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Losing a student
Losing a student is one of the most difficult things any teacher will experience. If you teach long enough I suppose it is inevitable that you’ll run face first into this emotional wall. Our band (Lynchburg Christian Academy) experienced this loss in 1999 when we lost Chris. Chris Chris was a well loved baritone player.…
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Entering the winner’s circle
I’ve written in previous posts about my ambitions as a band director. I was propelled into directing with the desire to return to the Bands of America (BOA) winner’s circle. My first high school directing job was at Lynchburg Christian Academy (LCA). We made our first BOA run in 1995 and it was a BIG…
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Known, Wanted, Chosen, Understood and Loved
Our physical needs are obvious. We need food, water, sleep etc. But, sometimes we ignore our emotional needs. We need to be known, wanted, chosen, understood and loved. Our actions are often driven by these needs. I am an advocate of the “Wild at Heart” Pause app. The app contains great meditations which include this…
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Starting out at BOA
I was driven into band directing with a big dream. I wanted to be in the winner’s circle at Bands of America (BOA) competions. My experience at Norwin in 1982 had molded my character and I was determined to become a band director and pass on these experiences. That dream propelled me through college and…
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My first two years of band directing
My first two years of band directing began in 1988 in Northampton County, Virginia. I was offered a contract to be the middle school band director at Northampton County Middle school and I jumped at the chance to begin. The school is located in the thriving metropolis of Machipongo, Virginia. I had no idea what…
