Best Amro Music Podcasts (2024)

1
Being Positive And Proactive When Advocating For Your Music Program 27:49

28d ago27:49

27:49

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Dr. Emily Williams Burch, Professor of Music at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. Dr. Burch was also named to the 2023 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of Music Educators. In this episode we'll learn about the work she has done with the American Choral Directors Association to provid…

1
Looking At The Business Of Choir To Build And Maintain A Successful Choral Program 45:09

2M ago45:09

45:09

This week Nick Averwater talks with Dr. Emily Williams Burch, Professor of Music at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. Dr. Burch was also named to the 2023 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of Music Educators. In this episode we'll learn about the book that she co-authored with Alex Gartner called The Business Of Choir, A Choral Leader's Gui…

1
Focusing On Potential And Progress (Not Perfection) To Maintain A Successful Band Program 37:36

3M ago37:36

37:36

This week Nick Averwater talks with Dr. Timothy Sexton, Associate Director of Bands for Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory For The Arts in Tarpon Springs, Florida, a city of around 25,000 located 25 miles northwest of Tampa. Dr. Sexton has also recently been named to the 2023 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of Music Educators. In this episode we'll lea…

1
Successfully Recruiting Students For Your Orchestra Program 42:13

3M ago42:13

42:13

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Johanna Kitchell, Orchestra Director for Riverside Intermediate and Junior High Schools in Fishers, Indiana, a northeastern suburb of Indianapolis with a population of nearly 100,000. Johanna is also a conductor with the Indianapolis Youth Orchestra, and has been named to the 2023 Yamaha 40 U…

1
Effectively Coordinating Schedules For Students Who Participate In Both Athletics And Music 31:44

4M ago31:44

31:44

This week Nick Averwater talks with Johanna Kitchell, Orchestra Director for Riverside Intermediate and Junior High Schools in Fishers, IN, a northeastern suburb of Indianapolis with a population of around 95,000. Johanna is also a conductor with the Indianapolis Youth Orchestra, and has been named to the 2023 Yamaha 40 Under 40 List of Music Educa…

1
Ways That Music Education Has Changed (Often For The Better) After The Pandemic 33:43

5M ago33:43

33:43

This week Nick Averwater talks with Dr. Matthew Arau, Chair of the Music Education department at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. Dr. Arau was our guest on two episodes in April 2023, but we realized that there was much more to talk about that we couldn't fit into those two episodes, so we've invited him back to share his thoughts about …

1
Teaching Trombone For The Non-Trombonist, Part 2 21:14

6M ago21:14

21:14

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Dr. Bruce Faske, Associate Professor of Trombone at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. In the last episode Dr. Faske shared ideas for band directors who are non-trombonists, but are teaching the instrument at the beginning and middle school levels. This week we'll have a similar conversa…

1
Teaching Trombone For The Non-Trombonist, Part 1 29:06

6M ago29:06

29:06

This week Nick Averwater talks with Dr. Bruce Faske, Associate Professor of Trombone at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He has taught at the University since 2014, and in this episode we'll learn more about the path that brought him to Northeast Arkansas, and he'll also share some helpful tips for band directors at the middle school level w…

1
Ideas To Build Strong Connections Between Music Programs And Communities 36:48

7M ago36:48

36:48

This week Nick Averwater talks with Franklin Willis, Community Impact Director for the Country Music Association Foundation. He has been with the foundation since August of 2022 after 13 years as a music educator. In this episode we'll learn more about his early influences as an educator, the foundation's Music Teachers of Excellence Program, and s…

1
More Helpful Information From The State Of Music Education Survey, Version 4 36:29

7M ago36:29

36:29

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with author & educator Scott Lang about the fourth version of the State Of Music Education Survey. The survey started in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, and version 5 expected later in 2023. Version 4 is broken up into six categories. Last week Nick and Scott talked about three of those categori…

