The Growing Band Director (149) Teaching from the Light, The Yamaha Harmony Director and The Carmel Band Program Throwback
Oct 4, 2025
Michael Pote, Carmel High School band leader known for ensemble tone and pedagogy, and Kyle Young, Carmel associate director and Harmony Director co-author, discuss teaching from the light and student-centered rehearsal culture. They explore the Yamaha Harmony Director and practical exercises for tone, tuning, overtone training, and sustaining a top-tier program through leadership transition and daily ensemble habits.
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Two-Rule Feedback Framework
- Start every critique by naming a specific positive detail before addressing the problem.
- Then describe a clear solution so students know exactly how to improve.
Make Feedback Omnidirectional
- Shift from monodirectional to omnidirectional feedback to engage students as active teachers.
- Let students critique teachers and peers to create shared ownership of rehearsal outcomes.
Student Finds The Conducting Flaw
- A tuba player told Michael Pote that he was rushing a beat into a downbeat and a video confirmed it.
- The student identification led directly to a fix and improved the rehearsal.
