Annually hosted as part of the DCI World Championships and Bands of America Grand Nationals, the Future Music Educators’ Experience returns to Indianapolis this August.
A longstanding collaboration between Drum Corps International, Music For All, the College Band Directors National Association, Kick It In, the National Association for Music Education, the National Band Association, and Winter Guard International, twice a year future music educators are afforded the opportunity to learn outside of their normal university curriculum and given a platform to ask questions to those who have been in their shoes through a variety of interactive sessions and activities.
Learn more about the Future Music Educators' Experience
Fran Kick, who originally created and has facilitated the program for more than a decade, has noticed that while colleges and universities across the country have ingrained their music education students with superb lessons about teaching instrumental music, there’s never enough time to share with students how to solve the more practical and logistical problems posed when running a marching band program.
“I don’t know very many music education programs that teach future band directors how to lead a nonprofit booster organization, plan a multi-day performance tour, contract and hire color guard instructors or percussion instructors. Yet, when they get out into the world, they’re expected to take the lead on all of that,” Kick said.
“Students can really come in and ask a master teacher like composer Richard Saucedo, ‘Hey, how do I get some experience in x, y or z?’ Or ‘What do you suggest I do dealing with a percussion instructor?’ Or ‘How do I find a color guard instructor to help me write the show but also teach it?’”
The registration deadline for this year's August 12 Future Music Educators' Experience in conjunction with the DCI World Championship Semifinals is Friday, July 29.
Register for the Future Music Educators' Experience
Schedule of Events
8:30 a.m. - Sign in Northeast VIP Stadium Entrance
9:00 a.m. - Welcome with Fran Kick, Mix-and-Meet
9:30 a.m. - Behind the scenes stadium tour
10:15 a.m. - Meet-the-Masters
11:45 a.m. - See warm-ups and/or marketplace
1:30 p.m. - Enjoy DCI World Championship Semifinals
Added Benefits
- Learn from and network with a variety of movers and shakers in the marching music community.
- Behind-the scenes stadium tour of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
- Ticket to the DCI World Championship Semifinals or Bands of America Grand National Semifinals, dependent on whether one attends the August or November session
Dates and Registration
DCI World Championship Semifinals
Friday, August 12, 2022
Bands of America Grand National Semifinals
Saturday, November 12, 2022