Bo Atlas

General Philosophy 

Angela Lee Duckworth gave a fascinating TED talk in 2013. Her presentation is titled  “Grit: the power of passion and perseverance,” and she speaks about “grit” being the  greatest determining factor for success. Simply put, grit is a complicated formula of  desire, willingness, and intrinsic motivation (among others) that determines your ability  to work in each setting. Duckworth says in her presentation “[t]alent doesn’t make you  gritty.” 

I believe that every student is teachable. We have enough pedagogy and  methodology to help just about anyone become a better musician, but we still struggle to  help those that can’t help themselves – students that lack enough grit to overcome their  personal circumstances. As regrettable as the situation is, the blame can’t be placed solely  on the student. Humans are going to prioritize necessities such as shelter, food, water, etc over time in the practice room. It is folly to think that a student is going to succeed in  Tuba lessons when they don’t know where their next meal is going to come from.  

After the necessities, humans seek out acceptance, community, and love. As  teachers we must approach every student where they are, and there is only so much we  can do to maintain a standard of performance if those necessities aren’t taken care of. As  a result, we should foster experiences that create acceptance and community for those  students, while also celebrating achievement and success. Compassion must be the most  important thing. “Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind.”  

Applied Instrumental Pedagogy 

My teaching philosophy is one of radical pedagogy – that is the idea of having as  many types of pedagogy and teaching tools at our disposal as possible. I have a clear  vision for what pedagogy means to me when I play the instrument, but I do not seek to  enforce it on my students. If there is not an existing base of pedagogy, the process begins  in a more philosophical place that becomes nuanced and detailed as the student advances.  My instruction is informed by the teachings of Arnold Jacobs, but also encourages  students to seek out other schools of thought through research and collaboration. I use six  short ideas or “holophrases” from Jacobian theory to provide a framework through which  students can explore their instrument and view other pedagogy. They are the following: 

1) “Play by sound, not by feel” 

When making music, conceiving what we want to sound like is of paramount  importance, and the best way to achieve this is through listening to as much great  music and as many musicians as possible. The mental concept is the map to what  the body is trying to accomplish. 

2) “Paralysis by Analysis” 

Awareness of physical sensations can inhibit a performer’s ability to play. To  avoid this the performer should try to keep the sound at the front of their mind.  Visualization also helps by imagining how something looks and sounds instead of 

how it works. This is also very oriented to the pedagogy included in “The Inner  Game of Tennis” by Timothy Galwey. 

3) “Breathe to Expand, don’t expand to breathe” 

Awareness of the body when breathing can inhibit breathing. Focusing on the  point the air enters our body can distract us from paralyzing thoughts of  expansion. 

4) “Blow and Breathe from the Lips” 

By focusing our attention on the air moving through our lips, we can help  ourselves breathe with less tension in the mouth and throat. 

5) “Tension is the Enemy” 

Tension is heard in the player’s sound and inhibits the performer’s ability to play.  Tension can take many forms including, but not limited to, deficiency of tone,  roughness of slurs, and inaccurate articulations. 

6) “Song and Wind” 

Proper air support and a clear enough musical intent are crucial to the process and  should be prioritized. Making brass playing complicated in our minds will only  complicate playing the instrument, but thinking holistic thoughts and using great  air will lead to greater success as a artist. 

My approach also advocates for “training the musician between the ears”, which  includes developing skills away from the instrument. This involves isolated breathing  exercises to improve air, audiating (singing) to improve musical intent, buzzing on the  mouthpiece to improve embouchure and air function, rhythmic valve exercises to  improve finger coordination, and a wide array of other exercises. These off-the-horn  approaches usually lead to more imaginative thinking when practicing. While learning  etudes, solos, and ensemble music I want my students to hone their ability to create  derivative exercises (the topic of my dissertation). This will allow them to create  opportunities to challenge themselves, refine their technique, and develop an invaluable  teaching tool to use with their own students. 

I also want to help my students become as marketable as possible. In my own  experience, participation in chamber music and other collaborative projects leads to  greater knowledge as a performer, composer, arranger, and business liaison. It is through  experiences like these that I began composing and arranging for brass ensembles, as well  as becoming familiar with the business side of musical events. I try to facilitate this in my  own studios by overseeing ensembles where students are able to conduct, compose, and  arrange music for their peers and colleagues. 

A former teacher once told me “we should try to be more than just tuba players,”  and I’ve tried to embody that as a teacher and performer. While it is principally important  to be an awesome player, I believe it is equally important to foster a collegial  environment that promotes collaborative learning. As a teacher of low brass, I strive to  give my students the technical, artistic, and practical skills they need to succeed in their  professional endeavors.