Have you ever considered that your intermediate band – the one in-between the beginners and the more advanced as the engine room of your program?

The conductor is the frame around the oil painting, the well lit room that highlights a sculpture, the actor delivering a playwright’s new script. Without you, our music… well, it dies.

Asking a Band Director to select "quality repertoire" is like asking a child to "choose wisely" in a candy store. What does it actually mean?

What if, we simply placed music in the band folders and starting rehearsing it without fuss or friction about whether or not you (or they) “like it”?

I can tell you what will happen, you’ll be surprised. Surprised by what music the students DO like, and surprised by how much playing different-sounding, “risk-taking” repertoire helps them grow.

Highlights, impressions and repertoire from the WASBE conference in Prague, 2022

I’ve read or heard this phrase more than I wish to, and it’s time to be the elephant in the room and share some humble truths about ‘good’ wind band music.

In more recent months, I have noticed an abundance of posts in music educator Facebook groups that pertain to student dedication (or lack thereof) and behavioural issues.

“Is the wind band not the equal of any medium ever conceived? As a vehicle of deeply emotional expression it seems to me unrivalled.”

Replace “live your dream" with "live your dream and find a way to make a living from it”. Just because it's YOUR dream, because you are passionate about it, doesn't mean it's going to pay for the groceries.

In the same way that we are learning about the need for nutrient rich food, we should also consider nutrient rich repertoire.

Letter from Sado was commissioned as part of the BandQuest series in 2014. Since then it has received hundreds of unique performances around the world - but many Directors are still frightened to try it.

Commissioning a new work is a great experience for everyone. I encourage all musicians to consider going through the process at least once. It’s rewarding, exciting and a grand new adventure for all.

I honestly believe that if we continue to play same-sounding repertoire at all levels, not only will the wind band genre completely stagnate, it will cease to cultivate future generations of listening, thinking musicians.

How can you, the conductor, make sure it's awesome for the ensemble AND the composer?

Just because your band sounds good, doesn’t mean you have a good music program

Always, always your children should have the opportunity to FIRST feel, play around with and discover musical thoughts and idioms before we place any adult notion of what we adults think they SHOULD learn.