Everything Band Podcast

Tim Heath is the Director of Athletic Bands at Wake Forest University.

Topics:

• Tim's background growing up in Eastern North Carolina playing trumpet in the high school band and drum set on the side and how he ended up becoming a music teacher.
• Tim's early teaching jobs, his decision to go back to school to earn a doctorate, and why that led him to teaching middle school for a year.
• Thoughts about how to communicate the value of the arts.
• Being a doctoral student at the University of Alabama and working with the Million Dollar Band.
• Moving from Samford University to Wake Forest University and what he's learned as a college athletic band director that he would apply if he could go back to his days as a high school band director.

Links:

• Wake Forest Athletic Bands
• Maslanka: Concerto for Clarinet and Band

Biography:

Dr. Tim Heath is the Director of Athletic Bands and Assistant Teaching Professor at Wake Forest University. Prior to Wake Forest, he was the Director of Athletic Bands and Assistant Professor of Music Education at Samford University. He also served as Assistant Director of the Wind Ensemble and was a member of the conducting faculty during his tenure at Samford. Prior to teaching at Samford University, Dr. Heath was a graduate teaching assistant with The University of Alabama Bands. At the University of Alabama, Dr. Heath conducted the pep bands for all major sports, The University of Alabama Concert Band, and served as a staff member with The Million Dollar Band where he also arranged for the Million Dollar Band's Front Ensemble. Dr. Heath received the Outstanding Instrumental Music Education Graduate Student awarded for the 2016-2017 academic school year. Dr. Heath served as the front ensemble coordinator for the Music City Drum & Bugle Corps for the 2014 season and has held staff positions with Methodist University's "Pride of the Carolina's" in Fayetteville, North Carolina and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke's "Spirit of the Carolina's" in Pembroke, North Carolina. Dr. Heath's previous collegiate teaching experience includes instructor of music at The University of Mount Olive in Mount Olive, North Carolina where he directed the pep band and instructed music education courses. Dr. Heath is an active clinician and adjudicator for both concert band and marching band and is a regular conductor for the Cookeville (Tennessee) Community Band's Summer Concert Series. As a music educator, Dr. Heath has presented sessions and research at both the state and national levels and is published in Percussive Notes and The Instrumentalist. Dr. Heath holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and a Doctorate from The University of Alabama. Dr. Heath is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, College Music Society, Kappa Delta Epsilon Education Fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon, the Percussive Arts Society's Scholarly Research Committee, and is an Honorary Member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity at the University of Alabama.

On December 20th I had the honor to present a session at the 2019 Midwest Clinic titled "Podcast Pedagogy: Band Wisdom from 125 Composers, Conductors, and Performers." The holidays have made it difficult to schedule a guest, so instead I have recreated the session and am sharing it here.

Normal episodes resume in 2020!

Topics:

• A bit of podcast business.
• My story and how I arrived here as the host of the podcast.
• Common answers to the big questions.
• Valuable things for my listeners to remember.
• What I've learned and how it has changed me as a teacher.

Links to Podcasts:

• The Portfolio Composer
• The Entrepreneurial Musician
• After Sectionals
• That Band Life
• Program Notes
• The Bandmasters Podcast
• AMusEd
• The Anacrusic Podcast
• The Band Director's Lounge
• Music Ed Mentor Podcast
• Music on Purpose
• The Director's Circle

-------

Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope's outstanding staff to focus on your group's one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

Brian Wis, the band director at St. Charles North High School in St. Charles, Illinois joins me for a discussion about booster groups, music literacy, and to share his thoughts about music education.

Topics:

• Brian's background growing up around the Cavaliers and how he got his instrumental start as a fourth grader on the bugle.
• Building strong relationships with your colleagues to create a shared philosophy and to join forces for the greater good.
• Booster groups and the importance of strong bylaws.
• Thoughts about getting along with administrators and an important bit of advice to avoid conflicts.
• Music literacy, the emphasis that Brian and his colleagues place on it, and how it helps his band program.
• The Facebook Band Director's Group and the state of music teacher education in the United States.

