The Two Faces of Brady

Some students have a hard time understanding that an effective director on the podium can't be a friend or even very nice when getting things "done" on a large scale. Many students that I have taken on small group trips have been surprised that, yes, I can be fun. I think some of them discover this everytime we go somewhere. So why can't I do that on the podium or at marching band rehearsal. The answer is simple...I can't be effective that way in front of a larger sized group. I am sure some people can be. Sadly, I am not one of them. I am an intense person by nature and put in front of a group of people and let me teach them something I really know and watch out! I observed a conductor work this past weekend that had less than a kind podium approach. What were the results? They were outstanding. Sometimes you have to get the job done. I bet nobody in his group was unsatisfied with the results. I use to wonder the same things. Why can this person be so intense and demanding on the podium or in a lesson and yet on a one on one level can be so different? It is just the nature of what I do. My job is find mistakes and I tell people what they are and how to fix them. I guess I could use more general terms like "One 2nd clarinet came in a half beat too early." Not me! More like " You. You sitting right there! You came in a half beat too early!" Why beat around the bush?

So the next time you think that a person is just too much to take, why not just stop in sometime to say "Hi"? You might be surprised with what you leave with.