Getting the Most Out of Going to Convention - Barton

Britt Beil
MUSIC 23241
February 1, 2011

Getting the Most Out of Going to Convention

               Just like the title suggests, in this article Barton explains how you can get the most out of your visit to convention. He suggests that you make your schedule of events you plan to attend in advance so if a conflict comes up, you still have several other concerts and clinics you can attend. He also says that there is no concert that has no value. There are three basic things you can learn from attending the concerts,  literature ideas, awareness of student capabilities at all ages, and genuine music inspiration. He also gives a few suggestions on how to attend the event as a staff so you all gain a lot of knowledge and he gives the reader ideas on how long to spend at the conference if you are there on school time or money. His last suggestion to the reader is just to have fun as you learn. 

               I am a big fan of making lists whenever I do anything whether it is packing for vacation, making plans for big events, or even just a daily schedule, so I am very supportive of making a schedule of events you may want to attend while at convention. Knowing where you want to be and for how long helps you feel less stressed and more relaxed so you can fully enjoy yourself. Also, I feel that listening to several different ensembles just helps you grow as a musician as well as a teacher, so I fully condone seeing as many performances that your schedule allows.

               I agree that if you go to convention as a staff, it is much easier to split up the concerts, exhibits and workshops so you all get the most knowledge out of the important event. You can all get together after the event and compare notes on what you heard and saw. If you have to miss school to go to convention I agree that you should only spend as much time at the conference that you would while you were teaching at your school. Spending too much time at convention can be stressful if you aren't prepared, but spending too little time is just a waste of your school's time and possibly money. Convention is an important event that every music educator should attend several times before, during and after their careers.

Barton, Gary. (2009). Getting the most out of going to convention. NBA Journal, 50 (2), 15-16.