Links:

• Brian Wis - Teaching and Music
• St. Charles North Band
• NoteNames+ in the Apple App Store

Biography:

Brian Wis teaches bands at St. Charles North High School in St. Charles, Illinois. His bachelors degree is from Northern Illinois University, his masters degree is from VanderCook College of Music, and he completed his doctoral coursework at the University of Illinois (UIUC). Before coming to SCN Mr. Wis was a faculty member and administrator at Roosevelt University, and prior to that taught at Naperville North High School.

A "hopeless early-adopter" in technology, Brian can be found incorporating new technology into the classroom regularly. He is also a self-taught iOS developer with several music training apps available for free in the App Store including NoteNames+ and RhythmTapper Turbo. He is the originator of the Band Director Group on Facebook, a group which currently numbers more than 27,000 members.

Mr. Wis has had his ensembles invited to the Super State Invitational, the Illinois All State Convention, the National Concert Band Festival, Disney Honors, and the Midwest International Clinic. He is also a former Golden Apple Finalist. He is married to Ramona Wis who is a music professor at North Central College, writer, and yogi.

Bobby Lambert is the band director at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. He is also the host of "That Band Life" podcast and will be conducting the Wando Symphonic Band at the 2019 Midwest Clinic.

Topics:

• Bobby's background including the story of how he grew up in rural North Carolina and ended up as a student at Western Carolina and the drum major of the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band.
• The importance of concert band music and a deep dive into Irish Tune from County Derry.
• Teaching at Marian Catholic with Greg Bimm and the most important lesson that Bobby learned from his time with Greg.
• Bobby's move to Wando High School and the emotions and challenges he faced in his new position.
• "You can't control your talent and you can't always control the instrument you have, but you can always control your effort. Hard work always pays off."
• Student leadership and the value of chamber ensembles to the band program at Wando High School.
• Advice about teaching marching band, particularly for the young band director.

Links:

• Bobby Lambert
• Bands at Wando High School
• Marian Catholic High School Band
• That Band Life Podcast
• Aaron Perrine
• Leslie Gilreath
• Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy

Biography:

Bobby is Director of Bands at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Originally from Cherokee, North Carolina, Mr. Lambert attended Western Carolina University to obtain his Bachelors Degree in music education and then the University of Massachusetts to receive a graduate assistantship and a Masters of Music Degree in saxophone performance.

From 2001 until 2013, Mr. Lambert was the assistant band director at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois where he enjoyed great success in both the marching and concert arena. The marching band was a consistent finalist at the Bands of America Grand National Championships and a repeat winner of the 2A National Championship. At the state level, the band continued its winning streak as the Class Champion for the State of Illinois Marching Band Championship begun in 1980. Under his direction, the Concert Band at Marian found great success in performance assessment: consistently receiving superior ratings and being named overall champion at The State of the Art Catholic Concert Band Festival, and class champion at The Illinois State University Concert Competition and The University of Illinois Superstate Concert Festival.

In 2005, he founded the school-wide leadership program at Marian, designing the curriculum and coordinating its implementation to over 1200 students with over 50 faculty members. Drawn from the world of business, finance, and psychology, the Leadership Program curriculum gives every student practical experience with communication skills, group dynamics, and ethical leadership.

Since 1997, Mr. Lambert has directed student leadership camps around the country. In 2013, Mr. Lambert headed the inaugural Bands of America Drum Major Institute at Ball State University as part of the BOA Summer Symposium. This contemporary camp brings the most experienced staff and the latest information to student leaders from across the country. Over 1000 high school students participate in various leadership programs with Mr. Lambert each summer.

In addition to serving as consultant with several programs across the country, Mr. Lambert has worked with the All-American Marching Band sponsored by the U.S. Army and the Bands of America Tournament of Roses Marching Band. He has also served as guest conductor for honor bands in Virginia and Illinois.

