

The Growing Band Director
Kyle Smith
Our mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.
To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreaon - using the button at the top of growingband.com
To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreaon - using the button at the top of growingband.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 9, 2026 • 54min
330 Introducting Habits Jazz with Todd Campbell and Heath Wolf
Support the Show HereThe Habits of A Successful Musician series has been a wildly successful series of books and method books that help teachers and students become the best music teachers and musicians they can be. Now, GIA Publications is introducting a Habits book that is a beginning Jazz Method geared toward players with one year of experience! Though likely not available until 2027, Todd Campbell and Heath Wolf join the show to discuss what teachers can expect when it releases. Full of practical advice for jazz educators, and some chart recommendations for younger bands.To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Mar 7, 2026 • 1h 11min
186 Young Band with Quincy Hilliard
Quincy Jones Interviews Aaron Copland! Quincy Hilliard is such a great composer! We talked about so many things including his time with Aaron Copland, getting a young band to sound their best, and featured many score and sound videos of some of his Young Band works! What a joy to speak with! Support the Show HereTo gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Mar 5, 2026 • 22min
321 Terry White and Dan Austin
Support the Show HereKyle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with composers Terry White and Dan AustinTo gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Mar 2, 2026 • 1h 18min
331 Listen with Chris Oberholtzer
Support the Show HereDr Chris Oberholtzer joins the show to discuss jazz improvisation information to help teachers know what guidance to give their students when improvising.To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Feb 28, 2026 • 1h 12min
185 Conducting, Composing and Connecting with Timothy Mahr
Dr. Timothy Mahr is Professor Emeritus at St. Olaf College, and a prolific composer for wind band. Dr Mahr joins the podcast for a conversation that encompasses advice for young composers, discussion of ways we can improve our bands as a conductor, and a focus on some of his music!Highlighted is Etched in Stone, Commissioned by Kyle Smith and the Westbrook High School Wind Ensemble for the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.Support the Show HereTo gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Feb 26, 2026 • 26min
320 Tim Hendrix and Heather Hastings
Support the Show HereKyle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with Tim Hendrix after the clinic performance with this students earlier that day, and composer Heather Hastings, winner of the Gladys Knight Composition Competition with WBDI.To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Feb 23, 2026 • 56min
329 Building A Culture of Excellence in a Rural Setting with Jeffrey Priest
Support the Show HereJeffrey Priest (Old Town High School, ME) has led an award winning band program in his rural community since 1989 and joins the show to share ways to bring excellence to smaller, more rural communities.To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Feb 21, 2026 • 42min
182 Ellington for Young Band
The music of Duke Ellington is not only some of the best American music in history, it is filled with soulfulness and sophistication. It is available to students with very little experience. In working on this music your students will be studying history, studying music and studying some of the best of humanity.Support the Show HereTo gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Feb 19, 2026 • 19min
319 Travis Weller and Stephen Sholey
Kyle sits down at the Excelcia Music Publishing booth at Midwest 2025 with Travis Weller and Stephen Sholey.Support the Show HereTo gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!

Feb 16, 2026 • 33min
328 Finding Solutions with Rob Wheeler
Support the Show HereRob Wheeler joins the show to share some strategies that he has used in a wide variety of school situations to maximize the potential of a band program.To gain access to all show notes and audio files please Subscribe to the podcast and consider supporting the show on Patreon - using the button at the top of thegrowingbanddirector.comOur mission is to share practical advice and explore topics that will help every band director, no matter your experience level, as well as music education students who are working to join us in the coming years.Connect with us with comments or ideasFollow the show:Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.comOn Youtube The Growing Band Director Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast GroupInstagram @thegrowingbanddirectorTik Tok @thegrowingbanddirectorIf you like what you hear please:Leave a Five Star Review and Share us with another band director!


