Ronnie Hill shares how marching band achieves curricular goals at Lee County High School.

Ronald Hill II joined the faculty at Lee County High School as the Director of Bands in 2017. Ensembles under the direction of Mr. Hill have consistently earned Superior and Excellent ratings at all adjudicated events, including marching festivals and LGPE. As a native of Macon, Georgia, Mr. Hill graduated from Valdosta State University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, where he founded the Sonorous Brass Quintet. He received his Master’s degree in Music Education from Georgia College & State University in May 2011 and most recently graduated with a Specialist in Educational Leadership degree from Georgia College & State University. Mr. Hill was a member of the Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps, from Jacksonville, Florida aging out in 2008. Mr. Hill is a member of Georgia Music Educators Association, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America Inc, and Phi Kappa Phi honor society. Mr. Hill resides in Lee County with his wife, Alexia and sons, Quincy and Archie. 

Music Credits 

Carefree by Kevin MacLeod 

Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod 

Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod 

Jacquie Dawson is with us to discuss how to serve students with exceptionalities.

Noted for her unique ability to create an inspiring ensemble experience and sculpt an impressive wind band sound, Jacquie Dawson has had a marked impact on the wind band community in Manitoba for two decades. She is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator across Canada. Jacquie has been published in the Canadian Music Educator Journal and the Canadian Winds Journal, and has presented at numerous conferences across Canada including the Canadian Music Educators’ Association National Conference. Her research interests are in community music, the relationship between music education and the cultivation of community, as well as inclusion in instrumental music education. Jacquie is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator across Canada. Guest conducting engagements have included the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival, Alberta Band Association Wind Symphony, the Manitoba Junior and Intermediate Honour Bands, the PEI Provincial Honors Band, and the International Music Camp. Adjudicating engagements include Musicfest Canada, University of Victoria Bandfest, the Cantando Festivals, Alberta Band Association Festival of Bands and the upcoming Boao International Music Festival in Boas, China.  The Manitoba Band Association in partnership with a consortium of over sixty participants/organizations from Canada and the United States, commissioned the work Transcendent light composed by Kenley Kristofferson in memory of former Manitoba Band Association Executive Director, Ken Epp. It was premiered at the Manitoba Music Conference in October 2017 with approximately 700 people in attendance. Jacquie chaired the project and conducted the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble in the world premiere performance. Jacquie also attends and presents at many conferences and workshops, such as the Sunrise School Division Music Teachers Workshop, and the Manitoba Band Association Prelude Conference. As well, Jacquie is in her 10th season as the Artistic Director of the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble. 

Music Credits 

Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod

Fretless by Kevin MacLeod

Glitter Blast by Kevin MacLeod

Zach Williams from Ware County Middle School shares his recruiting tips. 

Zach Williams joins the Gator Nation this year serving as the Director of Bands at Ware County Middle School. He is a graduate of Albany State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. He received his teaching certification through GaTAPP.  In addition to his duties at WCMS, he will work as an Assistant Director for the Golden Gator Band and also serve as the Visual Caption Head and Color Guard Instructor. Before venturing to the swamp, Mr. Williams worked in the Coffee County School System and served as the Band Director for Coffee Middle School (4 years) as well as the Band Paraprofessional and Assistant Director at Coffee High School (12 years). There he worked in a similar capacity offering his expertise in the areas of visual effect, color guard, and musical performance. Mr. Williams is a member of the Georgia Music Educators’ Association (GMEA), the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and has participated as an Auxiliary and Marching Band Judge.  As a band director, Mr. Williams has earned only excellent and superior ratings at LGPE and has consistently had representation in his local District, Region and All-State Bands. 

Music Credits 

Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod

Monkeys Spinning Monkeys by Kevin MacLeod

Night In Venice by Kevin MacLeod

Dr. Sarah Labovitz shares with us her ideas on capital “M” music and we discuss assessment and evaluation in the music classroom. 

