Skip to main content

Case Studies

General Music for Non-Musicians

A Tennessee high school music educator designed a curriculum for students with no musical experience, and by the end of the school year, they are reading music, playing instruments and performing.

Go Viral With Purpose: Responsible Social Media Usage

What began as a reluctant step into TikTok quickly became a transformative journey that elevated my school music program, empowered my students and redefined how I advocate for music education.

Balancing Motherhood and Teaching

Two Virginia orchestra directors joined forces to help all caregiver music directors on extended leave.

How to Start a Summer Music Camp

To successfully launch a summer camp, you must start planning at least a year in advance.

A Band for the Community

Musicians of all ages from around the Lee County, Alabama, come together to perform together as the Smiths Station Community Band.

How to Recognize Good Teaching

Take preservice teachers on guided observations so they can see firsthand some key areas that make music educators successful.

The Nontraditional “Non-Semble”

A Wisconsin music educator uses nontraditional music ensembles to reach more students

The Power of Problem-Solving

Making modern music bridged COVID learning to a new co-curricular digital music program at a Pennsylvania school district.

Make Concerts Memorable and Fun

A South Carolina orchestra director uses creativity to engage her students and the audience.

Connecting Music and Peace

At Eastern Mennonite University, students can earn a new degree that combines music education with diplomacy.

The Magic in the Details

An Indiana music educator overcomes obstacles and fosters excellence in WGI.

Use Music to Connect with Students of All Ages

An adjunct professor at George Mason University helps music education majors as well as children around the world to communicate through music.

Overcoming Performance Anxiety

Earning trust and treating elementary students with respect are key to helping them perform with pride.

Berklee’s Outreach Program Celebrates 30 Years of Success

Berklee City Music proves that music education is alive and well in Boston with K-12 after-school and summer programs and a variety of ensembles in multiple genres. This outreach now extends beyond Beantown through partner programs to reach more than 60,000 students ever year.

Where Music Meets Leadership

The Eastman School of Music promotes more than musical performance. Through its Institute for Music Leadership, it offers students career development within the larger music industry.

Teaching for Artistic Behavior

TAB pedagogy may look like chaos, but it’s a unique teaching methodology that allows student-led creative exploration.

USC Thornton’s New Initiative: Young Artist Project

Classical music majors must showcase how they drew connections between musical performance and another area of study in a unique, individualized senior year presentation.

An Afro-Centric Curriculum Promotes Excellence

At Grace M. James Academy, a middle school for girls in Louisville, Kentucky, the orchestra director explores a unique strings education methodology.

Interdisciplinary Development Between the Arts

West Covina High School’s Performing Arts Academy allows students in music, dance and theater to hone their skills across disciplines and work together.

Incorporate Jazz in Your Classroom Daily

To keep a band program moving forward, you must capture the attention of young people. One way to do this and to increase retention is to integrate jazz into the curricula.

Play on Philly: A Model of Excellence

Underserved pre-K-12 students in Philadelphia can receive classical, tuition-free music education that balances fun and high expectations — and the results are phenomenal.

6 Steps to Incorporate a Growth Mindset in your Classroom

A Florida music educator embraces the concept that students, when faced with challenges, can improve their abilities not only in music but in everything they do.

Putting Power into Students’ Hands

Through a method called Gradual Release of Responsibility, a South Carolina music teacher helps students develop critical thinking and leadership skills.

Teach Holistic Music Literacy, Not “Button-Pushing”

Focus on teaching music as a language and give students the skills to develop fluency in improvising, reading notation, composing and audiation.

How to Design a Marching Band Show

Good show design is an asset to any band program. Don’t get lost in the pursuit of excellence. Focus on delivering a positive and life-changing marching arts experience to your students!

How DEI Initiatives Influenced UK’s Music Education Program

An associate professor at the University of Kentucky fully integrated DEI elements into the music education program after looking at ways that her students could better relate to each other as well as to their future students.

Side Hustles for Music Teachers

Do you need to supplement your income or an outlet for your creativity? Consider trying one of these side gigs!

Dissecting Boise State’s Mission Statement Led to Innovation

One music educator found ways to define “comprehensive” music education to help his students achieve personal goals.

A DEI Seed Takes Root at a University’s Music Library

When confronted with issues of equitable programming disparities, students at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania became agents of change and focused on leveraging a solution.

A New Recording Studio Reinforces Auburn’s Interdisciplinary Approach to Music

Realizing that the music industry is about more than artistry, Auburn University has added business and technological components to its music department.