Mr. Lambert's professional affiliations include MENC and Phi Mu Alpha. He has been honored with an induction to the Marian Catholic Fine Arts Hall of Fame in 2013 and voted a Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator in 2009. He now lives in South Carolina with his wife Alysia, who is a choral director and their daughters, Maria Katherine and Olivia Claire.

-------

Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope's outstanding staff to focus on your group's one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

Jonathan Grantham is the band director at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California. The AVHS Wind Ensemble 1 is making its second appearance at the Midwest Clinic this month.

Topics:

• Jonathan's background growing up in rural Michigan and the band director who inspired him to a career as an educator.
• The story of Jonathan's first job and the story of why he felt compelled to leave that job and take a break from teaching before moving to California.
• The culture shock of moving from teaching in Michigan to teaching in California and the instrumental program at Amador Valley High School.
• The process of applying for the Midwest Clinic, the reaction of his students, and the program that his group will play at the conference.

Links:

• The Accidental Expert
• Amador Valley High School Music
• AVHS Wind Ensemble 1 plays Our New Day Begun by Omar Thomas
• AVHS Marching Band (2018)
• Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy

Biography:

Jonathan Grantham, director of bands at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California, leads a band program of 350 students involved in five concert ensembles, three jazz bands, a competitive marching band, various chamber ensembles, two winter percussion units, and two winter guards. In his eighteen years at Amador Valley the band program has grown to triple in size and the ensembles have earned consistent superior ratings and high honors. Under Mr. Grantham's guidance, Amador Valley's top wind ensemble has performed at the CBDA state conference three times (2007, 2010, 2018), at WASBE in the summer of 2015 and twice at The Midwest Clinic (2013, 2019). Mr. Grantham is active as an adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor. He was an executive board member for NaFME/CMEA Bay Section and the Western Band Association and served for several years on the Special Projects Committee for the California Band Directors Association. Jonathan received his bachelor's degree in music education/trombone performance from Central Michigan University, graduating magna cum laude, and earned his master's degree in conducting at the American Band College of Sam Houston State University, graduating summa cum laude. Honors include twice earning the Excellence in Education Award from Pleasanton Unified School District (2009, 2016) and being chosen as Pleasanton Unified School District's Teacher of the Year (2013). Mr. Grantham was honored by the CMEA State Association in 2015 with the Don Schmeer/Byron Hoyt Band Educator Award. In 2018 Jonathan was inducted into the John Philip Sousa Foundation's Bandworld Legion of Honor. He resides in Martinez, California with his partner Ryan.

Keith Hodgson joined the music education faculty at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 2016 after a 26 year teaching career.

Topics:

• Keith's background growing up learning the piano and then percussion and the important influences on his decision to pursue music as a career.
• Finding opportunities outside of your formal studies to learn more about being a band director.
• Keith's high school teaching career, the lessons he learned in his first five years, and his program at Mainland High School.
• The music education program at the University of the Arts and the lessons that he tries to teach his students.
• The importance of community bands and commissioning music.

Links:

• Keith Hodgson
• University of the Arts
• South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble
• Whitacre: October
• Elder: The Heart's Reflection

Biography:

Keith W. Hodgson is the Director of Music Education at the University of The Arts in Philadelphia, PA. He teaches graduate & undergraduate conducting, percussion methods, is Director of the Master of Arts in Teaching program (MAT), oversees the music education minor program, fieldwork experiences and supervises student teachers in their elementary and secondary field placements.

Mr. Hodgson currently serves as President to the Eastern Division of the National Association for Music Education, is a Past-President of the New Jersey Music Educator's Association, a National Board Certified Teacher, the recipient of the 2014 New Jersey Governor's Award in the Arts for Leadership in Music and was a Grammy Nominated Music Educator Quarter Finalist in 2014. Mr. Hodgson holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from William Patterson University, NJ and his Masters Degree in School Leadership and Administration from Rowan University, NJ with Supervisor and Principal Certifications. Mr. Hodgson's teaching career includes twenty-six years as a high school band director in New Jersey, the majority of which were as Director of Instrumental Music at Mainland Regional HS in Linwood, NJ. His experience with concert, jazz, marching, orchestra and chamber ensembles is extensive.

