Band

As the name implies, recruiting students for a band program is a continual process where, every year, students are encouraged to begin or continue their music-making. An effective, "ongoing" recruitment program not only brings new students into the band program, but also has high visibility, good communication, and a curriculum with activities that are designed to provide new and exciting learning experiences that will help retain students.

Each year band directors are faced with the challenge of recruiting students into their ensembles. This recruiting should not be only for new members, but wise directors understand the importance of "recruiting" existing members into their ensembles for the following school year. The Gemeinhardt, Inc. Company has researched why or why not students participate, stay in, or drop out of the band programs. While there are many reasons, those that can be affected by the band director can be grouped into four categories...

Ready, Set, Fall

Fall marks the end of summer marching season, the beginning of fall marching season, jazz ensemble, beginning band for some, plus a myriad of small ensembles to coach and the beginning of developing that special concert band "sound," not to mention all of the administrative adventures that go with it. Suffering with tyranny of the urgent yet? All of this preparation work is quadrupled if the students do not have the word "practice" etched in their minds as a daily function. What would it be like to spend most of the rehearsal period working on musical ideas versus rote teaching of notes and rhythms? When the paradigm of your students' role in band includes daily practice at home, the band director's ability to produce a creative musical environment becomes a reality. "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime." If we can help our students find their love of music by giving them the tools to create it, the search for successful musicianship will be a self-fulfilling journey.

Characteristic tone, articulation, intonation, precision, andb alancea re fundamental qualities that are evident in all great musical performances. As band directors, our goal is to develop a teaching method that advances our students' understanding, awareness, and performance skills in regards to these five fundamental goals.

Go! You're off for the start of another school year. Some have likened a school year to a race - not a sprint, but a marathon. While it's important to start well, it's more important to finish well. Those in a race receive their reward at the end of the race, not at the beginning.

The trees are turning and the days are getting shorter, so it must be time to get back up on the podium for the start of another school year. For many, it seems as though it was just yesterday that we said goodbye to last year's graduating class. No doubt this school year will bring with it questions, dreams, and hopes. Keep in mind and put into practice these helpful tips regarding People and Perspective to make this school year THE BEST EVER!

Many of you are faced with the need to create plans for online band instruction as we all come together in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). I want to remind you that if you are using either the Tradition Of Excellence Comprehensive Band Method or Standard Of Excellence Enhanced Comprehensive Band Method Second Edition, you already have everything you need to facilitate distance learning!

Matching Students to Instruments One of the most exciting and important events in the life of a prospective band student is when he or she selects the instrument they are going to play. There are many factors that influence a student’s decision such as the availability of an instrument, the popularity of an instrument, parental preference, peer pressure, perceived musical opportunities, and band director needs and suggestions.

In my earlier years as a band director, I was pretty good at fixing problems as they occurred in my band. I could address wrong notes, rhythms, basic articulations, musical phrasing, and intonation issues. I gradually learned, however, that I was working too hard and my students generally did not know how to solve these problems on their own. I was putting out “fires” as they happened, rather than giving my students the necessary skills to address these “fires” as (and before) they occurred.

As we’re moving through the first semester and onto the spring term, I’m reminded of the challenges we face in finding good material for performance—pieces that can bring together a freshly-minted group of students…