The Band Director's Survival Guide Podcast Band Director's Survival Guide

My guest today is Kevin Cranston, a 25 year band director who is a shining example of humility, leadership, and enthusiasm.  He consistently pushes his and program to excellence, achieving a coveted performance spot at the Midwest Clinic in 2014.  He maintains discipline, musicality, and fun in his band hall simultaneously.  
About Kevin Cranston:
Originally from Clarence, New York, Kevin Cranston is pleased to be a band director at Antoinette Reading Junior High School in Lamar Consolidated Independent School District. 
Mr. Cranston was a 4 year member of the Clarence Wind Ensemble at Clarence Central Senior High School under the direction of Ronald A. Sutherland.  In the fall of 1987 he was selected for participation in the New York All State Band, and in the fall of 1988, he was selected for the New York All State Wind Ensemble.  Subsequently, he was selected to perform as principal trombone in the MENC All Eastern Orchestra in the spring of 1989 in Boston, Massachusetts.  Mr. Cranston was fortunate to have a full scholarship to the Hartt School of Music where he studied trombone with Dr. Ronald Borror, conducting with Gene Young, and took music education classes with Dr. Christopher Azzara and Dr. John Feierabend.  Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree in music education, Kevin accepted a graduate assistantship in wind conducting at Eastern Illinois University where he studied with Dr. Bruce Moss and Dr. Joseph Manfredo.  As a trombonist, Mr. Cranston has performed with the New Haven Symphony, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Waterbury (CT) Symphony and the Danville (IL) Symphony.  He served as principal trombone with the Danville Symphony for 5 of his 8 seasons with the orchestra.  He has also been privileged to perform on Emmy Award winning soundtracks on the Callan Films productions of “Weathered Secrets”, “More Than A Game” and “A Time For Honor”.  He enjoyed working as a narrator for the production of “An Uphill Climb” with Emmy Award Winning producer, composer and writer, Craig Lindvahl. 
Kevin began his teaching career in 1995 at Teutopolis Junior High School in Teutopolis, Illinois.  The bands in “T-Town” found success at region band festivals and annual performances of the “Star Spangled Banner” for the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.  He received a “Cool School Teacher Award” in 2002; an award given by the I.E.A. to 16 Illinois teachers based on a student nomination/essay.  Mr. Cranston also enjoyed success coaching the junior varsity baseball and varsity soccer teams at Teutopolis High School.  In 2002, he received the Decatur Herald & Review Varsity Soccer Coach of the Year Award.  
Mr. Cranston and his wife, Sarah, moved to the Houston Area in 2003 when Sarah won the principal horn position with the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra.  At that time, Mr. Cranston was hired as band director at Lamar Junior High School in Lamar Consolidated I.S.D.  After enjoying 7 years of growth and success with wonderful students at Lamar Junior High School, Mr. Cranston followed many students and band families to Antoinette Reading Junior High School when it opened in 2010.  During the 17 years Mr. Cranston has been fortunate to teach in Lamar Consolidated I.S.D., his bands have received consecutive “Superior” ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading Contests.  In 2010, Mr. Cranston was named Teacher of the Year at Lamar Junior High School.  And in 2014, he was named Teacher of the Year at Antoinette Reading Junior High School and Secondary Teacher of the Year for Lamar CISD.  The Honors Band at Antoinette Reading Junior High School performs the “Star Spangled Banner” annually for the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.  All ARJH bands make an annual recording at Stude Hall at Rice University with Grammy Award Winning Producer, Andy Bradley.  
Kevin lives in Sugar Land, TX with wife Sarah, their twin boys, Will and Tim, and daughter, Emma.
About Band

