It’s hard for me to believe, but I will begin my 12th year teaching high school band in one week. During that time, I’ve been at two schools. The first for five years and the second for seven now. At the time that I left my first band, I had just begun to achieve the type of ensemble cohesion, commitment, and musical competency that I expect from a quality ensemble. From that perspective, it was a very foolish time to leave, as I was in a position to really oversee the creation of some great music by a wonderful group of student musicians. But I did leave, drawn by the proverbial grass of the unknown.
My first few years at school 2.0 were the most difficult in my career. The band was fractured, undisciplined, and bitter over the departure of their previous director. There was no common goal or vision. They were unified in one thing alone – bucking against the changes I was attempting to implement.
Lunch Chess Club Tournaments
It is my strong belief that a band that socializes together outside of the rehearsal room, made up of members who like and care for each other, will work harder and succeed faster. For this reason, I have made it a point from that first lunch here back in 2004 to have the band room open for mid-day socializing. The first semester it was the Band President and I talking, watching TV, and eating our lunch together. No one else would come. Band was a class – not a vital part of their lives. Lunch has grown and modulated from year to year. Chess Club tournaments, combo practice, swing dance practice, and most recently the “Star Wars Risk” game in the back corner that seemed to take a month of lunches to complete. I don’t care what they are doing in their “off” time, but I encourage them to do it together. And I encourage them to think of the band room as their #1 home base on campus. Most do.
I’ve also just completed my seventh band camp at my current school. These have also changed quite a bit through the years as my students have become a family. My first year here, there was about 50% participation in band camp. This, of course, is really not acceptable. The conditions of the school made it difficult to enforce attendance in any real way. We are a smallish high school with between 40 and 50 total band students. They are the Jazz Band, Concert Band, Pep Band, Marching Band, and any other small ensemble that may become necessary.
Jazz Band meets 0 period outside of the normal schedule, so those kids can be in two music classes without losing an elective. Concert Band does everything else. There is no extra-curricular marching or pep bands. This is a public school. I can’t kick someone out of the group or really discipline in any other way for not attending a camp that takes place in the Summer prior to the actual class beginning.
But the key is their fellow students can tighten the screws. As the band has grown closer as friends, it has grown tighter as an ensemble. Each member’s sense of personal responsibility for the success of the whole has been heightened. We have defined our mission and vision for the organization – and even before doing so formally, these were clear in everyone’s mind. Band is no longer simply a class. Band has become an identity. It has become a reason and an answer for many students. 
They care for each other. They love each other as a family should. Camp last week was nearing full attendance. And it is not because I will punish them if they don’t attend. They are giving a week of their Summer because they love band, want to learn music, want to create something of quality together, and because they have made working hard “fun”. It’s a “hype” to be the first to your spot. It’s an honor to be recognized as a top marcher by winning a drill down contest. And it’s fun to create something successful with your friends.
We start each day with a silly game that typically has musical/marching elements (such as rhythm or balance) involved. These games are now handed down from year to year. They are “our” games. People walking by are perplexed and we like it that way. It’s a band thing. I don’t have them play the games because we don’t have anything better to be doing. I do it because they get everyone into a good mood to start the day off and they help to strengthen our bonds to each other as people. This strengthens our unity as an ensemble.
We end camp each year spending a few hours playing around at a nearby lake. Just time to relax and be teenagers. The lake always feels good after days of standing at attention in the heat of August. But what do they do (self-led, of course)? Well, the tradition is a mass drill down in waist high water in the lake where all traditional commands and moves are present, but so are instructions to “make like a narwhal” with hands over their heads, um… swans, octopuses, and the ever favorite “follow the leader drill off the end of the pier”.
Drill Down in the Lake!
"Narwhals UP!"
FTL off the pier...
They’re goofy. They’re band kids. But remember: a band that plays together, plays together!
