Band Column continued...

dates in local papers. At Barlow High School, our band prints posters showing all of our concert dates and distributes these to area businesses. Other things we can do include performing student solo and small ensemble recitals at community centers or retirement facilities, and looking for events around town that our ensembles can take part in. Keeping in touch with alumni is also a good community networking tool. Our goal at this level is the same as the previous two: get people to see our students being successful in what they accomplish. The public hears enough from the media about the bad things that happen in schools; we need to show them that music is a place where kids can be successful. These are the people who vote in local elections to fund our schools. Let them be our advocates as well.

The final level of this hierarchy of advocacy is at the State level. This level can be daunting. The first step should simply be to be visible at district and state functions. Having students participate in district solo as well as ensemble festivals will make more people aware of the quality of our program and the dedication we have for our students. Attending our state and regional conventions should be something we commit to as well. These conventions not only revitalize us as teachers, but they also enable us to network with other educators throughout the state. We need to invite other directors from around the state to work with our students as well. Our kids will enjoy having a new face, and the guest director will become familiar with the hard work we are doing. News of a good band will travel back with the guest conductor. We need to be sure that our students’ successes at this level are always reported back to parents, teachers, and the community. Our advocates need to know. I also believe that a very important step at this level is being actively involved in organizations like OMEA and the Oregon Band Directors Association.