead of drawing it out of them.”
“I have been inspired in many diverse ways to be a “conductor” of music to all those who desire to grow – and my instincts have been confirmed many times. The drawing out of the truth of my art is constantly being affirmed and validated – and thus I am being validated and confirmed. This gives a renewed sense of resolve to carry on to grow, to excel, etc. I can only say… I want more…..”
“What has come across so strong is the importance of the Whole Person Method and the responsibility we have to draw out that whole person and inspire the individual and group by working with their attributes.”
“To let emotions show and not hold back while conducting.”
“To be sure my motivation is always pure towards the individual or group; as in they sense my desire of wanting them to overcome for them, not for my ego - that they know I really care about them as individuals and therefore their study of music will be more fulfilling and a powerful tool they can draw on for all aspects of life.”
“Connecting and relating to the students and putting the students before the music.”
“When we watch another person’s inner growth in front of the ensemble, it is amazing to see how behaviors change and inner lights shine in each of us from within. What a revelation to all who listen, reflect, and learn!”
“Reinforces my own belief that we are teachers of people (little and big) through the medium of music.”
“The most valuable thing that I learned from this workshop has been the idea of looking beyond the music and to make contact with the individual student. This is an approach that I am familiar with but his workshop has reinforced those beliefs.”
“Empower the children and make them responsible.”
"What Will You Implement at Home?"
• “Creating a class culture - first by defining it, then by using this approach to get students involved;
• Working with other teachers/ensemble directors to help increase their rapport with their students.”
• “Developing a culture in my ensembles;
• Taking time to connect with the children in the ensemble by providing opportunities for feedback."
• "I will try to reflect the character of the piece in gesture and baton technique.”
• “I will use the questioning technique;
• I will change facial expressions to reflect the mood of the music.”
• “Asking questions instead of telling them how to play;
• Putting emotion in my conducting;
• Applying techniques for watching I learned.”
• “Getting the students engaged more so they sense ownership of the process and result;
• Enforcing concepts and expectations till completion;
• Know what I want specifically before each encounter; consistently, methodically work
towards it.”
• "Rehearsing a point until it is right;
• Surely more facial expressions on my part and implementing physical activity/dance and so on (on students' part) while solving problems with phrases, rhythm and such (physical is stronger than mental).”
• “Ask more questions to put the responsibility on the students and give them time to answer;
• Be persistent and you will get better results;
• Watching is very important to making music together;
• Focus on the students, not on the music;
• Model the behavior you expect form the students.”
• “Getting musicians physically involved in rehearsals;
• Asking them questions and get their minds involved.”
• “Watching and enforcement of watching;
• More communication with my conducting;
• More quality music and less quantity;
• Marking the music as well as my score.”
“The importance and the way of deciding on an ensemble culture and musical result - and absolutely not budging until it happens.”
“It is so important to portray a trust in your students as individuals and musicians. Without this sense of trust you cannot create a comfortable learning environment for kids to take risks and assume their own responsibilities.”
“There were many important things that mean very much, which I got from this workshop, but I think the most important was the importance of affirmations. I noticed that regardless of what we do, David always affirms, compliments so that you always feel good about what you have done or are doing."
"I realize from past experiences that being so task oriented and so wanting my students to perfect the music, I would only compliment them when things were going well and for some, they needed more. I will now compliment. I will now affirm. I will always find something good about what my students do before I correct.”
“The true meaning of educate: the Latin educere - 'to draw out of.' I knew the actual meaning of the word before, however I have truly experienced this in these sessions.”
“However silly it sounds, it is only here that I finally understood that we don't conduct the beats, we conduct the music.”
“Being comfortable with the flexibility of the lesson plan. Teachers are very time conscious and for a lesson to really focus on the students instead of the music, you need to be flexible with timing issues. When you give responsibilities to the students, it might take them longer to find the answer, but they are active in the learning and will end up understanding in a better way.”
“Focus on learning, not teaching; focus on the person, not the music. So often I tell my students what to do and how to do it instead of drawing it out of them.”
“I have been inspired in many diverse ways to be a “conductor” of music to all those who desire to grow – and my instincts have been confirmed many times. The drawing out of the truth of my art is constantly being affirmed and validated – and thus I am being validated and confirmed. This gives a renewed sense of resolve to carry on to grow, to excel, etc. I can only say… I want more…..”
“What has come across so strong is the importance of the Whole Person Method and the responsibility we have to draw out that whole person and inspire the individual and group by working with their attributes.”
“To let emotions show and not hold back while conducting.”
“To be sure my motivation is always pure towards the individual or group; as in they sense my desire of wanting them to overcome for them, not for my ego - that they know I really care about them as individuals and therefore their study of music will be more fulfilling and a powerful tool they can draw on for all aspects of life.”
“Connecting and relating to the students and putting the students before the music.”
“When we watch another person’s inner growth in front of the ensemble, it is amazing to see how behaviors change and inner lights shine in each of us from within. What a revelation to all who listen, reflect, and learn!”
“Reinforces my own belief that we are teachers of people (little and big) through the medium of music.”
“The most valuable thing that I learned from this workshop has been the idea of looking beyond the music and to make contact with the individual student. This is an approach that I am familiar with but his workshop has reinforced those beliefs.”
“Empower the children and make them responsible.”
"What Will You Implement at Home?"
• “Creating a class culture - first by defining it, then by using this approach to get students involved;
• Working with other teachers/ensemble directors to help increase their rapport with their students.”
• “Developing a culture in my ensembles;
• Taking time to connect with the children in the ensemble by providing opportunities for feedback."
• "I will try to reflect the character of the piece in gesture and baton technique.”
• “I will use the questioning technique;
• I will change facial expressions to reflect the mood of the music.”
• “Asking questions instead of telling them how to play;
• Putting emotion in my conducting;
• Applying techniques for watching I learned.”
• “Getting the students engaged more so they sense ownership of the process and result;
• Enforcing concepts and expectations till completion;
• Know what I want specifically before each encounter; consistently, methodically work
towards it.”
• "Rehearsing a point until it is right;
• Surely more facial expressions on my part and implementing physical activity/dance and so on (on students' part) while solving problems with phrases, rhythm and such (physical is stronger than mental).”
• “Ask more questions to put the responsibility on the students and give them time to answer;
• Be persistent and you will get better results;
• Watching is very important to making music together;
• Focus on the students, not on the music;
• Model the behavior you expect form the students.”
• “Getting musicians physically involved in rehearsals;
• Asking them questions and get their minds involved.”
• “Watching and enforcement of watching;
• More communication with my conducting;
• More quality music and less quantity;
• Marking the music as well as my score.”
