Everything Band Podcast

Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser is among the most important advocates and leaders in the music education community. He is a co-author of the Essential Elements series and the Vice President of Education for Conn-Selmer, Inc. and he joined the show for a broad discussion about teaching and music education. Topics: Dr. Tim's background and wisdom and a treasure trove of useful quotes, including: "Successful p...

Charles McGhee is the band director at Double Peak School in the San Marcos Unified School District, just North of San Diego. This is Charlie's final year as a band director and he joins the show to share some of the wisdom he's learned in 30 years of teaching. Topics: Charlie's background as a percussionist and his choice to go to college in his 20's to earn his teaching credential. A long discus...

Jacquie Dawson is the Director of Bands at the University of Manitoba. Prior to this position she was a highly successful band director at several schools in the Winnipeg area. Topics: Jacquie's early musical education including a discussion of an early move from flute to clarinet and the music teacher who helped her find the right instrument. Jacquie's difficult first year as a music teacher and...

Composer Omar Thomas is one of the brightest new talents in the band community, using his jazz background to write powerful works with a social conscience. Topics: Omar's background in his high school music program and a young trombonist and why he doesn't remember his high school cafeteria. Some tips for teaching jazz and some advice for teaching the language of swing. The story about how Omar wa...

Cathi Leibinger is the band director at Ransom Everglades Middle School, the current president of the Florida Bandmasters Association, and knows just about everyone in the band world! Topics: Cathi's early musical experiences, her educational background, and early experiences as a horn player and music educator. The organization of the program at Ransom Everglades Middle School and some discussion...

Composer and conductor Onsby Rose has had a remarkably diverse career as a performer, teacher, and railroad conductor and was recently appointed Director of Instrumental Activities/Associate Professor of Music at Dordt College. Topics: An overview of Onsby's remarkably diverse career including a discussion about being a Marine Corps musician and his move to the classroom after a career working wit...

Composer and conductor Brian Balmages is the Director of Instrumental Publications for The FJH Music Company and a passionate advocate for music education. Topics: Brian's background growing up as the son of a band director and the influence his father had on his early musical career. Brian's move from performer to composer and conductor and his approach to writing music for young band and orchest...

Philip Obado is the Director of Bands at Allen ISD in Allen, Texas where he oversees a high school and middle school band program with over 1,800 musicians. Topics: The story of how Phil went from dreaming about a career as a concert trombonist to earning a doctorate in conducting and eventually landing as the director of bands for one of the largest high school music programs in the country. The...

Elisa Janson Jones is a band teacher, community band conductor, blogger, podcaster, public speaker, the founder of the online Music Education Summit. Topics: Elisa's origin story as the daughter of a prominent band director in Utah including her early music education and influences. The story of how Elisa used her experience, her network, and her personal skills to successfully open up a new middl...

Composer Jennifer Jolley is on the faculty at Texas Tech University and Interlochen and is a member of ADJ*ective New Music and the Blue Dot Collective. In this episode she discusses her career, including how she got into writing for band. Topics: Jennifer's background and her current gig as a composition professor at Texas Tech University. Combining electronic music with band and how composers ca...

Rachel Maxwell has enjoyed tremendous success as the Director of Bands at Traughber Junior High School in Oswego, Illinois where she teaches over 400 students in three bands. Topics: The organization of the program at Traughber Middle School and how the growth of the town has changed her program during her tenure. Dividing bands strictly by grade levels and the goal to help every kid be successful...

Bruce Pearson is the teacher, composer, and author behind the Best in Class, Standard of Excellence, and Tradition of Excellence (with Ryan Nowlin) method books.  Topics: Bruce talks about his method books starting with Best In Class, Standard of Excellence, and Tradition of Excellence and then offers advice about choosing method books. Bruce's background growing up playing both clarinet and hocke...

Episode 100! John Mackey joins me for a conversation about his hugely successful career, from Commodore 64 through his remarkable "Places We Can No Longer Go" that was recently premiered at CBDNA 2019! Topics: The story of how John went from writing primarily chamber and orchestral music to becoming one of the most celebrated composers of music for wind ensemble and band. John's background growing...

Anthony Barfield is a composer and music producer in New York City. In this episode Anthony discusses his early career as a trombonist, his "Heritage Concerto" for euphonium and band, and also a bit about his current career as a producer for commercial and urban music. Topics: Anthony's background growing up on his family farm in Mississippi and how the work ethic developed as a child has helped h...

Jason Nam is the Associate Director of Bands at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. In this episode Everything Band went "on the road" to Bloomington and had a chance to chat with Jason in the IU band offices. Topics: The importance of doing your best in every stop and how opportunity can come from those around seeing you value and not wanting to let you get away. Thoughts about buildin...

T. André Feagin is the assistant director of bands at Colorado State University. He joins the show to talk about his career and his involvement in DCI, and to share his thoughts about how conductors are advocates for the composer. Topics: T. André's early musical training through high school and college and some excellent advice for directors and teachers considering a decision to return to gradua...

Composer and arranger Matt Conaway is the associate director of the Purdue "All American" marching band with his original music and arrangements published by C.L. Barnhouse and Hal Leonard. Topics: Matt's position at Purdue University. Matt's musical background including his grandmother who played honky tonk piano. Ways that we can support the careers of aspiring young composers and conductors tha...

Acclaimed young composer Viet Cuong joins the show to share his thoughts about band music, his work as a composer, and how growing up in the Lassiter band helped him fit in and find his place in the world. Topics: 
Viet's background and how he got his start as a musician, percussionist, and composer. How band and music helped Viet "find his place" in the world and the importance of band as a place...

Robert Sheldon has had a remarkable career as a composer, conductor, and music educator and is the Director of Concert Band Publications at Alfred Music.  Topics: Robert's incredible music background as the "Forrest Gump" of band music that included vaudevillian parents, studies at the University of Miami with Clifton Williams, Alfred Reed, and Frederick Fennell, and playing in the very first Disn...

A former middle and high school band director in Utah, Kaitlin Bove is currently a doctoral student in conducting at the University of Kentucky and one of the founders of the And We Were Heard recording project. Topics: Kaitlin's background growing up in Northern California and as a student at the University of the Pacific. The importance of giving kids an understanding and ability to play their i...

Works by composer Randall Standridge are consistently among the highest selling and most widely performed music each year. In this episode, he offers insight into his music and career as a composer. Topics: A brief overview of Randall's career from college student at Arkansas State through the success of his works Afterburn and Adrenaline Engines . Randall's family influences and high school teach...

Courtney Snyder is the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Michigan, the president-elect of the Women Band Directors International, and a panelist for the brand new ...And We Were Heard project. Topics: Courtney's background and the stories of some of the teachers who influenced her career. The story of "And We Were Heard", a new project designed to record and promote the music of com...

Mark is joined by Sean Smith from the Source Material Podcast and Olin Hannum from the AMusEd Podcast as we have a conversation about our expectations for the 2018 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. In the episode we discuss a few sessions we're interested in, take some time to talk about creativity in the large ensemble, and offer some advice for first time attendees. The Music Teac...

John Bogenschutz, the creator of the band and music themed Tone Deaf Comics tells the story of why he switched from band director and composer to comic strip creator and offers thoughts about our community from a very different perspective. Topics: John's early musical background and his experience as a band director and composer. How being a stand-up comedian is similar to being a band director....

The Director of Bands at the University of Missouri, Brian Silvey joins the show to talk about his background, music teacher education, and the importance of conducting gestures. Topics: Brian's background as a young trombonist from rural Kentucky, the lessons he learned from his band director, and his path to becoming the director of bands at the University of Missouri. Music teacher education an...