Dear Friends,

"You're not looking at me! Watch me!"

Ever hear someone say this in your chorus, band, or orchestra?

Of course you have! Many directors constantly tell their ensembles to get their eyes off the music and to watch them. Since no ensemble can play expressively - or even together - without watching, they're right to ask you to "look up."

But looking up can be risky if you're afraid of making a mistake, or losing your place on the page; that's why most young musicians don't.

Actually, looking up is a technique to be learned, and I'll show you how to do it right now.

1. Print out this page and put it on your stand;
   
2. Pick out a picture on the wall, or a lamp - that'll be your conductor;
   
3. Look at the music and memorize the notes in the first 2 measures: C and D;
   
4. Look at your "conductor" while you play or sing those notes;
   
5. After the first beat of the D, look down quickly and memorize the note in the 3rd measure - F;
   
6. Before the 4th beat of the D, look at the "conductor" and play the F in time;
   
7. Keep doing the same thing - looking at the music quickly, then up at the conductor, then down to get the next note, etc.;
   
8. You'll soon find that you hardly have to look at the music at all.

1. Follow the same procedure as before;
   
2. This time, you have to memorize two notes, but you're sure to find this as easy as memorizing just one;
   
3. Remember: it's ok to make a mistake or two while you learn the technique of looking up; little by little, you'll get it and it will become second nature.