Sarah Labovitz is currently the Assistant Chairmen, Associate Director of Bands, and Coordinator of Music Education at Arkansas State University. She directs the Symphonic Winds, teaches undergraduate and graduate music education and conducting, and supervises student interns. Prior to her appointment at A-State, Dr. Labovitz served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Washburn University. She earned a BME from Bowling Green State University, an MME from Indiana University, and a DMA in Wind Conducting from the University of Kansas where she studied with Dr. Paul Popiel. Dr. Labovitz is an active guest conductor and clinician as well as a contributing author to the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series. She has recently given multiple presentations at the National Association for Music Education’s National In-Service Conference, the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, and the College Band Director National Association’s (CBDNA) National Conference and has served as a production assistant on the NAXOS recordings “Landscapes” and “In the Shadow of No Towers,” Michael Torke’s album ”Concerto for Orchestra,”  and the Klavier recording “Of Shadow and Light.” She was recently named a Music Education Consultant for the NAMM sponsored Music Achievement Council. Her service to the profession includes time as the Collegiate Chair for the Arkansas Music Educators Association and President of the Arkansas Chapter of CBDNA. She currently is a member of CBDNA’s Music Education Committee.Her public-school experience includes serving as Director of Bands at Athens High School in Athens, OH and Director of Instrumental Music at Admiral King High School in Lorain, OH. She currently resides in Jonesboro with her husband, Dr. Charles Page, the junior high and assistant high school band director for Valley View School District and her two rescue labs, Rosie and Sadie. 

Music Credits 

Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

On My Way by Kevin MacLeod

Dr. Shelley Jagow, the author of our text book, “Teaching Instrumental Music,” joins us in a wide ranging discussion about teaching philosophy and music curriculum.

Dr. Shelley Jagow is Professor of Music at Wright State University School of Music (Dayton, OH) where she serves as Director of Bands conducting both the Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony, and teaches conducting at the undergraduate and graduate level.  She earned top honors in Music Education degrees from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) and the University of Missouri (Columbia) where respective mentors include Marvin Eckroth, Dale Lonis, Martin Bergee and Wendy Sims. She earned her Ph. D. in Music Education at the Union Institute & University (Cincinnati) where Colonel Timothy Foley, Frank Battisti, and Edward Wingard served as her mentors. In addition to studies in education, saxophone and conducting, Shelley also earned the Certificate in Piano Performance IX from the Royal Conservatory of Music, and was previously nominated for both the “Robert J. Kegerreis Distinguished Professor of Teaching” Award and the “Brage Golding Distinguished Professor of Research” Award. As an artist clinician with Conn-Selmer, Vandoren, Meredith Music, and GIA Music, “Dr. J” enjoys working with school bands and presents clinics, performances, adjudications, and serves as honor band conductor at various state, national and international conferences and events. Venues include locations in various states/provinces/countries: Alberta, British Columbia, California, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Italy, Manitoba, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, Scotland, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington D.C.; including conferences such as State Music Educators Conferences, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA), the International Society for Music Education (ISME), the College Music Symposium (CMS), the World Saxophone Congress, and the United States Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium.

Organization, preparation, and communication are your “Pillars of Professionalism.” We visit with Dr. Brooke Johnson from Miami University to discuss your first year teaching and the things you can do to set yourself up for success. 

Dr. Brooke Johnson is an Assistant Professor and Director of Athletic Bands at Miami University. In her position, Dr. Johnson oversees all aspects of the Athletic Band program, teaches courses in the music education curriculum and directs the Miami University Marching Band and Symphony Band. Dr. Johnson completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting at the University of Kansas. During this time, Johnson served as a guest conductor for concert ensembles, a graduate teaching assistant for the Marching Jayhawks, and Director of the Women’s Volleyball Band. Additionally, she taught courses in instrumental music education and beginning and advanced conducting. Prior to attending KU, Johnson served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Drake University in Des Moines, IA and as Director of Athletic Bands and Instructor of Music at North Central College in Naperville, IL. She holds a Master of Music in Music Education and Conducting from Appalachian State University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Delaware. Upon completing her Bachelor’s degree, Johnson served as the Director of Bands at Patuxent High School in Lusby, MD. Johnson is an active guest conductor and adjudicator. She is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honors Society. 

