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The Growing Band Director

Kyle Smith
Music Education
Jazz Education
Band Directing
Education
Jazz Band
Improvisation
Student Engagement
Marching Band
Band Directors
Teaching Strategies
Rhythm Section
Beginning Band
Mentorship
Community Engagement
Composition
Band Culture
Excelsior Music Publishing
Percussion Education
Rehearsal Techniques
Student Leadership

Our mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years. To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreaon - using the button at the top of growingband.com

PublishesDailyEpisodes484Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

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Artwork for The Growing Band Director

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To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com

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Support the Show Here

To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com

Our mission is to share practical advice ... more

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⁠Support the Show Here⁠

It is contest festival season - and Travis Weller joins the show to share advice on preparing your bands for contest festival. You can find the full article here:Adjudication, Assessment and Contest - Oh My!

To gain access t... more

YouTube

Submit Your Ten Minute Tip Here

Support the Show Here

To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.com

Our miss... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Travis Weller
Band director and music educator at Messiah
Messiah University
Episode: 385 A Recipe for Success with Travis Weller
Dr. Chris Costigan
Jazz educator and guest on the show
Brookwood High School (jazz program)
Episode: 388 Teaching Beginning Jazz Improvisation Ten Minute Tips with Dr Chris Costigan and Holly Lloyd
Brian Ream
Guest on the episode discussing rhythm teaching technology
Episode: 393 Emile Rhythm Program Ten Minute Tips with Holly Lloyd
Rob Westerberg
Guest on the episode, educator with extensive experience in band programs
York High School / Maine Arts Assessment Initiative
Episode: 377 Don't Try to Be Impressive - Just Be Competent in Everything with Rob Westerberg
Chris Costigan
Jazz educator and clinician
Episode: 390 How To Teach Swing Ten Minute Tips with Dr Chris Costigan and Holly Lloyd
Alan Baylock
Renowned arranger and educator, former chief arranger for the Airmen of Note, currently leading arrangements and teaching at UNT's One O'Clock Lab Band
University of North Texas / Airmen of Note (historical)
Episode: 380 Rehearsing and Composing for Jazz Band with Alan Baylock
Alex Kaminsky
Educator at Vandercook College of Music
Vandercook College of Music
Episode: 238 Achieving Sonority with Alex Kaminsky
Dennis Crystal
Accomplished drummer and band director appearing as a guest to discuss Latin Jazz drum set teaching
Independent educator/clinician
Episode: 379 Teaching Latin Jazz Drums in an Authentic Way for Band Directors with Dennis Crystal
Chadwick Kamei
Educator and band director based in Hawaii who discussed Hawaiian band culture, ABA connections, and cross-cultural artistic projects
University of Hawaii, UH West Oahu (context in discussion)
Episode: 378 Exploring New Music While Honoring the Past with Chadwick Kamei

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 70 ratings
  • Great Information l

    Love the content provided. Can be used for any experience that band directors may have.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WWGuy21
    United States3 months ago
  • Encouraging, thoughtful, and engaging

    This show already has a legacy that is encouraging, thoughtful, and engaging. What a gift that you can quickly search and be inspired and motivated with experienced helps from educators that are addressing the same topics you are encountering. As the show has shifted a bit after Jeff’s passing, Kyle remains steadfast. For a quick overview of the show, see episode 144 from the Pass the Baron podcast. Otherwise, it is fun to explore what they created together as they have built a wonderful commu... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JeffGPWV
    United States2 years ago
  • 5 Stars

    Best podcast I’ve found for instrumental music education. I look forward to each episode!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    hhbassoon
    United States3 years ago
  • Fantastic Resource

    Thank you Kyle for taking a risk and putting out a super helpful podcast. Always enjoy listening and have exposed myself and program to a lot of new material and ideas because of this podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    broberts314
    United States3 years ago
  • Thank you.

    Thank you for continuing to put out such a thoughtful podcast. You, and Krystal were some of the teachers that were pillars in my childhood and young adult life. Some of my favorite memories were winning Gold in 2011 for marching band, with Kyle and Emily as drum majors. And thusly becoming woodwind leader in my senior year of 2012.

    I’ll also never forget our time with the SoPo high school Wind Ensemble where we got to play a collection of Sam Hazo songs, my favorite being Arabesque. Having Ha... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OhAdam314
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Positive, practical resource for instrumental music education.
Guests and hosts receive high regard for actionable insights and supportive community.
Listeners praise longevity-focused, thoughtful conversations and community.
Great for listeners seeking actionable tips and mentor-like guidance.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

385 A Recipe for Success with Travis Weller
Q: When you think of yourself as a band director, as sort of the master chef of whatever cuisine people are going to be eating, what elements do you want to use, your ingredients, and then, really importantly, who's coming to dinner?
Weller says repertoire choices should reflect the students and community being served. Directors can balance familiar works with new musical experiences and teach basic musical elements that help students bring a piece to life.
385 A Recipe for Success with Travis Weller
Q: Are you talking about less concerts, less music? How do we know how to approach that? What are some practical ways?
Weller says there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Directors can reduce the number of pieces on a concert, vary the format with student-led chamber groups, involve students in evaluating the workload, and adjust rehearsals to distribute effort.
393 Emile Rhythm Program Ten Minute Tips with Holly Lloyd
Q: How much growth did you see in rhythmic improvement once you started using this tool?
Brian describes the improvement as rapid, attributing it to students shifting attention from just the notes to the rhythmic structure, which frees cognitive resources to focus on pitch once rhythm is internalized.
393 Emile Rhythm Program Ten Minute Tips with Holly Lloyd
Q: So let me ask, so you use this with every grade level?
Brian confirms it is used from day one through the last day, adapting the rhythm work to each grade level and rehearsal context, and leveraging the tool more intensely as concert time approaches.
389 Listen When Teaching Jazz Ten Minute Tips with Dr Chris Costigan and Holly Lloyd
Q: So like, what's a typical piece, like from that major list of major pieces that you would start with, or one or two pieces that you would intro?
Dr. Costigan explains starting with simple, well-known tunes and then guiding students through ear training and listening to build familiarity before introducing notation or formal music sheets.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Growing Band Director

What is The Growing Band Director about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Practical, practitioner-focused conversations for band directors and music-education students. Episodes cover repertoire programming, classroom management, rehearsal techniques, burnout prevention, Solo and Ensemble logistics, and jazz pedagogy, often featuring experienced educators and authors who bring real-world workflows, tips, and proven strategies. The show stands out for short, actionable tips alongside deeper dives, sponsor-supported teaching aids, and a strong emphasis on student engagement, mentoring, and sustainable teaching careers.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Growing Band Director?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Growing Band Director:

1. After Sectionals
2. Almost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
3. That Band Life
4. Band Director Boot Camp
5. Band Room Therapy

How many episodes of The Growing Band Director are there?

The Growing Band Director launched 5 years ago and published 484 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Growing Band Director?

Recent guests on The Growing Band Director include:

1. Travis Weller
2. Dr. Chris Costigan
3. Brian Ream
4. Rob Westerberg
5. Chris Costigan
6. Alan Baylock
7. Alex Kaminsky
8. Dennis Crystal

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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