Motivation Part 5: What is your Currency?

Today, I'd like to talk about the “currency” of motivation.

As a mom of a 10-year-old, I've noticed the power of “currency” in motivating my son from an early age. When he was 5, his currency might have been LEGO or watching a train video. “If you do XYZ, you can play with your LEGO,” or “If you clean this up, you can watch your train video.” As he got older, his currency changed. These days, it's playing the Nintendo Switch or watching YouTube channels featuring people playing Nintendo Switch games.

Using incentives to motivate your children or students can be effective. With my orchestra students, I believe one of the best motivators is the opportunity to play fantastic repertoire.

When it comes to programming, I don't use my student orchestra to satisfy my own artistic needs. Through my professional experience, I've already checked off most of the pieces on my bucket list. I'll always choose music that is fun, inspiring, and educational, and I will not program works that are beyond my students' current abilities just to satisfy my own ambitions. Instead, I want my students to SHOW ME that they're ready to take on difficult music and that they can accomplish difficult things.

I'm proud to say that my students continue to rise to the challenge. Over the years, they've made tremendous progress, allowing us to experience increasingly challenging repertoire, both technically and musically.

Here's another observation about my son. As a beginning violist, he has assignments on MakeMusic.com, where his teacher uploads an excerpt and the app assigns a grade based on his performance. My son is a natural high achiever, so he'll redo an assignment until he gets 100%. But once he reaches that perfect score, he stops trying to make the excerpt sound any better.

From my perspective, there's still plenty to work on. His note lengths and tone aren't always consistent, and his intonation could use some improvement. But when I point these things out, his response is, “I already got 100, so I don't need to practice.”

I do think this is a fantastic tool for teachers, especially when it comes to helping underachieving students reach a certain level of proficiency. Teachers are SO BUSY, and these apps are incredibly helpful for tracking student progress.

However, for students who are already naturally motivated to succeed, I wonder whether these tools can sometimes have the opposite effect. Instead of encouraging them to keep improving, the app may put a ceiling on their efforts. Once they've reached the target set by the system, they no longer see a reason to push further.

This is one reason I don't use chair placement tests or “pass-off” tests with my students. Not only are these assessments time-consuming, I don't want the fear of failing to become their primary motivator. More importantly, I don't want students who pass a test to stop practicing simply because they've met the required standard.

At this stage of their development, music majors SHOULD want to play better than what's considered “good enough.” Of course, they need benchmarks and goals to help them measure their progress. But I want to help them look beyond those benchmarks and find motivation in the work itself, in the process of improvement, overcoming challenges, and discovering what they're capable of achieving.

One of my goals is to help students develop their own internal standards and learn to recognize and celebrate their progress along the way. After all, if we always stop when we've reached the target someone else has set for us, how will we ever discover how much further we can go?

Motivation Part 4: Stories of my inspiring colleagues

 Hi Friends!

Today I'd like to share some inspiring stories. When I started looking into this topic a few years ago, I spoke with 3 of my former colleagues of Chattanooga Symphony & Opera (CSO) who inspire me. They gave me their permission to share their stories.

Matt:

Matt grew up in rural America with little financial support for his music studies until he received a full-scholarship at University of Alabama. Early on, much of his motivation to practice the horn came from wanting to set himself up for a better future. After earning a few degrees, his motivation began to shift: winning jobs. In his late 20s, while working on his DMA, he won the Third Horn position with the CSO. Soon after, he landed a position with The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”

But there was one catch: he had to lose over 100 pounds to qualify for boot camp. He drastically changed his diet and started exercising daily. At first, his extrinsic motivation was pretty clear: lose the weight, or he wouldn’t qualify for his dream job. Somewhere along the way, it seemed as though he started to enjoy this new lifestyle.

Spoiler alert: He did end up qualifying for boot camp and has been serving with Pershing’s Own for a few years now. Of course, he still needs to meet military fitness standards, but I truly believe that along the way, maintaining his physical health became an intrinsic motivation as well.

Musically, he continues to seek and create opportunities to perform and teach on top of his responsibility with the Army Band. I really admire his strong intrinsic motivation to keep growing as both a performer and an educator.

with Matt at TMEA earlier this year! It was so great to reconnect.

Chris:

Chris grew up in a musical household. His dad is a respected trumpeter in their region. When Chris picked up the trumpet himself, his initial motivation to practice was to make sure he didn't tarnish his father's reputation as a performer and an educator. Over time, that standard stuck with him and eventually became his own motivation to keep performing at the highest level possible.

