Components of the Directors’ Academy

Components of the Directors’ Academy

The Music for All Summer Symposium, presented by Yamaha, brings you the absolute best to provide a comprehensive experience. It’s a total experience, with something for every band director: high school and middle school, from the most experienced to the teacher at the start of his or her career. Music for All offers tools that will allow you to achieve peak performance personally and for your ensembles. This is the place to get a head start on next year’s thinking, make connections, get new ideas, and learn new strategies.

Directors’ Academy Sessions include:

  • Daily sessions on Teaching Ensemble Skills & Techniques
  • Daily sessions on Developing Individual Sections
  • Daily Band Director Master Classes by highly successful and experienced band directors, including Greg Bimm,
  • George Boulden, Richard Floyd, Andy Sealy, and Frank Troyka
  • One-on-One opportunities with designers, master teachers, and technology experts
  • Carolina Crown “How-To” sessions
  • Technology sessions for management, instruction, AND communication
  • Marching Band Design Sessions
  • Marching Band Judging Sessions
  • Daily sessions for adjunct staff on professionalism, health, safety, and legal implications Friday Booster Club Sessions for parents and directors
  • Health and safety for directors and marching students (in cooperation with Athletes and the Arts)
  • Directors’ Concert Band
  • Directors’ Jazz Band

Control Your Own Experience:

Customize your curriculum with choices focusing on a wide range of tracks and topics relevant to today’s band director in concert band, jazz, marching, and technology. Experience classroom rehearsal techniques, conducting, literature, marching band design, jazz band, pedagogy, technology, organization and administration, programming, and more. You also have access to observe all the student division classes, watching master teachers in all areas of instrumental instruction in action.

Band Director Masterclasses:

Our new series of daily Band Director Masterclasses will provide time with master teachers on a wide range of issues from both inside the classroom and beyond. In addition to classroom issues, we’ll discuss areas beyond those moments on the podium, like working with boosters and administration, and work/life balance.

Carolina Crown In Residence:

Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, the 2013 DCI World Champions, will be in residence, with directors’ sessions featuring the corps members and instructional staff. Carolina Crown will also work with the student Marching Band division, preparing for a combined performance Friday night at the DCI Central Indiana show. Carolina Crown’s percussion and color guard sections will work with those camp student divisions, as well.

Peer-to-Peer Networking:

Network with other directors and experts who share your passion for teaching music, both in and out of the classroom. Meals and director social events are valuable times for relaxing, catching up, and getting new ideas for your own program.

Professional Development:

Music for All knows that continuing education and ongoing professional development is important. Music for All can certify your participation in the Summer Symposium to satisfy professional development requirements. Graduate Credit is also available for directors wishing to register for it through Ball State University.

Dream Team Faculty:

The faculty includes dozens of the most respected and successful music educators teaching today, at the high school, middle school, and collegiate level; plus connection time with performing artists.

Directors’ Concert and Jazz Bands:

Bring your instrument and participate in either the Directors’ Concert Band, conducted by Richard Saucedo, or the Directors’ Jazz Band. It’s a fun chance to play with your peers and explore new literature.

One-on-One Directors’ Lounge:

Our one-on-one Directors’ Lounge brings you a team of educators offering personal consultation on your program, show design, conducting, concert programming, drill writing, and more. It’s like a director’s private lesson with leading experts in the Master Teacher Lounge, Marching Design Lounge, and Technology Lounge.

Universal Pedagogy:

Whether you’re a teacher who has years of experience or a teacher at the start of your career; in a rural, urban, or suburban setting; at a small school or large one, the pedagogy offered is relevant to band directors from a wide range of teaching environments. Music for All presenters represent a range of school sizes and settings, providing insight and expertise from directors dealing with real-world situations.

Great Facilities:

Directors will stay in an outstanding residence hall on the Ball State campus, featuring state-of-the-art technology and environmentally friendly design and construction. Ball State also features free Wifi campus-wide.

Tracks within the Directors’ Academy daily curriculum include:

  • Marching Pedagogy
  • Middle School and Young Teacher Pedagogy
  • Jazz
  • Technology
  • Administration
  • Organization
  • Boosters
  • Ethics

Last year’s Directors’ Academy Faculty included these master teachers

Photos of the Directors’ Academy at America’s Camp

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Parent/Booster Institute

Music for All’s parent/booster training and advocacy programs and resources are key elements in Music for All’s vision to be a catalyst to ensure that every child across America has the opportunity and access to participate in music making in his or her scholastic environment.

Learn about the Institute

What Should Your Child Bring?

June weather in Indiana is often unpredictable. Historical averages for this area range from 60°F-90°F and often include high humidity. Please keep that in mind when packing for camp.

See the Packing Lists

Staying in Touch with your Student

The Music for All Headquarters staff is unable to receive and deliver messages to students by phone, unless an emergency requires immediately delivery. If you wish to speak with your child during the week, plan your calling schedule before your child leaves home.

Learn How to Stay in Touch

Supervision and Health Info

Your child’s safety is our utmost priority. While at camp, your child is required to attend all classes, meals, concerts, and nightly floor meetings, where attendance is taken.

How we keep you student safe