1
The State Of Music Education After The Pandemic 29:55

8M ago29:55

29:55

This week Nick Averwater talks with author & educator Scott Lang. We last spoke with Scott in December 2020 about the State of Music Education survey, which started as a result of the pandemic. The survey is now in its fourth version, with version 5 expected later in 2023, so we thought it was time to check back in to see what has changed in the mu…

1
Maximizing The Start Of The School Year 57:53

8M ago57:53

57:53

This week Nick Averwater hosts a Back-to-School conversation focusing on maximizing the start of the school year. Our three guests include Lindsey Williams from Paducah Middle School in Paducah, KY, Lauren Duncan from Lafayette Middle School and High School in Oxford, MS, and Evan Burton from Page Middle School in Franklin, TN. Our conversation was…

1
Amro Music's Back-To-School Recruitment Webinar 1:04:21

9M ago1:04:21

1:04:21

This week Nick Averwater hosts a Back-to-School webinar focusing on recruitment and retention. Our guests include Kaitlin Roll from Annie Camp Junior High School in Jonesboro, AR, Vanessa Cobb from Montgomery Central High School in Cunningham, TN, and Dr. Mike Yopp from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, TN. The conversation was recorded Augus…

1
Learning Life Skills While Playing In The Orchestra 36:40

9M ago36:40

36:40

This week, Nick Averwater talks with Cody Price, Orchestra Director at Arlington Middle School in Arlington, TN, a town of around 15,000 people located just northeast of Memphis. In this episode we'll learn more about Cody's approach to teaching, which is based on the idea of teaching life skills through music. She'll also share some tips for getti…

1
Promoting Individual Musicianship In An Ensemble Setting 33:20

10M ago33:20

33:20

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Glen Schneider, an instructor at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, and creator of musicmastery.band, a personalized online teaching resource designed for students for whom private lessons aren't an option. Glen has over 20 years of experience as a band director, and in the last episode …

1
When Private Music Instruction Isn't An Option, This Online Resource Can Help 33:43

10M ago33:43

33:43

This week Nick Averwater talks with Glen Schneider, an instructor at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, and creator of musicmastery.band, a personalized online teaching resource designed for students for whom private lessons aren't an option. Our conversation was recorded in January 2023. It's broken up in to two episodes, and this is part 1.…

1
Promoting Advocacy And Recruitment At The National Level With Lessons Learned At The Local Level 29:06

11M ago29:06

29:06

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Dr. James Weaver, Director of Performing Arts and Sports for the National Federation of State High School Associations, an organization based in Indianapolis that serves more than 19,000 high schools. In this episode we'll learn about how the NFHS works to advocate for arts education at the n…

1
How The National Federation of State High School Associations Supports Music Educators 30:15

11M ago30:15

30:15

This week Nick Averwater talks with Dr. James Weaver, a former band director, and Director of Performing Arts and Sports for the National Federation of State High School Associations, an organization based in Indianapolis that serves more than 19,000 high schools. In this episode we'll learn about NFHS's leadership role in the International Coaliti…

1
More Helpful Recruiting Ideas From A Band Director Who Has Built Seven Programs 30:54

12M ago30:54

30:54

This week, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Dr. Mike Yopp, Director of Bands at Middleton High School in Middleton, TN, a town of just a few hundred people in the southwestern part of the state. The high school serves Middleton and several surrounding communities as part of the Hardeman County School District. In March of 2023, a few …

1
When Recruiting For Band, This Director Focuses On "The Equal Thirds" 27:25

1y ago27:25

27:25

This week, Nick Averwater talks with Dr. Mike Yopp, Director of Bands at Middleton High School in Middleton, TN. Middleton is a town of just a few hundred people in the southwestern part of the state, but the high school serves several surrounding communities as part of the Hardeman County School District. In March of 2023, a few weeks after this c…

