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“If students know that you want the best personal life experience for them, the music will just follow.” - Jonathan Laflamme Director of Instrumental Music at Central Lakes College, Brainerd, MN Welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge! Today I am chatting with Jonathan Laflamme from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN. Jonathan coordinates the College in the Schools Program at CLC and works with band directors at high schools throughout the state to setup CIS offerings. Through the CIS program students can earn college credit for taking ensembles and courses at their high school with their high school teacher. In an age where high school students are feeling more pressure than ever to earn college credit before graduating high school, finding a way to offer college credit in instrumental music is one of the best ways to stay competitive in your high school’s course catalog. Plus it’s great to be able to reward students, particularly seniors, who have been in the program their whole high school career. Jonathan and I walk through how CIS works through CLC. The goal is to give you some ideas about how and why a program like this would be great for your high school and hopefully encourage you to contact him to ask about setting something up for this year! As mentioned in the show, there are several online courses that CLC offers that would allow you to work with Jonathan regardless of the physical location of your high school.  Alright, let’s dive in and learn more. Background Prior to coming to Central Lakes College Jonathan Laflamme was a high school band director for fourteen years. His first post was in Pierz, MN where he increased participation throughout the program, received high ratings at state contests, was selected to perform at MMEA and took the band on its first international tour. After Pierz Jonathan became the director of bands at Little Falls Community High School where he also increased participation, received local, state and regional recognition and performed on four international tours. Jonathan has been composing and arranging music for a variety of genres from rock and roll charts to jazz and symphonic band pieces. College and military bands have premiered Jonathan’s compositions. Jonathan holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from St. Cloud State University. Jonathan has been selected twice by Minnesota Public Radio as their music ‘teacher feature,’ and most recently was selected to represent Minnesota in the National School Band and Orchestra magazine as The Top 50 Music Educators Who Make a Difference.. Jonathan is passionate about teaching music, bow hunting, fishing, alpine skiing, water sports, athletics and most of all faith and family. Episode Overview Background (01:38) College in the Schools at CLC (15:35) Cost and workload for the director? (40:06) What makes a great band program? (56:58) And that wraps up today’s episode. If this got your wheel’s turning about “is CIS the right choice for my school and program?” then I really encourage you to reach out to Jonathan. As you can tell he is a great guy to chat with and very easy going - he will help you figure out what is the best course offering to get started with if you want to dip your toes into a CIS offering this coming year. I personally will be exploring the online courses that CLC offers and running those through my high school. More importantly, what a great way to add value to your current high school course catalog. You will earn lots of points with your administrator for wanting to take something like this on. Administrators want to keep students at the high school for financial reasons AND college credit offerings are talking and bragging points for when they converse with the community and school board. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. Also, if you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! Please share episodes with friends and colleagues; a personal recommendation goes a long way in helping out with the show. If you like what you heard today consider purchasing one of the books mentioned in the podcast. Your purchases through the amazon links on the website help give us a little help in covering costs for hosting the show. You can also head over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donate through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program.  Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Andrew Klassen (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) The Band Director’s Lounge on Facebook (FB Website) Nominate a band director for the podcast Support The Band Director’s Lounge Purchase a book mentioned in the show! Sign up for a trial of Tonara 30 day free trial and 10% off, Promo Code: Lounge20 App link  Weblink (only from Desktop device) Donate to support the podcast.

“Every student has untapped potential. Talent X Effort = Ability and Achievement” - Andrew Klassen  Band Director at Menonite Brethren Collegiate Institute, Winnipeg Canada Welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge! Today I am chatting with Mr. Andrew Klassen who teaches at Menonite Brethren Collegiate Institute in Winnipeg, Canada. Andrew and I first got connected through a trip that I was going to be taking with my high school band students this spring and his school was going to host us for part of our tour. Together we had done much of the leg-work to get the exchange day organized and then….COVID hit one week before we were about to depart to Canada. In hindsight, it was good that things played out the way they did with the cancellation of our trip. However based on my interactions with Mr.Klassen from afar I wanted to get to know him and his program and share that with you. Background Andrew Klassen has taught 6-12 band at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute for the past 33 years. Andrew is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, where he won numerous performance scholarships and competitions. He is the first saxophonist in Canada to be awarded the Royal Conservatory of Music Gold Medal for his ARCT diploma, and is a first prize winner of both the Lawrence Genser and Women’s Musical Club Scholarship Competitions. Mr. Klassen has adjudicated throughout the Prairies, instructed in saxophone at the University of Manitoba and taught pedagogy at the University of Winnipeg. As a performer, he has played as a saxophonist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and as a violist in the Bel Canto String Quartet, and is active in leading worship at Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church.  He is a former Artistic Director and guest conductor of the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble. Mr. Klassen has also guest-conducted the University of Manitoba Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, the Manitoba Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Honour Bands, and numerous regional honour bands, community bands, and band camps. Andrew is a recipient of the Manitoba Band Association’s Award of Distinction, the University of Manitoba’s Excellence in Music Education Award, and has presented on music education topics at the Manitoba Music Conference.  Each August, Mr. Klassen coordinates a highly successful Junior Band Summer Camp which has served over 1200 students from 80 Manitoba schools the past 24 years. Episode Overview Background & MBCI (02:16) Band and music at MBCI (20:18) Scheduling, practice, rehearsal, practice logs (31:50) The Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale and grading (42:50) Talent X Effort = Ability and Achievement (58:40) Parent Buy-in (66:40) Being an active performer and modeling our craft (78:00) Books that have impacted teaching and musicianship (82:36) Advice for young directors (88:30) What makes a great band program? (92:14) And that wraps up today’s episode. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. Also, if you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! Please share episodes with friends and colleagues; a personal recommendation goes a long way in helping out with the show. If you like what you heard today consider purchasing one of the books mentioned in the podcast. Your purchases through the amazon links on the website help give us a little help in covering costs for hosting the show. You can also head over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donate through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program.  Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Andrew Klassen (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) The Band Director’s Lounge on Facebook (FB Website) Nominate a band director for the podcast Support The Band Director’s Lounge Donate to support the podcast. Books mentioned in this episode: Everyday Wisdom for Inspired Teaching, Dr.Tim Lautzenheiser Classical Leadership - Teacher’s Edition, Dr.Tim Lautzenheiser The Joy of Inspired Teaching, Dr.Tim Lautzenheiser