Mr. Hodgson is the Conductor and Music Director for the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble, an adult community band of music educators and professional musicians. Mr. Hodgson has held the principal conducting post of the SJAWE since its founding in 1997. Mr. Hodgson is also the Head Director of the American Music Abroad Gold Tour, an annual three week summer music tour of band and choral students performing in six countries throughout Europe. He has over 20 years experience in group travel and performing for European audiences.

Mr. Hodgson is an active guest conductor for high school honor bands, community bands and summer music camps; a band clinician, guest speaker and professional development presenter. He has presented in numerous state, regional and national conferences including the 2007 MidWest Clinic in Chicago. As a conductor, he has studied with many master conductor/teachers such as Ed Lisk, Stephen Melillo, Anthony Maiello and Mallory Thompson among others. His guest conducting appearances have included honors ensembles in NJ, CT, NY, PA, AK, AL and Europe. Mr. Hodgson is proud to be Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician and was honored as the recipient of the 2016 Distinguished Service Award by the New Jersey Music Educators Association and was nominated to the 2016 Class of the American School Band Directors Association. He is also currently a WorldStrides Heritage Festivals Adjudicator and a contributor to a new edition of a GIA Band Curriculum Guide by the American School Band Directors Association

-------

Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope's outstanding staff to focus on your group's one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

Jeff Herwig is a composer and the the Director of Bands at Mercer Area Middle-Senior High School in Mercer, Pennsylvania.

Topics:

• Jeff's background growing up including the story of his late start as a saxophone player and how he was inspired by the rock band Queen.
• The program at Mercer Area High School and the mistakes that Jeff made at his first position and the lessons he learned when he took on his current position.
• Jeff's composing and how he got started and why he made the decision to be self-published.

Links:

• Jeff Herwig
• Millenium Composers Initiative
• Herwig: Freedom
• Semper Fi Fund
• Maslanka: Symphony No. 4

Biography:

Jeff Herwig is currently the Director of Bands at Mercer Area Middle-Senior High School in Mercer, Pennsylvania. He is responsible for all secondary instrumental activities in the district. He directs the Middle School Concert Band, Senior High Concert Band, Senior High Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds, Jazz Ensemble, Pep Band, and Marching Band. Jeff is a member of the Millennium Composers Initiative, and is also the founder of M&M Music Press, LLC, based out of Mercer, Pennsylvania. Many of Jeff's works for concert band and chamber ensembles are distributed exclusively through M&M Music Press. His piece, "The Bridge," was recently chosen as a winning selection in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association 2019 Composition Contest. Prior to working in the Mercer Area School District and starting up M&M Music Press, Jeff served as the Director of Bands at Titusville Area High School located in Titusville, Pennsylvania. Jeff completed his undergraduate work in Music Education at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, and recently earned his Master of Music in Conducting from Messiah College. Jeff currently resides with his wife Megan and their two children in Mercer, Pennsylvania.

Keith Ozsvath is the band director at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia, Illinois and is the co-founder and coordinator for the Middle School Concert Band Camp at the Music for All Summer Symposium.

Topics:

• Keith's background including the story of how childhood organ lessons helped prepare him for a late start in band.
• The band program at Rotolo Middle School.
• Keith's duties as Middle School Coordinator for the Music for All Summer Symposium.
• Why every band directors should try to connect with composers whenever possible.
• Thoughts about choosing band music.

Links:

• Keith Ozsvath
• Teaching Music and More
• Music for All Middle School Summer Symposium
• Les Taylor: Kane County Chronicle
• Weller: Yankee Fanfare
• Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium

Biography:

Music educator Keith Ozsvath is passionate about helping other directors improve their craft. He maintains an active schedule as a blogger, professional development leader, and clinician for middle school bands. He's a dad, coffee addict, runner, northwoods fisherman, and edtech enthusiast.

