J. Corey Francis

I will admit it. I really don’t like getting outside of my comfort zone. Not much of a roller coaster rider. Don’t like trying new things. And the running joke is I will default to chicken tenders when ordering off a menu. Fine, it took me until getting married to enjoy exotic foods like asparagus and salsa, but I have come a long way.

For several years, the dance studio my daughter attends included a “Dads’ Dance” in their winter showcase. Of course I was hesitant at first, but I came to love participating. We would perform a mixture of ballet, contemporary, and hip-hop dances in what would be the goofiest and mosts fun part of the entire program. We looked like idiots – I mean, did you see my cartwheel? – but we had the best time. And I would do it all over again. It was hard, uncomfortable. But I loved it.

As music educators, we often fall victim to our comfort zone. We program the same types of music, featuring the same composers, and keeping our ensembles inside a box. The focus is on notes and rhythms. And the final performance is good.

But, part of us wants more.

While it is fine to have favorite styles, composers, or eras, it is also fine to stop programming a march on every concert. By staying in our comfort zone, we limit the learning and musical experiences of our ensemble.

The fact is, your comfort zone is NOT your students’ comfort zone.

The end of the school year is close. The final concert is just around the corner. What are you doing after the performance? How about going into the music library and pulling our An American Elegy by Ticheli. Or maybe you have your students work on a choral work by Whitacre. You can combine your strings and winds, play some orchestral works.

Teach 7/8. Work on some aleatoric composition. Give your percussion a piece like Me Tarzan. Sign up for lessons. Whatever it is, it is time to perform a cartwheel on stage.

Get out of your comfort zone.