“Our job is to inspire students to love music as much as we love it.” - Robert Baca Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at The University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge! Today I am talking with Robert “Bob” Baca. Bob teaches at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and is an active teacher and performer throughout the United States. His performance background includes countless performances in both classical and commercial areas including the Milwaukee Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra as well as a past member of the popular radio ensemble for Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” He has toured with Frank Sinatra, Buddy Rich, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Blood Sweat and Tears and numerous others as well as performing over one hundred Broadway shows and hundreds of recording sessions in Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Chicago.   As a soloist, Robert has performed in China, London, Costa Rica and Europe as well as the United States. Robert Baca is Professor of Trumpet and Director of Jazz Studies at the all undergraduate University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  Most recently, he conducted the National High School Honors Jazz Ensemble for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) at their national convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Other highlights include serving as a faculty member of Conn-Selmer Institute, conducting numerous all state ensembles and presenting at educational conventions. He received the first, “Career Excellence in Teaching Award” presented by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and was runner up for the "Teacher Of The Year", UW-System Award.  Mr. Baca is a past executive board member for the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) as the United States Representative.  Mr. Baca loves to help students of any age reach their whole potential. He has been happily married to his wife Jodie for over 30 years and has two children, Alec and Nicole and a dog named Chewy. Episode Overview Background (01:57) A supportive spouse, “You really need to do this” (20:57) Inspiring students to love music as much as we love it and removing limitations (26:00) Eau Claire Jazz Festival, Being a “Kingmaker” not a “King” and Student Leadership (45:40) Being an active performer and educator (70:35) A career-ending diagnosis (87:14) How to bring out a guest artist to your school? (101:20) Books that have impacted teaching and musicianship (110:00) Advice for young directors (116:35)  What makes a great band program? (120:50) And that wraps up today’s episode. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! If you like what you heard today consider purchasing one of the books mentioned in the podcast or heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donating through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program.  Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Robert Baca (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) The Band Director’s Lounge on Facebook (FB Website) Nominate a band director for the podcast Support The Band Director’s Lounge Donate to support the podcast. Books mentioned in this episode: The Success Journey, John C. Maxwell The Inner Game of Tennis, Tim Gallway Psycho-cybernetics, Maxwell Maltz The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey The Bible As a Man Thinketh, James Allen Zen and the Art of Archery, Eugen Herrigel

“You can’t teach excellence without having achieved excellence.” - Scott Guidry, USAF Director (ret.) and Associate Prof. at Bemidji State University Hello and welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge!  This week I am chatting with Scott Guidry, Associate Professor of Instrumental Music and Director of Bands at Bemidji State University. Scott also served and directed ensembles for 20 years in the U. S. Air Force. Today Scott and I talk about his long-time career in the USAF, the need to be genuine and authentic when in front of a large ensemble, and the importance of seeing yourself as a leader in addition to music educator. His full biography can be found below: Scott Guidry is Director of Bands and Associate Professor of High Brass at Bemidji State University. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a Master of Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. His primary conducting teachers include Dr. Joseph Hebert and Professor Anthony Maiello. Professor Guidry conducts the BSU Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Symphonic Band. He teaches Trumpet and Horn, Instrumental Conducting and Arranging, and supervises instrumental student teachers. He hosts an annual high school honor band, jazz festival, and conducts the BSU spring opera. He teaches trumpet yearly at the International Music Camp, where he is a member of the artists-in-residence International Brass Quintet. A native of Carencro, Louisiana, Professor Guidry joined the U. S. Air Force in 1993. During his 20-year tenure in the Air Force, he performed with a broad range of talented guest artists, to include Kim Nazarian of New York Voices, Canadian Brass alumni Ronald Romm and Fred Mills, Keiko Matsui, Helen Reddy, Crystal Gayle, Wilford Brimley and The Platters. Professor Guidry has presented master classes, clinics and performances with high school ensembles throughout the United States.  His military career highlights include performances throughout the United States and over 30 nations in Europe and Western Asia. In 2010, he deployed to South West Asia and was Officer in Charge of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command Band, enhancing morale of U. S. and Allied Forces and supporting embassies throughout the theater. As leader of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band, Professor Guidry led a jazz band tour of Western Siberia, celebrating 10 years of the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg (Ya-ket-tear-in-burg), and led a ceremonial band in Sofia, Bulgaria commemorating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Bulgaria. Professor Guidry and his wife, BSU Oboe Instructor Heather Guidry, live in Bemidji. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.    Episode Overview Background (02:50) Teaching at former high school (08:01) Going Into The Blue with the USAF (11:17) Other career highlights with USAF (26:24) Advice for would-be military ensemble auditioners (32:31) Bemidji State University (38:11) Big picture messages for music education students (42:35) Some thoughts on conducting and score study (49:01) Pride of BSU (62:33) Leadership as a music educator (69:21) Books that have impacted teaching and musicianship (76:40) Advice for young directors (78:30) What makes a great band program? (80:30) And that wraps up today’s episode. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donating through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program.  Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Scott Guidry (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) The Band Director’s Lounge on Facebook (FB Website) Nominate a band director for the podcast Support The Band Director’s Lounge Donate to support the podcast. Books mentioned in this episode: Lincoln on Leadership, Donald T. Philips Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman

Hello and welcome back to the Band Director’s lounge!  This week I am chatting with Beth Horton from Tonara. Tonara is an awesome digital learning platform built specifically with the music educator in mind. This is a really cool and easy to use application to help facilitate large group band classes and small group and individual lessons. If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to check out this week’s episode! Overview What is Tonara? How did you (Beth) get involved with Tonara? (01:38) 10,000 foot overview of Tonara (07:45) Practicing, Points, Leaderboards, Groups (33:35) Creative uses and user stories (41:00) 30 day free trial and 10% off, Promo Code: Lounge20 App link: https://tonr.me/KFKG4VigY3 Weblink (only from PC): https://platform.tonara.com/login/sign-up?utm_source=logan How might a listener get setup to try out this application for their own students? (44:30)   Try out Tonara today!! 30 day free trial and 10% off, Promo Code: Lounge20 App link: https://tonr.me/KFKG4VigY3 Weblink (only from PC): https://platform.tonara.com/login/sign-up?utm_source=logan   And that wraps up today’s episode. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donating through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program.  Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Beth Horton from Tonara (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Support The Band Director’s Lounge Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)

Hello and welcome back to the Band Director’s lounge!  This week instead of an interview, I will be doing a book review. I have been gearing up for this episode for quite some time as the book I am going to discuss is near and dear to me. I am often sharing the book with students as it one of the best books on leadership that I have read in my entire life. The book is called “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win” but Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Upon first read of the title you might anticipate a machismo-drill sergeant style approach towards leadership to be laid out within its pages, however it is the exact opposite. U.S. Navy SEALs are probably one of the highest-performing military teams in the world. In “Extreme Ownership”, retired SEAL officers Willink and Babin share the vital leadership principles that have enabled SEAL leaders and teams to achieve extraordinary results, and explain how these insights can be applied to achieve success in all aspects of business and life. Episode Overview Introduction & Update Victory Within Extreme Ownership (06:58) No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders (30:00) Believe (35:47) Check The Ego. (40:38) Wrap-up (54:40) I’ll post some resources and links to summaries of this book. However if you are interested in picking it up, please consider using the link in the show notes to purchase it through amazon. A small percentage of the proceeds will trickle back to us and help offset some of our operating costs. Thanks again for turning in! We’ll see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) jockpodcast.com "Extreme Ownership" TED Talk Support The Band Director’s Lounge Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ) Books mentioned in this episode: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin  