Keith has been sharing his life-long passion for music with the students at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia, Illinois, a four-time NAMM Best Community for Music Education, since 2000. Keith currently directs the Symphonic Band, Eighth Grade Band, and Jazz Ensemble, while finding unique ways to integrate technology to enhance his students' learning.

In addition to being a dedicated middle school teacher, Keith teaches graduate courses at VanderCook College of Music. He has presented numerous professional development sessions for music educators at the The Midwest Clinic, Virginia Music Educators Association, Illinois Music Educators Conference, VanderCook College of Music, and the Association of Middle Level Educators. His dedication to teaching has been recognized through the Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator award in 2015 and twice by "Who's Who Among America's Teachers". In 2017, Keith was honored with an "Exemplary Educator Award" from the Batavia CANDO parent organization. Most recently, he was inducted to the Nazareth Academy Fine Arts Hall of Fame in 2018. Keith is part of the ILMEA Clinician Network which provides professional development to music educators across Illinois. He has had the distinguished honor of being an Illinois Summer Youth Music conductor at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and is the co-founder and coordinator for the Middle School Concert Band Camp at the Music for All Summer Symposium held at Ball State University.

-------

Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope's outstanding staff to focus on your group's one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

Jonathan Newman is a well-known composer and is the Director of Composition & Coordinator of New Music at the Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia.

Topics:

• Jonathan's background, how playing the trombone has helped his career, and important teachers in his life.
• How writing in a variety of genres helps him stay focused and the importance of exploring a plurality of styles as a composer.
• BCM International and how four friends found a way to have a booth at Midwest and launch their careers.
• Being a pioneer as a self-published composer in the early 2000's and how a job at Boosey & Hawkes helped him learn how to publish his own music.
• Jonathan's newest work Pi'ilani and Ko'olauan.

Links:

• Jonathan Newman, Composer
• BCM International
• Newman: OK, Feel Good
• Newman: Blow it Up, Start Again
• Newman: Pi'ilani and Ko'alauan
• Britten: War Requiem
• Bach: Komm, süsser Tod
• Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (Final Trio)

Biography:

Jonathan Newman composes music rich with rhythmic drive and intricate sophistication, creating broadly colored musical works that incorporate styles of pop, blues, jazz, folk, and funk into otherwise classical models. Trained as a pianist, trombonist, and singer, his work is informed by an upbringing performing in orchestras, singing in jazz choirs, playing in marching bands, and accompanying himself in talent shows. From opera to bubblegum pop, Newman delivers a new perspective on American concert music.

Recent work includes Mass, a large-scale project with texts by poet Victoria Chang which premiered in 2018 with The Choir of Trinity Wall Street as part of their Mass Reimaginings commissioning program. In 2016 he was appointed Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras Composer-in-Residence; work with CYSO included performances of Metropolitan, Tree, and 3 O'Clock Mix, Chicago's 2016 Ear Taxi Festival, and the commissions for Meridian and Blow It Up, Start Again—which have subsequently been performed by orchestras worldwide, including the Minnesota Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, the 2015 Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the 2015 BBC Proms.

Other recent commissions include Prayers of Steel for Chicago's Gaudete Brass (recorded on Cedille Records, 2017) and These Inflected Tentacles for chamber quartet. Newman's ensemble transcriptions include arrangements of Beck, George Harrison, Puccini, Sufjan Stevens, Eric Whitacre, Led Zeppelin, and electronica premiered at the 2005 Lincoln Center Festival and recorded on Acoustica: Alarm Will Sound Performs Aphex Twin (Cantaloupe Records). As a MacDowell Fellow, he began work on an opera based on the 1962 cult horror film Carnival of Souls, in collaboration with playwright Gary Winter. He is currently working with Winter on an imaginary ballet suite for the Florida State University Wind Orchestra based on the Hawaiian story of Pi'ilani and Ko'olau.

