Too many bands, orchestras, and instrumental soloists struggle with sight reading at our festivals. Sight reading should be the highlight of attending a festival. Using the five instrumental teaching points on the adjudication sheet, this session will provide dozens of ideas and techniques to energize teachers and students, making sight reading a truly musical experience. Music educators often approach teaching in a backward manner. (I was guilty!) We present students with music they cannot play, spending weeks “teaching it” until the concert. We instruct on rhythms, articulation, and breathing, leading to excellent performances. However, when a new piece arrives, they struggle to read it, and the cycle repeats.