Bandmasters Review - December 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • December 2019 16 to check yourself occasionally. When you make a tough decision at work, ask yourself. “What was the heart behind that decision?” When I was having a tough time at work, my mentor shared a document with me that really changed my perspective. It was his daughter’s Why . It was personal, heartwarming, and it was her reason for pursuing a career in music education. Take some time to write out your Why , read it and reflect on it when you can. You may not agree with everything in this article. You may see these as hard truths that are better left unspoken. I’m a 26-year- old in my fifth year of teaching, what do I know? I know that Texas Band will get better and better. I know that I would like to teach music for the next 50 years of my life. And I know that if you try to improve on just one of these points, it can’t hurt! Together, we can build a better Texas Band Culture. Amanda Blackstone is an assistant band director at Farley Middle School in Hutto, Texas. She teaches beginning woodwind classes and the non-varsity band. Prior to becoming a Hutto Hippo, Amanda taught in Southlake, Texas at Carroll Middle School. She graduated from Texas Tech University in 2015 and is currently working towards earning a Master’s degree in Music Education at Texas Tech. In her five years as a band director, Amanda has already observed the escalated burn-out rates of new band directors. Through the creation of Young Band Directors of Texas, she hopes to provide resources and a sense of community to new band directors so they can better serve the band programs of Texas. Amanda Blackstone was the 2014 recipient of the TBA Malcolm Helm Memorial Endowed Scholarship. It Starts With You