Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2013
2
As I write this article, marching
band season has come to a
close, middle school All Region
band auditions are around the
corner and the holidays are fast
approaching. I hope
that my colleagues
at the high school
level have all had a
successful fall and
wish them continued
success with up-
coming All Region
tryouts, winter con-
certs and the
occasional playoff football game!
To you at the middle schools: first
off, thanks for your hard work and
dedication. Your diligence to band,
band students and music education
is what makes our jobs great!!
Second, good luck with your All
Region Band auditions and winter
concerts.
As a Texas band director, I have
always been fascinated with the
deep history and heritage that we
current band directors are following
and—for that matter—should be
thankful for. We walk and teach in
the footsteps of the band directors
who blazed a trail for us many
years ago.
My father, who grew up on a
small farm in Michigan during the
Depression, used to talk about the
first one to the barn in the morning
in the wintertime. Whoever was
the first one out the door in the
morning had to “break the trail”
through the snow to the barn so
that it would be easier for the rest
of the family.
There are so many
men and women
who “broke the
trail” for us as band
directors. There are
names which are
synonymous with
Texas bands and
Texas band history,
names that are too
numerous to mention here for fear
that I would leave someone off.
Many of these trailblazers have
either served as presidents of TBA
or have been honored as Texas
Bandmasters of the Year. A list may
be found on the TBA website.
At the 2013 TBA Business
Meeting Luncheon this past
summer, it was my pleasure and
honor to recognize the members of
TBA and their years of membership.
It was a great thrill as we reached
those who have been members for
40, 45, and even 50 years! Those
gentlemen were the pioneers, the
standard bearers for our profession!
To listen to them, they were just
following in the footsteps of other
great teachers and directors.
My point with all this is that
we enjoy the fruits of their labors.
They blazed trails for us by setting
standards for music performance,
marching performance, and
the value of music education.
The standards that we push our
students today were set by these
“legends” many years ago. And I
think it behooves those of us in
the business today to obviously
continue pushing those standards
as we pass the baton to the next
generation. The young band
directors today have access to so
many more tools; all they need
to do is apply them and fit them
into these standards. Many, many
of them are doing that with great
success!
So, if you live near one of
these Texas Band Legends, take
the time to thank them for their
service, their dedication and their
incredible contributions to bands
and music education. Take them
to lunch; pick them up and have
them listen to your group. This is
nothing new; again, many of you
take advantage of these people and
are learning from their wealth of
knowledge. If you have one of
these “greats” nearby, lucky you!
I wish you continued success
through the year as you prepare
for Solo and Ensemble, All Region
Concerts, All State, Jazz Bands and
Concert and Sight Reading. Good
Luck and God Bless!
Thank a Trailblazer!
Bruce Beach, 2013 - 14 TBA President Elect