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Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Ross Grant on 2/3/2023, 3:52 pm

What an AWESOME list of percussionist/band directors (from earlier post)!

Are there any pros and cons regarding the percussionist applying for BD jobs straight out of college, versus starting the career as a perc. specialist?

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Perc. BD on 2/7/2023, 7:43 am, in reply to "Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

I'm slightly offended of the implication that percussion band director must be a perc. specialist.
We have received the same education as every other music ed. major.
In my opinion, any band director, percussion or otherwise who would not be willing to teach at "band director job" should not be a band director.
I never have been and have no desire to be "the drum guy"

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Other side on 2/7/2023, 11:29 am, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

These are opinions I've heard, not necessarily ones I share.

Percussionists overall tend to be weaker wind players than someone who has played a wind instrument for 11+ years. Unless they're very sound pedagogically, they may not be able to diagnose and correct wind issues.

Just like I wouldn't necessarily trust a euphonium major to run my drumline, I wouldn't expect a percussion major to know how to teach saxophone voicing pedagogy.

That's why the largest programs (and most of the better ones) have staff that specialize on instruments. They don't have flute players teaching beginning low brass class unless said flute player is extremely confident in doing so.

Like it or not, this is how people think.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Haha on 2/7/2023, 5:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

Those same people are on here asking what kind of triangle beater to buy.

Wind playing, while nuanced, is not some ethereal skill that makes you a better director.

May the best musicians win.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Flip side on 2/7/2023, 1:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

There is no reason why a percussionist couldn’t learn to be a good wind teacher, at least at the beginner level. It’s a question of how much effort said percussionist is willing to put in to get better.

A percussionist that wants to be a “band director”, like anyone, has to put in the work in the practice room, in the library, at clinics, on YouTube.

One thing I’ve always wanted to do, haven’t yet, is to take a year of lessons on clarinet, flute, sax…something, all of them. Thought about asking the clarinet prof in grad school for lessons, but I was a perc performance major and that was frowned upon.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Other side on 2/7/2023, 2:35 pm, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

If an established program is looking for a strong teacher, they aren't going to wait for a percussionist who isn't one already to "learn to be" a teacher. They're going to hire someone who already has the skills.

Just like they aren't going to look for a wind teacher who isn't already a good one.

To your point on lessons: Join a civic/community band if you live in a medium to large town/city. Many will be happy you're there, regardless of your performance quality.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Perc. BD on 2/7/2023, 12:40 pm, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

It is unfortunate.
This is why I had such a tough time finding that first job. They were all looking for a this or that specialist.
I had no interest in being the drum guy. I also didn't have the DCI experience that is desired.
I understand the bigger programs with 5+ band directors having specialists, but I have seen 2A and 3A schools looking for specialists too.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Snerk on 2/7/2023, 2:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

For what it's worth, many of those 2A and 3A schools looking for a percussion specialist are only paying them as a para, too, so you're doing great avoiding those positions.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Awesome on 2/6/2023, 7:24 pm, in reply to "Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

I am a percussionist and my first gig was a 1C band director position (HS was 3A). There were only 2 band directors - the high school director did woodwinds and I did brass/percussion for beginners. I did the JH band and he did the HS band. I did learn a lot about being aware of more than just the percussion section. I moved to a 3C/6A as the beginner director and assisted the 7/8 bands. When they added a percussion specialist position, I didn't want to switch. I am a band director whose primary instrument is percussion. Pros are that I learned a lot about everything as a BD. Cons are that I really feel out of touch with drumline trends since I don't have that contact.

It might have helped me that I played F Horn for 2 years in HS (moved to California my last 2 years and was BORED in concert season) and did really well in my method classes in college. I had this experience to help me land that BD position.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Grubbs on 2/6/2023, 3:50 pm, in reply to "Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

Percussionist BD but back to being the percussion guy. 25 years doing the split and my first year as being solely the percussion guy.

Just my opinion and as I tell my friends, you couldn't buy a cup of coffee.

