After Hours: A podcast for band directors, orchestra directors, and other music educators

After Hours: Conversations for Music Educators is a music education podcast from Amro Music Stores, Inc. Our After Hours podcast host, Nick Averwater, facilitates engaging conversations each week with band directors, private music teachers, general music educators, orchestra directors, and other music industry professionals just like you. Each podcast guest shares practical advice on things like classroom management in your band program, placing beginners on instruments, band and orchestra recruitment strategies, band boosters, fundraising, and more.

The goal of After Hours is to provide a podcast for band directors, orchestra directors, and music educators with strategies for both "on-podium" and “off-podium” skills that can help create a school music program that you can be proud of. If you can't find what you're looking for in our current episodes, we'd love to hear from you! Send us an email with questions or topics you'd like to see addressed in the podcast.

Did you know we were recently featured in the Top 25 Music Education Podcasts by Feedspot? Check out the article here.

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Category: Band Directors

Friday, September 24, 2021

The Importance of Practicing Correctly

Podcast Episode Summary In this episode of the After Hours Director Spotlight, Nick Averwater talks with Randall Standridge . Randall is best-known as a highly respected composer and arranger, but he was also a band director for many years. We'll learn about his early career working in a rural public school district , his techniques for teaching students how to practice the right way, and more. Our conversation is broken up in to two episodes, and this is part one. ... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, September 24, 2021

Director Spotlight Band Directors Composer

Friday, September 3, 2021

The Importance of Mental Wellness for Maintaining a Successful Band Program

Podcast Episode Summary In this episode of the After Hours Director Spotlight, Nick Averwater talks with Grant Harbison at the Arkansas Bandmasters Association Convention in Little Rock. Grant is the Director of Bands for Jonesboro, Arkansas Public Schools . In this conversation, Grant talks about how his band program is moving forward as the pandemic affects a second marching band season, the importance of gratitude and positivity, and how therapy has helped him to... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, September 3, 2021

marching band covid-19 Band Directors Wellness

Friday, August 20, 2021

Young Director's Bootcamp: Part Two

Podcast Episode Summary On August 7, 2021 Amro Music hosted its first-ever Young Directors Bootcamp. It was a chance for new educators to get practical advice from a panel of four highly successful band directors in the Mid-South region. The goal for the Young Director's Bootcamp was to help everyone feel more confident and equipped for the first week of school, and beyond. On our last episode of After Hours, we heard the first half of the bootcamp, and in this episode we'll hear the... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, August 20, 2021

Band Women Band Directors Band Directors Classroom Management

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Young Director's Bootcamp: Part One

Podcast Episode Summary On August 7, 2021 Amro Music hosted its first-ever Young Directors Bootcamp. It was a chance for new educators to get practical advice from a panel of four highly successful band directors in the Mid-South region. The goal for the Young Director's Bootcamp was to help everyone feel more confident and equipped for the first week of school, and beyond. Here are some of the highlights from our conversation. what should you cover during the first week of band... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Saturday, August 14, 2021

Beginner beginning band Women Band Directors Band Directors Classroom Management

Friday, August 6, 2021

The Art of the First Week

Episode Summary In this episode we kick off Season 3 of the After Hours podcast as Nick Averwater and his three guests talk about The Art of the First Week . Joining Nick will be Lindsey Mears from Smyrna Middle School in Smyrna, TN, Brittany Jerrell from Stewarts Creek Middle School , which is also in Smyrna, and Jennifer Church from Greenbrier High School in Greenbrier, Arkansas. Panelists Lindsey Mears, Smyrna Middle School Lindsey... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, August 6, 2021

Women Band Directors Band Directors Classroom Management

Monday, July 19, 2021

Hal Leonard's Virtual Music Education Summit

Podcast Episode Summary Nick Averwater checks in with David Jahnke from Hal Leonard to learn more about Looking Forward To 2020-2021, Hal Leonard's Virtual Music Education Summit , which happened July 29-30, 2021. They talked on July 16th at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville. The 2021-2022 school year is about looking FORWARD to rebuilding our music programs and engaging students in class and at home. Hal Leonard's free virtual music education summit... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Monday, July 19, 2021

virtual learning Band Directors Music Industry News Professional Development technology

Friday, July 16, 2021

Directing Band Across a Wide Spectrum of Socio-Economic Groups. What's Different? What's the Same?

Podcast Episode Summary In this episode of the After Hours Director Spotlight, Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Randy Box, the Director of Bands at West Memphis High School in West Memphis, Arkansas. Randy talks about the differences, and similarities, between being a band director in an affluent school district versus one with it's share of economic challenges. He also talks about what advice he would give himself if he could go back to 1978 when he started his... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, July 16, 2021

Band Director Spotlight Band Directors

Friday, July 9, 2021

Marching in The Macy's Parade Two Months After 9/11 (and other adventures in a 42-year career)

Podcast Episode Summary Randy Box has taught in four school districts in his 42-year career, most recently at West Memphis High School in Arkansas. In this first part of our conversation he talks about his early influences, taking his band to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade twice, and the importance of the acronym T-S-B-N-A-F-W-A-E-I-N. Podcast guest Randy Box Randal Box was appointed Director of Bands at West Memphis High School and Supervisor of Bands for the... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, July 9, 2021

marching band Director Spotlight Band Directors

Friday, July 2, 2021

Setting Up a Grading and Assessment Structure for Band Students

Podcast Episode Summary Nick Averwater continues his conversation with Dr. Sarah Labovitz , the Associate Director of Bands & Coordinator of Music Education at Arkansas State University . In this episode Dr. Labovitz shares some ideas about setting up a grading and assessment structure for band students. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. Labovitz. Podcast guest Dr. Sarah Labovitz Sarah Labovitz is currently the Assistant Chairman, Associate... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, July 2, 2021

Women Band Directors Band Directors Student Assessment Grading Systems for Band

Friday, June 18, 2021

Making the Connection between Brain Development and Music Learning

Podcast Episode Summary Neuroscience and psychology researchers have done extensive studies over the last 20 years to understand how the brain processes music and why music learning seems to be such a cognitively unique activity. Musically trained children have better language and communication skills, can focus for longer and are more likely to stick with difficult problems until they solve them, they are able to control their own emotional responses and understand emotional responses of... Read More

Posted by Amro Music at Friday, June 18, 2021

advocacy Women Band Directors Band Directors Music Educators Music Research

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