Music of Andrew F. Poor

The Pack Mindset Keys to Understanding Team Dynamics  " For the  strength   of   the   Pack  is the Wolf, and the  strength  of the Wolf is the  Pack ." ― Rudyard Kipling.    Inside the ancient parts of our brain, we are wired to mirror the other members of our pack. Our fight/flight/freeze instincts are connected to this innate awareness of our surroundings. Ever notice one person yawns, and you suddenly have an uncontrollable urge to yawn. If I am whispering to you, it would seem exceptionally odd to yell back at me. We see somebody in danger and panicked, and our instinct is to quickly move to help them. Our mirror instincts are at play when we get into an argument, and it quickly escalates. The inverse is also true. When upset, a calming and reassuring voice can quickly change our mood. These reactions are a part of this instinct, which have helped our packs survive and thrive over millennia.  This instinct is unive...

This is Part 2 of a blog reflecting on my experiences from this past summer teaching the Spirit of Atlanta brass.  7. Approaching show warm-ups like it is an extension of rehearsal We began to approach show preparation like it was an extension of the rehearsal day, i.e., essentially another rehearsal block. The idea came from a blog by Daniel Coyle, author of a great book entitled, The Talent Code. The blog,  http://thetalentcode.com/2016/10/06/stop-warming-up-start-learning-up/ ,  The blog talks about myths about preparing to perform and uses NBA great, Steph Curr,y as the subject. We took the ideas from this thought-provoking concept and applied it to our show preparation. Our show prep was tightly scripted and was consistent in structure but varied in application. The variables are what engages the brain, and challenging the mind and are what prepares us to perform. The structure helped with efficiency and the variables were essential to improving mental a...