To my kids,
Monday, May 25th, 2026
Some of you are the coolest people on the planet, and some of y’all forced me to grow some seriously thick skin and toughen up in ways I didn’t realize I could! But whether you were driving me crazy or...
Read More
BLOG
TEACH YOUR KIDS TO READ!
Monday, April 13th, 2026
One of the skills I am most proud of in my career is my ability to teach any student to read music competently. But it didn’t happen overnight. In fact, I spent the first few years of my career glossing...
Read More
Beyond the Music Itself
Wednesday, April 8th, 2026
I’ve really only gotten into journaling—and by extension, blogging—in the last year or so. It started from a need to find a place for my thoughts, and, truly, the experience has been incredibly therapeutic. What draws me specifically to blogging...
Read MoreAmbitious Women
Friday, March 20th, 2026
Ego and ambition have two very different centers of gravity. Ambition is about mission, growth, impact, and the “what’s next.” In contrast, the ego is about validation, credit, and personal status. While the two should be easy to distinguish, the...
Read More
Rehearsal > Performance
Friday, March 13th, 2026
The prevailing belief in our field is that we work hard to ensure that final performance is as perfect as possible. We meet with our ensembles regularly over months of preparation, all culminating in a single final performance. While that’s...
Read More
LJ: Fields of Athenry – Pete St. John/Dropkick Murphys
Sunday, March 1st, 2026
I’ve recently made it a ritual to keep a listening journal, capturing my immediate thoughts and “aha!” moments as I dive into various recordings. I decided to start sharing select entries here for those curious about my musical process. Please...
Read MoreTurning “Different” into My Directing Superpower
Friday, January 16th, 2026
For most of my career, I lived with the persistent, quiet weight of feeling not enough. In the world of music education, there is a very specific archetype of the successful band director: a figure of stoic poise, clinical organization,...
Read More
The Post-War Sales Pitch that Founded Your Band Program
Thursday, December 11th, 2025
The band world possesses an inherent, welcoming culture. In my experience, the vibe has always been: “Can you play? Great. Rehearsals tomorrow, see you then.” It’s not about who you are; it’s about whether you can contribute positively to the...
Read MoreThe Art of Professionalism
Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
As I’ve matured, I’ve reached a fundamental realization: my artistry and my emotions are inextricably linked. While this might sound self-evident, the culture of band directing often demands a rigid compartmentalization of the self. We are expected to be the...
Read More