Dr. Rodney Dorsey's expertise in music education stems from a diverse background of experiences, which include teaching at multiple distinct public high schools as well as directing college ensembles for decades. 

Dr. Travis J. Cross is the chair of the department of music at UCLA, where he conducts the wind ensemble and symphonic band and directs the graduate wind conducting program. 

In his inspirational and practical presentations, Daniel Berard, the assistant director of bands at Wakeland High School in Frisco, Texas, shares his experience of starting with nothing but a blank piece of paper and a vision. 

Give beginning band and orchestra students a boost in confidence by providing an opportunity for them to showcase their newly acquired music skills in front of family and friends in a public setting. 

As a school band director, you take on many roles, including instrument doctor. For students renting an instrument, the dealer most likely offers maintenance and repair insurance. 

How many times has the thought, "If I only had one more week," passed through your mind when preparing your ensemble for an upcoming performance? 

On the first day of school, students may come to band class and sit timidly, not making eye contact. If the teacher facilitates a drum circle, then by the end of class, everyone will be smiling and bubbling with excitement.

In the blog post, Pablo Rieppi's Passion for Percussion, we learned of Rieppi's nearly nonstop practicing regimen through his college days. To keep daily practice from becoming tedious, Rieppi recommends the following:

World-renowned percussionist Pablo Rieppi decided to teach himself to play drums as a junior in high school.

In the blog post, Christian Howes: Versatile Violin Virtuoso, renowned strings performer and educator Christian Howes explains why he started Creative Strings Academy. 

At 15 years old, violin virtuoso Christian Howes found himself envious of his school's last-chair second violinist. Howes recalls how that classmate was composing and recording his own original songs. 

The job of a music teacher can be overwhelming with so many activities to juggle. As we begin a new school year, it's the ideal time to reevaluate your responsibilities and make a plan for workload management. 

In Case Study: A Successful Band Program in a Border Town, we met Dena Laurel, head director of the Roma High School band, who built a successful program despite being located in a remote and impoverished area. 

In its 2017 show titled "Resurgence," the Arcadia (California) High School Apache Marching Band used electronic sound design including amplification of soloists to create a unique aesthetic for its program. 

Many successful people's careers were shaped in part by their experiences as young music-makers. 

Several students sit in a practice room, their chairs arranged in a small arc with their music sitting on stands among them. 

In the early 1980s, Julie DeRoche — who had recently received her degree in clarinet performance from Northwestern University — was juggling four jobs to make ends meet as she worked toward a fulltime career in music.

In Clarinetist Julie DeRoche Molds Music into Art, we outlined how DeRoche, utilizes her extensive background in the music industry and teaching to help take her students to the next level of musicianship. 

Performing at a festival is so much more than "performing the music." You should have high expectations for appearance and demeanor for performers as well as the audience. Here are some tips for your next formal performance.

In Case Study: Celebrating Mariachi in Iowa, high school band director Ruben Newell and middle school director Patti Bekkerus from Denison (Iowa) Community Schools shared how they started a successful mariachi program.