Juan, Brad, and Melissa will be presenting on Holistic Health at TMEA February 12 at 7 PM CST
About Dr. Brad Meyer:
Dr. Brad Meyer (www.Brad-Meyer.com) is a percussion educator, artist, and composer with an extensive and diverse background. Currently, Meyer is the Associate Professor of Percussion at Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, TX) where he is the private lesson teacher and director of the percussion ensemble. Meyer frequently tours universities and high schools both nationally and internationally to present recitals, workshops, masterclasses, and clinics on various topics. His international performances and clinics have taken him to Austria, Taiwan, France, South Africa, and Slovenia. Meyer has been an active presenter/performer at numerous festivals and conventions, including: Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic, Texas Music Educators Association’s national convention, Percussive Arts Society’s International Convention, International Computer Music Conference, Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States’ Convention, New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, Graz’s (Austria) Night of Percussion, Chiayi’s (Taiwan) International Band Festival, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis’s Intermedia Festival, and Transylvania University’s Studio 300 Festival. Meyer is a composer with several compositions for snare drum, multi-percussion, and percussion ensemble published through Bachovich Publications. Meyer serves as the Percussive Arts Society Texas Chapter’s Vice President and Chair of the PAS Health & Wellness Committee. Meyer is a proud endorsee of Yamaha Instruments, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Evans Drumheads, and Tycoon Percussion.
About Juan Ramirez:
Juan Ramirez is currently at Gladys Porter High School, where the Cowboy Marching Band placed at area finals this past school year and were named State Alternate for the 2019 UIL Area Marching Contest for the first time in school history. While at Porter, a student of Juan’s made the 2020 TMEA 5A All-State Band. Ramirez also has experience as assistant band director at Jourdanton High School, where the marching band placed first at several marching contests and the percussion section were named Best in Class in their respective divisions as well. In the college realm, Ramirez was the Adjunct Professor of Percussion at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Ramirez has also instructed the front ensemble for the award winning Soundsport Teams Horizon Drum and Bugle Corps and Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps. Juan Ramirez received his Bachelors in Music Education from West Texas A&M University, where he performed as a soloist with the WTAMU Symphony Orchestra as a winner of the 2013 WTAMU Concerto Competition.  Juan received his Masters in Music Performance from Texas Tech University (TTU), where he served as principal percussionist in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, performed in the Symphony Orchestra, and the top percussion ensemble which performed in the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in 2016. Juan also assisted in coordinating percussion for the concert band and instructed one of the steel bands. In the spring of 2017, Ramirez presented and performed at The National Conference of Percussion Pedagogy hosted in Fayetteville, AR. Juan proudly endorses Salyers Percussion, Sabian Cymbals, and KHS America.
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Book mentioned in this episode: For the Sake of our Youth by Tessa Parham
 

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SASI
Rouse HS Virtual Marching Show
About Ryan Johnstone:
Ryan is a renowned educator and clinician at the state and national level.  Prior to his position at Rouse, Mr. Johnstone served as head band director at Canyon Vista Middle School in Austin, Texas, head band director of the Aledo Middle School, and as an associate director at Aledo High School.  His bands at Canyon Vista and Aledo Middle School advanced to the Texas Music Educator Association’s State Honor Band Competition three times under his direction, placing 4th in 2011, 2nd in 2013, and 6th in 2015 (his first year at Canyon Vista).  Additionally, the AMS Honor Winds were invited performers at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in December 2013.  Ryan was honored by Alpha chapter of Phi Beta Mu, being named “Texas Young Bandmaster of the Year.” 
Ryan is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and Yale University for Trombone performance.  Katie and Ryan talk about how his unique educational path influences the way he teaches and leads today.  They also geek out about all the world-famous musicians he went to school with and the real influence being around that level of playing has on a person’s own playing and teaching.
Even through such a difficult year, Ryan continues to find ways to keep his students and himself engaged in this new virtual reality.  We hope you’ll enjoy this fun, inspiring conversation with Ryan Johnstone.

Chelsea Frazier is the Assistant Band Director at Reading Junior High in Richmond, TX.  She runs a highly successful program with Head Director Kevin Cranston and Director Erin Hicks.  Chelsea is also the president of Young Band Directors of Texas, an organization founded to provide holistic support to members in the developing years of their career, with a focus on web-based resources and personal connections.  YBDT functions as a link between Texas Young Band Directors and the resources available to help them.
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About Amy Allison
Amy Allison has been the Head Band director at Canyon Ridge Middle School since the opening of the school in 2004. In addition to this position, Allison is also an active flutist and clinician. Ms. Allison received her bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where she studied education under Fred J. Allen and flute under Helen Blackburn.
She is currently in her 23th year of band directing and has had numerous UIL sweepstakes bands throughout the years. Under her direction the CRMS Honor Band placed 10th in the CC Texas State Honor Band Competition in 2006 and placed 1st in Region and 4th in Area in 2010.
The CRMS Honor Band has been selected as a National Winner in the Mark of Excellence Project in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and has been named “Overall Outstanding Band” at the DC Festival of Bands frequently over the past 8 years. In 2014, the Canyon Ridge Middle School Honor Band was invited to perform at the 68th Annual Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic and in 2019 was awarded the Sudler Trophy.
Before starting her teaching career in the Texas Public School System, Ms. Allison played professionally as the piccolo player for the American Wind Symphony in Pennsylvania and is also the piccolo player for the Cedar Park Winds. 
 

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About Mike Tetreault:
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Mike Tetreault is a Professional Musician, University Professor, Guide with the Paterson Center and Founder of ‘The Marinus Project’. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and a Master of Music Degree from the Royal Academy of Music in London, UK. Michael is currently Principal Timpanist of the Central City Opera, Fort Collins Symphony, Principal Percussionist of the Boulder Philharmonic and Assistant Principal Percussion of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Michael is also part of the percussion faculty at the University of Colorado (Boulder).
Michael has performed domestically and abroad with many orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, Toronto Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Central City Opera, Utah Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra (Dublin), Ulster Orchestra (Belfast), and the Halle Orchestra (Manchester) and many others. As a chamber musician Michael has performed with Roomful of Teeth, and performed and recorded with both Quattro Mani and Alarm Will Sound. He is committed to equipping people to leverage their purpose, calling and skills into meaningful  and impactful contributions around the world.