Teaching Band
Sharing perspectives. Making connections. Building better days in the band room.
What is it really like to be a band director?
Teaching Band is a podcast for music educators who want practical ideas, honest conversations, and a community that understands the real life highs and challenges of teaching music.
Hosted by middle school band director and creator Erika Gates, this podcast goes beyond music education tips. Erika shares the real stories behind the band room, from rehearsals and student engagement to classroom challenges, teacher burnout, building a positive band culture, and finding ways to make teaching band simpler and less stressful.
You'll also hear conversations with music educators and creators who are sharing their ideas, experiences, and perspectives online and in their classrooms. Some episodes take you behind the scenes of Erika's week as a band director, while others explore teaching strategies, mindset, music education, content creation, and what it means to build a band community where people feel connected.
Whether you're a new band director, an experienced music teacher, or simply someone who loves music education, this is a place to learn, laugh, think, and remember that you don't have to figure out this job alone.
Teaching band is about more than notes, rhythms, and rehearsals. It's about people.
Sharing perspectives. Making connections. Building better days in the band room.
You can follow Erika Gates on social @mrsgatesband
Teaching Band
Jalen Mims & Does Academia Support BIPOC Musicians?
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Hello Everyone!
This episode features a senior clarinet performance major, Jalen Mims as she reflects on her path from high school to her senior year of college as she prepares for grad school. We question if colleges support BIPOC musicians and share ideas on how they can improve. Jalen leaves the interview sharing what she hopes to achieve in graduate school.
WELCOME TO MY PODCAST!
My name is Erika Gates and it all started when I was trying to find illustrations of BIPOC musicians for my music classroom. With no luck finding them, I created the illustrations myself! I soon came to realize that I can contribute more which has led me to launch this podcast! Because more needs to be done, more stories need to be told, heard, and discovered. Starting this podcast is my contribution in showcasing the beauty in diversifying the arts by hearing the stories of today's BIPOC musicians.
Please join me as I interview all the wonderful BIPOC creatives we have here in the US. May you leave each episode feeling inspired and motivated to pursue your musical aspirations!
New episodes are launched every week! Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Facebook @ Musicians Of Color and Instagram @ expressivemusician
SHOP OUR MERCH ON REDBUBBLE! https://www.redbubble.com/people/egates0713/shop
Want to be interviewed? Contact me at erikagates@musiciansofcolor.com
Music: Jokes Aside (Epidemic Sound)