Thomas Leslie has been the Director of Bands at the University of Nevada Las Vegas since 1985. He has enjoyed tremendous success as a band director at each stop of his career and is a past president of the American Bandmasters Association. Topics: Tom’s background growing up in Iowa and the story of his high school music teacher Charles Kreeb through his musical education at the University of Iowa. Stories from his teaching career and a funny anecdote about being interviewed for his current posi...
Jul 22, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 121
Olin Hannum is the Director of Athletic Bands at Oregon State University and one of the hosts of the AMusEd: A Music Educator’s Podcast . He joins the show to talk about the program at Oregon State and share his thoughts about developing student leaders. Topics: Olin’s background growing up in Northern California as a horn player. What his job at Oregon State looks like and the challenges he faces in that position including a discussion of OSU’s football fortunes, the types of athletic events th...
Jul 15, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 120
Alex Kaminsky is the newly appointed Director of Bands at VanderCook College of Music. He has had tremendous success at every stop of his teaching career, including most recently at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Topics: Alex’s early experiences in music including Melvin Baker, his exceptional high school band director and the lessons that he learned from him. Alex's early career and some of the experiences that led him to later success as a band director. Some thoughts about building exc...
Jul 08, 2019•49 min•Season 3Ep. 119
Chip De Stefano is an arranger, composer, and the longtime band director at McCracken Middle School in Skokie, Illinois. Under his direction, the bands at McCracken have won numerous awards and have twice been invited to perform at the Midwest Clinic. Topics: Chip’s background and important early experiences in music. The decision to become a music teacher and the support that he receives from his administration and support at McCracken Middle School. Thoughts about creating excellence and some ...
Jul 01, 2019•53 min•Season 3Ep. 118
Dale Trumbore is a successful composer and the author of the recently released book Staying Composed: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt Within a Creative Life . She joins the show to talk about her career, her music, and to talk about issues related to anxiety for musicians. Topics: Dale’s background and her journey to becoming a full time composer, including some lessons learned from an influential teacher. Dale’s career as a composer including her choral music, how she finds text to set, and t...
Jun 24, 2019•51 min•Season 3Ep. 117
Lori Schwartz Reichl has parlayed her experience as a successful band director in Pennsylvania and Maryland into a remarkable portfolio career that includes being an author, clinician, adjudicator, conductor, and speaker. Topics: Lori’s background growing up in an extremely musical family and the experience of having her father as her high school band director. Thoughts about how to build your community, including specific tips for working with teaching colleagues, staff, and administrators. Tip...
Jun 17, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 116
Arris Golden is the assistant director of bands and associate director of the Spartan Marching Band at Michigan State University. Topics: Arris’ background and thoughts about having the same band director for 6 years. How during her 18 years teaching middle school, Arris was able to bring meaningful experiences to her students through commissions and collaborations. Building a network of colleagues and surrounding ourselves with mentors and peers who can help us grow and improve as teachers. The...
Jun 10, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 115
John Denis is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Texas State University. He has 8 years of teaching experience as a high school and middle school band director in Texas and is the host of the Program Notes: The Beginning Band Director Podcast . Topics: John’s background growing up West of Fort Worth and thoughts about why he became a teacher. Some advice for young teachers who might be discouraged or burnt out in their first years of teaching. The music education program at Texas State...
Jun 03, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 114
Colonel Arnald Gabriel is among the most distinguished members of our profession, having been the commander and conductor of the United States Air Force band from 1964-1985. Topics: Colonel Gabriel’s early musical experiences and the story of Burton Stanley, the high school band director who pushed him to college after his return from serving in the Second World War. The story of re-joining the service during the Korean War, this time as a conductor in the Air Force Some of the remarkable events...
May 27, 2019•40 min•Season 3Ep. 113
Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser is among the most important advocates and leaders in the music education community. He is a co-author of the Essential Elements series and the Vice President of Education for Conn-Selmer, Inc. and he joined the show for a broad discussion about teaching and music education. Topics: Dr. Tim’s background and wisdom and a treasure trove of useful quotes, including: “Successful people don’t know how to not be successful.” “The only way to fail is to give up” “Persistence alone ...