1
Creating An Upbeat Mindset In The Classroom 26:34

1y ago26:34

26:34

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Dr. Matthew Arau, Chair of the Music Education Department at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and author of the book, Upbeat! Mindset, Mindfulness and Leadership in Music Education And Beyond, pubished by GIA Publications. In the last episode we looked at the first part of the book…

1
The Power Of G.E.T. (Gratitude, Enthusiasm, Treasure) In Music Education And Beyond 34:18

1y ago34:18

34:18

This week Nick Averwater talks with Dr. Matthew Arau, Chair of the Music Education Department at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and author of the book, Upbeat! Mindset, Mindfulness and Leadership in Music Education And Beyond, pubished by GIA Publications. Our conversation was recorded January 24, 2023. It's broken up in to two episode…

1
Building Strong Community Relationships And Creating A Positive Environment In A New School 22:54

1y ago22:54

22:54

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Adrian Gordon, Orchestra Director at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, and author of the new book, Note To Self: A Music Director's Guide For Transitioning to a New School and Building a Thriving Music Program. In this episode Adrian talks about the importance of mental wellness and a b…

1
New Book Provides Practical Advice For Building A Successful Music Program In A New School 27:58

1y ago27:58

27:58

This week Nick Averwater talks with Adrian Gordon, a longtime music educator and author of the book, Note To Self: A Music Director's Guide For Transitioning to a New School and Building a Thriving Music Program. Adrian is also Orchestra Director at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC. In this episode he'll tell us about his early experiences th…

1
Achieving Excellence In A Small School District 22:53

1y ago22:53

22:53

This week Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Michael Wells, Principal at Clinton Junior High School in Clinton Arkansas, a town of around 2,600 located 70 miles north of Little Rock. For many years Michael was a band director in several small school districts, and in this episode we'll get his perspective on how band programs can achiev…

1
Tips For Building And Maintaining A Strong Relationship With Your School's Principal 26:32

1y ago26:32

26:32

This week Nick Averwater talks with Michael Wells, Principal at Clinton Junior High School in Clinton Arkansas, a town of around 2,600 located 70 miles north of Little Rock. Michael is a former band director, and in this episode we'll learn more about the similarities and differences between the two jobs, and also how music educators can build and …

1
Music Education's Unique Role In Preparing Students For Life After High School 27:15

1y ago27:15

27:15

This week, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Jared Cassedy, K-12 Performing Arts Coordinator for Lexington Public Schools in Lexington, Massachusetts, a town of around 35,000 people located ten miles northwest of Boston. Jared is the 2015 recipient of the GRAMMY Award in Music Education, and in 2022 he was one of 30 teachers who receiv…

1
Using Music To Celebrate Diversity, Community And Acceptance 36:54

1y ago36:54

36:54

This week, Nick Averwater talks with Jared Cassedy, K-12 Performing Arts Coordinator for Lexington Public Schools in Lexington, Massachusetts, a town of around 35,000 people located ten miles northwest of Boston. Jared is in his 20th year as a music educator, and in this episode he talks about how he sees music education as an important component i…

1
Introducing Policies And Procedures On Day One Sets The Stage For A Successful Band Program 36:40

1+ y ago36:40

36:40

This week Nick Averwater talks with Kristy White, District Fine Arts Coordinator for the Jackson-Madison County School System in West Tennessee. The district serves around 13,000 students in 22 schools. In this episode, we'll learn more about Kristy's early inspirations that led her to music education, and we'll also get practical tips for establis…

1
This Band Program's Success Starts With Kindness, Acceptance, Respect, And Support. 31:41

1+ y ago31:41

31:41

This week, Nick Averwater talks with Chris Vitale, Director of Bands at Westfield High School in Westfield, NJ, a town of around 30,000 people located a half hour from New York City. Chris was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of music educators, and in this conversation he talks about the importance of creating a positive environm…

