World’s Okayist Band Director
@thebanddirector.bsky.social
High School Band Director (Jazz, Concert Bands, Marching, and other duties “as assigned in said contract”)
Our band marched in the Fiesta Flambeau Night Parade in San Antonio last night. Long parade but very good. There is a lot to do in that town that makes for a good trip.
May 4, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Our band marched in the Fiesta Flambeau Night Parade in San Antonio last night. Long parade but very good. There is a lot to do in that town that makes for a good trip.
Reposted by World’s Okayist Band Director
I always look forward to funerals too. Good times.
April 21, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I always look forward to funerals too. Good times.
Welp. First score under a superior since 1999. It was deserved, though. The group is young and not motivated. It is a struggle to even get them to show up and get their horns out. I have given every pep talk I know to give.
April 17, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Welp. First score under a superior since 1999. It was deserved, though. The group is young and not motivated. It is a struggle to even get them to show up and get their horns out. I have given every pep talk I know to give.
Jazz Music Performance Assessment today.
“Red Zone” by Bret Zvacek (Swing)
“Absolute Zero” by Bob Turner (Fusion)
“Spain” by Chick Correa/Paul Jennings (Latin)
I have one alto 1 players and two alto 2 players. One of the alto 1 players didn’t show (overslept)
We’ll be okay, but it ruins a day.
“Red Zone” by Bret Zvacek (Swing)
“Absolute Zero” by Bob Turner (Fusion)
“Spain” by Chick Correa/Paul Jennings (Latin)
I have one alto 1 players and two alto 2 players. One of the alto 1 players didn’t show (overslept)
We’ll be okay, but it ruins a day.
April 17, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Jazz Music Performance Assessment today.
“Red Zone” by Bret Zvacek (Swing)
“Absolute Zero” by Bob Turner (Fusion)
“Spain” by Chick Correa/Paul Jennings (Latin)
I have one alto 1 players and two alto 2 players. One of the alto 1 players didn’t show (overslept)
We’ll be okay, but it ruins a day.
“Red Zone” by Bret Zvacek (Swing)
“Absolute Zero” by Bob Turner (Fusion)
“Spain” by Chick Correa/Paul Jennings (Latin)
I have one alto 1 players and two alto 2 players. One of the alto 1 players didn’t show (overslept)
We’ll be okay, but it ruins a day.
We are gearing up for a county-wide all star band trip to San Antonio for the Fiesta Flambeau parade. Combining with other bands is about the only way we can afford to go anywhere. I hate band trips. Boy, the nightmare stories I have!
April 7, 2025 at 10:55 AM
We are gearing up for a county-wide all star band trip to San Antonio for the Fiesta Flambeau parade. Combining with other bands is about the only way we can afford to go anywhere. I hate band trips. Boy, the nightmare stories I have!
It is time to outfit our newly constructed band room. I am thinking about going with all Wenger furnishings. The only thing I may not purchase are the music stands. I will need large televisions, a sound system, and a recording device with a microphone at the podium also (maybe a Harmony keyboard).
April 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
It is time to outfit our newly constructed band room. I am thinking about going with all Wenger furnishings. The only thing I may not purchase are the music stands. I will need large televisions, a sound system, and a recording device with a microphone at the podium also (maybe a Harmony keyboard).
One of the best purchases I’ve made for the band room is a standing/rolling desk.
April 5, 2025 at 9:30 PM
One of the best purchases I’ve made for the band room is a standing/rolling desk.
I live among poor people who vote against their own interests. I have relatives in their mid twenties about to be off of their parent’s insurance, government employee friends who lost their jobs and are now upset, my sister lives in government housing and has Medicaid, etc. They voted for Trump.
April 5, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I live among poor people who vote against their own interests. I have relatives in their mid twenties about to be off of their parent’s insurance, government employee friends who lost their jobs and are now upset, my sister lives in government housing and has Medicaid, etc. They voted for Trump.
Harbor Freight is having a sale.
April 5, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Harbor Freight is having a sale.
We performed at a collegiate jazz festival today. Our group consists of…
*new lead tpt who took over in January (due to the other graduating in December)
*first year horn convert to tpt on book two
*absent book three (due to all state choir)
*8th grade 4th book tpt
*new lead tpt who took over in January (due to the other graduating in December)
*first year horn convert to tpt on book two
*absent book three (due to all state choir)
*8th grade 4th book tpt
April 5, 2025 at 1:27 AM
We performed at a collegiate jazz festival today. Our group consists of…
*new lead tpt who took over in January (due to the other graduating in December)
*first year horn convert to tpt on book two
*absent book three (due to all state choir)
*8th grade 4th book tpt
*new lead tpt who took over in January (due to the other graduating in December)
*first year horn convert to tpt on book two
*absent book three (due to all state choir)
*8th grade 4th book tpt
New problem for me. We have an incoming class of rookies that are primarily athletes. It is a unique issue. This will be a challenge regarding how we keep them involved but maintain consistent expectations regarding attendance and rules of involvement.
April 4, 2025 at 10:12 AM
New problem for me. We have an incoming class of rookies that are primarily athletes. It is a unique issue. This will be a challenge regarding how we keep them involved but maintain consistent expectations regarding attendance and rules of involvement.