May 20, 2019•54 min•Season 3Ep. 112
Charles McGhee is the band director at Double Peak School in the San Marcos Unified School District, just North of San Diego. This is Charlie’s final year as a band director and he joins the show to share some of the wisdom he's learned in 30 years of teaching. Topics: Charlie’s background as a percussionist and his choice to go to college in his 20’s to earn his teaching credential. A long discussion about some of the skills required to be a successful middle school music educator including top...
May 13, 2019•54 min•Season 3Ep. 111
Jacquie Dawson is the Director of Bands at the University of Manitoba. Prior to this position she was a highly successful band director at several schools in the Winnipeg area. Topics: Jacquie's early musical education including a discussion of an early move from flute to clarinet and the music teacher who helped her find the right instrument. Jacquie's difficult first year as a music teacher and the lessons that we can take from her experience. Her teaching career, building a culture and commun...
May 06, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 110
Composer Omar Thomas is one of the brightest new talents in the band community, using his jazz background to write powerful works with a social conscience. Topics: Omar’s background in his high school music program and a young trombonist and why he doesn’t remember his high school cafeteria. Some tips for teaching jazz and some advice for teaching the language of swing. The story about how Omar was commissioned to write his first large scale work for wind ensemble (“Of our New Day Begun”) to hon...
Apr 29, 2019•47 min•Season 3Ep. 109
Cathi Leibinger is the band director at Ransom Everglades Middle School, the current president of the Florida Bandmasters Association, and knows just about everyone in the band world! Topics: Cathi’s early musical experiences, her educational background, and early experiences as a horn player and music educator. The organization of the program at Ransom Everglades Middle School and some discussion of the specific pedagogical decisions Cathi has made with her students. The Band Director's Faceboo...
Apr 22, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 108
Composer and conductor Onsby Rose has had a remarkably diverse career as a performer, teacher, and railroad conductor and was recently appointed Director of Instrumental Activities/Associate Professor of Music at Dordt College. Topics: An overview of Onsby’s remarkably diverse career including a discussion about being a Marine Corps musician and his move to the classroom after a career working with professionals. How Onsby started to compose, his relationship with David Maslanka, and his recent ...
Apr 15, 2019•56 min•Season 3Ep. 107
Composer and conductor Brian Balmages is the Director of Instrumental Publications for The FJH Music Company and a passionate advocate for music education. Topics: Brian’s background growing up as the son of a band director and the influence his father had on his early musical career. Brian’s move from performer to composer and conductor and his approach to writing music for young band and orchestra. The role of the conductor in an ensemble and the importance of programming music that inspires y...
Apr 08, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 106
Philip Obado is the Director of Bands at Allen ISD in Allen, Texas where he oversees a high school and middle school band program with over 1,800 musicians. Topics: The story of how Phil went from dreaming about a career as a concert trombonist to earning a doctorate in conducting and eventually landing as the director of bands for one of the largest high school music programs in the country. The decision to leave his position as the Assistant Director of Bands at Baylor University to return to ...
Apr 01, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 105
Elisa Janson Jones is a band teacher, community band conductor, blogger, podcaster, public speaker, the founder of the online Music Education Summit. Topics: Elisa’s origin story as the daughter of a prominent band director in Utah including her early music education and influences. The story of how Elisa used her experience, her network, and her personal skills to successfully open up a new middle school despite it being her first year of teaching. How getting an MBA while raising her children ...
Mar 25, 2019•51 min•Season 3Ep. 104
Composer Jennifer Jolley is on the faculty at Texas Tech University and Interlochen and is a member of ADJ*ective New Music and the Blue Dot Collective. In this episode she discusses her career, including how she got into writing for band. Topics: Jennifer’s background and her current gig as a composition professor at Texas Tech University. Combining electronic music with band and how composers can best help teachers bring these types of works to life. How Jennifer got involved in writing music ...
Mar 18, 2019•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 103
Rachel Maxwell has enjoyed tremendous success as the Director of Bands at Traughber Junior High School in Oswego, Illinois where she teaches over 400 students in three bands. Topics: The organization of the program at Traughber Middle School and how the growth of the town has changed her program during her tenure. Dividing bands strictly by grade levels and the goal to help every kid be successful regardless of their ability level and challenges. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, ...
