The Band Director's Lounge Podcast Logan Burnside

“If students know that you want the best personal life experience for them, the music will just follow.”
- Jonathan Laflamme
Director of Instrumental Music at Central Lakes College, Brainerd, MN
Welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge!
Today I am chatting with Jonathan Laflamme from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN. Jonathan coordinates the College in the Schools Program at CLC and works with band directors at high schools throughout the state to setup CIS offerings. Through the CIS program students can earn college credit for taking ensembles and courses at their high school with their high school teacher. In an age where high school students are feeling more pressure than ever to earn college credit before graduating high school, finding a way to offer college credit in instrumental music is one of the best ways to stay competitive in your high school’s course catalog. Plus it’s great to be able to reward students, particularly seniors, who have been in the program their whole high school career.
Jonathan and I walk through how CIS works through CLC. The goal is to give you some ideas about how and why a program like this would be great for your high school and hopefully encourage you to contact him to ask about setting something up for this year! As mentioned in the show, there are several online courses that CLC offers that would allow you to work with Jonathan regardless of the physical location of your high school. 
Alright, let’s dive in and learn more.
Background
Prior to coming to Central Lakes College Jonathan Laflamme was a high school band director for fourteen years. His first post was in Pierz, MN where he increased participation throughout the program, received high ratings at state contests, was selected to perform at MMEA and took the band on its first international tour. After Pierz Jonathan became the director of bands at Little Falls Community High School where he also increased participation, received local, state and regional recognition and performed on four international tours. Jonathan has been composing and arranging music for a variety of genres from rock and roll charts to jazz and symphonic band pieces. College and military bands have premiered Jonathan’s compositions. Jonathan holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from St. Cloud State University. Jonathan has been selected twice by Minnesota Public Radio as their music ‘teacher feature,’ and most recently was selected to represent Minnesota in the National School Band and Orchestra magazine as The Top 50 Music Educators Who Make a Difference.. Jonathan is passionate about teaching music, bow hunting, fishing, alpine skiing, water sports, athletics and most of all faith and family.
Episode Overview
Background (01:38) College in the Schools at CLC (15:35) Cost and workload for the director? (40:06) What makes a great band program? (56:58) And that wraps up today’s episode. If this got your wheel’s turning about “is CIS the right choice for my school and program?” then I really encourage you to reach out to Jonathan. As you can tell he is a great guy to chat with and very easy going - he will help you figure out what is the best course offering to get started with if you want to dip your toes into a CIS offering this coming year. I personally will be exploring the online courses that CLC offers and running those through my high school. More importantly, what a great way to add value to your current high school course catalog. You will earn lots of points with your administrator for wanting to take something like this on. Administrators want to keep students at the high school for financial reasons AND college credit offerings are talking and bragging points for when they converse with the community and school board.
If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of th

“Every student has untapped potential. Talent X Effort = Ability and Achievement” - Andrew Klassen
 Band Director at Menonite Brethren Collegiate Institute, Winnipeg Canada
Welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge!
Today I am chatting with Mr. Andrew Klassen who teaches at Menonite Brethren Collegiate Institute in Winnipeg, Canada. Andrew and I first got connected through a trip that I was going to be taking with my high school band students this spring and his school was going to host us for part of our tour. Together we had done much of the leg-work to get the exchange day organized and then….COVID hit one week before we were about to depart to Canada. In hindsight, it was good that things played out the way they did with the cancellation of our trip. However based on my interactions with Mr.Klassen from afar I wanted to get to know him and his program and share that with you.
Background
Andrew Klassen has taught 6-12 band at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute for the past 33 years.
Andrew is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, where he won numerous performance scholarships and competitions. He is the first saxophonist in Canada to be awarded the Royal Conservatory of Music Gold Medal for his ARCT diploma, and is a first prize winner of both the Lawrence Genser and Women’s Musical Club Scholarship Competitions.
Mr. Klassen has adjudicated throughout the Prairies, instructed in saxophone at the University of Manitoba and taught pedagogy at the University of Winnipeg. As a performer, he has played as a saxophonist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and as a violist in the Bel Canto String Quartet, and is active in leading worship at Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church. 
He is a former Artistic Director and guest conductor of the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble. Mr. Klassen has also guest-conducted the University of Manitoba Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, the Manitoba Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Honour Bands, and numerous regional honour bands, community bands, and band camps. Andrew is a recipient of the Manitoba Band Association’s Award of Distinction, the University of Manitoba’s Excellence in Music Education Award, and has presented on music education topics at the Manitoba Music Conference. 
Each August, Mr. Klassen coordinates a highly successful Junior Band Summer Camp which has served over 1200 students from 80 Manitoba schools the past 24 years.
Episode Overview
Background & MBCI (02:16) Band and music at MBCI (20:18) Scheduling, practice, rehearsal, practice logs (31:50) The Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale and grading (42:50) Talent X Effort = Ability and Achievement (58:40) Parent Buy-in (66:40) Being an active performer and modeling our craft (78:00) Books that have impacted teaching and musicianship (82:36) Advice for young directors (88:30) What makes a great band program? (92:14) And that wraps up today’s episode.
If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. Also, if you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! Please share episodes with friends and colleagues; a personal recommendation goes a long way in helping out with the show.
If you like what you heard today consider purchasing one of the books mentioned in the podcast. Your purchases through the amazon links on the website help give us a little help in covering costs for hosting the show. You can also head over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donate through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program. 
Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.
Other Resources
Andrew Klassen (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Po