Music Credits 

Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod

Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod

Tone quality, intonation, balance, and blend…these are big topics for a big episode! We discuss a logical and systematic approach to addressing these issues with your students and we also bring in Dr. Peter Geldrich to demystify tuning on the clarinet. 

Peter Geldrich Peter Geldrich is Assistant Professor of Clarinet at Valdosta State University and serves as principal clarinet of the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra in the Kay Jennett Chair. Mr. Geldrich began his clarinet studies with Robert Renino in New York at the age of ten. Since then, he has studied with renowned orchestral clarinetists Loren Kitt, Mitchell Estrin, and Karl Leister, of the National Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic respectively. In addition to his role with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Geldrich plays in the Albany Symphony Orchestra (GA). He frequently performs with Sinfonia Gulf Coast and the Charlotte (FL) Symphony Orchestra. He has also served as guest principal clarinet with the Orquesta Sinfonica UANL in Monterrey, Mexico. As a featured soloist, Mr. Geldrich has appeared with the Montclair Symphony Orchestra (NJ), the VSU Faculty Jazz Ensemble, the VSU Wind Ensemble, and the Carolina Master Chorale alongside acclaimed soprano Arianna Zuckerman. In 2015 Mr. Geldrich was a featured artist at the SCI National Conference in Gainesville, Florida. An active chamber musician, Mr. Geldrich performs with several ensembles in the southeast. He is a founding member of the Raging Reeds, a woodwind quartet that performed at the 2015 International Double Reed Society Conference in Tokyo, Japan. He also is a member of the Scirocco Quartet, with whom he performed at the 2012 National Flute Convention in Las Vegas, the 2012 Florida Flute Convention, and the Symphony at the Museum Series in Albany, Georgia. As a member of the University of Florida Wind Trio, Mr. Geldrich was a featured performer at the 2011 International Double Reed Society Conference in Tempe, Arizona. He was also a guest artist alongside faculty members at the University of Florida and members of the Jacksonville Symphony in a performance of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat for the UF Contemporary Music Festival. In the summer of 2014, Mr. Geldrich performed throughout Italy with the American Chamber Winds. Additionally, he has performed in Spain at the Burgos International Music Festival and in Germany at the Sulzbach-Rosenberg International Music Festival. 

Music Credits 

Blippy Trance by Kevin MacLeod

Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod

Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod

In the inaugural episode of the Instrumental Music Curriculum podcast, we discuss change in the era of coronavirus with Melissa Smith. She provides great tips to prepare for your student teaching experience. 

Melissa Smith Melissa Smith currently works in the Lawrence Public Schools as the Assistant Director of Bands at Lawrence Free State High School, Assistant Director of Bands for sixth and seventh grade and Assistant Director of Orchestra for sixth grade at West Middle School. Mrs. Smith came to Lawrence from Boone High School in Boone, Iowa, where she was the Director of Bands for ten years. During her time in Boone, the band program received superior ratings at regional concert band and solo/ensemble festivals, and contributed numerous students to the Iowa all-state band and other regional honor bands. Prior to her time in Iowa, Mrs. Smith directed the band programs in Moody, Texas, served as a band and orchestra director at her alma mater in Danville, Illinois, and began her teaching career in Highland, Illinois. Ensembles under her direction have performed in festivals at the Gator and Liberty Bowls, and in concert in New York City. She has worked with a number of color guards at the high school level, and was the flag instructor at Iowa State University from 2003-2008. She is currently the color guard instructor for the Marching Jayhawks at the Univeristy of Kansas. Mrs. Smith holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Illinois. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota and has an honorary membership in Tau Beta Sigma. Mrs. Smith is also an accomplished oboist, having performed in many community and regional bands and orchestras, including the Central Iowa Symphony, Danville Symphony, and currently the Lawrence Community Orchestra. 

Music Credits

Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod

Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod

Lobby Time by Kevin MacLeod

On My Way by Kevin MacLeod