Middle school band director Aaron Given joins me for a conversation about his background, his career, and his belief that his passion for music influences everything that he does as a teacher.

Topics: 

• Aaron’s background and his current position as a middle school band director near Columbus, Ohio.
• Lessons learned from Ken Singleton at the University of Northern Colorado.
• Why it is so important to care about your students and the value of bringing that to the classroom.
• The use of electronics in band music.
• What Aaron’s program looks like and the value of doing a November concert rather than one in December.
• The problems with the push towards vocational training and why we must resist that and re-embrace the liberal arts model.

Links:

• Aaron Given
• Julie Giroux - The Bonsai Tree
• Scott McAllister - Images (Performed by Aaron's band)
• Phillip Sparke - Dance Movement
• Antonin Dvořák: Serenade for Winds, op. 44
• A Survey of Performance Practice of Electroacoustic Music for Wind Bad Grades 2-3

 Biography:

Aaron Given is a band director with the Olentangy Local School District, near Columbus, Ohio. He also serves as Associate Director and Director of Educational Outreach for the Horns of Ohio. Previously, Aaron was a founding member of the Capital City Chamber Players, where he served as Associate Conductor.

A passionate advocate for new music in the classroom, Aaron works with professional composers to create high quality repertoire for young players and engage students in the compositional process. Notable collaborators include Scott McAllister, Michael Rene Torres and the Columbus Ohio Discovery Ensemble.

As a hornist, Aaron has performed with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, the Westerville Symphony and the Dublin (Ireland) International Symphonic Festival, and the Interlochen Arts Camp Faculty Brass Ensemble. His teachers include Grammy-winning hornist Marian Hesse and Bruce Henniss.

As a clinician, Aaron has presented sessions for the Ohio Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Capital University Complete Band Director Workshop. Aaron earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education at the University of Northern Colorado and his master’s degree in Wind Conducting at The Ohio State University.