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Creating a Culture of Excellence in

Your Second and Third Bands

Brittney Cook and Bryn Roberts

Our second and third bands should prepare our students to move up to the top band, but should also offer a
wonderful band experience in and of themselves. Students should never have to wait until they are in the top
band to experience excellence!

Similarities Between concepts; however, a unified core the non-varsity band as a part time
Non-varsity and Varsity Bands of vocabulary will help solidify the commitment or a “blow-off” class,
Sometimes students in the non- student’s understanding across all these students will be less invested in
varsity band can be sensitive to the performing ensembles. If you asked band, have a less positive experience
perception that they are being looked a student in every band, “What is the in the program, and never reach their
down on or treated as unimportant. purpose of us playing F Remington full potential as musicians.
You can combat this impression by every day?” Will they give similar • If the varsity band does objective
finding as many ways as possible to answers? Is the same concept being sheets or pass-offs, do the same with
treat the non-varsity band the same as taught in every class? The higher the non-varsity band but tailor the
the varsity. This will also ensure that bands will have more intricate material to fit their needs and ability
non-varsity students are adequately listening assignments; however, the level.
prepared for a smooth transition into basic concepts should be the same • Region band preparation is one
the varsity band setting in the future. across all bands. of the most important things that we
• The same fundamental exercises • The same high expectations should do all year to develop our students

can be used with all bands—whether be in place for all bands. Non-varsity as individual musicians. This process
this means all working out of the same bands can sound beautiful, be just can be tailored so that all students can
book or using the same warm-up as prepared for performances as the participate at a level that is beneficial
packet. Obviously these exercises can varsity band, and be successful at UIL. for them. Maybe some students learn
be modified (range, tempo, number The level of literature performed by only the region scales and not the
of keys) to fit each ensemble’s ability the non-varsity band will be lower, etudes. Others learn shorter cuts from
level, but it is important for students but the quality of the performance the region etudes. Others learn a
to know that all bands are working on does not have to be. In order to different set of easier etudes and some
the same skills. reach this high level of achievement, students in the non-varsity band will
• Similar vocabulary and language the expectation for the non-varsity be ready for full participation in the
create a seamless transition between students must be the same as for the region audition process. However,
all the bands within the program. To varsity students. by modifying this process to fit the
accomplish this, the staff must confer • If the varsity band does sectionals, various levels of our students, we

and make deliberate decisions about outside-of-school rehearsals, and give all students the opportunity to
how to teach specific concepts. What clinics, the non-varsity band should grow as musicians throughout the fall
are the keywords used to explain do the same. Don’t be afraid to through their participation in learning
ensemble balance and staccato vs. require a time commitment from these the material.
accented vs. marcato quarter notes? students! Students should know that
Each staff member can and will have all bands are equally important and all (continued on next page)
their own way of reinforcing certain are working equally hard. If we treat

Bandmasters Review • December 2018 13 Texas Bandmasters Association