The Growing Band Director

The music of Count Basie is essential to any jazz education, so we bring you sound and score recordings of 9 essential charts for young bands (Grade 1-2.5).Learn some history about each chart along the way! Support the Show Here To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingban...

Kyle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with past conductor (1979-1996) of the President's Own Marine Band, Colonel John Bourgeois. ⁠⁠Support the Show Here⁠⁠ To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of ⁠⁠ thegrowingbanddirector.com⁠⁠ Our mission is to...

⁠ Support the Show Here ⁠ Band Director's Goal Setting Planner Aaron Noe from Greensboro College and windconductor.org joins the show to give advice as to how to build a band program through setting and achieve goals. To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirect...

All four of the rhythm section instruments (Piano, Guitar, Bass and Drums) get covered in a very thorough way during this converation with Anthony Susi. Anthony is a proficient rhythm section player, veteran band director, adjudicator and composer - and brings his expertise to the show to help you improve your rhythm section! Support the Show Here To gain access to all show notes and audio files p...

Kyle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with Michael Sweeney (retired editor and composer at Hal Leonard) about writing for young band and what he is doing in his retirement - and Brian Rhodes (Band Director at Booneville HS, AR and owner of Twin Towers Publishing Company ⁠⁠Support the Show Here⁠⁠ To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to th...

Support the Show Here Hear from one of the world's leading composers on ways that you can be an effective conductor for your students, and inspire them on a daily basis. You will also hear from Frank about some of his newer pieces, as well as advice he has for younger composers. To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on...

I was honored to meet with one of the most influential band directors in the country- the great Scott Rush! We spent and hour discussing many aspects from the Habits Series of method books and band director guide paperback books, as well as things he did while at the Wando Bands to grow the culture and the program- as well as what it really means as he looks back on it! Support the Show Here To ga...

Kyle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with Dennis Llinas (Director of Bands at University of Oregon) and Mark Casperson (Plano East HS, TX and inventor of the Tuner Caddy. ⁠⁠Support the Show Here⁠⁠ To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of ⁠⁠ thegrowin...

⁠ Support the Show Here ⁠ Krystle hosts Mike Perez ( Mastering The Young Band )for a discussion on ways to ensure success for your students as you are gearing up for your festival performance! To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com Our mission is to shar...

Join Kyle and Missy Shabo (Cape Elizabeth Middle School) for a journey through three sets of Grade 1-3 Festival music that are worthy of your contest set in the future! Each program is segmented into 3 pieces at each grade level that would work as a stand alone concert set! Support the Show Here To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supportin...

Kyle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with composer Christina Huss and band director Tyler Reese (NC). ⁠⁠Support the Show Here⁠⁠ To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of ⁠⁠ thegrowingbanddirector.com⁠⁠ Our mission is to share practical  advice and exp...

Jazz Pedagogy and Repertoire Playlist⁠ ⁠Diving Into Jazz With Confidence and Joy - Milas Yoes⁠ Milas Yoes joins the show in this four part series on Jazz Education- Teaching Improv Teaching Swing Feel Teaching the Rhythm Section Music Selection To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top...

Learn keys to starting and improving your brass players! Aaron Rex and Johnnie Green are part of the team for Mason Schools in Mason, OH (one of the most outstanding school programs in the country.). Their approach works - and they are presenting this topic at Midwest 2024!⁠ Weapons of Brass Destruction⁠ ⁠The Comfy Strap for Horn and Euphonium⁠ Support the Show Here To gain access to all show note...

Kyle and Krystle sit down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with John McAllister to discuss warm ups for the young band and so much more! ⁠⁠Support the Show Here⁠⁠ To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of ⁠⁠ thegrowingbanddirector.com⁠⁠ Our mission is to share p...

Jazz Pedagogy and Repertoire Playlist⁠ ⁠Diving Into Jazz With Confidence and Joy - Milas Yoes⁠ Milas Yoes joins the show in this four part series on Jazz Education- Teaching Improv Teaching Swing Feel Teaching the Rhythm Section Music Selection To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top...

Making Joy Your Tonal Center with Matthew Arau Support the Show Here To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com Our mission is to share practical  advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music...

Krystle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with Mike Perez (Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School - Colorado) and Kameron Durr (MS) to discuss young band techniques and building in a small program. ⁠ Support the Show Here ⁠ To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at t...

Jazz Pedagogy and Repertoire Playlist Diving Into Jazz With Confidence and Joy - Milas Yoes Milas Yoes joins the show in this four part series on Jazz Education- Teaching Improv Teaching Swing Feel Teaching the Rhythm Section Music Selection To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of...

Of Endless Miles of Empty Rafts is the 2024 CBDNA Young Band Composition Winner, and gives your band a chance to perform authentic afro-latin music with your Concert Band! In this session composer Michele Fernandez and Kyle Smith of the Growing Band Director Podcast get together to explain the history behind the piece, the format of how it is constructed, and key components to preparing it in an a...

Kyle sits down with Andrew Boysen Jr to discuss: -Conducting advice for band directors -Effective techniques in organizing and managing an honor band -Advice to be sure the students are successful when you are asked to conduct an honor band -We listened to so many of his great pieces as well! To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting t...

⁠ Support the Show Here ⁠ Quincy Hilliard hosts a conversation with the legendary young band writer Andrew Balent to learn more about the history of the composers who started writing for young band. To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com Our mission is t...

In this episode Kyle meets with Laura Estes to learn some keys to crafting rehearsals to help your student succeed, and they have a conversation about Laura's switch to being a composer, and finally - feature two amazing compositions of hers - Cook Strait Crossing-Grade 1 (Recorded at Midwest 2022-William Mason HS, Ed Protzman, conductor) and Sinterklaas's Rooftop Ride - a hilarious Grade 2.5 Dutc...

Christy Stump is the band director at Gulf Breeze Middle School in Gulf Breeze, Florida. She joins the show to give ways in ensure your students are successful in their sight reading process at assessment festival. To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com...

Learn from experienced beginning band educator Mary Cogswell, as she teams up with Ron Stary to discuss many aspects of teaching beginning band, including some new repertoire recently put out through Murphy Press for your beginners! To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowin...

Guests include Colonel John Bourgeois, Doug Beach, Paul Baker, Tim Hendrix, Dennis Llinas, Tyler Reese, Christina Huss and Michael Sweeney Support the Show Here To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com Our mission is to share practical  advice and explore...