“Lean into Change” is the Driving Force Behind the SEMO Jazz Program

The jazz program at Southeast Missouri State University has experienced tremendous growth and expansion thanks to the innovative vision of Dr. Joseph Jefferson.

Modern Music and Tech in Beginning Strings

With off-the-beaten-path lesson plans and performance opportunities, an orchestra director has higher student engagement, retention and overall program growth.

Case Study: A Festival that Celebrates Soloists and Small Ensembles

The Solo and Ensemble Festival at San Elijo Middle School showcases the individual work ethic and skill that goes into a performance.

Case Study: The Value of Voice-Based Choirs

A choir director doubled the size of his program by restructuring it based on his students’ voices, not by their grades.

Case Study: Launching a Mariachi Program in Las Vegas

In its first few years, the Las Vegas High School Mariachi Program released a CD and performed for many dignitaries including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Case Study: The Power of Pop Music

Student initiative is pervasive throughout the Huntington Beach High School’s pop music program, which emphasizes students’ ability to forge their own musical path.

4 Ways to Elevate Your Jazz Program

The jazz program has been the biggest catalyst for growth at The King’s Academy, a K-12 private school in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Case Study: 4 Keys to Drafting a New High School Music Program

Incorporate these tips when starting a program from the ground up. It’s a lot of work, but the rewards are worth it!.

Case Study: Implementing A Successful Group Piano Program

Connect with more students and determine a faster pacing with group lessons.

Case Study: Intentional Music Programming Allows Students to Enjoy the Journey of Music-Making

Finding “mini-opportunities” for students to perform is the main element of this Yamaha “40 Under 40” music educator’s teaching philosophy.

Case Study: The Growth of the We Are Nashville Festival

An idea between local music teachers turned into music festival that brings together students, performing artists and arts organizations.

Case Study: Develop a Guitar and Ukulele Elective for High School

Guitar and ukulele engage a wider range of students in the joys and benefits of making music.

Case Study: See Beyond Disabilities and Find Opportunities to Excel

Two disabled students presented unique opportunities to excel for the entire marching band at Forney High School in Texas.

Case Study: In this Rural Town, Band is Family

In Pierz, Minnesota, the high school band director promotes a family atmosphere to grow and sustain his music program.

Case Study: Tips to Home Grow a High-Quality Music Program

Most students at Dwight D. Eisenhower High School being learning their instruments in high school, which makes the music program’s growth and success amazing!

Case Study: “Grow Your Own” Program Increases Access and Eliminates Barriers

Tennessee State University revitalized and accelerated its educator-preparation program thanks to a $2 million grant from the state department of education.

Case Study: Providing Space for Practice

By opening the band room after school, a music educator has grown her program and instilled confidence in her students.

Case Study: Grassroots Funding Through Social Media and Contests

An instrumental elementary music teacher in New York finds outside funding to buy instruments, equipment and accessories for her program.

Case Study: 8 Keys to Successfully Build Culture through Strategic Planning

Incorporate these key elements in your plan to make your music program bigger, better and thriving.

Case Study: Strategic Storage and Scheduling Solutions

At Nutley Public Schools in New Jersey, the band program finds creative solutions to space constraints.

Case Study: Use Personal Values to Juggle a Heavy Workload

See how one music educator has mastered the art of juggling a heavy workload — what he calls “high-stakes teaching and high-payoff teaching.”

Case Study: A Rocky Road to PASIC

Due to the pandemic, V.R. Eaton High School’s PASIC performance was first canceled, then was going to be virtual, then was postponed. But the percussion team finally performed at PASIC in 2021!

Case Study: A Competitive Show Choir Boosts Choral Participation

Students at Highland High School in Illinois wanted a show choir, so their director went to work to create one.

Case Study: Giving Voice to Middle School Choir Students

A middle school choir teacher builds a classroom community as she promotes self-esteem and self-discovery.

Case Study: Shifting a Program’s Culture

A new band director found that making gradual changes to her program was the best strategy to get buy-in from her students.

Case Study: The Depth and Breadth of Music-Making at Orange Grove Elementary

After almost 20 years of no music classes, Orange Grove Elementary is coming back strong with a thriving program.

Case Study: Starting the Youth Chorus of Central Texas

Local music educators joined forces to create the Youth Chorus of Central Texas to bring musical opportunities to students.

Case Study: Using YouTube as a Teaching Tool

An elementary teacher created YouTube music lessons while he was out on paternity leave. They were not only a powerful teaching tool, but a big hit with his students!

Case Study: Implementing Student-Led Backward Planning

A Texas percussion director takes a bold and unique teaching approach — starting at the end and working backward — which has helped his students practice efficiently and set realistic timelines for themselves.

