ABSTRACT
For band directors, some of the most highly regarded college textbooks, conducting manuals, and professional development books may not be the best sources to answer this important question: “How do I become a highly effective band director, providing an engaging, successful, and memorable experience for my students, families, audience, and school community?” Of course, band directors need to know how to conduct performances, and it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of budgeting, administrative issues, fundraising, advocacy, publicity, copyright matters, and more. But the band director’s greatest effectiveness lies in teaching. In music, successful teaching requires much more than error-detection; the effective band director collects a wealth of efficient strategies and classroom processes, and intuitively determines which ones to employ to help ensure the best experience for every band member. This chapter introduces Strategies, Tips, and Activities for the Effective Band Director, by examining the foundational preparations leading to success. Students have an infinite variety in their skills, learning styles, cognitive abilities, maturity, and all other aspects of their school presence. Therefore, it is the onus of the motivated and creative band director to collect, create, and apply an equally wide variety of effective educational strategies.