Wind and educational ensembles around the world frequently perform from his large catalog of works, including Blow It Up, Start Again (transcription for winds), Symphony No. 1, My Hands Are a City—a wind ensemble consortium commission based on themes of mid-century American Beat Culture, Sowing Useful Truths, commissioned by the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and Moon by Night, 2003 winner of the NBA/Merrill Jones Composition Award.

Born in 1972, Newman received the Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and holds degrees from Boston University's School for the Arts, where he studied composition with Richard Cornell and Charles Fussell and conducting with Lukas Foss, and The Juilliard School, where he studied with composers John Corigliano and David Del Tredici and conducting with Miguel Harth-Bedoya. At Juilliard, his collaborative works for dance enjoyed multiple performances at The Juilliard Theater, Alice Tully Hall, P.S. 122, and Dance Theater Workshop. His early training includes Boston University Tanglewood Institute and the Aspen Music Festival where he studied with composers George Tsontakis and Bernard Rands. His works have been recorded on Avian, BCM, Brain Music, Cantaloupe, Cedille, Klavier, Mark Custom, Naxos, Potenza, and Summit Records.

Newman is a founding member of the composer-consortium BCM International: four stylistically-diverse composers dedicated to enriching the repertoire with exciting works for mediums often mired in static formulas. BCM recorded two albums: BCM Saves the World (Mark Custom Records, 2002) and BCM Men of Industry (BCM Records, 2004). He resides in Virginia, where he serves as Director of Composition & Coordinator of New Music at Shenandoah Conservatory.

Cynthia Wagoner taught middle school and high school band for 27 years in Indiana before going back to school and becoming a music education professor at East Carolina University.

Topics:

• Cynthia's background growing up in Terra Haute, Indiana in a musical family and the story of how she became and oboe player involved in both orchestra and band.
• The importance of mentors and some of the important teachers in Cindy's life and the lessons that she learned from them.
• Her experience as a young female band director in the early 1980's and some of the topics she has to discuss with her female music education students to help prepare them for entering the profession.
• Cindy's duties as an Associate Professor of Music Education at East Carolina University and some of the lessons she would like to pass on from observing student teachers.
• An extended discussion of teaching beginners and teaching sound to sight in both homogeneous and heterogeneous classes.
• Seven words or less.

Links:

• Cynthia Wagoner
• Shostakovich: Festive Overture
• Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy

Biography:

Dr. Cindy Wagoner is an Associate Professor of Music Education at East Carolina University, specializing in instrumental music instruction and pre-service music teacher education. Her regional and international research presentations focus on music teacher identity, mentoring new teachers, and pedagogy. Her publications appear in Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz, Teaching Music, Psychology of Music, Research Issues in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, and several book chapters. Her heart still lies in the teaching of music through instrumental performance, and she is dedicated to serving the music education community in her current position at ECU. Wagoner holds a B.S. and M.S. from Indiana State University and spent 27 years in Indiana teaching high school and middle school instrumental music, known for having a large and successful program across marching, concert, small ensemble, and jazz events. Graduating from the University of Carolina Greensboro with a Ph.D. in Music Education, she was honored for her teaching with the Graduate Teaching Assistant Award in 2009. As an assistant professor at East Carolina since 2011, she was selected as a finalist for a 2015-16 ECU Alumni Award for excellence in teaching, 2017-18 Nominee for Five Year Award, and was awarded the ECU Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2019. She was also semi-finalist for the 2017 Music & Arts Educator of the Year. Wagoner continues to be active as a guest conductor and adjudicator across the south and Midwest and holds membership in Society for Music Teacher Education, Society for Music Perception and Cognition (SMPC), International Society for Music Education (ISME), NAfME, and NCMEA.

---- I am thrilled to announce a new partnership between the Everything Band podcast and Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel to over 40 destinations. They offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope's outstanding staff to focus on your group's one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!