In the wind band profession—as in every great discipline—it is critical to take stock in the big questions about where we are heading, and why, as we move through the twenty-first century.This thought-provoking book contains seven high-level exchanges between a leading wind band practitioner and a music education philosopher. Each section of The Future of the Wind Band grapples with the most profound issues facing the music education profession and the path of instrumental music education in our schools:Relevance: What relevance, if any, does the wind band have both to today's students and to culture more broadly in the twenty-first century? What relevance does the band experience hold for students' everyday life?Repertoire: What is the relationship between the repertoire performed by wind ensembles and the larger musical world?Pedagogy: What constitutes best practice in terms of musical pedagogy and rehearsal technique within the large-ensemble experience?Creativity: Can the wind band function as a vehicle for enhancing the individual creativity of its members?Economic Justice: How do issues of social class and the distribution of wealth relate to broader questions of social justice within the context of instrumental music education?Professional Ethics: What are the primary ethical responsibilities of the wind band conductor?Democratic Citizenship: What relationship, if any, can be drawn between membership in the wind band and citizen participation in democracy?Such exchanges can only strengthen our profession and pay rich dividends in our musical and educational work with the students we serve.
