How to Take Your Rehearsals to the Next Level

“What is your system for rehearsing?” If you were asked this question by a high school senior auditioning, a new staff member being interviewed, or a colleague visiting your program, what would you say? On Saturday, June 4, 2022, I co-presented a session at the CBDNA...

No One Cares What You Don’t Play

“No one cares what we don’t play.”   -Paul Buyer This quote is about having the courage and conviction to take something out of your arrangement, concert, or show, no matter how badly you want to put it in. In marching band, it can be about deciding not to play...

How to Lead Through a Bad Rehearsal

Our students are going through a lot. They are stressed, burned out, and overwhelmed trying to keep up with the pace of coursework, exams, rehearsals, and other looming deadlines. Some are struggling with attendance, mental health, and the multiple pieces of music...

Drumline Gold for Managing Stress

In Chapter 16 on Self-Caring, writer, speaker, and mental health advocate Katie Reed states, “Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” Self-care simply refers to taking care of yourself. Over time, the compound effect of...