1
This School Finds The Right Balance Between Jazz Band And Marching Band 27:09

1+ y ago27:09

27:09

This week, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Wes Lowe, Director of Instrumental Arts at The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida. Wes grew up as a student at the school, and joined the faculty in 2019. Wes was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of music educators, and directs bands at the elementary, middle school…

1
Doubling The Size Of The Band Program During A Pandemic 27:36

1+ y ago27:36

27:36

This week Nick Averwater talks with Wes Lowe, Director of Instrumental Arts at The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida. Wes was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of music educators, and in this episode, he talks about what it's like to direct ensembles at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels, and how he has …

1
Welcoming Musicians With Physical Exceptionalities To The Marching Band 36:19

1+ y ago36:19

36:19

This week, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Cody Newman, Director of Bands at Forney High School in Forney, TX, a town located around 20 miles east of Dallas. Cody was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of music educators. In this episode we'll learn about two talented musicians in the school's marching band with physi…

1
Encouragement, Selflessness And Positivity Are Keys To This Band Program's Success 39:38

1+ y ago39:38

39:38

This week, Nick Averwater talks with Cody Newman, Director of Bands at Forney High School in Forney, TX, a town of around 15,000 located 20 miles east of Dallas. Cody was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of music educators. In this episode he'll tell us about his early days as a music educator, and we'll also hear about the band p…

1
Providing After School Opportunities For Musicians At All Skill Levels 23:42

1+ y ago23:42

23:42

This week, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Anastasia Homes, Director of Bands at San Elijo Middle School in San Marcos, CA, a city of 95,000 people 30 miles north of San Diego. Anastasia was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of music educators. In this episode we'll find out more about the school's various after scho…

1
Creating A Successful Mentorship Program In Middle School Band 28:19

1+ y ago28:19

28:19

This week Nick Averwater talks with Anastasia Homes, Director of Bands at San Elijo Middle School in San Marcos, CA. Anastasia was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha 40 Under 40 list of music educators. In this episode we'll learn more about the people and ideas that inspired her to be a music educator, and we'll also find out about the unique mento…

1
Ideas to Inspire High School Students To Pursue A Career In Music Education 22:18

1+ y ago22:18

22:18

This week, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Mikaela Littleton, Director of Bands at Mill Creek Middle School in Nolensville, TN. It's part of the Williamson County School System, which is just south of Nashville. Mikaela is in her fourth year as a music educator, and in this conversation she shares stories about lessons and mentors du…

1
Great Mentors Are Essential To A Band Director's Early Success 30:34

1+ y ago30:34

30:34

In this episode, Nick Averwater talks with Mikaela Littleton, Director of Bands at Mill Creek Middle School in Nolensville, TN. It's part of the Williamson County School System, which is just south of Nashville. This week we'll learn more about Mikaela's early influences that encouraged her to become a music educator, some of the lessons she has le…

1
Tips For Retaining Most (Or Even All) Of Your Band Students 27:06

1+ y ago27:06

27:06

In this episode, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Benjamin Easley, Director of Bands at Nolensville High School in Nolensville, TN. We'll learn more about Benjamin's approach to maintaining high retention rates in the band program at Nolensville, how his approach to teaching has changed as a result of Covid, and more. Our conversation…

1
Directing A Successful Non-Competitive Marching Band in Middle Tennessee 37:43

1+ y ago37:43

37:43

In this episode of the After Hours Director Spotlight, Nick Averwater talks with Benjamin Easley, Director of Bands at Nolensville High School in Nolensville, TN, a town of around 16,000 located a half hour south of Nashville. Benjamin comes from a family of music educators (his father, John Easley, is featured on After Hours episodes from December…

1
How Covid Has Affected The Way Students Learn, And How Educators Teach 54:02

1+ y ago54:02

54:02

In this episode we'll be listening to a webinar hosted by Amro Music on August 6, 2022 looking at how Covid has affected the way students learn, and how educators teach. We were joined by Brittany Jerrell from Stewarts Creek Middle School in Smyrna, Tennessee, Kim Webb from Greene County Tech High School in Paragould, Arkansas, and Ben McLemore fro…

