We've all heard that there is much more beneath the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to conducting, but what does that actually look like? And what best practices can we do as conductors to grow as music educators?This week, Dr. Andrew Kim of the New York Youth Symphony and Conducting Institute joins us to share his story of how he became a conductor and what we can do to cultivate a life of powerful music-making and fulfillment.SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ICM8EJruDq1M52sP7vYlUwCLD79WURzh/view?usp=sharingConnect with Dr. Kim!Website: https://www.andrewkimconductor.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_andrewkim/Learn More:New York Youth Symphony: https://www.nyys.org/The Conducting Institute: https://conductinginstitute.org/Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

Being in a profession like music education comes with a lot of scrutiny. This can cause a lot of stress on us and make us afraid to be truly vulnerable - and not just with other people, but with ourselves. It’s important to take time to look in the mirror and ask ourselves “What am I struggling with in the classroom?” and “What steps can I take to get better at it?”Mrs. Andrea Cruz, Choir Director at Caprock High School in Amarillo, Texas, joins us on this week's episode to discuss how music directors can learn to look in the mirror and ask the honest questions.SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1azjQL66FCwVzardOjSJ_MZ-9jZjwgI4G/view?usp=sharingConnect with the CHS Choir!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caprockHSchoir/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caprockhschoir/Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

This week, Brandon Farren, head choral director at Canyon High School, joins us to discuss how directors can maintain a healthy tone in their ensemble - both from a musical perspective and from the students' perspective. SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1468XcuhWT5jiQCHHpJdW78hMZn0Nn5r6/view?usp=sharingConnect with the Canyon High School Choir!Website: https://sites.google.com/canyonisd.net/canyonhighschoolchoir/home?authuser=0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canyonhstxchoir/High Plains Choral Society: https://www.highplainschoralsociety.org/homeWant a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

In this episode, Grammy Award-winner Stephen Cox joins us to discuss how the current systems in the music education field will make an impact on the future of our profession. What are we doing now that is working? What's not working? And what changes need to happen soon before more turn away from the profession?SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ntm0huDiTyYeJFD2oRfOjnpjXo6i0Lhd/view?usp=sharing Connect with Stephen!Website: https://stephentcox.com/#:~:text=Biography,TX%20as%20of%20fall%202022.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StephenIsSleepingInInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenissleepingin/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082545140307Learn more about the Grammy Music Educator Award and nominate someone! https://grammymuseum.org/education/music-educator-award/Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

This is the second part of our interview with Dr. Frank Eychaner, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Central Arkansas. Frank discusses ways that music educators can continue to renew themselves and take the right steps toward staying mentally and physically healthy.SHOW NOTES:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YN5d9JsMyLhfWAAqFzbLtsp9GTcaozJH/view?usp=sharingConnect with Frank and the UCA ChoirsEmail: feychaner@uca.eduWebsite: https://uca.edu/music/choir/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicUCA/Listen to the UTPB choir perform "Shockachi!"https://youtu.be/EcRDWBJQjR0?si=vt4plizcEzLCYgrFWant a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

Enjoy the first part of our interview with Dr. Frank Eychaner, who is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Central Arkansas. In this episode, Frank talks about how music directors can have mental and emotional sustainability in our jobs - even after years and years of experience (and therefore, exhaustion). This is a great episode for those who are unsure if they want to keep pursuing music education!SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IHliqPmNLftoHMYK_yTstM-HIsoMflo6/view?usp=sharingConnect with Frank and the UCA ChoirsEmail: feychaner@uca.eduWebsite: https://uca.edu/music/choir/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicUCA/Listen to the UTPB choir perform "Shockachi!"https://youtu.be/EcRDWBJQjR0?si=vt4plizcEzLCYgrFWant a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

This week, we welcome Jason Jones to the podcast, who is the band director at Central High School in San Angelo, Texas. Jason has much experience in both large and small music programs, and he tells us about what sort of differences you can find between the two - and whether that should make a difference in how you teach.SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KMzj1P-EVMzbwiWo6gwIkd2XJSIyxxlz/view?usp=sharingConnect with Jason and the Central High School Band:Email: jason.jones@saisd.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mightybobcatband/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chsmightybobcatband/?hl=enWant a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

In the second part of our interview with the New Canaan High School Choir Director, Sarah Gleason provides simple ways that student leaders can help influence others to be all-on-board with the purpose of success for an ensemble.SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WngpME66TLeCUqdxHdoRWwNJv_j8o1Xw/view?usp=sharing Connect with the NCHS Choir!Website: https://newcanaanhighschoolchoir.weebly.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nchschoir/?hl=enFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/New-Canaan-High-School-Choirs/100068815668420/Listen to the NCHS Choir perform "Shockachi!"https://youtu.be/ddyF3nrK5QoWant a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