Case Study: The Power of a Transformative Teacher

At a Florida high school, Dr. Tiffany Cox finds ways to provide access to music for young musicians, no matter the challenge.

Case Study: Rural Realities

Teaching in a rural setting has its own set of challenges. Follow these tips from a 2021 Yamaha “40 Under 40” educator to succeed!

Case Study: A 10-Year Growth Plan for Enrollment, Facilities, Instruments and Staffing

Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson High in San Antonio opened in 2008 and added an additional band hall in 2018 thanks to its district’s focus on planning.

Case Study: From a $67 Budget to Success — A Four-Year Journey

A middle school band director overcomes challenges — including a paltry budget — to grow her music program.

Case Study: A Performing Arts Academy Offers Individual Learning and Career Exploration

At Orange Lutheran High School in California, instrumental music students can pursue individual learning and career exploration.

Case Study: Use Intellectual Discomfort to Expand Music Offerings

At a Wisconsin high school, the music instructor grows the quality of his music program by embracing what he doesn’t know.

Case Study: A 3-Week Fine Arts Exploratory Course More than Doubled Band Enrollment

Requiring all 6th-grade students to try band for a few weeks increased enrollment and created a positive ripple effect for future retention.

Case Study: Summer Composition Program Addresses Gender Gap

After seeing the gender disparity in the composers she studied, Erin Busch did something — she started a music composition camp designed for and taught by women.

Case Study: Expanding the Footprint of a Storied Music Program

A new band director revitalized the successful music program at Shelby County High School with creative fundraising initiatives and buy-in from students and parents.

Case Study: Practice Not Required

An unorthodox philosophy of no practicing outside of school works at Joliet Central High School.

Case Study: How Popular Music Education Transformed a Texas Program and School

At St. Michael’s Catholic Academy, a forward-thinking curriculum reshaped the music program.

Case Study: Extracurricular Ensembles in Michigan

Students at Caledonia Community Schools can join some unique ensembles — a pipe and drum band in high school (in honor of the school’s mascot, the Fighting Scots) and a percussion ensemble that students from elementary to high school can join.

Case Study: Music Thrives at a STEAM Magnet School in Florida

At Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Florida, music thrives at the intersection of art, math and science for K-5 students.

Case Study: Cle Elum-Roslyn is a Small District with a Big Sound

School size doesn’t restrict the musical accomplishments at the Cle Elum-Roslyn School District.

Case Study: Private School Outreach

The Music Academy hosted by Mater Dei High School brings music, camaraderie and performance opportunities to Southern California private school students.

Case Study: Summer Percussion Camp in Fort Worth

An army of volunteers and community partnerships transform Bass Performance Hall, an opulent opera house, into a tuition-free classroom for a summer percussion camp.

Case Study: Music Program Teamwork in Tennessee

In the Ravenwood High School music department, partnership is a three-way street as the orchestra, choral and band programs work together to give students opportunities for success.

Case Study: A Las Vegas Middle School Orchestra’s Remarkable Success

Despite having no prior strings experience, an orchestra director has taken a program at a Las Vegas middle school to major achievements.

Case Study: A Music Program Succeeds in the Inner City

A band director took risks and overcame the odds at Rancho High School in Las Vegas, turning a declining program into one of the most successful in Nevada.

Case Study: A Successful Band Program in a Texas Border Town

A band program in a border town in Texas performs — and excels — in the same league as larger competitive ensembles.

Case Study: Celebrating Mariachi in Iowa

Band directors for Denison High School and Middle School in Iowa noted the growing Hispanic population in the area and brought its culture and music into the classroom.

Case Study: Building a High School Band Program from Scratch

Yamaha Master Educator Daniel Berard started the music program at a brand-new high school. His tips can help new and established programs.

Music Education in Japan

What lessons can we learn from Japan’s emphasis on an early appreciation of music? A high school in Kashiwa is a prime example of this teaching practice and it consistently wins competitions.

Crafting a Jazz Studies Program

After a rocky start, Janis Stockhouse embraced jazz and built a successful program at Bloomington High School North in Indiana.

Case Study: Reinventing a Music Program

At O’Fallon Township High School in Illinois, the band director goes above and beyond the call of duty to give students access to music at all levels.

Case Study: How to Grow a High School Orchestra Program

The success of McQueen High School’s orchestra, which performs around the world, is thanks in large part to the director’s vision.

Case Study: Mobilizing a Community to Win Yamaha Instruments

At Teasley Middle School in Canton, Georgia, a new band director rallied his community to win Yamaha instruments for an expanding band program.