Yes, you read the episode title correctly; today we are heading to Prague in the Czech republic! This is the first international interview on the Band Director’s Lounge and it is with a passionate music educator and band director by the name of Lindsey Simondet. Lindsey Simondet Background Lindsey Simondet is a native of Minnesota, USA. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in K-12 instrumental music education. She also earned a Masters degree in Education from the University of Glasgow in Scotland with a focus on social justice and radical education. Lindsey student taught in Prague, Czech Republic leading her music education career on an international path to where she is today. She is currently in her 11th year of teaching music and her second year at the International School of Prague where she teaches middle and high school band.  Unlike many international schools, ISP is a non-profit school. Lindsey’s love for teaching where she is and the students that she works with was palpable in my conversation with her, it is clear that she has found her perfect “career fit” at this present time. I learned so much about what it is like to teach internationally from Lindsey, a two hour conversation has never gone by so fast. I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, especially if you have ever considered teaching abroad. Let’s jump into the episode! Episode Overview Background (02:10) Teaching Internationally (16:55) International School - Prague (19:00) Building A Band From Scratch (25:55) ABRSM Exams Band and Transient Populations (35:10) School Day Structure (42:00) A Fine Arts City (51:13) Marching Band? And Other Activities (55:55) Other International Teaching (66:55) Classroom Community (71:12) What Do You Love Most About Your Assignment? (75:08) Impactful Books (78:03) Advice For Young Band Directors (80:38) What Makes A Great Band Program? (84:41)   And that wraps up today’s episode. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donating through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program.  Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources Lindsey Simondet (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) AMIS: Association for Music in International Schools CEESA: Central and Eastern European School Association  Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks ABRSM: About Us  Support The Band Director’s Lounge Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ) Books mentioned in this episode: Teaching Instrumental Music: Developing the Complete Band Program - Shelley Jagow Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (Harvest in Translation) - Bell Hooks

Hello and welcome to the Band Director’s Lounge! My interview today takes us to the southern United States. Jonathan Chance is from Birmingham, Alabama. He attended Troy State University and graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. He has been the Director of Bands at Luverne High School for the past 15 years and has built the band program to over 200 students’ program wide. He is happily married to Beverly Chance, and they have two daughters Annalee and Brylee.  In his free time he enjoys playing Golf and spending time with his Family. I think you are going to enjoy hearing about Mr.Chance’s program and some of his thoughts on teaching band and building a successful band program! Before we get to the interview I want to remind you that there are a number of ways to support this podcast and help ensure that it stays operational. All of these methods are listed in the show notes. Don’t worry, I am not asking for you to write a check for a donation (though you can certainly do that through paypal).  One of the simplest ways is to check out the Books From Episodes list on TheBandDirectorsLounge.com website. This list of books has been curated from recommendations from fellow band directors that have been on the program and include many of the books they have found inspiring and foundational to their teaching. By clicking through the links on our website and ultimately purchasing those books on Amazon, this podcast receives a small affiliate percentage that helps offset some of the hosting costs of the podcast. It’s a seemingly small task on your part, especially if you are looking for new books, but it helps us out a ton. Okay, now onto my interview with Jonathan Chance. Episode Overview Background (01:52) Luverne High School (05:10) Marching Band (08:45) Working with Coaches & Marching Practice (12:38) Recruitment (16:50) Local Enrichment Opportunities, Co-curriculars, and Busy Kids (18:07)  Alabama Performance Assessment (30:09) Favorite Literature, Victor Lopez, and Robert W.Smith (32:01) Curricular Rehearsal Plan (33:33) Useful Budget Purchase (36:00) Challenging Teaching Moment (38:05) Motivation & Marketing (40:40) Student Leadership (45:34) Books That Have Impacted Teaching (47:11) Payne Stewart: The Authorized Biography, Tracey Stewart Advice for Young Band Director (48:18) What Makes a Great Band Program (51:34)   And that wraps up today’s episode.   If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it!   If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show or sign up for a free trial with Audible. Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show.   Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.

Hello and welcome! My interview today takes us out of the Midwest to the east coast to the great state of New Jersey. Derek Rohaly Background Derek Rohaly earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the Pennsylvania State University in 2010 where he studied trumpet under Dr. Langston Fitzgerald III and completed a minor in Music Technology. Mr. Rohaly began his career immediately after graduation in Quakertown, Pennsylvania teaching elementary band, general music, and high school jazz band in the Quakertown Community School District.  In 2011, he became a band director for Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, New Jersey where he remains an established music educator today.  In his time at Mainland Regional High School, he has taught concert band, all levels of beginning through advanced keyboard and guitar, music theory, and freshman seminar in technology.  To serve Mainland Regional’s growing interest in music, he spearheaded the development of the school’s first music technology class from course proposals, budgeting projections, curriculum development, and implementation.  In additional to his school-day responsibilities, Mr. Rohaly contributes a significant amount of his time with extracurricular groups like jazz band, pit orchestra, & guitar ensemble.  In his five years of directing the marching band, he has led the Mainland Band to a Tournament of Bands New Jersey State Championship in 2014 & 2015 and consistently earned top tier placements at state and regional contests. Mr. Rohaly currently is the co-coordinator for the Atlantic Cape Honor Band (serving Atlantic and Cape May counties) and is the webmaster for the South Jersey Band and Orchestra Directors Association (www.sjboda.org)  As a music educator, Mr. Rohaly finds it extremely important to continually perform as a musician.   He regularly performs with the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble and has performed in the pit orchestras for the Off Broad Street Players theater company in Millville, NJ.    We are going to dive into our interview in just a second, but first I want to mention that this episode is brought to you by Audible. Reading is one of the common things that all great leaders do to continue learning and growing. As educational leaders in our classroom it is important that we too continue developing our own knowledge base and skill sets so that we can become better teachers and directors four our students. However with having busy lives both in and outside of the classroom, it is sometimes difficult to make time to read. This is why a subscription to Audible is likely perfect for you! Each month you receive an audible credit which can be redeemed for an audiobook in the audible store. There are thousands of titles to choose from, and with most audiobooks normally costing $30 or more audible credit starting at $15 a month is a steal. If you elect to subscribe at a higher level, the audible credits become cheaper than $15 per credit so the deal only gets better. Consider checking this offer out from The Band Director’s Lounge; You can get a free month of Audible and 2 free books when you use our referral link. Every audiobook you purchase through the app is yours to keep forever. In fact, it can even be downloaded onto a CD or stored on a limited number of devices. Plus, you can access your library at any time, even if you cancel your subscription. Again, try out a free month of Audible and get 2 free books when you use our referral link. Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2WToqS2)   Episode Overview Background (03:24) Mainland Regional High School (05:38) Marching Band (12:20) Unique Activities and Offerings (19:56) Relationships with Administrators (30:37) Jazz Bands (34:33) Family, Work, and Teaching (38:07) Recruitment (56:15) Band Travel (62:07)  Recommended Books (65:47) Advice for Young Band Directors (67:32) What Makes a Great Band Program? (71:39)   And that wraps up today’s episode. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it!   If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show, sign up for a free trial with Audible, or pick up a set of Eargasm Earplugs ( http://bit.ly/2HBge0T). Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show.   Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources Derek Rohaly(Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website)   Support The Band Director’s Lounge   Eargasam Earplugs (http://bit.ly/2HBge0T) Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2WToqS2 ) Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)  Books mentioned in this episode: The Creative Director: Alternative Rehearsal Techniques - Edward Lisk

