It's the end of the 2024 marching band season and we're doing a wrap up to it where we talk with Bianca Wallace about current trends in the marching arts and advice for students and instructors.

Mike Buterbaugh, Music Education Advisor at the Reading Musical Foundation, joins us to talk about the importance of collecting data on your music education programs and how you can use it to your advantage.

Dr. Adam Gustafson is an Associate Teaching Professor of Music at Penn State Harrisburg. He joins us to talk about the cultural and musical impacts of Taylor Swift. Hear what he's learned through his research and what the students he teaches have to say about Taylor Swift.

Dr. Sean Powell is the author of "The Ideology of Competition in School Music" and he joins us to discuss the implications of competitive structures in school music programs.

We're talking with Tonia Asel Kaufman, a Pennsylvania music educator, that has just taken on a new PMEA role related to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - known as JEDI. Learn about the new role and what it means for music educators.

We're joined by NAMM's Senior Public Policy Advisor Mary Luehrsen as she gets ready to retire at the end of September. Mary reflects on her career including her work advocating for music and provide some advice for all of us.

We're joined by well-known conductor, Anthony Maiello. He shares some stories from his career and provides advice for teachers and students.

On this edition of Take Note, we flip the script and the host becomes the guest as we interview Mark Despotakis, PMEA's Director of Public and Government Affairs about his journey to PMEA and he shares some things music educators should keep on their radar.

Music for All's Advocacy in Action Program is a way to get your program recognized but also learn from music education programs doing great things across the country. We're joined by James Stephens, Music for All's Senior Director of Education and Advocacy and Advocacy in Action award winner, Hayley Winslow, from Saint George, Utah to talk about the program and how you can get involved. Learn more at advocacy.musicforall.org

We dive into Modern Band and learn about what it is and how it's being implemented into music education programs. Joining us to talk about Modern Band is Dr. Cassandra Eisenreich, Dr. Warren Gramm, and Henry Pearlberg.

Kathy Campbell is a Professor of Music at Seton Hill University and a new member of the PMEA Hall of Fame. Kathy joins us to talk about her career as she is about to begin her retirement.

Deke Sharon is known as "The Father of Contemporary A Cappella" and has produced albums for groups like Straight No Chaser. He's also vocally produced five seasons of The Sing Off for NBC. He was arranger, on-site music director and vocal producer for all three of Universal’s hit films in the Pitch Perfect franchise. Deke joins us to talk about Contemporary A Cappella and how you can incorporate it into your classroom.

We are talking with Dave Cree. Dave was PMEA President from 1994-1996 and talks with us about his teaching career, work with PMEA, and his current work with the Penn State Blue Band. (Apologies for the slight audio issues.)

We're talking with the two candidates for PMEA President-Elect - Emily Brumbaugh and Rebecca Sensor. PMEA members will be able to vote for this postion and others beginning on April 15th.

We continue to get ready for the 2024 PMEA All-State Festival by talking with the conductors of all six All-State ensembles. Today we talk with Scott Laird, All-State Orchestra Conductor and Dr. Chris Jackson, All-State Chorus Conductor. Learn about the musical programs and what student participants can expect.

We're joined by Dr. Kendra Ross to talk about her career as an artist, educator, and cultural worker. She talks with us about her story, her music, and how she works for the greater good of our world.

We continue to get ready for the 2024 PMEA All-State Festival by talking with the conductors of all six All-State ensembles. Today we talk with Dr. Andrea Strauss, All-State Wind Ensemble Conductor and Alfred Watkins, All-State Concert Band Conductor. Learn about the musical programs and what student participants can expect.

We're joined by Marissa Guarriello who is the Director of Programming for Music at ArtsQuest. ArtsQuest is located in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. Marissa talks with us about some new programming ArtsQuest is offering for music students and music educators.

We start to gear up for the 2024 PMEA All-State Festival by talking with the conductors of all six All-State ensembles. Today we talk with Rob Dietz, All-State Contemporary A Cappella Ensemble Conductor and Dr. Jason Kush, All-State Jazz Ensemble Conductor. Learn about the musical programs and what student participants can expect.

Len Lavelle is the band director at North Hills High School just outside of Pittsburgh. He joins us to talk about SLAM - the Servant Leadership Association for Music. Learn how this group could help you explore how to enhance the culture in your music program.

Pennsylvania is now a part of the national Arts Education Data Project. We explore what that means with Dave Deitz, Fine Arts Education Consultant at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Learn how you can access the data and put it to good use.

We are so proud of Pennsylvania's own West Chester University Marching Band having been selected to perform in the 2024 Tournament of Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. We're talking with the band's director and students as they prepare for their performance of a lifetime that's only a few weeks away.

We're talking to the director and a member of the visual staff of this year's Bands of America Grand National Champion, Avon High School about their process, their season, and so much more. Oh, and they're married too, so we get to hear about that dynamic as well. Plus, we have a special co-host - Courtney Coffey from Simply Colorguard.