He eventually won a position with the Air Force Band, where he served for over two decades. After retirement, he won the Principal Trumpet position with the CSO in his mid-40s. That's an incredible accomplishment! These positions are often won by younger musicians fresh out of graduate school, as maintaining your "audition shape" as a professional musician is extremely challenging. I can only imagine the discipline and determination it took for him to win that position.

Gordon:

Gordon has served as the Principal Horn of the CSO for over four decades. I have to admit, he's one of my favorite people, and I think anyone who's had the pleasure of spending time with him would agree!

Gordon also comes from a musical family. Growing up, he played in his church as a young horn player. His motivation was to hit all the right notes because, as he puts it, "You know, God was listening." He's not religious anymore, but that standard stuck with him and gradually became more internalized. These days, he wants to play well for himself because he's developed his own standards for what good playing means to him.

During my 13 years as Music Director of the CSO, I had the privilege of witnessing Gordon continue to grow as a musician. And to prove that point, he won the Principal Horn position with the Huntsville (AL) Symphony in his 50s! As mentioned earlier, this is no easy feat. That kind of continued growth doesn't happen without a strong internal drive to keep improving.

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I share these stories to show that it doesn’t have to be either or: extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation can become intrinsic motivation in the right kind of environment. A healthy dose of both types of motivation can lead to a fulfilling life.

I would also like to note that these three colleagues are exceptional human beings. Not only are they phenomenal musicians, they’re also kind, uplifting, and inspiring. More on this point later!

Motivation Part 3: Is fear an effective motivator? Exploring different kinds of extrinsic motivation

Hello friends!

In my last two posts, I’ve been preaching about the importance of developing intrinsic motivation. But let’s take a step back and talk about extrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic motivators are important, especially in the early stages of development. Stickers (remember those?), grades, chair placements, making Region/All-State or youth orchestras, or a combination of these can all be great motivators. At the same time, it’s equally important for educators to help students find joy in the process of getting better, especially when there isn’t an obvious goal in the horizon.

One extrinsic motivator I’d like to explore a little more is fear.

Fear is a powerful motivator, and it can take many forms: fear of a bad grade, losing a chair placement, or, perhaps the most powerful of all in my opinion, the fear of being reprimanded by a director, private lesson teacher, or parent.

Let me digress for a moment.

The other day, a new graduate student told me that he asked his section, “When is Dr. Dan going to lose her mind in rehearsals?” His section mates reassured him that it never happens. He was in disbelief. 

Trust me, I do get annoyed. But what seems to be more terrifying to my students is when I get disappointed. I do calmly give them a “talking to” every so often, and I hope those conversations are more effective than me screaming at them. 

In my previous position, I also received a comment from a group of professional musicians: “We don’t think you care, because you never yell at us.” I’m always shocked when musicians are surprised that I don’t yell and scream at them. Sometimes, people equate yelling with passion. And honestly, it makes me sad that this still seems to be an acceptable behavior for leaders.

As a young flutist, I played under many different conductors. Some yelled. Others didn’t. I’ll admit, I played well when fear was involved. However, I never went beyond “good enough” because I was afraid to push my limits and fail.

I eventually realized that when a conductor creates an environment that is both inspiring, positive, and SAFE, I feel much freer to experiment and test my limits. Sometimes I fail. Other times, I discover that I’m capable of performing at a level I didn’t know I could reach.

Of course, everyone is motivated differently. Some musicians may feel they need that pressure or reprimand to perform their best. But personally, I found that working with a conductor who emphasizes progress, creativity, and courage rather than perfection was far more enjoyable, inspiring, and ultimately, satisfying. When leaders rely on fear and demand perfection, they risk stifling creativity and growth. We may get the results we want in the short term, but what are we sacrificing along the way?

In my next post, I’d like to share stories of my former colleagues I admire.

Motivation Part 2: After you achieve your big goal

 Hi friends,

Today, I’d like to share some observations I’ve made about the musicians I’ve worked with, particularly what happens to their motivations after they achieve their big goals.

First of all, I think having big goals is wonderful. They give you something to work toward and help keep you focused. On the flip side, relying solely on these milestone goals for motivation can be dangerous.

Think about it: You win a job, and you’re excited! Then, during your probationary period, you keep working hard, build relationships with your colleagues, and do your best to earn tenure. And then what?

For the first few years, you’re living the dream. You get to perform amazing repertoire alongside your colleagues and guest artists. But eventually, things become routine.

This is where intrinsic motivation comes in handy. If you’ve already cultivated it before landing that job, whether it’s through a desire to keep improving your playing or simply to become better at your craft, you’re more likely to have a fulfilling and fruitful career.

