Say “Yes and” to Modern Band

Saturday, January 24, 2026
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

Description
Modern Band programs are a hot topic, but they are not the enemy! Research shows that modern band, pop music, and electronic music programs do not detract from traditional ensembles. On the contrary – they provide an entry point for the 70-80% of students not already in traditional music ensembles.    Come learn the “what, why and how” to add a modern band program at your school. Use your existing music teacher skills with our tools that include teacher resources from renown experts. For students, we have plug-and-play curricula for learning instruments, forming a band, performing covers, and composing original tunes.
Mike Olander
Speakers
Mike Olander
Learning Objective 1
Teachers will understand and identify ways that modern band/contemporary music ensembles can be integrated into an existing music band without detracting from other ensembles.
Learning Objective 2
Teachers will be able to provide rationale for inclusion of modern band/contemporary music as valuable evidence of student learning.
Learning Objective 3
Teachers will learn fundamental strategies for curating music performance assessment items and criteria based on student developmental levels, cultural context, and repertoire selection across different types of performing ensembles.
Session Level
Middle School/Junior High, High School, Collegiate, Administrator