Episode Details

What happens when a student walks into your band room excited about playing guitar, bass, keyboard, or drum set, but those instruments aren't part of your traditional band instrumentation? Do you encourage them to learn something else, or is there a way to welcome them without creating a mountain of extra work for yourself?

In this episode of Band Director Boot Camp, Lesley Moffat welcomes Joseph (Joe) Sensor, a band director who has successfully integrated modern band instruments into traditional concert band settings. Joe shares how he's creating more inclusive musical experiences while maintaining the quality and integrity of his ensembles.

With three concert bands of approximately 80 to 100 students each, Joe has found practical ways to incorporate electric guitars, basses, and other nontraditional instruments without completely reinventing his curriculum. His approach challenges us to rethink what band can look like and how we can serve students who already have musical skills and interests that don't fit the traditional model.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How to incorporate guitars, electric basses, keyboards, and drum sets into traditional concert band settings.
• Practical strategies for adapting existing music and method books without adding hours of preparation.
• How welcoming nontraditional instruments can improve student recruitment, retention, and belonging.
• Ways to balance modern instruments with traditional wind and percussion ensembles.
• Why making music alongside your students builds stronger relationships and models lifelong learning.
• How staying involved in your own musical experiences can support your personal wellness and reconnect you with the joy of making music.

Joe also shares his experience participating in the Phantom Regiment Alumni Corps and why continuing to perform matters, even decades after his original drum corps experience.

The conversation is a reminder that expanding opportunities for students doesn't have to mean expanding your workload. Sometimes it simply means looking at the resources, skills, and students already in front of you and finding new ways to bring them together.

Whether you're looking to grow your program, welcome more students, or reconnect with your own love of making music, this episode offers practical ideas you can put to work.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can say to a student who wants to make music is simply, "Yes, there's a place for you here."

Resources Mentioned

Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock)

Learn more about modern band education, professional development opportunities, and the Modern Band Summit at musicwill.org.