MuseClass: Tom Gierke & Bob Chreste Talk About This New Online Resource
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Release Date: 08/27/2024
MuseClass: Tom Gierke & Bob Chreste Talk About This New Online Resource
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
, the world’s largest sheet music and music education publisher, and music innovators Muse Group, launch , an assignment, grading, and music content platform set to transform instrumental teaching (grade 6-12) in the U.S. MuseClass allows music educators and band directors to share, collect, and grade assignments on an easy-to-use platform, which also contains a curated library of educational content. Students receive assignments through the MuseClass app (available on iOS, Android & Chromebook), and can submit their progress as video or audio recordings, or upload worksheets. One...
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A Conversation with Jim Mair, Jazz Educator and Saxophonist
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Jim was raised in , and graduated from Silver Heights Collegiate in 1984. That same year his quintet won top high school combo in Canada and he was selected lead tenor in the Canadian High School All Star Jazz Ensemble. His school band directors were Wilfred Jones and Jim Mackay. In June 1986, he was profiled in DOWNBEAT magazine as a young musician deserving of wider recognition. Mair graduated from the (Bismarck, North Dakota) with a in Music Education (1988) and the University of Missouri at with a Master of Arts degree in music (1990). He studied with Scott Prebys and Loran Eckroth at...
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A Conversation with John Armato: Music As A Life Skill
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
John Armato is a Senior Partner and Creative Strategist for Fleishman Hillard, a Global PR and Marketing Agency. John was a percussionist in his high school band and over 40 years later, music is still a vital part of his life. In addition to his professional career, John still performs, has recorded and produced his own album, "The Drummer Loves Ballads" and has a jazz radio show, "The A List with John Armato" that can be found at:
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A Conversation with John Whitwell
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Professor John Whitwell, who retired as professor of music and director of MSU Bands, has distinguished himself in the field of music as an educator, clinician, conductor, adjudicator, and author. He earned an associate degree from Rochester College (formerly known as Michigan Christian College), a bachelor’s degree in music education from Abilene Christian University, and a master of music degree from the University of Michigan. Professor Whitwell began his teaching career in 1965 and held positions as a music teacher, director of bands, and music department chairperson at public schools in...
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Dr. John Climer, Director of Bands (Retired), University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
A dear friend of Charlie's returns to the program after a couple of years. Together in Fargo, North Dakota for the Raging Red Band Festival, Charlie caught up with John a couple of weeks after the event to catch up on life and talk about all things band.
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A Conversation with Dr. Steve Peterson, Director of Bands (Retired), The University of Illinois
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Steve Peterson, Director of Bands (Retired) at the University of Illinois shares his journey from learning the piano to ending up leading one of the most prestigious band programs in the country. Steve has not forgotten his roots, nor those who served as mentors throughout his education and career. This is a conversation you will not want to miss.
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Dr. Rick Fleming, Director of Bands, SUNY - Buffalo State University
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Dr. Rick Fleming, Director of Bands at SUNY's - Buffalo State University campus talks about his beginnings as a trombone player, and the steps that led him to his current position. Rick also shares a wonderful question posed by his Ph.D. conducting professor, Dr. James Croft.
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A Conversation with Dr. Andrea DeRenzis Strauss
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Dr. Andrea DeRenzis Strauss is Conductor of the Tara Winds and is the retired Director of Bands at the Georgia Institute of Technology. An accomplished musician and conductor alike, Andrea Strauss holds the Women Band Directors International Scroll of Excellence among the many honor and awards she has received throughout her career.
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A Conversation with Warren Olfert, Director of Bands at North Dakota State University
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Dr. Warren Olfert, Director of Bands at North Dakota State University highlights his journey from growing up in Glascow, Montana to becoming Director of Bands at NDSU. We chat about some of the issues directors face when preparing a group for a festival performance, repertoire being performed and a whole lot more.
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Band Talk is Back: You Never Know What Comes Out of a Blizzard
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends
Band Talk with Charlie Menghini and Friends returns thanks to a blizzard that cancelled day one of the Raging Red Band Festival, in Fargo, North Dakota. In an effort to provide some information to the directors who didn't get a chance to participate, along with the general listening audience, you will hear this, the first of a six-part podcast featuring the administrators of the festival as well as the clinicians who were at the event. Today's podcast features Bill Law, Assistant Director of Fine Arts and North Dakota State University and John Warren, Festival Director....
info_outlineHal Leonard, the world’s largest sheet music and music education publisher, and music innovators Muse Group, launch MuseClass, an assignment, grading, and music content platform set to transform instrumental teaching (grade 6-12) in the U.S.
MuseClass allows music educators and band directors to share, collect, and grade assignments on an easy-to-use platform, which also contains a curated library of educational content. Students receive assignments through the MuseClass app (available on iOS, Android & Chromebook), and can submit their progress as video or audio recordings, or upload worksheets.
One notable MuseClass feature is AutoGrade, the AI-powered practice tool. This pioneering technology listens to a student’s performance and provides immediate feedback on timing and pitch, even for polyphonic instruments like piano or guitar. The tool can inspire students to repeat their practice sessions, or a teacher can set an AutoGrade challenge as an assignment.
At launch, MuseClass includes free digital content from Hal Leonard’s iconic Essential Elements, the gold-standard curriculum for bands and strings in the U.S. now available in concert with next-generation digital tools for the first time. The content library is set to rapidly expand in the coming school year with pedagogical scores and method books drawn from Hal Leonard’s exclusively licensed, premium arrangements — current titles span everything from Taylor Swift and The Beatles to John Williams and Disney soundtracks. Teachers can also compose their own exercises or worksheets with MuseScore Studio, Muse Group’s award-winning, intuitive notation software.
The platform is completely free for all schools until August 1 2025 and will continue to be developed with close feedback from music educators. In year two, MuseClass remains free for teachers, with a $15.99 annual cost per student and custom offerings for school districts.
MuseClass marks the first major release since Hal Leonard joined digital-content and technology leader Muse Group last year, with a shared vision to provide unparalleled access to the best resources to music makers worldwide. The new MuseClass reworks a Muse Group prototype, which is transformed with the addition of Hal Leonard’s content catalog and unparalleled 70 years of experience collaborating with U.S. educators.
The AutoGrade tool within MuseClass is the next step in the evolution of Muse Group’s machine learning listening technology. In September 2023, the iPad app StaffPad launched ‘Piano Capture,’ a feature that hears real piano performances and converts them into readable sheet music — technology recently spotlighted in Apple’s M4 chiplaunch.
In January 2024, the same capability was deployed in Ultimate Guitar’s Practice Mode, extending this breakthrough technology to millions of digital music makers. Now in MuseClass’ AutoGrade, a whole generation of young learners can enjoy the benefits of practicing and improving instrumental skills with AI-guidance.
In the future, the MuseClass feature set and content library is set to expand based on the evolving needs of U.S. teachers — including print offerings for band leaders and Google Classroom integration. MuseClass software for Kindergarten to Grade 6 educators and for regions outside the U.S. is also coming soon.
MuseClass is available now, and completely free to get started in 2024.