Everything Band Podcast

Steve Graves has been a middle school band director in Orange County, California for over 30 years. In this episode he shares his advice about teaching middle school including some really great advice for young band teachers. Topics: Steve’s background and his career as a successful middle school band director. Great teaching is not about teaching people to play instruments but rather to teach young musicians to be great people. Classroom management and thoughts about how to create a set of expectations that help students to stay on task. Steve and I get into the weeds about teaching beginners and he shares some wonderful advice about teaching time and articulation. The value of commissions for both students and composers. Links: Standridge: Frogs Jager: Esprit De Corps Reed: Russian Christmas Music Biography: Currently in his 32nd year of teaching junior high band, Steve is the band direct and VAPA chairperson at Lexington Junior High School in Cypress, CA. An active adjudicator for marching bands, conce