This is the first part of our two-part interview with Sarah Gleason, Choral Director of the New Canaan High School Choir. In this episode, Sarah stresses the importance of community in an ensemble as the foundation of success in all other areas and how giving up control to the students in certain aspects of the class can help encourage them to grow - as a group and as individuals.SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OUa-_zzvPjiLxFZXJcsgVvw0A7PDkwJL/view?usp=drive_linkConnect with the NCHS Choir!Website: https://newcanaanhighschoolchoir.weebly.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nchschoir/?hl=enFacebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/New-Canaan-High-School-Choirs/100068815668420/Listen to the NCHS Choir perform "Shockachi!"https://youtu.be/ddyF3nrK5QoWant a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

Dr. Jeff Goolsby, Director of Choral Activities at Abilene Christian University, joins us to discuss how he came to be a choir director and how he takes many different avenues to create a unique concert experience. We no longer live in an age where being expected to sit down, “shut up,” and listen to live music is appealing to the average audience member. This does not mean that we should abandon the traditional concert experience, but we must be open to opportunities of innovation in order to appeal to individuals unfamiliar with the art. SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bU_9C1tznDscT9KSJeaaN_L4diO72ptW/view?usp=sharingFollow the ACU Choir on Social Media!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acuchoirs/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AcuChoirs/Learn more about the ACU School of Music: https://acu.edu/academics/arts-humanities-social-sciences/music/Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

This week, we have Dr. Troy Robertson, head choral director at Tarleton State University, join us on the show! Troy has worked with many different choirs across the country and tells us what he believes are the most important foundations of any ensemble: Community, Excellence, and Beauty.Follow the Tarleton Choir Program:Website: https://www.tarleton.edu/finearts/music/vocal/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarletonchoralprogram/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TarletonChoralProgram/Connect with Troy:Website: https://www.troydrobertson.com/Email: robertson@tarleton.eduDr. Troy Robertson is the Director of Choirs at Tarleton State University and the conductor of the Cross Timbers Civic Chorale. He is the founder of ChorAmor. Before coming to Tarleton, Dr. Robertson taught at Ithaca College and served for several years as choral director at East Gaston High School in North Carolina. He is a composer whose works are published with Hinshaw Music, Santa Barbara Music Press, Colla Voce, and Music Spoke.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

In this week's episode, we have the privilege of talking to Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor of the Baylor University Symphony Orchestra and Director of Orchestral Studies.  With many years of experience conducting orchestras all around the world, Miguel tells us about what the ultimate goal of a conductor should be, and his methods on preparing scores and working with ensembles.Connect with Miguel Harth-Bedoya!Website: https://www.miguelharth-bedoya.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miguelharthbedoya/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiguelHarthBedoyaTwitter: https://twitter.com/MHarthBedoyaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxDtynJwmcgudZPu9hkFWDgBaylor University School of Music: https://www.baylor.edu/music/The Conducting Institute: https://conductinginstitute.org/Miguel Harth-Bedoya is the Director of Orchestral Studies at Baylor University. He is the former music director of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (New Zealand), and New York Youth Symphony. He graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School. Miguel has conducted worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, and the Sydney Symphony, among others. He is also the Founder of The Conducting Institute in Ft. Worth, Texas.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

This week, we sit down with composer Luke McMillan, who is very well-known for creating accessible marching shows for small school band programs. Luke tells us how he came to become a full-time composer and the strategies he uses to be a resource to band directors and other music educators across the country.Connect with Luke:Website: https://lukemcmillanmusic.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukemcmillan/?hl=enFacebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/lukemcmillanmusic/Luke McMillan is a composer, arranger, and designer for the marching arts. Luke has been writing music professionally since 2005 and has composed and arranged full-time since 2015. Luke’s music is regularly heard at numerous competitive circuits, including BOA, USBands, and multiple local and state-sanctioned events across the country. Luke’s music has been played by several state marching band finalists and medalists around the country and has been described as achievable and fun for the performers, and entertaining and engaging for the audience.Before becoming a full-time composer/arranger, Luke was as a band director for 11 years at Wylie High School in Abilene, TX. During his time at Wylie, Luke designed the shows for and co-taught the Wylie “Pure Gold” Marching Band, which advanced to the state marching contest several times playing his music. Luke also directed the Symphonic Band which earned consistent sweepstakes awards, and the Wylie High School Jazz Band, which earned “Best in Class” awards for most jazz festivals they attended.Luke is a 2003 graduate of The University of North Texas holding a Bachelor of Music degree. While attending UNT, he played in the marching band, concert band, and nationally recognized jazz lab bands. Luke lives and works in his hometown of Abilene, TX.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

