Justin McClean is a band director in Houston, Texas and co-host of the “The Score”, which is an urban music education podcast. He joins the show for a very remarkable conversation about how we build a better band community.

Topics:

• Justin’s background story growing up in Texas and the role of the church in his background and why the church is so relevant to so many African-American musicians.
• Making connections to kids with the music that they listen to and some lessons that Justin took from his own high school band director.
• Justin’s thoughts about attending an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) and the important role that HBCU’s play in the music education community.
• A broad discussion about race in music and the band community and what we can do as band directors to communicate better and build a more inclusive profession.

Links:

• The Score: An Urban Music Education Podcast
• Ijeoma Olua: So You Want to Talk about Race?
• Holsinger: A Childhood Hymn

Biography:

Justin McLean is currently the Percussion Director/Assistant Director of Bands at Hightower HS and Lake Olympia MS Band in Fort Bend ISD.

Prior to his appointment at Hightower he was the Percussion Director/Associate Director of Bands at Heights High School and former director of bands at Hamilton Middle School. During his time there he has received superior UIL ratings at both middle and high school, developed region band students, and a quality indoor percussion ensemble.

Mr. McLean is a Texas native raised in Rosenberg, Texas a humble community right outside of Houston. Justin’s love of music began at an earlier age and was heavily influenced in church through both gospel and secular artists/musicians. His ambitions propelled him to strive for excellence not only in his personal aspirations, but also in his academic/professional life.

He received a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Prairie View A&M University in 2011 and has had the pleasure of educating and training young musicians as a band director and percussion instructor for the past 9 years in HISD and now Fort Bend ISD. He is also devoted music director and student minister in his local church and currently pursuing an Masters Divinity degree through Reformed Theological Seminary.