Culture Fuels Musicianship: Building Risk-Taking Band Programs

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Books

• "The Radical Approach to Beginning Band: The Band Director's Handbook" by Robert Duke and James Byo - This book outlines a method for teaching beginning band that emphasizes "sound before symbol," meaning students learn to produce sounds and rhythms verbally before seeing them on paper.

People Mentioned

• Andrew Messerli (Director of Bands at Grain Valley High School) - The guest of the episode, discussed his approach to band culture, fundamentals, and repertoire.
• Richard Sauceto - Mentioned for a clinic where he emphasized the importance of sounding good on a single note before moving to more complex music.
• Dave Coons - Referenced for his teaching philosophy that prioritizes listening over technical tuning and his technique of having students play the "polar opposite" of dynamics to improve musicality.
• Ed Lisk - His "circle of fourths" method was highlighted as a foundational exercise for warm-ups, covering long tones, chords, progressions, and scales.
• Jeffrey (former student of Andrew Messerli) - Mentioned as an example of a student who became enthusiastic about listening to classical music like Mahler on their own.
• Kaden Byers (Marimba in the front ensemble) - Student interviewed about his experience with the marching band performance.
• Nolan Wilson (Synth one) - Student interviewed about his experience with the marching band performance.
• Adelaide Fulk (Vibraphone in the front ensemble) - Student interviewed about her experience with the marching band performance.
• Julia Bledsoe (Mellophone soloist) - Student interviewed about her experience with the marching band performance.
• Dallas Weir (Electric guitar) - Student interviewed about his experience with the marching band performance, expressing aspirations in the music industry.
• Paige (Student teacher of David Duarte) - Mentioned for her insightful observation about students not taking instruments home, which led to a new practice approach.
• Craig (Orchestra teacher and guest on Episode 59) - Mentioned as a colleague of David Duarte.

Organizations & Institutions

• Music for All - The organization hosting the podcast, dedicated to creating life-changing experiences through music.
• Yamaha - The national presenting sponsor for Music for All.
• St. Louis Public Schools - The school district where David Duarte was working with the middle school honor band.
• Grain Valley High School - Andrew Messerli's current school, known for its successful band program.
• Francis Howell Central High School - Andrew Messerli's previous school where he taught for 15 years.
• St. Louis Wind Symphony - An organization Andrew Messerli co-founded a youth ensemble with.

Websites & Online Resources

• Music for All Facebook page - Where live shows and conversations for the podcast can be found.
• YouTube (Music for All channel) - Where live shows and conversations for the podcast can be found under the "live" tab.
• musicforall.org/podcast - The official website to find all episodes of the podcast, both audio and video.
• David Duarte's website (davidduarte.org) - Contains an "instruction hub" with resources like PLC materials, curriculum, scope and sequence, and apps.
• @closurebeforecontest (Instagram) - David Duarte's Instagram handle.

Other Resources

• Holst Suite - A piece of music mentioned as a "revisited old friend" by Andrew Messerli, noting how interpretations change over time.
• "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" - A piece of music mentioned by David Duarte as a challenging piece for saxophone players due to its low register and lack of rests.
• "Gone" by Scott McAllister - A piece of music that Andrew Messerli found emotionally draining but highly impactful for his students.
• Mahler (music) - Referenced as a type of classical music that some students, like Jeffrey, spontaneously seek out and discuss.
• Remington exercise - A fundamental exercise mentioned for returning to a "home base" note like concert F to improve tone and intonation.