Darcy Radcliffe, former orchestra director at Abilene and Cooper High Schools, created a new type of string orchestra ensemble called Revolution Strings. After experiencing many incredible successes with the group, she has joined us on this week's episode to give insight as to how she created it, what steps she took to generate interest, and how other music directors can find creative new ways to increase interest in performing music.Follow Darcy social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085921145160Check out Revolution Strings!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revostrings/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revostrings/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/revostrings?lang=enApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/revolution-strings/1239966311Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ZF9khohh1wLaeWgTUV6r6?si=L6ma3wN8RWuFEy5gHU7pnADarcy Radcliffe maintains a Private Violin/Viola Studio and is the creator of the internationally acclaimed fiddle group, "Revolution Strings" which has been featured on the National Public Radio show "From the Top.” She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Hardin Simmons University where she studied with Ms. Celeste Myall. Mrs. Radcliffe is the recipient of several awards including the 2006 winner of the American String Teachers Association's (ASTA) Marjorie Keller Young Teacher of the Year Award in recognition of outstanding promise in string education, 2011 Teacher of the Year through the Abilene Spotlight on Education program, 2012 Most Outstanding Faculty Member and Ring of Honor recipient for Cooper HS, 2014 recipient of the Top 20 under 40 leaders for the city of Abilene. In 2017 her work as an educator was featured in the eleventh annual publication of Texas School Business ‘Bragging Rights’ magazine.Mrs. Radcliffe also serves as a clinician and an adjudicator for orchestras in the state of Texas and has been an active member of the Texas Music Adjudicator’s Association. Mrs. Radcliffe was offered an ongoing endorsement from the D’Addario music company for her fiddle group, Revolution Strings. Revolution Strings has performed at several conventions including the American String Teachers Association national conference, the National Association of Secondary School Principals conference, the Texas Music Educators Association convention and the National Association of School Boards convention, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development of Texas conference, and the Texas Music Administrators Conference. They have also performed with Grammy award winning artists such as Mark and Maggie O’Connor, David Ragsdale of Kansas, Barrage, Asleep at the Wheel, Riders in the Sky, Mark Preston of the Lettermen, The Quebe Sisters Band, Gary Morris, Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas and The Hot Club of Cowtown and Christian Howes. Revolution Strings completed tours of China in June 2013, Europe in July 2015, performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tn. in 2015 and toured Canada in June 2017 as part of Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations. Revolution Strings has released two albums; the most recent entitled Homegrown was released in May, 2017.As a violinist Mrs. Radcliffe has performed with various organizations such as the Abilene Opera Association, the AbileneWant a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

For music educators, the constant task of having to observe, evaluate, and improve is imperative for having a successful experience for students. However, this habit, paired with the overwhelming amount of tasks needed to be done each week can lead to huge amounts of stress. In this episode, Dr. Jon Kraemer, Head Band Director at Abilene High School, joins us to discuss how band directors handle the extensive planning process required from season to season while maintaining a healthy mindset.Connect with the Abilene High School Band!Website: http://www.eagleband.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abilenehighband/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abilenehighband/?hl=enDr. Kraemer began teaching in 2006.  A native of the DFW metroplex, he graduated from Waxahachie HS in 1998. He went on to East Texas Baptist University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in 2002, and then to Texas Tech University where he earned both a Master's of Conducting in 2004, and a Ph.D. in Fine Arts: Musicology in 2009. Dr. Kraemer is now in his 16th year teaching. Prior to coming to Abilene, Dr. Kraemer was the Director of Bands for Pampa ISD for 3 years and the Director of Bands at Roosevelt ISD for 7 years before that. Dr. Kraemer was an Assistant Director at Abilene High during the 2017-18 school year before assuming the role of Director of Bands at AHS. Dr. Kraemer’s specialty is brass with an emphasis in Trumpet. Dr. Kraemer is also a member of the adjunct teaching faculty of the Hardin-Simmons University College of Fine Arts. Dr. Kraemer and his wife are co-authors of the book, “The Band Director’s Guide to Success”, a 2016 Oxford University Press publication. Dr. Kraemer’s family includes his wife, Michelle, and their three children.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