Dr. Elizabeth Jackson Kirchhoff Background Dr. Elizabeth Jackson Kirchhoff has been active as an instrumental music educator, conductor, and clinician in the United States, Norway, and Canada for over thirty years.  She has enjoyed collaborating with music makers from the elementary level to the university level. She completed a B.A. in Music Education at St. Olaf College, a M.M. in Conducting at Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. in Music Education at The Ohio State University.  Jackson has been teaching at Eden Prairie High School in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, since 1998 where she conducts the Wind Ensemble, the Concert Band, the Pit Orchestra, and is founder of the EPHS Chamber Winds program. Under Jackson’s direction, the Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the 2010 & 2018 Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic and as a featured band at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in 2001, 2010, and 2014.  Prior to her appointment at Eden Prairie, she taught music 5-12 in Wrenshall, Minnesota, band 9-12 at Spring Lake Park High School, and band 5-8 in the Hopkins School District. Beginning in 2004, she spent a three-year sabbatical as Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Minnesota before returning to Eden Prairie High School in the fall of 2007.   Dr. Jackson has served as an honor band conductor and clinician in Norway, Canada, and throughout the United States.  She has also served on the Minnesota Music Educators Association Board of Directors, is the a past-president of the Minnesota Band Directors Association, and was named the MMEA Educator of the Year in 2010.  She currently serves on the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies Teachers Advisory Council and is a member of the Phi Beta Mu International School Bandmaster Fraternity.   Among the many topics that we cover today, Dr.Jackson shares some incredible insight on her personal music philosophy, important topics for daily lesson delivery, selecting quality lit, conducting, and so much more! Dr. Jackson is a master in her craft and I was very lucky to have her on the program. Before we jump into the show, I want to mention that The Band Director’s Lounge is an Amazon Affiliate. What is an Amazon Affiliate? This means that when interesting books or other products are mentioned on the podcast, The Band Director’s Lounge can provide you a link to this good or service and receive a small affiliate kick-back if you purchase the product. Amazon already has an incredible range of goods and services to select from and typically these are some of the cheapest prices you can find on the web. By purchasing one of the books mentioned on the show, and in today’s episode there are several great books mentioned, you are supporting the podcast in a small but meaningful way and helping us to stay running and cover our operating costs. Not sure where to find our affiliate links? Check out the show notes for this episode. They can be found by clicking on the episode in the podcast listening platform on your device or heading out to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and clicking on the episode on the home page. There is also a book store called “Books from episodes” listed on our website that includes all of the books that have ever been discussed in each of the episodes. I hope that you consider checking these out and supporting the podcast today! And now onto my interview. Episode Overview Background (03:20) Why music education? (07:00) Eden Prairie High School and teaching load (11:25) Important Teaching Concepts/Lessons (21:42) Daily Lesson Delivery (28:15) Selecting Quality Literature (30:45) Conducting and Score Study Tips (37:55) Student Teachers (44:47) Student Leadership (49:45) Travel (58:21) Sharing the same career as your spouse (70:30) Teacher Burnout (74:52) On being a female band director (79:27) Book recommendations (90:45) Advice for young directors (93:51) What makes a great band program? (95:35)   Wow, I am not sure about you but I walked away with several pages of notes from this one. It was a treat to talk with Dr.Jackson and I hope that you enjoyed it too! If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skillset but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show, sign up for a free trial with Audible, or pick up a set of Eargasm Earplugs ( http://bit.ly/2HBge0T). Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show. Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources Dr.Elizabeth Jackson Kirchoff (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website)   Support The Band Director’s Lounge   Eargasam Earplugs (http://bit.ly/2HBge0T) Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2WToqS2 ) Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)   Books mentioned in this episode The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life, 20th Anniversary Edition, Parker Palmer The Artistry of Teaching and Making Music, Richard Floyd The Mind's Ear: Exercises for Improving the Musical Imagination for Performers, Composers, and Listeners, Bruce Adolph

Today’s guest is John Pohland who teaches high school band in Waconia, MN. I was really excited when John agreed to chat with me about his program. He has taught in Waconia for 12 years and has built something of a powerhouse in terms of participation, excellence, and overall musical culture. John knows how to connect with kids and get them to play their hearts out. He has also been a professional resource for me, especially during my first few years of teaching. John is a master of his craft and as you will hear, extremely humble and down to earth.  Before we get started, I need to mention that today’s episode is brought to you by Eargasm Ear Plugs. Accents and marcatos should be musically-energizing not dreadfully painful. If you find yourself needing a break from loud noises, give yourself the permission to wear hearing protection. The trick is to get hearing protection that still allows you to hear the important sounds while reducing those that are invasive and taxing. Enter cost-effective Eargasm earplugs. Their discreet design allows them to be worn without drawing attention to your ears. Each set comes with two different sizes for large and small ear canals. They are easy to remove from your ears and come with an aluminum carrying case that can be clipped to your keychains making them easy to carry with to pep band events or concerts. These earplugs make all frequencies softer - so they do not hinder your ability to interact with what you are hearing from your band, but they do help ensure that you will be able to continue hearing long after rehearsal is over. Use this link in our show notes to purchase your set of Eargasm Earplugs and your purchase will help support The Band Director’s Lounge. Check out the company’s website to see all of the styles available today. Eargasm Earplugs http://bit.ly/2HBge0T   And now onto my conversation with John Pohland.   Episode Overview Background (02:05) Waconia High School (08:05) “Big Black” Marching Band (17:23) Show Choir & Stage Bands (40:00) Travel Experiences (45:29) Advice to Young Band Directors (49:37) What Makes a Great Band Program? (53:50)   If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show, sign up for a free trial with Audible, or pick up a set of Eargasm Earplugs ( http://bit.ly/2HBge0T). Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show. Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources John Pohland (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Grand Symphonic Winds Support The Band Director’s Lounge   Eargasam Earplugs (http://bit.ly/2HBge0T) Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2WToqS2 ) Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)    

