band
That fall, we launched the Florence Bob- CAST (because we’re the Bobcats…get it?). Students would find out what was happening in the school, write the script, and one of the students who was gifted with a pleasing baritone voice offered to host the podcast. Students recorded, edited and sent content to me for final approval. Finished episodes were posted on our music department’s YouTube channel and to our district’s Facebook page approximately once a month. Since our school was headed towards an operating referendum, this podcast became a valuable tool for advo- cacy. During COVID, we attempted to record an episode remotely, but coordina- tion became a challenge. We relaunched in fall of 2020 with two new hosts and continued through 2022, when the show went on hiatus again due to the inability to find student hosts. Luckily this school year, three students stepped up, and the Florence BobCAST lives on with quarterly episodes.
If this is something that you think the students in your band program might like, here are some tips:
1. Find Your Funding: If you know of groups in your community looking to financially support academic programs, a pitch like this might be unique enough to get their attention!
2. Find Your People: Recruit students in your band who might enjoy learning
about rudimentary audio engineering. This is a great way for students who are looking for something extra to get involved in something different from performance.
3. Find Your Resources: If you are unsure what equipment might work best for your setup, YouTube is a great place to start. Also, think economical. For editing, students use Soundtrap, and I use Audacity to do the final cleanup, both free programs. While not ProTools, the students get the general idea of how to edit their recorded snippets at the reasonable price of free.
4. Find Your Medium: Maybe it is a podcast, it could be a monthly YouTube show, a team of students that broadcasts sporting events, or helping create free commercials for businesses in your community. Regardless, it is important to have the student buy in and to find something that works well for your school and community.
Some skeptics might have reached this point and thought “what does this have to do with band?” While it may not be instrumental performance, or the use of established tech resources, it cannot be denied that the skills and habits learned in an environment like a recording studio lend themselves nicely back to the instrumental
ensemble. Students learn about teamwork, dynamics, structure and composition, and practice habits through audio production. They also learn valuable soft skills like communication, writing, reading and listen- ing. We all want more of these things as band teachers, and this might be the spark to elicit that from students. And remember, this is meant to foster student engagement and community enrichment in an “out of the box” kind of way. Community members love concerts, field shows and pep band performances, no doubt. Something like a podcast is just one more way to advocate for and show off your students and your program.
If you’d like more info or would need some extra help, please do not hesitate to reach out. Be well my colleagues, and don’t be afraid to try something new!
Bri Knox is the PK–6 music and band teacher at Florence Elementary School in the School District of Florence County in Florence.
Email:
knoxb@myflorence.org.
Robert Knox teaches 7–12 band and choir at Florence Middle/High School in the School District of Florence County in Florence.
Email:
knoxr@myflorence.org
Recognition for Teachers With 25 Years of Service
• Were you a first-year teacher in 1999 or prior to 1999? • Have you taught for 25 years (or more)? • Have you been an NAfME member for at least 10 of those years?
If the answer is yes to all of these questions and we haven’t previously honored you, then now is the time. WMEA is planning to recognize teachers with 25 or more years of service in Wisconsin State Music Conference materials and the September issue of Wisconsin School Musician.
Simply complete the 25 Years of Service form at
https://wmeamusic.org/awards/25-years-of-service. Submissions must be received by June 1, 2024.
Wisconsin School Musician 35
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