We now gear up for State Assessment for jazz bands. Our lineup will be either Red Zone or Honeysuckle Rose (swing), POVO or Absolute Zero (fusion), and either Spain or Tiger of San Pedro (Latin). That is about two weeks away.
April 4, 2025 at 9:59 AM
We now gear up for State Assessment for jazz bands. Our lineup will be either Red Zone or Honeysuckle Rose (swing), POVO or Absolute Zero (fusion), and either Spain or Tiger of San Pedro (Latin). That is about two weeks away.
Our state festival performance went well. Songs from the Catskills had significant issues, in my opinion. Molly on the Shore went really well. Washington Post March was fine. I actually opted to end with the march. Sight reading was much better than I anticipated. It was a good day. How was yours?
April 4, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Our state festival performance went well. Songs from the Catskills had significant issues, in my opinion. Molly on the Shore went really well. Washington Post March was fine. I actually opted to end with the march. Sight reading was much better than I anticipated. It was a good day. How was yours?
Directors waiting on those all state results…refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh.
February 1, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Directors waiting on those all state results…refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh.
One time I was doing an instrument demonstration for elementary kids and one raised her hand to tell me her brother got a cat.
January 27, 2025 at 11:28 PM
One time I was doing an instrument demonstration for elementary kids and one raised her hand to tell me her brother got a cat.
Man, I can’t keep drum instructors! They are either recent graduates who get a job pretty quickly, students who take one year off from marching at the university, etc. I had to hire a student straight out of high school last year and he just made Crown. Proud for him, but I need some consistency 😩.
January 26, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Man, I can’t keep drum instructors! They are either recent graduates who get a job pretty quickly, students who take one year off from marching at the university, etc. I had to hire a student straight out of high school last year and he just made Crown. Proud for him, but I need some consistency 😩.
Do you all allow students to choose marching band, jazz band, or concert band without having to participate in any of the others? If so, could you give the size of your program and how it has worked for you?
January 25, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Do you all allow students to choose marching band, jazz band, or concert band without having to participate in any of the others? If so, could you give the size of your program and how it has worked for you?
How do you all address stage anxiety with your students? Some of these students work so hard only to lose control in performance and it is so sad to see.
January 25, 2025 at 5:36 PM
How do you all address stage anxiety with your students? Some of these students work so hard only to lose control in performance and it is so sad to see.
Do you all allow former students to come back and help your band? I’ve been skeptical of this in the past but willing to reconsider.
January 25, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Do you all allow former students to come back and help your band? I’ve been skeptical of this in the past but willing to reconsider.
Small school life is crazy. A few years ago we did English Folk Suite w/ a 10th grade clarinet & two 9th graders. Last year Variations on a Korean Folk Song w/ a 9th grade flute & two 8th graders. This year Songs from Catskills w/ 8th grade bones. Next year four 8th grade trumpets. So hard.
January 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Small school life is crazy. A few years ago we did English Folk Suite w/ a 10th grade clarinet & two 9th graders. Last year Variations on a Korean Folk Song w/ a 9th grade flute & two 8th graders. This year Songs from Catskills w/ 8th grade bones. Next year four 8th grade trumpets. So hard.
We are two weeks into learning Molly on the Shore. The goal is half note = 88. We are at 78. I know we will take it slower than many groups but I think it will be safer, especially with so few of us in the group. Progress with Songs from the Catskills is slow. Much of it is very fast.
January 25, 2025 at 12:14 AM
We are two weeks into learning Molly on the Shore. The goal is half note = 88. We are at 78. I know we will take it slower than many groups but I think it will be safer, especially with so few of us in the group. Progress with Songs from the Catskills is slow. Much of it is very fast.
Current jazz set includes 3 swing charts, 2 Latin, 2 fusion, and numerous old charts of various styles. Those above are those we learned this year. I allowed seven saxophones this year because the two vets had AP classes during the class time. We only have three trombones. Bass guitarist is new.
January 24, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Current jazz set includes 3 swing charts, 2 Latin, 2 fusion, and numerous old charts of various styles. Those above are those we learned this year. I allowed seven saxophones this year because the two vets had AP classes during the class time. We only have three trombones. Bass guitarist is new.
Our jazz band is very young. We passed out their first 2 measure ii/V7 today. Up until now it has been the various one bar licks from the Jazz Lictionary (Buddha, Oodla Oodla, b3 lick, etc). Listening to Count Basie. Working on a new fusion piece.
January 24, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Our jazz band is very young. We passed out their first 2 measure ii/V7 today. Up until now it has been the various one bar licks from the Jazz Lictionary (Buddha, Oodla Oodla, b3 lick, etc). Listening to Count Basie. Working on a new fusion piece.
Back today after days of weather issues. Hopefully everyone has practiced. SMPA is around the corner. So glad I didn’t sign up to attend our state conference. That would only give us one day this week together. We also begin SMPA sectionals this week. I love this time of year.
January 22, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Back today after days of weather issues. Hopefully everyone has practiced. SMPA is around the corner. So glad I didn’t sign up to attend our state conference. That would only give us one day this week together. We also begin SMPA sectionals this week. I love this time of year.