Mar 11, 2019•1 hr 32 min•Season 3Ep. 102
Bruce Pearson is the teacher, composer, and author behind the Best in Class, Standard of Excellence, and Tradition of Excellence (with Ryan Nowlin) method books. Topics: Bruce talks about his method books starting with Best In Class, Standard of Excellence, and Tradition of Excellence and then offers advice about choosing method books. Bruce’s background growing up playing both clarinet and hockey, and the similarities between music and athletics. Bruce’s early career, a flirtation with medical ...
Mar 04, 2019•56 min•Season 3Ep. 101
Episode 100! John Mackey joins me for a conversation about his hugely successful career, from Commodore 64 through his remarkable "Places We Can No Longer Go" that was recently premiered at CBDNA 2019! Topics: The story of how John went from writing primarily chamber and orchestral music to becoming one of the most celebrated composers of music for wind ensemble and band. John’s background growing up and learning music and how to compose not in a traditional band, choir, or orchestra but instead...
Feb 25, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 100
Anthony Barfield is a composer and music producer in New York City. In this episode Anthony discusses his early career as a trombonist, his “Heritage Concerto” for euphonium and band, and also a bit about his current career as a producer for commercial and urban music. Topics: Anthony’s background growing up on his family farm in Mississippi and how the work ethic developed as a child has helped him achieve success as a musician. How Anthony’s success in high school helped to give him an identit...
Feb 18, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 99
Jason Nam is the Associate Director of Bands at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. In this episode Everything Band went "on the road" to Bloomington and had a chance to chat with Jason in the IU band offices. Topics: The importance of doing your best in every stop and how opportunity can come from those around seeing you value and not wanting to let you get away. Thoughts about building relationships and connections and how awareness of these relationships can help guide your interac...
Feb 11, 2019•56 min•Season 3Ep. 98
T. André Feagin is the assistant director of bands at Colorado State University. He joins the show to talk about his career and his involvement in DCI, and to share his thoughts about how conductors are advocates for the composer. Topics: T. André’s early musical training through high school and college and some excellent advice for directors and teachers considering a decision to return to graduate work full time. T. André’s experience growing up with DCI from the age of 17 and his continued in...
Feb 04, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 97
Composer and arranger Matt Conaway is the associate director of the Purdue "All American" marching band with his original music and arrangements published by C.L. Barnhouse and Hal Leonard. Topics: Matt’s position at Purdue University. Matt’s musical background including his grandmother who played honky tonk piano. Ways that we can support the careers of aspiring young composers and conductors that find their way into our classrooms. Matt’s education and his teaching position in West Lafayette, ...
Jan 28, 2019•54 min•Season 3Ep. 96
Acclaimed young composer Viet Cuong joins the show to share his thoughts about band music, his work as a composer, and how growing up in the Lassiter band helped him fit in and find his place in the world. Topics: Viet’s background and how he got his start as a musician, percussionist, and composer. How band and music helped Viet “find his place” in the world and the importance of band as a place where kids who are struggling to feel accepted have a place where they can fit in and grow. Growing ...
Jan 21, 2019•53 min•Season 3Ep. 95
Robert Sheldon has had a remarkable career as a composer, conductor, and music educator and is the Director of Concert Band Publications at Alfred Music. Topics: Robert’s incredible music background as the “Forrest Gump” of band music that included vaudevillian parents, studies at the University of Miami with Clifton Williams, Alfred Reed, and Frederick Fennell, and playing in the very first Disney World Band directed by Meredith Willson! Robert’s teaching career in Florida including stops at th...
Jan 14, 2019•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 94
A former middle and high school band director in Utah, Kaitlin Bove is currently a doctoral student in conducting at the University of Kentucky and one of the founders of the And We Were Heard recording project. Topics: Kaitlin's background growing up in Northern California and as a student at the University of the Pacific. The importance of giving kids an understanding and ability to play their instrument by themselves and some tips for helping students to learn ways to to do this. Kaitlin's ex...
Jan 08, 2019•59 min•Season 3Ep. 93
Works by composer Randall Standridge are consistently among the highest selling and most widely performed music each year. In this episode, he offers insight into his music and career as a composer. Topics: A brief overview of Randall’s career from college student at Arkansas State through the success of his works Afterburn and Adrenaline Engines . Randall’s family influences and high school teachers who fostered his creativity, his first (and only) teaching job, and the story of his transition ...
Dec 31, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 92