I was blessed to work with two gentlemen during the first 5 years of my career in El Paso who were wonderful mentors to me. I think that should be the goal of any first-year teacher - even if they were 30 at the time like me. It's important to gain those podium skills from someone who has been in the trenches for a while. You are still working with your percussion kids as well as getting podium experience. Because of that experience, I landed my current gig in Graham. Joe Barrow was looking for a percussionist but he wanted someone to take over the JH band.

Now I won't lie, a lot of times one thing had to be pushed to the back burner and for a while, it was my HS percussion kids. There was hardly any continuity from JH to HS. The reason was due to being the head JH guy and the extra stuff that goes with it. I got it done, but after 20 years, it was time to make a change and let someone else grab the reigns. Do I miss being in from of a band? Sure, but it's been nice giving those HS percussionists the love they got when they were in JH.

Wow. That went to the east quickly. Get that gig as an assistant and learn everything you can. I student-taught at middle school and was thankful for that experience. If you can land a gig as a JH/MS assistant, I think it would be very beneficial.

Just my $.02. Great topic, Ross!

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Mr. Dude on 2/6/2023, 11:27 am, in reply to "Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

From my experience working with other directors who were percussionists... If you want to be a head band director some day, don't accept a job where you don't have a concert band to direct. Maybe it's the 2nd SNV band, it's still a band. And you can move up from that band.

Also, don't dismiss the small school route, way more less likely to get pigeon holed in the "drum guy" category, and get a good chance to do some great work as well with full bands.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by I’ll add on 2/4/2023, 12:05 pm, in reply to "Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

Make sure you are outwardly showing you want to be a band director. Talk to other band directors about band, ask about other instruments, let people see you practicing other instruments, don’t always only fix percussion stuff when working or assisting with a band. This goes for any job they find, even if hired as a percussion specialist, ask and learn about how to be a better band director.

I made this transition recently, being the percussion person into a band director. To be fair I taught beginners and Middle School non varsity but I made an effort to improve my wind teaching and band teaching. The MSNV group wasn’t always a viable group to take to contest, especially when eligibility was still enforced for C/SR so I asked to direct the HS SNV and take them to contest. I also wanted more mentorship from the head director.

I see too many percussionists pigeonhole themselves by acting like they only want to teach percussion.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Me on 2/4/2023, 8:20 am, in reply to "Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

IMO, once you get a job as a "percussion specialist" that's pretty much your career track. The longer you spend off a podium, especially just out of school, the harder it is to get back on one.

A percussionist wanting to be a BD should strongly consider taking a small school job for their first gig. You really get brushed up on instrumental pedagogy there since there's no one else to teach.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Disagree on 2/6/2023, 10:35 am, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

Oof...not a percussionist, but my first job was a solo position at a small school. I do NOT recommend. Yes, I learned a lot, but it was trial by fire. Not just musically, but all of the other stuff too. Maybe a middle school/HS asst position where the HS director handles the "business" tasks, but definitely not a complete solo job. I learned a lot more as an assistant later on.

Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?

Posted by Kyle B. on 2/4/2023, 11:29 am, in reply to "Re: Percussionists interested in being BDs: Which gig should they apply for first?"

Percussionist BD here.

My first year, I was by myself at a middle school (Don’t recommend that).

my second year, I took an assistant position at a small school, starting off as a “percussion specialist” that also dabbled in a few wind beginner classes and co-directing non-varsity bands. Eventually, my situation allowed me to transition to more of a band director role as my colleagues were so helpful in mentoring me in wind/band pedagogy.

It wasn’t until I took my current job as a middle school head director that I really had to knuckle down in my learning, particularly with beginners. Luckily, I had some awesome experiences with general band directing that allowed me to keep that element going while digging into the nitty-gritty of teaching beginners.

Going back to my first statement, I don’t recommend being an only director as a first year teacher period, but especially as a percussionist. Find a team that is willing to mentor you and help set you up for success for the route you want to go!

Kyle Billett

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