Everyime I ask “How was band today?” I never get a decent answer. As parents, we do a lot for our young musicians. We read the articles that promise music will make our child smarter.*   We take the financial leap and rent/purchase their instrument of choice. We give it a place of honor in our home. [...]

All new band parents are at least a little leary when it comes to caring for that newest addition to the family. Luckily everything you need to know (regardless of how or how often you play) to keep your instrument in proper playing condition is right here. First, keep the instrument in its case when it’s [...]

Not sure how to dress your pint-sized performer for their first concert? You’ve come to the right place. During the next few months, in schools across the country, students from pre-K through college will take to the stage in song. And just as there is a dress code in business, there is a dress code [...]

Back in the 1930s when the big bands took to smoke-filled stages from New York to Los Angeles they were often recognized by their official look: Matching suits, ties and fedoras. Fast forward to the modern-day competitive high school jazz scene, and a similar effect is found. Top ensembles are often recognized by their own [...]

  If you’re lucky enough to be in a school district that’s committed to its music program, you probably know that the spring semester is when we celebrate all things Jazz. But surprisingly, even the most accomplished elementary and secondary level musicians fall short in their actual understanding of the American-born musical genre. The beginnings [...]

Looking for some nutrition tips for the day of a big performance? Well, I was having lunch with three music teachers (instrumental and vocal) the other day, and I took the opportunity to bombard them with questions for you. As you can probably guess, they all had their pet peeves. It was a rapid-fire discussion [...]

So, your middle schooler came home with an application to audition for an honors band. Now you’re wondering if she’s really ready for the stress of an audition. ‘Tis the season… As we approach the mid-point of the school year, countless young musicians face a barrage of musical opportunities as regional and state honors bands [...]

It happens more than you think. One California high school reported that $30,000 worth of instruments have been stolen this school year alone. The high price that some instruments fetch on the black market is just one reason cited for the rise in instrument thefts. According to a December 2011 Los Angeles Times article, an [...]

Sometime during the first full week of school, our local high school holds seating auditions for their ensembles. These auditions are held in the band room before homeroom and if you listen closely, you can hear the director repeating for the umpteenth time, “It’s really not a big deal.” Schools lucky enough to maintain a [...]

Labor Day is celebrated in the United States and Canada on the first Monday in September. Origins of the holiday are traced back to 1872 when a parade was held in support of a strike by Toronto’s Typographical Union. In 1882, American union official Peter McGuire was asked to speak at a Canadian festival commemorating [...]