The “How To” Series is a brand new collection of online design courses for Marching Band. We will offer courses in Music Design, Visual Design, Color Guard Design, and Percussion Design that will be taught by some of the top experts in their fields. We will also offer a comprehensive online course in Student Leadership for both current and future Drum Majors, Section Leaders and Captains.
Currently Available
Leadership: Audition Strategies and Interview Techniques
This course is designed to help students prepare for the leadership audition process and the expectations of choosing to become a leader.
The course begins with a look at people who are great leaders in America and the different types of leadership roles that exist. From there, it explores what qualities are needed to become a strong leader and an examination of the student’s own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Read more.
Student Leadership for Marching Band- Level 100
Level 100, The Emerging Leader will take students through the fundamentals of becoming a strong and effective leader. They will be introduced to the qualities a leader must possess and examples of specific leaders who exemplify these traits. They will explore different types of leadership styles and will identify their own style. The Great Communicator section will help students improve their communication skills and discover the uses and pitfalls of social media. They will then learn motivational techniques as well as how to organize an effective sectional. Read more.
Percussion Design for Marching Band- Lesson 100
Percussion Design for Marching Band is presented by Remo Artist, Bret Kuhn. In this course you will develop a fundamental understanding of your ensemble and skills. You will explore the fundamentals of Snare, Tenor, Bass Drum, Timpani, Keyboard, and Cymbals. You will learn how to set up the equipment and the basics of tuning. Finally, you will look at the auditions process for your ensemble.
Music Design for Marching Band – Level 100
This course is designed for the director that is using pre-arranged or composed music or a complete show design package and how to turn it into a successful show. Composer/Arranger Key Poulan guides you through the process of understanding the needs of your students and how to select music that is the perfect fit for them. The course will then guide you through the process of taking the music and developing a championship show.
Visual Design for Marching Band- Level 100
World class artist and designer, Michael Gray will take you through the process of designing a successful visual package for your marching band. This 3 part series will explore the key components necessary to develop, design, and implement a strong show concept for your program. From the basics of design to exploring advances practices, these courses will elevate your visual program to the next level and set you up for growth and success in the future. Level 100 includes: Read more.
Coming Soon
Color Guard Design for Marching Band will be presented by World Class Designer Danny Wiles. This course is designed for the new guard director or someone in their first few years of teaching. The course is broken into 4 sections to help guide the director through all the basics of managing a color guard program and designing the field show. Focus is placed on understanding the strengths and weaknesses as well as setting long and short term goals for your program.
Michael Gray's career in the visual and pageantry arts spans more than three decades. His paintings are collected worldwide and his classes on impressionism and plein air painting are are perennial favorites with aspiring and established artists nationwide. Gray has participated in the highest levels of DCI, WGI and BOA as a designer, instructor, clinician and judge. He has served as the program coordinator for the Bluecoats Dr...
Shirley Stratton Dorritie has been involved in the pageantry activity for over 40 years and specializes in training performers throughout the world for optimal achievement.
Shirley holds an MA in Counseling Psychology, with a Certificate in Sport Psychology. A licensed psychotherapist (MFC41061) and founder of The Center for Performance and Achievement in the San Francisco bay area, Shirley has worked with a broad sp...
Key Poulan is a composer and arranger primarily for the marching arts and has written for the world's most famous drum corps including the Santa Clara Vanguard, Glassmen, Spirit of Atlanta, Mandarins, Caballeros, Spartans, Millennium, and the Star United Mini Corps. As the owner of Key Poulan Music, he has been recognized as one of the country's top arrangers and composers in the area of contemporary marching band, has seve...
Scott Bilbruck brings over 25 years of expertise in many areas of the band and color guard industries. He began his teaching career in Los Altos High School in California and was on the staff of the USC Trojan Marching Band while earning his degree there. From there he became a teacher at Mater Dei High School, eventually becoming the Director of Performing Arts. He left Mater Dei in 2001 to do freelance work with high ...
Peggy Bilbruck has been a performer, instructor and teacher in pageantry related activities for over 35 years. She began marching at the age of 7 with the Anaheim Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps and had the honor to end her performing career with the 1986 World Championship Blue Devils. From there, Peggy went on to teach at all levels of the Drum Corps, Marching Band and Winter Guard activities. Her love of ...