Unfortunately, I sometimes see the opposite. Once some musicians achieve that big goal, they lose sight of why they chose this profession in the first place. They ca become jaded or grumpy, and that negative energy can be contagious, bringing down the people around them, too.

So, here’s my first tip for cultivating intrinsic motivation:

1. Set a goal that isn’t tied to an external reward.

This could be learning a particular piece or improving a specific technique. You could also plan a recital outside of your regular job to keep your creative energy alive. And if you want to give it an added sense of purpose, you could even use it to raise money for a cause you care about, like an animal rescue.

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Another challenge these musicians face is the lack of feedback. When you’re a child or a student, feedback is constant. You have grades, chair tests, auditions, lessons, and teachers telling you what to work on.

But once you become a professional and earn tenure, that feedback can almost disappear. This could make you feel lost.

Here’s my second tip:

2. Develop your own compass and yardstick.

Once you become a professional, there’s less guidance on what to focus on (your compass) and how to measure your progress (your yardstick). That’s why I think it’s so important to start developing these skills when you’re still a young musician. As students, we often rely on our teachers to tell us what needs fixing and how to fix it. But I believe it’s just as important for educators to encourage self-assessment and critical thinking.

When I work with younger musicians, I ask A LOT of questions. At first, they give me a look of: “You’re the conductor. You tell us!” But quickly, they start to engage and think more independently and contribute to the collective progress. Of course, the topics and questions are adjusted to their age and experience. I’m not going to talk about concepts of “color” with a middle school orchestra while they are still figuring out basic notes and rhythms. The goal is to get them to assess the situation: what happened, why it happened, and what they can do differently next time to get better. More importantly, I encourage them to assess their progress, not just their performance. One performance is only a snapshot of where you are at a given moment. What matters more is whether you’re learning, growing, and moving forward over time.

More on this topic in a future post!

Motivation Part 1: Two types of motivation and what motivates me

Happy Fall, everyone!

I almost forgot I have a blog...

I was preaching about motivation to my students the other day. Unfortunately, verbally expressing my thoughts isn't my strongest suit, so I decided to write them down. I'll share my reflections on this topic over several posts so it doesn't turn into a dissertation.

I've been curious about what motivates people ever since I became a professor, which coincided with my son starting kindergarten. As someone who is generally motivated, I'm genuinely interested in whether motivation can be cultivated in others and whether I can help foster it as both an educator and a parent.

There's a fantastic book by Daniel Pink called Drive that explains the science behind motivation. In a nutshell, he explains that extrinsic motivation, aka "carrots and sticks" (rewards and punishments), can be effective for certain tasks (purely mechanical ones) but can be detrimental to creative work. Instead, he advocates for fostering intrinsic motivation (motivation that comes from within), which has three important factors: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. I highly recommend his book if you want to learn more.

What is my motivation?

My motivation comes from a little bit of anxiety, guilt, and a whole lot of FUN. I find learning, improving, and acquiring new skills to be incredibly enjoyable.

When I was little, I was motivated mostly by external forces: getting good grades, staying out of trouble, earning first chair, making all-state, getting into a good university (Hook 'em Horns!), etc. As a flutist at The University of Texas, I was playing A LOT. I LOVED playing in large ensembles, chamber music, and solo recitals. I practiced so I could play in the best ensembles and avoid being the weakest link in the group. Eventually, I realized that practicing was simply a means to an end because I wasn't particularly interested in becoming a better flutist. I knew then that playing the flute wasn't my true passion.

Luckily, I found conducting.

As a conductor, you're challenged in so many ways. There's an unlimited repertoire to learn.  You have to manage different personalities within a group, so you're constantly learning how to communicate effectively. If you don't have any Teaching Assistants or support staff, you're also the one running the ensemble, from managing personnel and the library to planning programs and handling all the other logistics that make an orchestra function. 

Then there is an art of conducting itself.

Even after 2 decades of working as a conductor, I'm constantly evaluating my conducting and rehearsal techniques. I reflect multiple times during each rehearsal to see if there's anything I can improve to become a better conductor and a communicator. The adjustments may be minor and may not always work, but I'm constantly experimenting. Even when I fail, I am excited to find my own weaknesses, which gives me additional opportunities and challenges to overcome them.

It's truly a joy, and I'm grateful to have found a profession that challenges me and fulfills me in so many ways. I believe my work provides all aspects of intrinsic motivation. 

Why am I interested in this topic?

So, if I'm already motivated, why am I interested in this topic? 

Good question!

I work with young musicians who will go on to become educators themselves. I want to learn whether I can help motivate my students by fostering their enjoyment of the work and their own progress while they're under my guidance. If they can experience that for themselves, hopefully, they'll be able to help their future students do the same.