Dr. Elliot Cleveland is the founder of Marching Health and he joins us to talk about the importance of paying attention to health and fitness in the marching arts and he provides some free resources.

Jazz singer/songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway joins us to talk about her new album, Finding Beauty, Originals Volume 1. She also provides advice for aspiring vocalists and music educators.

Amanda Karhuse is the Assistant Executive Director for Advocacy and Public Policy at the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). She joins us to talk about what's currently happening in Washington, D.C. and how that impacts policy related to music education.

We're talking with Kate Landis, a music educator in the Hanover Public School District. She shares how she grew her marching band from 27 members to 95 in just four years. Plus, she has suggestion for how to empower student leaders.

We're joined by NAfME President-Elect, Deb Confredo to learn about the new Music Teacher Profession Initiative and how you can get involved.

Emily Bovan from UniSound in Western Pennsylvania joins us to tell us what UniSound is and we learn about their Black Teaching Artist-in-Residence Program.

We talk with Pennsylvania's new Secretary of Education, Dr. Khalid Mumin, about current issues in education, his experience in music, and his message to educators.

In this jam packed episode, we recap the 2023 PMEA Day of Service, catch up with music education advocate Miss Pennsylvania Miranda Moore, and talk with PMEA Executive Director Abi Young and PMEA Executive Director Emerita Margaret Bauer.

James Stephens from Music for All joins us to talk about programs Music for All offers - particularly Advocacy in Action. Learn how music educators and students can get involved in the many programs they offer.

Sam McMullan is a student at Slippery Rock University. He makes his own music - but isn't a music major. We'll learn about him and how students like him can teach music educators some important lessons.

We're joined by Ashley Zilka from WTAE-TV and Erica Mokay from KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh to talk about their participation in music programs while they were in school and how that has impacted their careers in television news.

We're joined by Courtney Coffey, the founder and CEO of Simply Colorguard. She talks with us about the colorguard activity, www.simplycolorguard.com, and how it can be a resource for anyone in the colorguard activity including band directors. www.simplycolorguard.com www.courtneycoffey.com www.tiktok.com/@courtneyacoffey www.youtube.com/@CourtneyACoffey

Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Slippery Rock University, Dr. Jonathan Helmick, joins us to talk all things music education and a new initiative at Slippery Rock to explore a diverse selection of wind band music.

We talked with Maria A. Ellis, known as Girl Conductor, about the current state of music education and we preview what she'll be talking about during the 2023 PMEA Conference.

We continue to gear up for the 2023 PMEA All-State Festival by talking with the conductors of all six All-State ensembles. Today we talk with Joe Boga, All-State Jazz Ensemble Conductor and Charlie Masters, All-State Vocal Jazz Conductor. Learn about the musical programs and what student participants can expect.

We continue to gear up for the 2023 PMEA All-State Festival by talking with the conductors of all six All-State ensembles. Today we talk with Dr. David Romines, All-State Concert Band Conductor and Dr. Patricia Cornett, All-State Wind Ensemble Conductor. Learn about the musical programs and what student participants can expect.

We continue to gear up for the 2023 PMEA All-State Festival by talking with the conductors of all six All-State ensembles. Today we talk with Dr. Amanda Quist, All-State Chorus Conductor and Dr. Timothy Dixon, All-State Orchestra Conductor. Learn about the musical programs and what student participants can expect.

We're joined by Cameron Jenkins the Founder of Full Potential Leadership. Cameron provides music educators with lots of tips, trick, and new ways of thinking about music education. Cameron will also be one of the keynote speakers at the 2023 PMEA In-Service Conference so this is a great preview for conference attendees!

On this edition of Take Note, we talk with Kara LaMoure. Kara is a member of The Breaking Winds Bassoon Quartet and the WindSync Wind Quintet. We talk about her life as a musician and how schools can incorporate small ensembles into what they do to improve student learning and all music ensembles.

One of America's greatest traditions is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We talk with the Creative Producer of the parade, Wesley Whatley, about the parade and what a marching band experience is when they're a part of this nearly 100 year old event.

On this edition of Take Note, we're taking a look at the intersection of music and dance - specifically tap dance. Nora Clark is the founder of Tap That Brass and she joins us to tell us what that is and gives some ideas for how music teachers can incorporate movement into their teaching.

A new year means we're getting closer to the 2023 PMEA All-State Festival. Mary Lynne Peters, PMEA All-State Festival Coordinator, joins us to preview what we can expect this year and we learn more about her. This is a great episode for directors and students that will be part of the 2023 All-State Festival experience!

PMEA's Crescendo Student Conference will take place on January 31, 2023. We're joined by PMEA Executive Director, Abi Young, and Rebecca Sensor, music educator in the Dubois Area School District, to talk about what Crescendo is and why middle and high school students should attend.

PMEA member, Dr. Jeffrey Gemmell, teaches at Millersville University. He joins us to talk about his area of research and a product of that research - the Lititz Moravian Collegium Musicum.

We're profiling another PMEA member doing amazing things. Chad Toporski talks with us about his career, his school, his military service, and he shares some advice for young music educators.