In this episode, we welcome Jeff Quamo (Chandler HS) and Rick McEnenay (Flagstaff HS) to share their strategies for designing effective shows on a budget.

Jeff Quamo reflects on his journey in crafting high-quality drill and music, beginning at Mesa HS with Robbie Brooks. He’s collaborated with the same arranger for 15 years and began his tenure at Chandler with a show that resonated deeply with the community. His key message: General Effect doesn’t require massive props.

Rick McEnenay, a veteran music educator and administrator, emphasizes the importance of listening to the community. At Flagstaff, they incorporate something new into each show. The band regularly performs at NAU Band Day and attends Division Championships to watch, but their greatest pride is the supportive community they’ve built. Rick writes his own drill and co-designs the show with his wife, often opting for off-the-rack solutions for uniforms and colorguard to stay within budget.

In this episode we speak with Matt Kozacek, Director of Bands at Campo Verde HS and the founding and current President of AzMBA and Daniel Berard, retired band director from Colorado, Texas and Missouri and founder of B Elevated Music, Education and Development.

Matt shares his timeline in the spring that leads to a successful fall season. Most importantly starting early so that you can plan ahead and let ideas simmer. Campo Verde HS starts this process before their fall season is even over!

Dan Berard is the founder of B Elevated, which supports music educators in their journey as teachers and directors. He also speaks about the spring timeline and what to do to plan for a strong fall season. Particularly just evaluating where your program thrives and how to be intentional with your decisions. Be honest with their capabilities and if YOU can't do it...THEY most likely cannot either.

In this episode, Aaron Vogel and Mark Hodge spend some time recapping AzMBA Championships this year.

Post-championships, Aaron and Mark discuss their experience at Championships. They talk about the medalists from every division and share their thoughts and favorite moments from the different shows we saw this year.

AzMBA looks forward to seeing directors and staff at the AMEA Conference at the end of January! Please find our booth. We also have several exciting things coming for 2025...so be on the lookout for more information.