1
A Conversation with Grammy Music Educator Award Recipient Mickey Smith Jr. 44:36

1+ y ago44:36

44:36

In this episode, Nick Averwater talks with Mickey Smith Jr., the 2020 recipient of the Grammy Music Educator Award. He is originally from Mossville, LA, a small town in the southwest corner of the state, and currently teaches at The Greene School in West Palm Beach, FL. He also travels extensively as a guest educator and motivational speaker. This …

1
Amro Music's 2022 Young Directors Bootcamp, Part 2 44:01

1+ y ago44:01

44:01

In this episode we'll listen to the second half of a panel discussion from Amro Music's Young Directors Bootcamp, which is a chance for band directors who are just starting out to hear from educators who are a few years into their careers. The discussion features Reece Gardner from Arlington Middle School in Arlington, TN, Emma Lang from Trenton Ro…

1
Amro Music's 2022 Young Directors Bootcamp, Part 1 36:10

1+ y ago36:10

36:10

In this episode we'll listen to the first half of a panel discussion from Amro Music's Young Director's Bootcamp, which is a chance for band directors who are just starting out to hear from educators who are a few years into their careers. The participants include: Reese Gardner from Arlington Middle School in Arlington, TN Emma Lang from Trenton R…

1
How One Music Educator's Videos Have Been Seen More Than 3.5 Million Times 49:29

1+ y ago49:29

49:29

In this episode, Nick Averwater talks with Tyler Swick, a celebrated and award-winning music educator from Robert and Sandy Ellis Elementary School in Las Vegas, whose YouTube channel, Swick's Classroom, has over 14,000 subscribers, and has been visited more than 3.5 million times. We thought Tyler's enthusiasm for music education, and his innovati…

1
Successfully Supporting and Engaging Students With Exceptionalities in Band and Orchestra 47:44

2y ago47:44

47:44

In this episode Nick Averwater talks with Emily Kelley, Director of Bands at Sylvania Southview High School in Sylvania, OH, and author of the new book Inclusion in Band and Orchestra, which is part of the Maximizing Student Performance series by the Kjos Music Company. Our conversation was recorded July 20, 2022.…

1
Starting The Year On Your Left Foot 26:05

2y ago26:05

26:05

This week Joel Hurd, one of the producers on the podcast, talks with composer and educator Brady Massey, who spent more than 20 years as a band director in three different school districts in Arkansas (Hoxie, Trumann, and Pocahontas), and is currently Director of Bands at Williams Baptist University in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Joel talked with Brady…

1
Sound Reinforcement for Marching Bands: What To Use, and How To Use It 51:58

2y ago51:58

51:58

This week Nick Averwater talks with Hunter Durham, Director of Bands in the Rivercrest School District in Wilson, Arkansas, a small town near the Mississippi River around 30 miles north of Memphis. He is originally from nearby Paragould, Arkansas. Hunter has written a guide to sound reinforcement for marching bands, and in this episode he'll be sha…

1
Increasing Retention In Your Music Program 33:12

2y ago33:12

33:12

This week Joel Hurd, one of co-producers of the podcast, talks with Dr. Jennifer Hawkinson, Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Central Arkansas. Before joining UCA, Dr. Hawkinson spent 18 years in South Dakota as a music educator in several school districts, including one of the largest schools in the state, Sioux Falls Was…

1
Strong Community Support Results In Decades of Success For A Small Town's Band Program 28:23

2y ago28:23

28:23

In this episode of the After Hours Director Spotlight, Nick Averwater talks with Jason Deem, Director of Bands at Union City High School in Union City, Tennessee, a town of just over 10,000 people in the northwest corner of the state. Jason joined the Union City schools in 2006, and has been Director of Bands for five years. In this conversation, w…

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