Hello and welcome! If you are listening to this episode in real-time, it is now August and the start of a new school year is just around the corner. This upcoming year may not be your first but if you are like most teachers, memories of your first year of teaching might still feel like “it was just yesterday”. I know that I still get many of the same nerves, and sense of anticipation and wonder on the eve of every new school year upcoming school year just like that first year teaching. This episode is geared towards the new teacher. For them, their “FIRST” school year is just about to begin and they may need some grounding or words of encouragement before they begin their teaching journey. Are you a seasoned director? Don’t worry, I think that you will find this episode helpful too as it might just bring you back to some of the important fundamentals of our profession. This episode contains fifteen responses from fifteen different directors. Each director has anywhere from a couple of years of teaching experience to being near or done with their career and enjoying retirement and ranging from elementary teaching to collegiate instruction.  In the show notes for this episode you can find time stamps with the names of each of these directors AND my full-length interviews with each if you want to go check out more of what they had to share about teaching and band directing. During this episode each response will be shared back to back with a slight pause in between so you can hear each answer without delay.  I think that you will quickly notice themes and recurring ideas emerging even from this sample of fifteen teachers. I hope that it will inspire you, motivate you, and quiet some of those nerves as they share lessons that they likely “learned the hard way” or wisdom that was revealed to them over the course of their teaching. The answers are in response to a hybrid of two questions:   “What advice would you go back and give your former self at the start of your teaching career? OR What advice would you give to a teacher in their first few years of teaching?” Enjoy!   Episode Overview #4 Rachel Pletke - LeSueur-Henderson, MN (02:05) #5 Anthony Boldt - Kasson-Mantorville, MN (04:08) #7 Steve Schmitz - St.Louis Park, MN (06:31) #8 Dan Tewalt - Wayzata, MN (07:37) #9 Matthew Potter - Chaska, MN (10:42) #10 Scott Sater (Ret.) - Shakopee & Backus, MN (10:57) #11 Dr.Doug Orzolek - University of St.Thomas, MN (16:01) #12 Caleb Rebarchak - Bellefonte, PA (16:55) #14 Dr.James Miller - Gustavus Adolphus College, MN (17:38) #15 Miles Mortensen - Minnetonka, MN (23:17) #19 Erin Holmes & Bradley Mariska - Farmington, MN (27:33) #21 Amanda Kaus - Rochester, MN (31:15) #23 Erik Hermanson - Cleveland, MN (33:03) #24 Geneva Fitzsimonds - Edina, MN (33:59) #25 Dr. Heidi Johanna Miller - Gustavus Adolphus College, MN (35:10) Conclusion I hope that you enjoyed this episode format! I am not sure about you, but listening through this it felt like I was sitting at a table with these fifteen awesome educators having a “virtual roundtable discussion”. I hope to be able to sprinkle episodes like this in  as I continue to build my bank of interview questions and responses with directors. So if you liked this format, there will be more like it in the future! As always if you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show, sign up for a free trial with Audible, or pick up a set of Eargasm Earplugs. Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show. Good luck with the upcoming school year! Remember to take time to keep yourself recharged and healthy so that you can come back fresh each day for yourself and your students. Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website)  Support The Band Director’s Lounge   Eargasam Earplugs (http://bit.ly/2HBge0T) Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2WToqS2 ) Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)    

Hello and welcome back to The Band Director's Lounge! If you have been keeping up in real time with episode releases, you will know that there has been a bit of a lag time between the past few episodes due to the wrap up of the end of the school year. However, after listening to today’s guest I think that you will find that the delay has been worth the wait!   Originally from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Dr. Heidi Johanna Miller currently serves on the faculty at Gustavus Adolphus College, where she conducts the Gustavus Wind Symphony and teaches courses in music education. Her previous appointment was as artist-in-residence in Winds at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where she conducted and coordinated the wind ensemble.  She has also taught classes and conducted ensembles at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Ithaca College, and the University of Minnesota. Her first teaching position was at Spring Lake Park High School, right here in Minnesota!  While working on her doctorate, she and her husband James co-founded the Minneapolis-St. Paul based Sapphire Chamber Consort, which gave several performances in Minnesota and Wisconsin. While in New England she served as the assistant conductor with the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for one year, and continued to co-conduct the Amherst Community Band while on faculty at Williams College. Heidi is passionate about the intersection between vocal an instrumental music of all types, as well as the interconnectedness of music and art with everything else in our daily lives.  As a performer, she remained active in many community and semi-professional ensembles through the years; as a trumpet player with the Metropolitan Symphony orchestra in the cities, and as a singer, with the Minnesota Chorale, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale, the Cornell Chorale while in Ithaca, and Novi Cantori and the Flux Ensemble in New England.  She is currently searching for a place to sing, but has been studying ballet to feed her soul artistically. Heidi is also active as a guest conductor and clinician, having worked with ensembles in Minnesota, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, California, and Scandinavia.  Some of her recent guest conducting includes concerts with the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble this past April, the Gustavus Wind Orchestra on their 2018 tour of Sweden and Norway as well as their performance at the Minnesota Music Educators convention, the 2018 Minnesota Intercollegiate Honor Band, the 2016-2017 Ordway High School Honor Band, and the 2015 California All-State band at Cal Poly.  She presented at the 2019 Minnesota Music Educators convention and the 2018 New England Band Director’s Institute, and has adjudicated numerous large group festivals in MN and New England. She also served as co-conductor of the Encore Wind Ensemble during the 2014-2015 season. Heidi earned the DMA in conducting from the University of Minnesota, where she served as conductor of the North Star Band and worked as a full-time teaching assistant in the music department.  During this time the University awarded her a Graduate Research Fellowship for her dissertation research on the music of Steven Stucky. Her masters degree is from Ithaca College, and her bachelors – in performance and music education – also come from the University of Minnesota. Heidi lives in St. Peter, MN with her husband, James, their daughters Linnea and Ingrid, and their two ridiculous cats, Tisbury (“Tizzy”) and Strider (aka “The Kitten.”)  Outside of music her interests include reading, cooking, baking with sourdough, ballet, golf, and running.   Heidi is a musician at the top of her craft and I think that you will find that she has some great thoughts to share on teaching band.   We are going to dive into our interview in just a second, but first I want to mention that this episode is brought to you by Audible. Like podcasts, audiobooks are easy to listen to on your commute to and from work or playing in the background during work time in your classroom. I find myself over the course of a week or two completing an audiobook during workouts and drive time to and from school. If you are interested in upping your “reading” game, check out this offer from The Band Director’s Lounge. You can get a free month of Audible and 2 free books when you use our referral link. Books that you acquire through audible are yours to keep even if you stop your subscription, so it is totally worth checking out! Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2WToqS2)   And now onto my conversation with Dr. Heidi Johanna Miller. Background (03:34) Why Music Education and Teaching at GAC (11:50) Favorite Topics in Large Ensembles (30:00) What Should You Strive for in Instruction? (36:26)  Personal Life & Teaching Band (40:30) A Woman Band Director (46:37) Score Study (63:40) Conducting Tips (74:59) Books that Inspired Your Musicianship (81:36) Advice for Young Band Directors (87:12)   If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show, sign up for a free trial with Audible, or pick up a set of Eargasm Earplugs ( http://bit.ly/2HBge0T). Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show. If you’re wondering what is in store from The Band Director’s Lounge for the rest of the summer, don’t worry there will be new episode releases. However do anticipate a more relaxed release schedule. I am not sure about you, but I have a long list of summer to-do’s both in and out of my classroom and now is the best time to do them. That and my wife and I are getting ready for our baby boy who is due in early July so things will be getting a little more busy on this end of the microphone. Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources Dr.Heidi Johanna Miller (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website)   Support The Band Director’s Lounge   Eargasam Earplugs (http://bit.ly/2HBge0T) Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2WToqS2 ) Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)   Books mentioned in this episode Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke What to Listen for in the World (Limelight), Bruce Adolphe J.R.R. Tolkein C.S. Lewis