“Our job is to inspire students to love music as much as we love it.” - Robert Baca Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at The University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
Welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge!
Today I am talking with Robert “Bob” Baca. Bob teaches at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and is an active teacher and performer throughout the United States.
His performance background includes countless performances in both classical and commercial areas including the Milwaukee Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra as well as a past member of the popular radio ensemble for Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” He has toured with Frank Sinatra, Buddy Rich, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Blood Sweat and Tears and numerous others as well as performing over one hundred Broadway shows and hundreds of recording sessions in Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Chicago.   As a soloist, Robert has performed in China, London, Costa Rica and Europe as well as the United States.
Robert Baca is Professor of Trumpet and Director of Jazz Studies at the all undergraduate University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  Most recently, he conducted the National High School Honors Jazz Ensemble for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) at their national convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Other highlights include serving as a faculty member of Conn-Selmer Institute, conducting numerous all state ensembles and presenting at educational conventions. He received the first, “Career Excellence in Teaching Award” presented by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and was runner up for the "Teacher Of The Year", UW-System Award.  Mr. Baca is a past executive board member for the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) as the United States Representative. 
Mr. Baca loves to help students of any age reach their whole potential.
He has been happily married to his wife Jodie for over 30 years and has two children, Alec and Nicole and a dog named Chewy.
Episode Overview
Background (01:57) A supportive spouse, “You really need to do this” (20:57) Inspiring students to love music as much as we love it and removing limitations (26:00) Eau Claire Jazz Festival, Being a “Kingmaker” not a “King” and Student Leadership (45:40) Being an active performer and educator (70:35) A career-ending diagnosis (87:14) How to bring out a guest artist to your school? (101:20) Books that have impacted teaching and musicianship (110:00) Advice for young directors (116:35)  What makes a great band program? (120:50) And that wraps up today’s episode.
If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it!
If you like what you heard today consider purchasing one of the books mentioned in the podcast or heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donating through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program. 
Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.
Other Resources
Robert Baca (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) The Band Director’s Lounge on Facebook (FB Website) Nominate a band director for the podcast Support The Band Director’s Lounge
Donate to support the podcast. Books mentioned in this episode: The Success Journey, John C. Maxwell The Inner Game of Tennis, Tim Gallway Psycho-cybernetics, Maxwell Maltz The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Co

