Winter had set in, and the local charity had already run out of warm coats. Students sprang into action. They made calls, rang doorbells, announced the need daily at school. Working together, they collected 87 coats--each with a hat, glove, and scarf set--with jeans, sweaters, shoes, and new toys thrown in as an additional gift. The students--all…

It's true that each school and each classroom presents its own unique challenges. But Kevin Mixon--who in October traded his instrumental music instructor duties at Blodgett School on the west side of Syracuse, New York, for a job as fine arts coordinator for Syracuse City Schools--knows from experience that some schools are far more challenging…

After nearly a decade as band director at St. James High School in St. James, Missouri, Derek Limback knows that the key to building a successful program is putting the program itself above everything else. Limback strives to augment not only his students' musical prowess, but also their leadership skills. Key to his philosophy is instilling a…

After getting her master's degree from UCLA, Nancy Wills dreamed of starting a school-based guitar program so she could teach students to make music on the instrument she'd loved since she was a kid growing up outside of Yosemite, California. She had a strong belief that guitar was perfect for schools, ideal for individualized playing but also…

According to the Austin-based Amati Foundation (a nonprofit group that supports programs for the stringed arts), over the past several decades the number of public school districts offering instruction for violin, viola, and cello has plummeted, from as high as 80 percent in 1960 to less than 19 percent today. Lack of public funding for stringed…

You are starting a new job. You have survived the interview process and landed the job of your dreams (or what will suffice for the time being). You have moved into your new room and have taken initial stock of the program, the facilities, and all the material you have. You know your budget, and have the administrators, the support staff, and a…

The rewards of band membership may be clear, but in tough economic times, with schools, teachers, and students facing new obligations around every corner, it is not always easy to keep a band on track. And so a question arises, one that has relevance both for teachers who want to start a band program from scratch and for veteran band directors…

Beginning a community youth orchestra can be one of the most rewarding--and draining--experiences in music education. Forming a group requires administrative expertise, interpersonal skills, expert musicianship, and a lot of elbow grease. The author used all these attributes and skills when he founded the Spanish Fork (Utah) Chamber Players…