I think the world will be more enjoyable place if more people took pride in and found joy in their work.

In the next post, I'll share some observations of musicians I've worked with, particularly what happens to their motivation after they achieve their big goals.

How to Serve Your Music Community: Clinics

 One of my favorite things I do to serve the music community and industry is to be a guest clinician. Since I became the Director of Orchestral Studies at Sam Houston State University, I have been expanding my network in and around the Houston and Dallas area. Every semester, I am invited to work with several school's ensembles. 

So, what is a clinic? This is where an ensemble will invite an outside conductor/educator to come work with them to gain outside perspective. 

Why do you want to bring in a guest clinician? Typically the ensembles spend weeks if not months on the music in preparation for a contest or a concert. When you are intimately involved in music making for such a long time, it's hard to see a big picture. You start to focus on each leaf instead of the forest. It's healthy for the ensemble to work with someone new, so the director can sit back and marvel at the work they have put in without worrying about "what do I need to fix next?" Oftentimes, the clinician will reemphasize what the director has been telling the ensemble for weeks. I realize it's frustrating to the directors that the students may not acknowledge the comment until it comes from an outside source. Also, every conductor prioritizes different elements of music. I may not be too excited about fixing bowings or intonation (I will, if they are the biggest problems), but I tend to focus on phrasing, breathing, blending, color, and playing together as an ensemble. 

This week, I am in Arizona working with the West Valley Symphony as a Music Director candidate. As part of the audition process, I had an opportunity to work with Mountain Ridge HS Concert Band and Wind Ensemble as a guest clinician.

 I always love observing the culture, atmosphere, ritual, and tradition the directors build for their ensembles. I also love sharing my love of music with the students and offering support to the directors and the students. It's always so encouraging to watch young musicians work hard daily for a greater cause. Another reason why I love doing clinics is because I am well aware that without  these programs and dedicated directors, my profession will totally dry up! It is my way of paying back and forward to the music community.

How Staff Conducting Position Auditions work

 In my last two posts, I discussed how Music Director auditions work. Today, I'd like to share my experience auditioning for staff conducting positions. These could be Assistant, Associate, or Resident Conductor, and every orchestra has different titles, needs, and job descriptions.

I was invited to a few staff conductor auditions, mostly in the 2000's, so my experience may be outdated. However, I did host an Assistant Conductor audition with the Chattanooga Symphony in 2020. I followed a similar format as I experienced as a young conductor.

The application process is similar to the Music Director's: Letter of Interest, short resume (2 pages max), sample conducting videos. Orchestras may request sample education or family concert programs. Make sure you are submitting the materials well in advance. The committee might start reviewing the materials as soon as they receive them. You want their mind to be fresh and less numb when they review your materials. This also gives a great impression that you are capable of meeting deadlines in advance and shows you're eager to win the position.

After the vetting process, the list will narrow down to about a dozen for zoom interview, then 4-5 finalists for in-person interview/audition. The in-person audition process will be maximum 2 days. I had to pay my way there a few times, but most of the time, they will fly you in and house you in a hotel or a board member's house. It varies on their budget, and how desperately you want the job!

The audition process is much shorter than the Music Director's. You might be on the podium for 20-30 minutes. The audition process includes:

1. Conducting well-known conductor "excerpts" such as Mozart Magic Flute Overture, Beethoven 5th first movement, Copland Appalachian Spring, or Stravinsky Infernal Dance from the Firebird. These excerpts demonstrate how clear your "stick technique" is. Accompanying a concerto movement performed by a symphony member could be a part of the repertoire selection as well. 

2. Rehearsal: You will be asked to rehearse for a few minutes. Be concise, respectful, and efficient. 

3. Speaking may be a part of the interview process. For example: "provide a one minute introduction to Infernal Dance, geared towards a group of 3rd graders." This exercise demonstrates that 1. you can speak English and 2. you can relate to young audience with engaging and clear communication skills.

4. Formal interview with the committee: Committee often consists of the Music Director, Education Manager/Director, musician, and any other staff members (Youth Orchestra board, if the position comes with YO conducting) that will work closely with the Assistant Conductor. 

I sent in well over 50 applications (I lost count) for a staff conducting position, and I was invited to 8 in-person auditions. Out of those 8, I only won ONE staff conducting position. I share this to say, yes, it is a very competitive field, but keep going if this is something you truly believe in. The right position will find you when the time is right! Remember, if you don't send in your application, your chance of winning is ZERO percent.

I wish you nothing but the best in your endeavor in this wonderfully challenging yet rewarding career.