Bandroom Management

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Does your child resist practice? Before we dismiss them as lazy or unmusical, perhaps there are some legitimate reasons we can blame the instrument? Some students may simply be incompatible with the instrument chosen. Many abandoned…
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It is very important for the school orchestra director to continually encourage students to upgrade the quality of their instruments. If a director will allow it, students will continue to play on beginner-level instruments through high…
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Many directors and administrators have asked why they should consider a lease/purchase program for acquiring new band instruments. The traditional answer is that, while staying within a reasonable budget, the school has the opportunity to…
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Obviously, there is really not a single correct tempo for a given work or section even though composers do provide pretty specific guidelines, either metronome markings or subjective descriptions. However, these indications can sometimes be…
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For the band director, the academic year is crowded with tasks, events, and obligations that impose deadlines and take up most of the available time. When daily operations are in full swing, a band director must turn his or her full…
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As the new school year gears up it comes time to review the methods in which we as band directors gather and organize the massive amount of information needed to successfully get the year rolling. This can include anything from preparing…
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It is hard to believe May is here and the school year is rapidly coming to a close. As I was brainstorming for a topic that would serve band directors well at this point in the year, a Mozart Horn Concerto was playing on my car radio. It…
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Regardless if you are a seasoned director or a first-year teacher, your program relies on you being able to purchase the equipment you need. To be able to do this, you must master the art of the school purchase order, or P.O. as it is…
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But that’s not so for germs, mold, and grunge. "Playing a used instrument can pose a potentially dangerous health risk. A total of 117 different sites, including the mouthpieces, internal chambers, and cases, were tested on 13 previously…
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Use a big beautiful sound. Find a favorite simple melody, tune or scale and breathe a warm singing tone into your instrument. For flutists, playing a series of long, resonant, centered middle B naturals if always good. Feel the openness in…
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At a time of year when so many student competitions are taking place, I thought it would be helpful and perhaps even inspiring to review some basic practice and performance ideas. It is my hope that music directors share these tips with…
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“Organizations can generate a return up to 50 percent through citrus fundraising,” said Vanessa Hodak, fundraising program manager for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). “Citrus shippers can deliver packaged boxes of Navel oranges and…
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Imagine walking into a new job as a director and finding all the instruments you need in inventory and in good working condition. Many directors would need to imagine that because, in most cases, it just doesn’t happen. Band programs grow…
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