

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

Jan 20, 2025 • 39min
228 Helping Students Succeed with William Owens, Mary Cogswell and Travis Weller
While at the Midwest Band Clinic we sat down for spontaneous conversations with music educators in person at the Exceclia Music Booth. In this episode we connect with composer educator William Owens, Mary Cogswell (Ep 162 Beginner Adaptable Series) and composer educator Travis Weller (Ep 199).
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 18, 2025 • 50min
(5) Band Boosters 101 Throwback with Karen and Matt Stacki
In this episode Kyle and Jeff have a conversation with Matt and Karen Stacki about the role of a Music Booster program - Do's and Don'ts- how to start-revitalize or maintain a booster program. Never forget-keep trying to make it better and improve!
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 16, 2025 • 45min
227 Better by Sight and Saxophone Pedagogy with Rick Hirsch and Tyler Arcari
While at the Midwest Band Clinic we sat down for spontaneous conversations with music educators in person at the Exceclia Music Booth. In this episode we connect with composer/educator Rick Hirsch and Tyler Arcari from Excelcia Music.
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 13, 2025 • 41min
226 The Rhythm Section Programming with Jerry Tolson and Dan Austin
While at the Midwest Band Clinic we sat down for spontaneous conversations with music educators in person at the Exceclia Music Booth. In this episode we connect with Jerry Tolson (retired University of Louisville) and Dan Austin (Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute in Canada).
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 11, 2025 • 31min
(32) Jazz Education Throwback with Nick Mainella
Kyle had the distinct PLEASURE of sitting down with Nick Mainella from the @10minutejazzlesson79 Podcast and had a discussion about what makes great band directors, an approach to soloing over the blues that ISN'T the blues scale, getting students to feel comfortable improvising, the importance of listening to music with your students and much, much more.
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 9, 2025 • 29min
225 Program Ideas with Jackson Smith
While at the Midwest Band Clinic we sat down for spontaneous conversations with music educators in person at the Exceclia Music Booth. In this episode we connect with Jackson Smith (WI) about some things that are happening in both of our bands right now (also from Ep. 118 Percussion for the Non Percussionist.)
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 7, 2025 • 9min
Love Song (Grade 2) Release
Order Your Copy Today
https://forms.gle/7k6uKdhFPcWzsSNE9
Love Song is a dedication to my wife and children. Becoming a husband and father changes a person, and this piece is a natural outgrowth of that process in my life.
Love Song is a slow 6/8 piece i n C minor that follows a very simple form and uses some extended harmonies, allowing students to play triple meter a t a slower tempo, while exploring their emotional range.
Composed by Kyle Smith
Grade 2 Concert Band

Jan 6, 2025 • 45min
219 Teaching Trumpet and Big Band Terminology with Lexie Signor
Lexie Signor , an acclaimed trumpet player and educator joins the show to help non-jazz educators who need to are now teaching jazz, plus ideas to help with the development of your trumpet players.
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 4, 2025 • 1h 23min
(26) The Middle School Hang Throwback with Jean Quinn and Krystle Smith
In this Saturday Throwback:
Learn from two MASTER TEACHERS!
In this Episode we hang - Middle School style! Two of the best middle school teachers you can find, Krystle Smith and Jean Quinn, are the life of the party and we born to teach middle school band! You will love their stories, tips for teaching, and real life lessons they learned and want to pass on to you! This is definitely the most fun The Growing Band Director Podcast has ever been!
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
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Visit our merchandise store to purchase exclusive swag from The Growing Band Director Podcast
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Growingband.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!

Jan 2, 2025 • 34min
224 Midwest Connection with Larry Clark, Tony Susi and Steven Rosenhaus
While at the Midwest Band Clinic we sat down for spontaneous conversations with music educators in person at the Exceclia Music Booth. In this episode we connect with Larry Clark, composer and owner of Excelcia Music, as well as composer/educators Tony Susi (also from episodes 88 and 174) and Steven Rosenhaus.
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.com
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.
Connect with us with comments or ideas
Follow the show:
Podcast website : Thegrowingbanddirector.com
On Youtube The Growing Band Director
Facebook-The Growing Band Director Podcast Group
Instagram @thegrowingbanddirector
Tik Tok @thegrowingbanddirector
If you like what you hear please:
Leave a Five Star Review and
Share us with another band director!