We are very excited to bring our first guest with an orchestral background onto the show! Mrs. Allison King is the orchestra director at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst, Texas. Allison brings a variety of insight for directors finding their first gigs, teaching string orchestra, and coordinating with other directors to create a full orchestra experience for students.Check out the L.D. Bell Orchestra's website: https://www.ldbellorchestra.com/Follow the L.D. Bell Orchestra on Social Media!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKMBibiEDH8IqrZ4-O1wy-QFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ldbellhsorchestraTwitter: https://twitter.com/ldbhsorchestraMrs. King became the director of orchestras at L.D. Bell High School in 2010. In her first year, she led the L.D. Bell Symphony Orchestra to its first sweepstakes performance as a varsity string organization at the UIL concert and sight reading competition and founded the L.D. Bell Full Symphony Orchestra. Since taking over the L.D. Bell Orchestra program, the program has tripled in size, and the varsity Symphony Orchestra has earned consistent sweepstakes ratings at the UIL Concert and Sight reading competition. The Symphony Orchestra has performed with many world-renowned artists, and the varsity full and varsity string orchestras have been commended and national winners of the Mark of Excellence National Orchestra Honors competition five times in the past five years. In 2017, the varsity full orchestra made its debut performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. In 2019, the Symphony string orchestra made the finals of the TMEA Honor Orchestra competition.Mrs. King is now in her twenty second year of teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Southern California where she studied with Ronald Leonard, the former principal cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also holds a Master of Music in Music Education and a Certificate in Cello Performance from the University of Texas at Arlington, where she studied with Dr. Elizabeth Morrow. She has also had the privilege of studying with Ira Lehn, former principal cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Pamela Frame of the Eastman School, and in her early years was the stand-in soloist for Yo-Yo Ma with the World Youth Symphony where she also appeared on "60 Minutes" with Yo-Yo Ma. In 2005, Mrs. King was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society. She has been a member of the American String Teachers Association for over 25 years, and is currently a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and the Texas Orchestra Directors Association. She is also the orchestra chair for TMEA Region 31.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

It can be hard leading a rehearsal when your students don't have the motivation to try in your classroom. In this week's episode, we discuss different ways you can incentivize your students to come to class with an attitude and expectation of success and responsibility.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

One of the hardest aspects of teaching for many people is disciplining students while keeping them engaged and enjoying the class as a whole. In this episode, Mr. Reece Kingcade, Head Choral Director at Cooper High School, joins us to discuss how disciplining students in the makes a difference for an entire school year. We also talk about the unique opportunity the music classroom setting brings for earning students' respect and involving them in leadership positions.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

Dr. Jeffrey Cottrell is the Associate Dean of the School of Music at Hardin-Simmons University. He is also the director of the HSU Jazz Band, a private instructor of low brass, an active performer, and award-winning composer. In this week's episode, he joins us to discuss his journey through many different aspects of the music field - from performing in bands, to teaching private lessons and jazz ensembles, to handling administrative duties.To learn more about the Hardin-Simmons University School of Music, visit:https://www.hsutx.edu/academics/schools-colleges/college-liberal-arts/music-opportunities/Dr. Cottrell performs on tuba with the Key City Brass Quintet and trombone with the “oldies” rock band Johnny D and the Doo-Wops. He also plays trombone for the local dance band Fanfare, lead trombone for the West Texas Jazz Orchestra, and trombone and euphonium with the San Angelo based combo Jazz Concho. He has performed with the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, the Irving Symphony, the Dallas Wind Symphony, the Dallas Tuba Quartet, Cap Rock Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Martha and the Vandellas, Dash Riprock and the Dragons, the Hi Roller Band, and numerous other ensembles on trombone, euphonium, and tuba. He has been featured as a soloist with several ensembles over the years such as the San Angelo Symphony, the Mansfield Wind Symphony, the Summit High School Jazz Band, and the Hardin-Simmons Concert Band. Dr. Cottrell can be heard on recordings with the North Texas Wind Symphony for the Klavier Wind Project and the GIA Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. He has also recorded with the blues artist Keith Taylor, and for other groups such as Brave Combo, Six Flags Over Texas, and The ET’s, He is greatly in demand as a teacher and clinician across Texas, and has placed many students in the Texas All-State Band and Orchestra in addition to the Dallas Youth Orchestra and the Ft. Worth Youth Orchestra.Jeff’s first love is composing and arranging. He has numerous published works that have been performed around the world in various venues. His compositions include works for choir, orchestra, concert band, jazz band, brass quintet, trombone ensemble, and tuba-euphonium ensemble. In 2006 he was honored with The International Tuba-Euphonium Association’s Harvey Phillips Award for Composition Excellence for euphonium featured in jazz/rock/fusion, and in 2013 his tuba-euphonium composition Tuba Loca was recorded for the CD release of Spainphonic by the internationally known Spanish euphonium artist Juan Jose Munera. He was also honored as the Texas Music Teachers Association Commissioned Composer for 2015.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings

As the school year begins, we wanted to simply share with you all some words of encouragement. Please take them to heart as you begin and continue throughout the school year, and remember that what do matters. What you do changes lives. And therefore, what you do changes the world.Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings