Band Directors Workshop Review 2022

Band Directors’ Workshop 2022 was INCREDIBLE! Don’t just take our word for it. As you scroll through this article, read the quotes and watch the 30-second videos from the participants telling you what they thought!

The workshop began on July 10th with directors meeting in Canyon, TX on the beautiful campus of West Texas A&M University.

This workshop has been so refreshing for me. It was wonderful being around so many like minded people whose main reason for attending was a desire to learn and improve as a teacher. Even though we are all at different points of our teaching career, the paradigm of a growth mindset really connected us.

Sunday afternoon consisted of:
Registration
Moving into the dorm (apartment style suites)
Grocery store runs
Meet & Greet meeting – we had directors from California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Canada and ALL over Texas.
Dinner together
Full Annual WTAMU Band Camp faculty meeting where Directors’ Workshop Participants were introduced.

Monday:
Taking advantage of the free morning, we hiked the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon and got to enjoy nature, interact as a group and remember to keep this wonderful ‘band director life’ in perspective and in balance.

4:00 Reading Band for Grade 1 music. We all played our secondary instruments and were able to remember ‘what it’s like to be the student.’ We were exposed to a variety of grade 1 music and discussed the pedagogical benefits of the different pieces.

7:00 Observation of the Band Camp Honors Band Rehearsal, directed by Don Lefevre

We had a great time bonding and playing card games in the dorm lobby. By the end of this first day we knew we had a PERFECT group of band directors to spend the week with!

The Band Directors Workshop is one of the best conferences you can attend. The clinics were phenomenal, and each clinician was incredibly engaging and knowledgeable. It was also great to watch the bands rehearse and see their growth under their excellent directors. Lastly, the sense of community here was inspiring and has made me excited to start the school year.

Tuesday:
Morning Band Camp Band observations:
Daily observations include full band rehearsals, woodwind/brass & percussion rehearsals and individual instrument-specific sectionals. These are all taught by master teachers. The benefit of watching these directors interact directly with real students is invaluable!
11:10 – Instrumental class – Clarinet, Doug Storey
12:10 – Lunch

1:30 Clinic – Creating a Positive Band Culture through Student Leadership (Ginger Denney)
2:30 Clinic – It All Comes Down to Communication (Jim Shaw)

3:30 Directors Band – Directed by Dr. Gary Garner (Band made up of camp faculty & visiting directors.)

4:30 Clinic – Developing Articulation from Middle School Through High School (Jordan Freeman & Anthony Rivera)
7:00 Masterclasses – Some workshop participants attended/observed, others performed along with faculty! Here’s a picture of the clarinet ensemble who performed fun ensembles for hundreds of campers.

Band Directors Workshop is a perfect mix of professional development and camp activities. I’ve met so many people with different experiences and really got to know them throughout the week. The clinics are really informative, given by true experts within their field and we’re always willing to answer questions at any point. The directors chosen to work with the kids are all models to observe, and create such a supportive environment for the campers. All in all, I had a great week of growth, fun, and so many usable takeaways for my own program!

8:30 – Social Event – Ice Cream hangout at Braums

The WTAMU Band Directors Workshop was an incredible way to recharge over the summer. The clinics and presentations were on par with my experiences at the Midwest clinic and my state MEA conference, but what really made this great was the time I spent “Talking Shop” with directors from all over the country. I made some great new friends and colleagues!

Wednesday:
Morning Band Camp Band observations.
11:10 – Instrumental class – Saxophone, Dr. James Barger
12:10 – Lunch
1:30 Clinic –Swingin’ from the Start – How to Build a Jazz Band from Scratch (John Liner)
2:30 Clinic – Low Socio-Economic Considerations (Annette Mitchell)

The pedagogy is solid and in greater depth than other workshop-type professional development I’ve attended over my 27 year career. One certainly comes here to learn.

3:30 Directors Band – Directed by Dr. Gary Garner
4:30 Clinic – Directors Workshop – Rhythm Bee (Buzzy Green)

7:00 Faculty Recital8:00 Social Event – S’mores at the Dorm (We put the camp in band camp, y’all!)

Thursday:
9:00 – Garner’s Fingering Class Part 1 (Dr, Gary Garner)
Morning Band Camp Band observations
11:10 – Instrumental class – Trombone, John Shanks12:10 – Lunch
1:30 Clinic – Google Forms (intermediate) – Digital ’Make it, Take it’ (Britni Nuckols)
2:30 Clinic – Google Sheets (advanced) – Digital ’Make it, Take it’ (Britni Nuckols)

Everybody had so many great ideas to share. I loved how nice and accepting all of the other directors were. I never felt like there was an air of “How don’t you know that?” or judgement coming from anyone- just an openness and willingness to learn from each other.

3:30 Directors Band – Directed by Dr. Gary Garner
4:30 Clinic – Directors Workshop – Atomic Habits for Band Directing (Eric Rath)

7:00 Jazz Band Concerts
8:00 Social Event – Fajita Dinner for all camp faculty & workshop participants

100% of attendees would encourage colleagues to attend!

Friday:
Morning Band Camp Band observations
10:00 – Garner’s Fingering Class Part 2 (Dr, Gary Garner)
11:10 – Instrumental class – Keeping Percussionists Engaged in Band, Eric Rath

12:10 – Lunch
1:30 Clinic – Inch Wide, Mile Deep (Workshop Participants)
2:30 Clinic – Flute 101 (Helen Blackburn)

This was one of the best professional development workshops I have ever attended! Beyond the wealth of knowledge I received from the rehearsal observations and workshops, the best part was talking with directors over lunch and dinner, playing games in the dorm, and just getting to spend time with people who understand what you go through on the day to day. I have never felt more welcomed and at home than with this group of people. There was no judgment from anyone and all questions and suggestions were welcomed with open minds! I could not recommend this workshop enough!

3:30 Directors Band Concerts – Perform two concerts for 1000 students total!

6:00 Cadence Dinner – Celebration for workshop participants – certificates distributed and ‘paper plate’ awards given out
8:00 Directors Jazz Band Concerts in Amarillo

This was an incredible week for me. I learned so much and got so inspired. For example, I witnessed young students who are amazing musicians. I need to raise my expectations! I also learned some of the secrets that make that level of achievement possible. These Texans have a lot to offer the world of band education and they’re anxious to share it.

Saturday:
Final meeting – processing take-aways from the week, feedback and wrap up
Last minute observations of band rehearsals as they prepare for concerts

11:00am-3:00 pm – Attend camp final concerts

100% of 2022 attendees plan to attend again in a future year.

This was a great experience. This workshop is like a having all the information you would ever want or need at your fingertips. I just hope I can retain it all!

So, what’s the cost you ask??

It’s hard to believe, but ask any of these attendees and they’ll tell you it’s true! Attending is completely FREE and you are only responsible for your housing and food. The cost of the dorm this year was around $200. Participants said they spent another $100-$200 on food and activities during the week.