“You can’t teach excellence without having achieved excellence.” - Scott Guidry, USAF Director (ret.) and Associate Prof. at Bemidji State University
Hello and welcome back to The Band Director’s Lounge! 
This week I am chatting with Scott Guidry, Associate Professor of Instrumental Music and Director of Bands at Bemidji State University. Scott also served and directed ensembles for 20 years in the U. S. Air Force. Today Scott and I talk about his long-time career in the USAF, the need to be genuine and authentic when in front of a large ensemble, and the importance of seeing yourself as a leader in addition to music educator.
His full biography can be found below:
Scott Guidry is Director of Bands and Associate Professor of High Brass at Bemidji State University. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a Master of Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. His primary conducting teachers include Dr. Joseph Hebert and Professor Anthony Maiello.
Professor Guidry conducts the BSU Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Symphonic Band. He teaches Trumpet and Horn, Instrumental Conducting and Arranging, and supervises instrumental student teachers. He hosts an annual high school honor band, jazz festival, and conducts the BSU spring opera. He teaches trumpet yearly at the International Music Camp, where he is a member of the artists-in-residence International Brass Quintet.
A native of Carencro, Louisiana, Professor Guidry joined the U. S. Air Force in 1993. During his 20-year tenure in the Air Force, he performed with a broad range of talented guest artists, to include Kim Nazarian of New York Voices, Canadian Brass alumni Ronald Romm and Fred Mills, Keiko Matsui, Helen Reddy, Crystal Gayle, Wilford Brimley and The Platters. Professor Guidry has presented master classes, clinics and performances with high school ensembles throughout the United States. 
His military career highlights include performances throughout the United States and over 30 nations in Europe and Western Asia. In 2010, he deployed to South West Asia and was Officer in Charge of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command Band, enhancing morale of U. S. and Allied Forces and supporting embassies throughout the theater. As leader of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band, Professor Guidry led a jazz band tour of Western Siberia, celebrating 10 years of the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg (Ya-ket-tear-in-burg), and led a ceremonial band in Sofia, Bulgaria commemorating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Bulgaria.
Professor Guidry and his wife, BSU Oboe Instructor Heather Guidry, live in Bemidji. They have three grown children and three grandchildren. 
 
Episode Overview
Background (02:50) Teaching at former high school (08:01) Going Into The Blue with the USAF (11:17) Other career highlights with USAF (26:24) Advice for would-be military ensemble auditioners (32:31) Bemidji State University (38:11) Big picture messages for music education students (42:35) Some thoughts on conducting and score study (49:01) Pride of BSU (62:33) Leadership as a music educator (69:21) Books that have impacted teaching and musicianship (76:40) Advice for young directors (78:30) What makes a great band program? (80:30) And that wraps up today’s episode.
If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it!
If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.c

Hello and welcome back to the Band Director’s lounge! 
This week I am chatting with Beth Horton from Tonara. Tonara is an awesome digital learning platform built specifically with the music educator in mind. This is a really cool and easy to use application to help facilitate large group band classes and small group and individual lessons. If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to check out this week’s episode!
Overview
What is Tonara? How did you (Beth) get involved with Tonara? (01:38) 10,000 foot overview of Tonara (07:45) Practicing, Points, Leaderboards, Groups (33:35) Creative uses and user stories (41:00) 30 day free trial and 10% off, Promo Code: Lounge20 App link: https://tonr.me/KFKG4VigY3 Weblink (only from PC): https://platform.tonara.com/login/sign-up?utm_source=logan How might a listener get setup to try out this application for their own students? (44:30)  
Try out Tonara today!!
30 day free trial and 10% off, Promo Code: Lounge20 App link: https://tonr.me/KFKG4VigY3 Weblink (only from PC): https://platform.tonara.com/login/sign-up?utm_source=logan  
And that wraps up today’s episode.
If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. At the end of the day I am doing this podcast to not only improve my own knowledge and skill set but hopefully provide this as a resource to the greater music education community. If you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it!
If you like what you heard today consider heading over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donating through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program. 
Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.
Other Resources
Beth Horton from Tonara (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Support The Band Director’s Lounge
Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ)

Hello and welcome back to the Band Director’s lounge! 
This week instead of an interview, I will be doing a book review.
I have been gearing up for this episode for quite some time as the book I am going to discuss is near and dear to me. I am often sharing the book with students as it one of the best books on leadership that I have read in my entire life. The book is called “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win” but Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Upon first read of the title you might anticipate a machismo-drill sergeant style approach towards leadership to be laid out within its pages, however it is the exact opposite.
U.S. Navy SEALs are probably one of the highest-performing military teams in the world. In “Extreme Ownership”, retired SEAL officers Willink and Babin share the vital leadership principles that have enabled SEAL leaders and teams to achieve extraordinary results, and explain how these insights can be applied to achieve success in all aspects of business and life.
Episode Overview
Introduction & Update Victory Within Extreme Ownership (06:58) No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders (30:00) Believe (35:47) Check The Ego. (40:38) Wrap-up (54:40) I’ll post some resources and links to summaries of this book. However if you are interested in picking it up, please consider using the link in the show notes to purchase it through amazon. A small percentage of the proceeds will trickle back to us and help offset some of our operating costs.
Thanks again for turning in! We’ll see you back here next time in The Band Director’s Lounge.
Other Resources
Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) jockpodcast.com "Extreme Ownership" TED Talk Support The Band Director’s Lounge
Donate to support the podcast (paypal.me/pools/c/8dpQAkgwuQ) Books mentioned in this episode: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin