Professional Development

A percussionist’s gig bag brims with sticks, mallets, brushes, keys, heads and tape. When choosing the implements to include in their arsenal, drummers have important factors to consider.

“The world of musicians is small,” says Larry Williams, a French horn performer and teacher. 

One of the most rewarding parts of participating in school music programs is the opportunity to travel. Whether for an invited performance or competition or as a spectator, the memories will last a lifetime.

Dr. Travis J. Cross is a Yamaha Master Educator and the Chair of Music, Professor of Conducting, Director of Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Jim Kuzma, the principal of Rancho High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, fully credits performing arts for many of the school’s achievements. 

At Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, faculty and students embrace failure.

"Being a 21st century artist is different than when I went to school,” says Larry Williams, a French horn performer and teacher. 

Two of the most beneficial tools to help students learn music more quickly and with a higher level of quality are slow practice and gradual increases of music difficulty.

Inclusion is at the heart of United Sound, a peer mentoring program that provides musical performance experiences for students with special needs (called New Musicians). 

Being a first-year music teacher is challenging. A big hurdle is applying the knowledge you gained during your formal education while building practical knowledge, which is usually learned on-the-fly once you enter the workforce.