The Covid-19 pandemic was bad for a lot of things, including school band programs.

I’m starting my programs up again this fall after an absence of more than two years. Restarting them is like getting a ship moving with a only paddle. The experienced students have either advanced to high school, moved to other cities, or just vanished from my radar screen. Sadly, the few who are still around haven’t played their instruments since March 2020 and have lost all momentum.

So, after spending two decades developing mature band programs at several schools, I am starting over. This year I’ll have just beginning bands. If things go well, I’ll add intermediate groups in the fall of 2023 and advanced ones in 2024. Three years are necessary to recruit and develop students and establish in them the knowledge and skills needed to perform complex music, the kind that a good bands play.