Band Directors Talk Shop https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/ Learn. Share. Inspire. Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:15:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2-2-150x150.png Band Directors Talk Shop https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/ 32 32 A Rudiment Activity Your Percussionists Will Love! https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/a-rudiment-activity-your-percussionists-will-love/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/a-rudiment-activity-your-percussionists-will-love/#respond Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:45:04 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14297 On my very last day of teaching lessons before my retirement, I came up with a fun, high energy rudiment activity that my 4th and 5th grade percussionists loved. (I only wish I had thought of it sooner so I could have used it more!) I set up enough drum pads in a circle for ... Read More about A Rudiment Activity Your Percussionists Will Love!

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/a-rudiment-activity-your-percussionists-will-love/feed/ 0 Low Brass Scale Warm-up and Scale Memorization https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/low-brass-scale-warm-up-and-scale-memorization/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/low-brass-scale-warm-up-and-scale-memorization/#respond Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:23:35 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14266 I have used these exercises for over 50 years during my teaching career with great success. They are designed for players from high school through university and beyond. These exercises are not designed for large ensemble rehearsals (though they work well with brass sectionals), but for individual study and memorization of major scales, without the ... Read More about Low Brass Scale Warm-up and Scale Memorization

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/low-brass-scale-warm-up-and-scale-memorization/feed/ 0 Building Musical Independence Through Small Ensemble Work https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/building-musical-independence-through-small-ensemble-work/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/building-musical-independence-through-small-ensemble-work/#respond Wed, 02 Sep 2026 21:10:18 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14294 One of the challenges I have found in teaching band is giving students opportunities to actually make musical choices. In most of the repertoire we perform, many of those decisions have already been made. Dynamics, articulations, tempo, and style are printed on the page, and as the conductor, I make many of the remaining decisions ... Read More about Building Musical Independence Through Small Ensemble Work

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/building-musical-independence-through-small-ensemble-work/feed/ 0 Advice for a Director Taking Over a Band Program https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/advice-for-a-director-taking-over-a-band-program/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/advice-for-a-director-taking-over-a-band-program/#respond Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:33:50 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14249 In our recent survey, we asked Band Directors Talk Shop readers to share “What advice do you have for a director taking over a program?”  With many responses to the survey, we came up with this list of your answers. Thanks so much to all of our readers who took time to fill out the survey. Keep an ... Read More about Advice for a Director Taking Over a Band Program

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/advice-for-a-director-taking-over-a-band-program/feed/ 0 Beginning Band Music Theory: What Should I Include in a Student Theory Book? https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/beginning-band-music-theory-what-should-i-include-in-a-student-theory-book/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/beginning-band-music-theory-what-should-i-include-in-a-student-theory-book/#respond Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:01:16 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14282 What should beginning band students learn in music theory? Note names? Rhythms? Music symbols and terms? Key signatures? There are a lot of music theory concepts we want our beginning band students to understand, but deciding what to teach and when to teach it can be overwhelming. We use a beginning band music theory book ... Read More about Beginning Band Music Theory: What Should I Include in a Student Theory Book?

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/beginning-band-music-theory-what-should-i-include-in-a-student-theory-book/feed/ 0 Selecting a Classical Saxophone Mouthpiece for Band Performance https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/selecting-a-classical-saxophone-mouthpiece-for-band-performance/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/selecting-a-classical-saxophone-mouthpiece-for-band-performance/#respond Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:46:54 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14231 When striving to produce a good saxophone tone, one of the most crucial pieces of equipment is the mouthpiece. There are many brands of saxophone mouthpieces being manufactured using a variety of materials, encompassing a wide price range and designed for performers at all levels of development. Beginning saxophonists usually play the stock mouthpieces sold ... Read More about Selecting a Classical Saxophone Mouthpiece for Band Performance

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/selecting-a-classical-saxophone-mouthpiece-for-band-performance/feed/ 0 A Band Trip To China Would Be Crazy…Right? https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/a-band-trip-to-china-would-be-crazy-right/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/a-band-trip-to-china-would-be-crazy-right/#respond Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:54:48 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14209 As a band director, you know a tradition of travel is important to your program. It helps with recruiting and retention and gives your students something to look forward to. Normally this means simple in-state trips and the occasional out-of-state trip. But once every four years we recommend your band program go big- and by ... Read More about A Band Trip To China Would Be Crazy…Right?

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/a-band-trip-to-china-would-be-crazy-right/feed/ 0 The Joy of Life by William Owens – FREE Grade 2 for Concert Band https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/the-joy-of-life-by-william-owens-free-grade-2-for-concert-band/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/the-joy-of-life-by-william-owens-free-grade-2-for-concert-band/#respond Wed, 12 Aug 2026 21:35:56 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14199 Already subscribed to the newsletter? This piece was emailed out to our ENTIRE newsletter list on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. Not a subscriber yet? Sign up now and you’ll receive the score & parts right away – delivered to your email. “The Joy of Life” by William Owens is a brand new Grade 2 work ... Read More about The Joy of Life by William Owens – FREE Grade 2 for Concert Band

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/the-joy-of-life-by-william-owens-free-grade-2-for-concert-band/feed/ 0 Practical Pedagogy: Level up Your Rehearsals https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/practical-pedagogy-level-up-your-rehearsals/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/practical-pedagogy-level-up-your-rehearsals/#respond Thu, 06 Aug 2026 22:05:17 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14050 When people ask us what makes a rehearsal successful, they often expect an answer about repertoire or performance quality. But for us, the real answer is much simpler: systems. The strongest rehearsals we’ve led didn’t happen because we picked the perfect piece or gave an inspiring speech before a concert. They happened because we were ... Read More about Practical Pedagogy: Level up Your Rehearsals

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]]> https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/practical-pedagogy-level-up-your-rehearsals/feed/ 0 Music as Infrastructure: How to Pitch a High School Band Program to Administration in a Title 1 School https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/music-as-infrastructure-how-to-pitch-a-high-school-band-program-to-administration-in-a-title-1-school/ https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/music-as-infrastructure-how-to-pitch-a-high-school-band-program-to-administration-in-a-title-1-school/#respond Fri, 15 May 2026 20:53:00 +0000 https://banddirectorstalkshop.com/?p=14053 For directors across the country, the lesson is clear. The language of music advocacy must evolve. A comprehensive pitch includes a dashboard of enrollment, attendance trends, leadership development, teacher development, performance visibility, and fiscal accountability. It articulates a specific ask with a defined timeline and measurable outcomes. It anticipates operational obstacles before they arise. In ... Read More about Music as Infrastructure: How to Pitch a High School Band Program to Administration in a Title 1 School

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