Linda Kiekel

February 2022
Personal Professional Mission Statement

1. Why does my band program exist?

To enrich the lives of my students by teaching them to become musicians

2. What “lessons of life” do I want to instill in my students?

Value of art as a quality of humanity

Working with purpose

Part of a team – you matter, and others matter

Responsibility

3. What musical concepts do I want to provide for my students?

Tone, audiation, notational audiation, understanding of music’s scope

4. What will make my band program unique or recognizable?

Fame is not my goal. My goal is that students are contributing and see themselves as

the substance of the group.

5. What do I plan to achieve in two years, five years, ten years?

Better balance of instruments, blended sound, depth of tone and musicality

Students dedication to being instrumental musicians after middle school

6. When I hire other staff members, what should their most important qualities be?

Emphasis on developing student ownership and musicality

7. If I could clearly communicate one message to my students, what would it be?

Focus your tone, and learn to listen so that you can respond to what you hear

Something I am not doing that I want to do next year:

Scale memorization system

Things that need to be changed in the program:

Better quality instruments

More balanced instrumentation

As a band director, my greatest goals are:

That my students become skilled musicians and people of character

My five most important thoughts from above:

1. Enrich students as they develop character and musicianship

2. Round blended tone

3. Ability to listen and respond

4. Play as one group, with one sound

5. Students own their ensemble and continue to be engaged in instrumental music in

high school

Professional Mission Statement:

To enrich students’ lives by their development of character and musicianship, by guiding

them to play with skill, purpose, creativity, and ownership.

In the Here and Now:

1. My students are known in the school and community because of their character and

musicianship.

2. My students play every at every rehearsal with round and blended tone.

3. My students can listen to their own music and respond with intelligent observations

and suggestions for improvement.

4. My students identify together as one group, and they play together as one sound.
 5. My students know that music at this school is for them, and they enroll in high school

band as often as possible in high school.

Implementing the Plan

First Goal: My students are known in the school and community because of their character

and musicianship.

• Emphasize the opportunities for responsibility through attending sectionals and

maintaining a personal practice routine

• Find genuine ways to let the music provide opportunities for teaching life lessons,

whether through the history or lyrics of the music, or through the lives of those who

created or performed the music

• Teach the students to respect one another and the unique contribution that each person

adds to the ensemble

Second Goal: My students play every at every rehearsal with round and blended tone.

• Continue to focus on intonation and breath support

• Use sectionals as an opportunity to give specific directions and corrections for each

instrumentalist regarding form, posture, and embouchure formation

• Use warm-ups that emphasize listening to other instruments in the ensemble, even

ones who are on the other side of the room

Third Goal: My students can listen to their own music and respond with intelligent

observations and suggestions for improvement.

• Ask the students to regularly give feedback on the sound of the group

• Guide students to create their own practice goals and assess their own progress
 • Give students opportunities to listen to professional musicians

Fourth Goal: My students identify together as one group, and they play together as one

sound.

• Facilitate opportunities for the group to interact socially, such as group games or other

non-music activities

• Celebrate the unique qualities of each individual and how they contribute to the group

• Practice listening and responding to one another’s sounds

Fifth Goal: My students know that music at this school is for them, and they enroll in high

school band as often as possible in high school.

• Openly celebrate the students’ successes, and show the pathway for growth in times

of failure

• Show students examples of others who are like them that participate in music at a

high level

• Continue to press the secondary principal to resolve scheduling issues that limit

freshman enrollment in high school band

Reimer, B. (2012). Uncomfortable with immanence: The nature and value of music and

music education as singular or supplemental. In A. L. Frega, & W. D. Bowman

(Eds.), The Oxford handbook of philosophy in music education. (pp. 111-128). Oxford

University Press Academic US.

Rush, & Winther, R. (2009). The evolution of a successful band director: Workbook and

study guide; A proven plan to improve your effectiveness. GIA Publications.