The Real Post Game

Band banquet is a couple weeks away but that is merely the icing on the cake each year. The truth of the matter is that the UDMB season has come to a conclusion once again. I still have 100 (you read that number correctly) mini essays to read, as well as 40 or so music […]

Homecoming #25 — WOW!

A good friend sent me a text early Sunday morning, the day after the party. It said, in part: You have made a difference in so many peoples lives. You should be proud. While what he wrote is true, it is still not the first nor even the second thought that comes to mind. I […]

Homecoming #24….a surreal moment

They say (whoever “they” are I really don’t know) that there are moments in your life when you catch a glimpse of Heaven. When you are shown, for just a brief moment, all the good you have done and are given a reminder that it has all been worth it. Tonight I had one of […]

Ripples…

Every summer, at the majority of the workshops I teach–either with the Drum Major Academy or with Band Leadership Training–I teach a lesson this is essentially about getting to the center of life. It goes sort of like this: After a march off and the chaotic congratulations that is bestowed upon the winner, I ask […]

More Than ‘Just Enough’

We live during a time in the world when doing just enough is considered not only acceptable, but also a mark of achievement and success. Well…not me. “What’s next?” “How can we get better?” “What other experiences can I provide others?” “What other adventures are out there?” These are the questions I ask myself regularly. […]

An Alumni Perspective

[Bob Baylis marched in the percussion section of the UDMB in 1984 – 1986. We actually shared the infamous Tubby Raymond Field a few times when I marched with the UMASS Minuteman Marching Band.] I came across this post in my Facebook newsfeed a few moments ago. Instead of having him make it a public […]

No Matter Where Life Takes You…

Yesterday was my 23rd Homecoming game at UD. One would think that after that many years in the same place the experience becomes routine. I can assure you it does not. Homecoming for a college band director who must manage the university band as well as the annual alumni band and any other number […]

Making Memories

I recently read a very good post on Facebook from a wonderful colleague in the leadership field which you may read here. He wrote about how band can get hard, how band isn’t always fun, and why. While I agree with many points I personally disagree with one key point: I remember an enormous amount […]

True Leadership

(I was going to do this in pieces on Facebook but this seems more appropriate.) There are all sorts of buzz words, catch phrases, pieces of advice that we think of when we consider the definition of “true leadership.” At the end of the day I suppose it boils down to just one thing: did […]

It’s Not About A Title

I loathe the end of the school year. I cannot stand goodbyes. It has gotten to the point that I don’t even go to commencement because I do not trust that I won’t break down into tears. Frankly, I hate endings. There is, however, one moment I relish even less: Student Staff Leadership Announcement Day […]