The Little Details
"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." - John Wooden
The above quote is from a famous basketball coach but it might as well have been from a famous musician. Oftentimes, as performers or music educators, we tend to focus only on the big things - "hitting" notes, rhythms, intonation. But like in a magnificent church, it is the little details that make all the difference in the world.
How consistent are your note endings in all registers at all dynamic levels?
Even if your band is starting and ending a crescendo at the same volumes, are they all crescendoing at the same rate throughout?
Are your dynamic levels consistent relative to each other throughout an entire work?
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There are countless ways that you can make a performance more refined. Truly inspiring performances are always the sum of those very small refinements. Think globally. Act locally.
