"Finding Harmony: Lessons in Wellness and Relationships"

In this episode of Band Director Boot Camp, host Lesley Moffat interviews Andrea Brannman, a middle school band director with 10 years of experience. Andrea shares her journey towards finding a healthier and happier approach to her profession, emphasizing the importance of wellness and building relationships with colleagues. She discusses the challenges she faced in her early years, including burnout, overcommitment, and struggling to balance various responsibilities. Andrea highlights the turning point in her career, when she took a leave of absence and made intentional changes to prioritize her well-being. She explains how she set boundaries, reduced extracurricular activities, and focused on being fully present during contracted hours. Through this transformation, Andrea discovered that her relationships with her students remained meaningful and magical, even without excessive extras. She also emphasizes the value of having interests and relationships outside of the music world, which provides mental and emotional space and allows for a more balanced perspective.