Today’s conversation is with Geneva Fitzsimonds who teaches in Edina, MN. Geneva is a master at teaching band but especially to middle school aged kids. Her bands and jazz bands have performed at festivals across the region including the MMEA Middle Level Conference and the MMEA Mid-Winter Clinic.Geneva has served on the MMEA Board of Directors as a region representative, is past president of the MN Chapter of the American School Band Directors Association, and is president elect of the Minnesota Band Directors Association. As if that wasn’t enough, she is highly involved as one of the conductors of the Minnesota Junior Winds - a high performing auditioned twin cities based ensemble for 7-12th graders. We are going to dive into our interview in just a second, but first I want to mention that this episode is brought to you by Audible. Audio books aren’t new, but you maybe haven’t taken the plunge to explore them fully. Like podcasts, they are easy to listen to on your commute to and from work or playing in the background during work time in your classroom. I find myself over the course of a week or two completing an audiobook during all of my workouts and drive time to and from school. If you are interested in upping your “reading” game, check out this offer from The Band Director’s Lounge. You can get a free month of Audible and 2 free books when you use our referral link. Books that you acquire through audible are yours to keep even if you stop your subscription, so it is totally worth checking out! Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2Dd4Apf )   Okay now onto my conversation with Geneva. ****************************************************** Background (01:55) Edina High School (16:12) Building a Better Middle School Band (17:37) Creating Success for Double Reed Players (32:00) Favorite Literature (36:15) Recruitment (41:26) Advice for Female Band Directors (46:50) Book that Impacted Teaching (54:00) Who moved my cheese?: An amazing way to deal with change in your work and your life, Spencer Johnson Advice for Band Directors (55:10) What Makes a Great Band Program? (56:50) If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show, or pick up a set of Eargasm Earplugs ( http://bit.ly/2HBge0T). Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show. Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources Geneva Fitzsimonds (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website)   Support The Band Director’s Lounge   Eargasam Earplugs (http://bit.ly/2HBge0T) Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2UQqgCb ) Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ) Books mentioned in this episode Who moved my cheese?: An amazing way to deal with change in your work and your life, Spencer Johnson  

Today’s guest is Erik Hermanson who teaches 6-12 band in Cleveland, MN. Erik has built a program over 25 years that has an incredible amount of administrative, community, parent, and student support. He has approximately 90% of the student population in the band program and also serves as his school’s co-head football coach. Erik is a world class community builder, band director, and leader and I think that you will find SO many take-aways in today’s episode. This one was a real treat for me and I am excited to finally share it. You are not going to want to miss this interview! Minnesota directors likely know of Erik as his band program has received positive press over the last couple of years. You can read all about it in this Startribune Article: http://www.startribune.com/in-cleveland-minn-pop-715-a-dynamic-band-conductor-has-built-a-powerhouse/414828834/#19 Before we get started with the interview, a quick mention that this episode is brought to you by audible. If you are like me, you love reading books. However after a long day of teaching combined with family life, when your head hits the pillow at night you find yourself waking up in the morning with the book that you intended to read on your face, and being unsure of if you actually read anything. Enter audiobooks from Audible. Audio books aren’t new, but you maybe haven’t explored their full use. Like podcasts, they are great for listening to on your commute to and from work or playing in the background during work time in your classroom. I find myself over the course of a week or two completing an audiobook during all of my workouts and drive time to and from school. If you are interested in upping your “reading” game, check out this offer from The Band Director’s Lounge. You can get a free month of Audible and 2 free books when you use our referral link. Books that you acquire through audible are yours to keep even if you stop your subscription, so it is totally worth checking out! Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2UQqgCb  Now onto my conversation with Erik!   Background (02:28) Cleveland, MN (09:15) Turning the ship around & building a program (11:35) Co-Head Football Coach (46:10) Family Life (52:47) Community & Band (55:02) Books (63:35) Knight: My Story, Bobby Knight Leading with the Heart: Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life, Mike Krzyzewski Wins, Losses, and Lessons: An Autobiography, Lou Holtz Advice for band directors (65:35) What makes a great band program? (66:51)   ****************************************** And that wraps up our conversation. Something that I forgot to bring up with Erik in our conversation is his regular use of guest artists. Over the years Erik has brought some incredible big names to Cleveland including: Maynard Ferguson twice, Denis Di Blasio, Peter Erskine, Ed O'Shaunessy, The Horn Heads, Kirk Garrison, Tom Garling, Steve Wright, Frank Mantooth, Dick Oats, Doug Snapp, Adrian Barnett, Eric Zimerman, Evan Bierer, Michael Thursby, and more. Erik has told me that those experiences always help to motivate and inspire the kids so much. If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and use our affiliate links to purchase some of the books mentioned in the show, or pick up a set of Eargasm Earplugs ( http://bit.ly/2HBge0T). Your purchases through these links help offset some of the costs of recording, producing, and hosting this show. Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.   Other Resources Erik Hermanson (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website)  Support The Band Director’s Lounge   Eargasam Earplugs (http://bit.ly/2HBge0T) Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books (https://amzn.to/2UQqgCb) Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)   Books mentioned in this episode Knight: My Story, Bobby Knight Leading with the Heart: Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life, Mike Krzyzewski Wins, Losses, and Lessons: An Autobiography, Lou Holtz

Download Episode! Today’s conversation is with Pete Guenther from Owatonna High School in Owatonna, MN. Pete and I talk about the program at Owatonna high school and how he navigates leading a large program with a small staff. In addition we talk about his interesting connection with Alex Shapiro and electro-acoustic music and talking about band director health, balance, and the importance of not letting life in the classroom consume your life outside of the classroom. You are not going to want to miss this one!! Before we get started, I need to mention that today’s episode is brought to you by Eargasam Ear Plugs. As a sax player in a big band in undergrad, sitting in front of the trombones and trumpets on tiered seats combined with the drumset player being upstage to my right meant that I was hearing the full force of every marcato, accent, and rim shot. For the first few jazz rehearsals I remember walking away with ringing ears and thinking - if I keep this up, I am going to lose my hearing before I graduate from this place. My solution? I made an appointment with an audiologist to get custom-made musicians ear-plugs. These have been fantastic and have protected my ears from acoustical bombardment for the last 10 years. However due to human ears constantly changing throughout our lifetime, those ear plugs have only about a 10 year shelf life as they will eventually no longer fit quite right. Audiologist ear plugs also set me back about $150 and at the time were not covered by my insurance. What was I to do? Enter Eargasam earplugs - the cost effective alternative to expensive custom fit  audiologist earplugs. Their discreet design allows them to be worn without drawing attention to your ears. Each set comes with two different sizes for large and small ear canals. They are easy to remove from your ears and come with an aluminum carrying case that can be clipped to your keychains making them easy to carry with to pep band events or concerts. These earplugs make all frequencies softer - so they do not hinder your ability to interact with what you are hearing from your band, but they do help ensure that you will be able to continue hearing long after rehearsal is over. Use this link in our show notes to purchase your set of Eargasam Earplugs and your purchase will help support The Band Director’s Lounge. Check out the company’s website to see all of the styles available today. Alright, onto my conversation with Pete. Episode Overview Background (02:30) Owatonna High School (06:39) Marching Band (15:37) Electro-Acoustic Music (23:24) Large Program - Small Staff (37:37) Navigating inside and outside of the classroom - director health (46:46) What makes a great band program? (60:36) And that wraps up this episode. Remember that you can head out to thebanddirectorslounge.com for the links along with books and other resources mentioned in each episode. If you know someone who would make a great guest on the show, please consider nominating them through this google form. This method will help me connect with directors outside of MN more as I will have an “in” with how to approach them about their programs. By the way, if you know of a great program but don’t know the director very well, you can simply nominate the program too! Many of the fields in the form are optional but just remember that the more information that you share with me, the better I can be about contacting them for the show. The nomination form is also on the facebook page and thebanddirectorslounge.com. Thanks for tuning in! And we will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Pete Guenther(Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Nominate someone to be interviewed Support The Band Director’s Lounge Eargasm Earplugs Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books Donate to support the podcast Books from episodes

Download Episode! Today I am chatting with Amanda Kaus who teaches 9-12 band at Century High School in Rochester, MN. The Century bands number close to 300 in a high school of around 1300 students - an amazing level of involvement. On top of great numbers, they are also a high performing band program. Kids are fired up about music at Century High School! Amanda Kaus directs four curricular bands, a co-curricular jazz band, marching band, in addition to the pit orchestra for the winter musical. She has served on the MMEA leadership team as band vice president and was recently appointed as a Minnesota High School League representative. She is an active member of the local music education community. This episode is brought to you by Eargasam Earplugs. If you are looking for quality and cost-effective hearing protection, consider Eargasam Earplugs. Their discreet design allows them to be worn without drawing attention to your ears. Each set comes with two different sizes for large and small ear canals. They are easy to remove from your ears and come with an aluminum carrying case that can be clipped to your keychains making them easy to carry with to pep band events or concerts. These earplugs make all frequencies softer - so they do not hinder your ability to interact with what you are hearing from your band, but they do help ensure that you will be able to continue hearing long after rehearsal is over. I personally wear these during pep band events and indoor marching band rehearsals and they work great. Eargasam Earplugs run about $35-$40 and work just as well custom audiologist earplugs. These are perfect for directors who want affordable hearing protection and depending upon your insurance provider - some providers and HSA’s cover the cost. Use this link in our show notes to purchase your set of Eargasam Earplugs and your purchase will help support The Band Director’s Lounge. Check out the website to see all of the styles available today. Alright let’s dive in to our conversation. Episode Overview Background - Amanda Kaus (02:38) Century High School (07:31) Marching Band (12:32) “The Big 9” Music Festival (16:09) Favorite Literature (19:57) Budget Purchases (23:29) Student Motivation, Buy-in, and Recruitment (25:24) Student Leadership (29:18) Books that have impacted teaching (36:36) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper Perennial Modern Classics), Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, Seth Godin Advice for band directors (38:38) What makes a great band program? (40:32) That wraps up this episode. If you want to connect with Amanda, be sure to look for a link to her band’s website in the shownotes. If you are interested in checking out any of the books that Amanda mentioned during our conversation, you can find links to these books in the show notes and on the website. Remember if you click thru these links, a small portion of the sales will go towards supporting The Band Director’s Lounge at no additional cost to you! Thanks for tuning in! And we will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Amanda Kaus(Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Nominate someone to be interviewed Support The Band Director’s Lounge Eargasm Earplugs Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books Donate to support the podcast Books mentioned in this episode Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper Perennial Modern Classics), Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, Seth Godin Books from episodes

 Hey everyone, I thought it would be good to take a few minutes to give a quick update on the podcast and some of the things that are coming down the pipeline.This is podcast episode #20. That might not seem like a lot but from the production side of things, it is a small milestone in the podcasting world. If you have listened to every minute of every episode by now you have listened to nearly 1,068 minutes or 17.8 hours of content! That’s a lot of content!! I set the personal goal of trying to release once a week since starting the show in the Fall of 2018 and I am not too far off from that. I think that weekly releases are just right for the intent of the show and it gives you the listener the right amount of information to listen to over the course of a given month. I will let you in on some of the back-end stats because it is very exciting - the listenership for the podcast has grown significantly over the past few months. Each month continues to set new records in terms of downloads and episode views; that tells me that there is continued interest and hopefully value in what I am publishing. The growth tells me that word is spreading AND that you are coming back for more, each and every episode. Regardless - thank you for listening and subscribing to the show! This means a lot and it lets me that this venture is a worthwhile  resource for our community. Now a little into the business side of things. I have mentioned this in previous episodes, but there is a small amount of operating overhead to run the podcast. These expenses are minimal but they are a constant reminder that few things are free in this world. Being thoughtful and considerate of you as my listener and knowing full well that advertisements can significantly detract and hinder a podcast experience, I have thought long and hard about how to mitigate the hosting expenses and I have a few ideas. Some of these have happened since episode one but others are new and will start in the coming episodes. First - On this episode and episodes going forward I am going to draw more attention to books and other resources mentioned in the show. The Band Director’s Lounge is an Amazon affiliate which means that if you use our links to click-thru and purchase certain products, the podcast will get a small percentage of that purchase. This does not add anything to your price tag or inflate your prices at all - Amazon just shares a portion of its sales with its affiliate. The margins are very low but the idea is that many small purchases will help whittle down our operating expenses. If you want to help support the podcast, please use the book links found in the show notes of all episodes. The books are also listed in the “Books from episodes” section of the website and some of the most recent book recommendations are shown on the right hand column of the website. Once you click-thru you can continue shopping for other amazon products, just consider clicking through The Band Director’s Lounge first as this will help us out!! Second - I have found a couple of products that have been immensely useful as a band director that I would like to draw direct attention to. These will be shared in the form of short advertisements read by myself during podcast episodes. I know that you are here for the content and not these advertisements so I intend to be respectful of your time AND to only select products that I have found useful. As of this episode, the products that will be talked about on the show will be advertised as an affiliate. This means that The Band Director’s Lounge will only receive support if purchases done by listeners, not just by listening to the advertisement. I will not be representing products that I cannot stand by or items that I think are not worth your time. I know how precious your time is because I know that music educators are busy people and I will continue to be respectful of that. Third - If you or someone you know would like to simply donate to the podcast to help cover some of our expenses, this can be done through paypal. The link to the donation page can be found here: paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ. I set this up understanding that some people like to support things monetarily in the form of a donation. If this is you or anyone that you know- THANK YOU!! The first product that I want to mention goes by an odd name but I think is extremely useful to people in our profession. Hearing loss is a real fear for many band directors. I think that we all know a long-retired band director who did not escape the band room or marching field trenches with all parts of their hearing. Thankfully great hearing protection these days is not that expensive. If you are looking for quality and cost-effective hearing protection, consider Eargasam Earplugs. These earplugs reduce all frequencies evenly, allowing you to still hear blaring trumpets, whispering flutes, and booming bass drums but just at softer and quieter volumes. Their discreet design allows them to be worn without drawing attention to your ears. Each set comes with two different sizes large and small ear canals. They are easy to remove from your ears and come with an aluminum carrying case that can be clipped to your keychains making them easy to carry with to pep band events or concerts. I personally bought custom-molded earplugs from an audiologist back in college. These have been great! But they set me back about $150 out of pocket - a small price for putting some protection between my hearing and my drumline’s rimshots. Eargasam Earplugs run about $35-$40 and work just as well - these are perfect for directors who want affordable hearing protection and depending upon your insurance provider - some providers and HSA’s cover the cost. Use this link in our show notes to purchase your set of Eargasam Earplugs and your purchase will help support The Band Director’s Lounge. Check out the website to see all of the styles available today. Eargasam Earplugs http://bit.ly/2HBge0T Okay enough about money, back to useful and relevant content for you! I have a long list of potential show guests and I am slowly but surely working through these awesome directors and arranging times to interview them, however I need your help. If you know someone who would make a great guest on the show, please consider nominating them through this google form. This form will help me in processing nominations and more importantly in guiding my interview. I have received some nominations over the past few months but I am needing some more information about setting up their interview. If I know a little more about why you think a particular director or band program is special or unique, then I can craft questions to focus on that. The worst is when an interview feels more like a game of minesweeper or battleship instead a focused conversation. In addition, this method will help me connect with directors outside of MN more as I will have an “in” with how to approach them about their programs. By the way, if you know of a great program but don’t know the director very well, you can simply nominate the program too! Many of the fields in the form are optional but just remember that the more information that you share with me, the better I can be about contacting them for the show. Please nominate guests and programs here. https://forms.gle/Ugy7PxkQqTV6DRMP9 Don’t worry, this week’s interview is being released concurrently with this episode so you are not going to be duped for an episode. Thanks for taking a moment to hear about what is going on with the podcast. Please continuing nominating and recommending directors and programs and sharing the word about this podcast! This is a fun project for me and I am glad that you are enjoying it. Alright, time for you to cycle to the next episode. Thanks for listening! We will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.

Download Episode! Today I am talking with two local band director rock-stars, Erin Holmes and Bradley Mariska from Farmington High School in Farmington, MN. As the Director of Bands at Farmington High School, Erin Holmes conducts the Wind Ensemble, Varsity Band, Jazz I, Birdland Jazz, and is the head director of the Farmington Tiger Marching Band.In 2017, School Band and Orchestra Magazine named Holmes one of the nation’s “50 Directors Who Make a Difference. She is the Jazz Chair for Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) in 2018, she is the first woman in the organization’s history to be chosen for this position. Bradley Mariska has been the Associate Director of Bands at Farmington High School since 2016. At FHS, he conducts the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz II, Jazz III, and is the Assistant Director of the Farmington Tiger Marching Band. Mariska has served as an All-State Band Section Coach and has held the position of Director on the boards of several arts organizations including the Austin Area Commission for the Arts, Austin Symphony Orchestra, and Pine Center for the Arts. He also taught at the MacPhail Center for Music at both their Apple Valley and Austin locations. Brad was recently elected as the Minnesota Music Educators Association Vice President. Today we talk all things Farmington band. There are so many interesting factoids about these two and the farmington program that you’ll have to goto the show notes to see everything that we cover. Let’s jump into the interview! Episode Overview Welcome & Backgrounds (01:43) Music Journey - Why music? (03:00) Farmington High School Band (10:35) Jazz Band ((14:56) Trips & Travel (19:41) Repertoire & programming for multiple ensembles (24:06) Student Leadership (35:07) Recruitment & videos for younger students (44:15) “The Music Suite” (51:45) Favorite budget purchase (53:41) Farmington band boosters (57:08) Recommended books (59:03) Teaching Music with Passion (2002) The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.by Bantam The Power of a Positive Team: Proven Principles and Practices that Make Great Teams Great by Jon Gordon The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World by Jon Gordon The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon Work/life balance and family (60:35) Team-teaching with a best friend (62:29) Advice for new teachers (83:05) What makes a great band program? (86:56) Other Resources Erin Holmes & Bradley Mariska (Guests) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Nominate someone to be interviewed Support The Band Director’s Lounge Eargasm Earplugs Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books Donate to support the podcast Books mentioned in this episode Teaching Music with Passion (2002) The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How by Bantam The Power of a Positive Team: Proven Principles and Practices that Make Great Teams Great by Jon Gordon The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World by Jon Gordon The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon Books from episodes

Download Episode! Part 2 of 2 (Part 1 can be found here!) Welcome back to the second part of my conversation with leadership expert Todd Dufault. Today we get into the details about how to select students for leadership roles and how to develop and maintain a leadership team that is effective throughout the school year. At the core of our conversation is a discussion about culture. Culture Drives Results.  Leaders Promote The Culture.Culture can make or break an organization.  The foundation of any organization is Servant Leadership.  The push needs to come from within the organization. Leadership is about influence, serving others, self sacrifice and trust.  It's not about a title, it's about action and making the people around you, BETTER. It starts with the students and their ability to be a positive influence on their peers.   Todd's Leadership training is based around 7 Pillars of Success. Culture Development Servant Leadership Growth Mindset Trust Relationships Ownership Communication Episode Overview How to select students for leadership? (01:24) I built a team - so now what? (07:44) How to maximize student leaders (19:13) Directors as leaders (27:19) Todd Dufault Leadership (34:38) What makes a great band program? (38:07) Special thanks to directors (40:15) That was the second part of my conversation with Todd Dufault. This was only the tip of the iceberg with regards to the importance of student leadership within our band programs. Hopefully it gave you a few ideas about furthering your own student leaders or sparked your interest for learning more about this topic. I’ve included Todd’s website in the show notes, be sure to head out to his webpage and contact him if you have any specific questions for him. Having heard him present in person, I can say that it is well worth it if you are looking for someone to bring out to your school. His background in sports and fine arts makes him a great person to consider talking with your athletic/activities director about bringing him out to benefit your whole district. “Student leadership” is a topic that will definitely be revisited in future episodes. I believe it is an under discussed part of our profession and one that many directors do not develop in their programs beyond the student leaders that sort of naturally happen. Hopefully these past two episodes with Todd have illuminated that the best leaders are made and that it is up to us as directors to find a way to foster and develop leadership within our programs. If you haven’t been out to the newly launched thebanddirectorslounge.com, be sure to check it out! You can find all of the episodes along with show notes and links to books and other resources mentioned on previous episodes. If you are interested in purchasing any of the books listed on the website, if you click the links it will take you to the amazon listing. A small portion of your amazon purchase will trickle back to the Band Director’s Lounge and it will help cover production and hosting costs so thanks in advance for supporting us! As we go forward there will be other ways to support the podcast so stay tuned but consider checking out the list of recommended books already on the website.Alright - that wraps up another episode. I will see you back next time in The Band Director’s Lounge. Other Resources Todd Dufault Leadership Consulting (Guest) #17: Todd Dufault Part 1 – The Importance of Student Leadership http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Nominate someone to be interviewed Support The Band Director’s Lounge Eargasm Earplugs Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books Donate to support the podcast Books from episodes